1
2 After these things, and haemes thereof, Sancheriv (Sennacherib) Melech Assyria came, and invaded Yehudah, and laid siege against the fortified cities, and thought to conquer them for himself.
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And when Chizkiyahu saw that Sancheriv was come, and that he was purposed to make milchamah against Yerushalayim,
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He took counsel with his sarim and his gibborim to cover over the waters of the springs [Spring of Gihon] which were outside the Ir; and they did support him.
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So there was gathered Am Rav together, who covered the springs, and the wadi that flowed through the midst of HaAretz, saying, Why should the melachim of Assyria come, and find mayim rabbim?
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Also he strengthened himself, and repaired all the chomah that was broken down, and raised it on the migdalot, and another chomah outside of it, and repaired Millo [terraces] in Ir Dovid, and made weapons and shields in abundance.
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And he appointed sarim milchamot over HaAm, and gathered them together before him in the rechov of the Sha’ar HaIr, and spoke encouragingly to them, saying,
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Chizku (be strong) and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed because of the melech Assyria, nor because of all the vast army that is with him, for there be more with us than with him.
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With him is zero’a basar, but with us is Hashem Eloheinu to help us, and to fight milchamoteinu (our battles). And HaAm took heart upon the words of Chizkiyahu Melech Yehudah.
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After this did Sancheriv melech Assyria send his avadim to Yerushalayim, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, with all his forces with him,) unto Chizkiyah Melech Yehudah, and unto kol Yehudah that were in Yerushalayim, saying,
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Thus saith Sancheriv melech Assyria, Whereon do ye base confidence, that ye abide in the siege in Yerushalayim?
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Doth not Chizkiyahu mislead you to give over yourselves to die by ra’av and by tzama, saying, Hashem Eloheinu shall deliver us out of the yad Melech Assyria?
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Is not this the same Chizkiyah that has removed His high places and His mizbechot, and commanded Yehudah and Yerushalayim, saying, Ye shall worship before Mizbe’ach echad, and burn ketoret upon it?
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Know ye not what I and avotai have done unto all the people of other lands? Were the elohei goyei ha’aratzot able to deliver their land out of mine yad?
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Who was there among kol elohei haGoyim that avotai utterly destroyed, that could save his people out of mine yad, that Eloheichem should be able to save you out of mine yad?
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Now therefore let not Chizkiyahu deceive you, nor mislead you on this manner, neither yet believe him, for no g-d of any goy or mamlachah was able to deliver his people out of mine yad, and out of the yad of avotai. How much less shall Eloheichem deliver you out of mine yad?
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And his avadim spoke yet more against Hashem HaElohim, and against His eved Chizkiyahu.
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He wrote also sefarim to blaspheme Hashem Elohei Yisroel, and to speak against Him, saying, As the elohei goyei ha’aratzot have not saved their people out of mine yad, so shall not the Elohei Chizkiyahu save his people out of mine yad.
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Then they cried with a kol gadol in the language of the Yehudim unto the Am Yerushalayim that were on the chomah, to frighten them, and to terrorize them, that they might capture the Ir.
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And they spoke against the Elohei Yerushalayim, as against the g-ds of the peoples of the land, which were the work of the hands of ha’adam.
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And for this cause Chizkiyahu HaMelech, and Yeshayah ben Amoz, HaNavi, davened and cried out to Shomayim.
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And Hashem sent a malach, which destroyed all the fighting gibborim, and the nagid and sar in the machaneh of the melech Assyria. So he withdrew in boshet panim (shamefaced disgrace) to his own land. And when he was entered the bais elohav, they that came forth of his own loins [i.e., his sons] cut him down there with the cherev.
22
Thus Hashem saved Chizkiyahu and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim from the yad Sancheriv Melech Ashur, and from the yad of all other, and guided them on every side.
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And many brought minchah unto Hashem to Yerushalayim, and migdanot (expensive gifts) to Chizkiyahu Melech Yehudah, so that he was magnified in the sight of Kol HaGoyim from thenceforth.
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In those yamim Chizkiyah became ill, to the point of mot, and davened unto Hashem, and He answered him, and He gave him a mofet [see 2Kgs 20:1-11].
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But Chizkiyahu did not render back according to the benefit done unto him; for his lev was lifted up in pride; therefore there was ketzef (wrath) upon him, and upon Yehudah and Yerushalayim.
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Notwithstanding Chizkiyahu humbled himself for the pride of his lev, both he and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, so that the ketzef Hashem came not upon them in the days of Chizkiyah.
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And Chizkiyahu had exceeding much osher and kavod, and he made himself otzarot for kesef, and for zahav, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for moginim, and for all manner of valuable things;
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Silos also for the increase of dagan, and tirosh and yitzhar (pure olive oil); and stalls for the livestock, and pens for all the sheep.
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Moreover he built him towns, and possessions of tzon and bakar in abundance, for Elohim had given him wealth very much.
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This same Chizkiyahu also covered over the upper source of the Gichon Spring and tunneled it straight down to the west side of Ir Dovid. Chizkiyahu prospered in all his works.
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Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the sarim of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire of the mofet that was done in HaAretz, HaElohim left him, to test him, that He might know all that was in his lev.
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Now the rest of the acts of Chizkiyahu, and his acts of chesed, hinei, they are written in the Chazon Yeshayahu ben Amoz HaNavi, and in the Sefer Melachim of Yehudah and Yisroel.
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And Chizkiyahu slept with Avotav, and they buried him on the ascent in kivrei Bnei Dovid; and all Yehudah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim did him kavod at his mot. And Menasheh bno reigned in his place.