The Divided Kingdom

Every male three years and older entitled to enter the house of ADONAI was given his daily share for performing his duties according to his division, regardless of how he was recorded in the genealogies.

Likewise, those recorded in the genealogies of the cohanim by clans received shares, as did the L'vi'im twenty years and older who were performing their duties in their assigned divisions.

When shares were assigned, all their little ones, wives, sons and daughters were also recorded in the genealogies, throughout the entire community; for in their faithfulness to this task they consecrated themselves.

Finally, shares were assigned to the descendants of Aharon, the cohanim, who lived in the pasture-lands surrounding their cities -in each city they were mentioned by name. Thus portions were distributed to all the males among the cohanim and to all whose genealogies showed that they belonged to the L'vi'im.

This is what Hizkiyahu did throughout all Y'hudah. He accomplished things that were good, right and faithful before ADONAI his God.

Every project that he undertook in order to seek his God, whether in the service of the house of God or in connection with the Torah and the mitzvot, he did with all his heart; and so he succeeded.

After these events and this faithfulness of [Hizkiyahu's], Sancheriv king of Ashur came, invaded Y'hudah and besieged the fortified cities, thinking that he would break in [and capture] them.

When Hizkiyahu saw that Sancheriv had come and intended to attack Yerushalayim,

he consulted his leading men and military advisers about sealing off the water in the springs outside the city. After gaining their support,

a large crowd was gathered to block all the springs and the stream flowing through the countryside. They reasoned, "Why should the kings of Ashur come and find an ample supply of water?"

Then, taking courage, he rebuilt all the broken sections of the wall, raised towers on it, built another wall outside that, strengthened the Millo in the City of David, and made a large quantity of spears and shields.

He appointed military commanders over the people, then gathered them before him in the open space at the city gate and spoke these words of encouragement to them:

"Be strong! Take courage! Don't be afraid or distressed on account of the king of Ashur or all the horde he brings with him. For the One with us is greater than the one with him -

he has human strength, but we have ADONAI our God to help us and fight our battles!"The people took heart at the words of Hizkiyahu king of Y'hudah.

After this, while Sancheriv and all his army were besieging Lakhish, he sent his envoys to Yerushalayim, to Hizkiyahu king of Y'hudah and to all Y'hudah who were there in Yerushalayim, with this message:

"This is what Sancheriv king of Ashur says: 'What gives you the confidence that you can endure a siege against Yerushalayim?

Hasn't Hizkiyahu deluded you? Isn't he condemning you to death by starvation and thirst when he says, "ADONAI our God will save us from the king of Ashur"?

Isn't this the same Hizkiyahu who removed [your God's] high places and altars and ordered Y'hudah and Yerushalayim to worship before one altar and offer sacrifices only on it?

Don't you realize what I and my ancestors have done to all the peoples of the other countries? Were the gods of these nations able to do a thing to rescue their country from me?

Who of all the gods of those nations that my ancestors completely destroyed was able to rescue his people from me? How then will your God rescue you from me?

Don't let Hizkiyahu mislead you or delude you this way, don't believe him. For no god of any nation or kingdom has ever been able to rescue his people from me or my ancestors; how much less will your God rescue you from me!'"

His envoys kept on speaking against ADONAI, God; and against his servant Hizkiyahu.

He also wrote a letter insulting ADONAI the God of Isra'el and speaking against him; it said, "Just as the gods of the nations of the other countries could not rescue their people from me, likewise Hizkiyahu's God will not rescue his people from me."

They were shouting loudly in the language of the Judeans to the people of Yerushalayim who were on the wall in order to terrify them and make them fearful, so that they could capture the city.

They spoke about the God of Yerushalayim in the same way as about the gods of the other peoples of the earth, which are merely human artifacts.