Study Desk

Yechi'el, and `Azazyahu, and Nachat, and `Asa'el, and Yerimot, and Yozavad, and Eli'el, and Yismakhyahu, and Machat, and Benayah, were overseers under the hand of Kananyahu and Shim`i his brother, by the appointment of Hizkiyahu the king, and `Azaryah the ruler of the house of God.

Thus did Hizkiyahu throughout all Yehudah; and he worked that which was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God.

In every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the mitzvot, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the springs which were outside of the city; and they helped him.

After this did Sancheriv king of Ashshur send his servants to Yerushalayim, (now he was before Lakhish, and all his power with him,) to Hizkiyahu king of Yehudah, and to all Yehudah who were at Yerushalayim, saying,

Has not the same Hizkiyahu taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Yehudah and Yerushalayim, saying, You shall worship before one altar, and on it shall you burn incense?

Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?

Now therefore don't let Hizkiyahu deceive you, nor persuade you after this manner, neither believe you him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand?

His servants spoke yet more against the LORD God, and against his servant Hizkiyahu.

He wrote also letters, to rail on the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of the lands, which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall the God of Hizkiyahu not deliver his people out of my hand.

The LORD sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the king of Ashshur. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. When he was come into the house of his god, those who came forth from his own bowels killed him there with the sword.

But Hizkiyahu didn't render again according to the benefit done to him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath on him, and on Yehudah and Yerushalayim.

Notwithstanding Hizkiyahu humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, so that the wrath of the LORD didn't come on them in the days of Hizkiyahu.

This same Hizkiyahu also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gichon, and brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. Hizkiyahu prospered in all his works.

However in [the business of] the ambassadors of the princes of Bavel, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.

Now the rest of the acts of Hizkiyahu, and his good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Yesha`yahu the prophet the son of Amotz, in the book of the kings of Yehudah and Yisra'el.

Hizkiyahu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent of the tombs of the sons of David: and all Yehudah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim did him honor at his death. Menashsheh his son reigned in his place.

For he built again the high places which Hizkiyahu his father had broken down; and he reared up altars for the Ba`alim, and made Asherot, and worshiped all the host of the sky, and served them.

He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; and he practiced sorcery, and used enchantments, and practiced sorcery, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he worked much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

He set the engraved image of the idol, which he had made, in the house of God, of which God said to David and to Shlomo his son, In this house, and in Yerushalayim, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Yisra'el, will I put my name forever: