1
Now it came to pass in the thirdyear of Hosheason of Elahking of Israel, that Hezekiah[a] the son of Ahazking of Judah began to reign.
2
Twenty and fiveyearsold was he when he began to reign; and he reignedtwenty and nineyears in Jerusalem. His mother'sname also was Abi,[b] the daughter of Zachariah.
3
And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his fatherdid.
4
He removed the high places, and brake the images,[c] and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasenserpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
5
He trusted in the LORDGod of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
6
For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORDcommandedMoses.
7
And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.
8
He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza,[d] and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fencedcity.
9
And it came to pass in the fourthyear of kingHezekiah, which was the seventhyear of Hosheason of Elahking of Israel, that Shalmaneserking of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
10
And at the end of threeyears they took it: even in the sixthyear of Hezekiah, that is the ninthyear of Hosheaking of Israel,Samaria was taken.
11
And the king of Assyria did carry awayIsrael unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:
12
Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORDcommanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
13
Now in the fourteenth*year of kingHezekiah did Sennacherib[e]king of Assyria come up against all the fencedcities of Judah, and took them.
14
And Hezekiahking of Judahsent 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 Assyriaappointed unto Hezekiahking of Judahthreehundredtalents of silver and thirtytalents of gold.
15
And Hezekiahgave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king'shouse.
16
At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiahking of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
17
And the king of AssyriasentTartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to kingHezekiah with a great[f]host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upperpool, which is in the highway of the fuller'sfield.
18
And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe,[g] and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.
19
And Rabshakehsaid unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the greatking, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
20
Thou sayest,[h] (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
21
Now, behold, thou trustest[i] upon the staff of this bruisedreed, even upon Egypt, on which if a manlean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaohking of Egypt unto all that trust on him.
22
But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altarsHezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worshipbefore this altar in Jerusalem?
23
Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges[j] to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousandhorses, if thou be able on thy part to setriders upon them.
24
How then wilt thou turn away the face of onecaptain of the least of my master'sservants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
25
Am I now come upwithout the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORDsaid to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
26
Then saidEliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh,Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.
27
But Rabshakehsaid unto them, Hath my mastersent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung*, and drink their own piss[k]** with you?
28
Then Rabshakehstood and cried with a loudvoice in the Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the greatking, the king of Assyria:
29
Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiahdeceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:
30
Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD,saying, The LORD will surelydeliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
31
Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria,Make[l] an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:
32
Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oilolive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth[m] you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.
33
Hath any of the gods of the nationsdelivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
34
Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim,Hena, and Ivah? have they deliveredSamaria out of mine hand?
35
Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliverJerusalem out of mine hand?
36
But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king'scommandment was, saying, Answer him not.
37
Then cameEliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothesrent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.