Dealing With A Threat

Under Ahaz, there had been continual war with the Philistines, with Israel and with Syria. When Hezekiah turned the people back to God, God blessed, giving Hesekiah victory over them,  About the same time, the Assyrians conquered Israel and Syria, eliminating those threats, as II Kings 18:8-12 describes.  “He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.  And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.  And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.  And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes: Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.”

Ten years after they first invaded Israel, the Assyrians invaded Judah, attacking and capturing several cities alo0ng the border.  In an effort to avoid war with such a powerful opponent, Hezekiah apologized and offered great financial rewards, as II Kings 18:13-16 describes.  “Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.  And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.  And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house.  At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.” 

Though the Assyrians agreed on a set amount that Hezekiah agreed to pay, they had no intention of settling for the money, wanting to control the entire area.  Efforts to appease agressors seldom work, and realizing his efforts had failed, Hezekiah prepared for war, in II Chronicles 32:2-8.  “And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, 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. 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?  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.

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, 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: 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.”

In an effort to hinder the Assyrian attack, Hezekiah and the people blocked the water sources around the city, while excavating a tunnel or conduit to bring water into the city so that they would have an adequate supply, feeding it into the upper pool.  He spent considerable effort repairing and strengthening their fortifications and building additional weapons, and spent some time training and organizing the army for a prolonged battle.  He reminded the people that as powerful as the Assyrian army might be, God was still greater.  By this time, Hezekiah had so earned their trust that the people believed him.