Sennacherib Invades Judah

(2 Kings 18:13–16, Psalm 46:1–11)

32 After all these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, intending to conquer them for himself.

2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come to make war against Jerusalem, 3 he consulted with his leaders and commanders about stopping up the waters of the springs outside the city, and they helped him carry it out. 4 Many people assembled and stopped up all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings [fn] of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said.

5 Then Hezekiah worked resolutely to rebuild all the broken sections of the wall and to raise up towers on it. He also built an outer wall and reinforced the supporting terraces [fn] of the City of David, and he produced an abundance of weapons and shields.

6 Hezekiah appointed military commanders over the people and gathered the people in the square of the city gate. Then he encouraged them, saying, 7 “Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater One with us than with him. 8 With him is only the arm of flesh,[fn] but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.”

So the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.