Daily Bread

Hezekiah’s Pride, Success and Death^(A)

²⁴ In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign.^{(B) 25} But Hezekiah’s heart was proud^(C) and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath^(D) was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. ²⁶ Then Hezekiah repented^(E) of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.^(F)

²⁷ Hezekiah had very great wealth and honor,^(G) and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables. ²⁸ He also made buildings to store the harvest of grain, new wine and olive oil; and he made stalls for various kinds of cattle, and pens for the flocks. ²⁹ He built villages and acquired great numbers of flocks and herds, for God had given him very great riches.^(H)

³⁰ It was Hezekiah who blocked^(I) the upper outlet of the Gihon^(J) spring and channeled^(K) the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook. ³¹ But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon^(L) to ask him about the miraculous sign^(M) that had occurred in the land, God left him to test^(N) him and to know everything that was in his heart.

³² The other events of Hezekiah’s reign and his acts of devotion are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. ³³ Hezekiah rested with his ancestors and was buried on the hill where the tombs of David’s descendants are. All Judah and the people of Jerusalem honored him when he died. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.