¹ After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself.² And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,³ He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him.⁴ So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?⁵ Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.⁶ And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying,⁷ Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:⁸ With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.⁹ After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,¹⁰ Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?¹¹ Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?¹² Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?¹³ Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand?¹⁴ Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?¹⁵ Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?¹⁶ And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God, and against his servant Hezekiah.¹⁷ He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.¹⁸ Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city.¹⁹ And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.²⁰ And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.²¹ And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.²² Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side.²³ And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.²⁴ In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign.²⁵ But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.²⁶ Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.²⁷ And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels;²⁸ Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.²⁹ Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.³⁰ This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.³¹ Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire 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.³² Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.³³ And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

¹ But Job answered and said,² Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!³ For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.⁴ For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.⁵ Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?⁶ Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?⁷ The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.⁸ Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!⁹ Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!¹⁰ Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.¹¹ What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?¹² Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?¹³ Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?¹⁴ To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.¹⁵ My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;¹⁶ Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:¹⁷ What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.¹⁸ The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.¹⁹ The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.²⁰ They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.²¹ For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.²² Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?²³ Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?²⁴ Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.²⁵ How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?²⁶ Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?²⁷ Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.²⁸ Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.²⁹ Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.³⁰ Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?

¹ Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?² As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:³ So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.⁴ When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.⁵ My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.⁶ My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.⁷ O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.⁸ The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.⁹ As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.¹⁰ He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.¹¹ Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.¹² Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?¹³ When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaints;¹⁴ Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:¹⁵ So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.¹⁶ I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.¹⁷ What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?¹⁸ And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?¹⁹ How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?²⁰ I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?²¹ And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.