1
After these events, in which King Hezekiah served the Lord faithfully, Sennacherib, the emperor of Assyria, invaded Judah. He besieged the fortified cities and gave orders for his army to break their way through the walls.
2
When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib intended to attack Jerusalem also,
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he and his officials decided to cut off the supply of water outside the city in order to keep the Assyrians from having any water when they got near Jerusalem. The officials led a large number of people out and stopped up all the springs, so that no more water flowed out of them.
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The king strengthened the city's defenses by repairing the wall, building towers on it, and building an outer wall. In addition, he repaired the defenses built on the land that was filled in on the east side of the old part of Jerusalem. He also had a large number of spears and shields made.
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He placed all the men in the city under the command of army officers and had them assemble in the open square at the city gate. He said to them,
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"Be determined and confident, and don't be afraid of the Assyrian emperor or of the army he is leading. We have more power on our side than he has on his.
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He has human power, but we have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles." The people were encouraged by these words of their king.
9
Some time later, while Sennacherib and his army were still at Lachish, he sent the following message to Hezekiah and the people of Judah who were with him in Jerusalem:
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"I, Sennacherib, Emperor of Assyria, ask what gives you people the confidence to remain in Jerusalem under siege.