HEZEKIAH AND SENNACHERIB.

: Old Testament Stories

Sennacherib, the King of Assyria, invaded the land of Judah, and

threatened to lay siege to Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah took counsel with

his princes and mighty men, and repaired the broken walls, and made

them higher. He made many other preparations for the defence of the

city, and went among his people, exhorting them to trust in God, and

be of good courage. But Sennacherib sent messengers to induce those

that guarded t
e walls of the city to revolt against Hezekiah, saying,

"Do not believe this Hezekiah when he tells you that your God will

deliver you; hath any of the nations against which I have made war

been delivered by their gods?"



When Hezekiah heard these words he went into the house of the Lord,

and sent messengers to Isaiah, asking for his prayers. Isaiah said to

them, "Thus saith the Lord, 'Be not afraid of the words with which the

King of Assyria hath blasphemed Me. I will send a blast upon him, and

he shall return and shall fall by the sword in his own land.'"

Afterwards the King of Assyria sent a letter to Hezekiah, in which he

repeated his sneers at the power of God. When Hezekiah read it, he

went into the house of the Lord, and spreading the letter before the

Lord, prayed for His help. God answered, by the mouth of Isaiah, that

the King of Assyria should not enter Jerusalem, nor shoot over it, but

be turned back the way he came. And the same night the angel of the

Lord went into the camp of the Assyrians, and smote one hundred and

eighty-five thousand. Then Sennacherib returned to Nineveh, and as he

was worshipping in the house of his god, there came to him two of his

sons, who killed him.



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