2 Kings 18

1

Hezekiah Destroys Idolatry in Judah

(2 Chronicles 29:1–2)

In the thirdH7969 yearH8141 of the reignH4428 of HosheaH1954 sonH1121 of ElahH425 over IsraelH3478, HezekiahH2396 sonH1121 of AhazH271 became kingH4427H4428 of JudahH3063. 2He wasH1961 twenty-fiveH6242H2568 years oldH1121H8141 when he became kingH4427, and he reignedH4427 in JerusalemH3389 twenty-nineH6242H8672 yearsH8141. His mother’sH517 nameH8034 was AbiH21,1 the daughterH1323 of ZechariahH2148. 3And he didH6213 what was rightH3477 in the eyesH5869 of the LORDH3068, just asH3605 his fatherH1 DavidH1732 had doneH6213. 4He removedH5493 the high placesH1116, shatteredH7665 the sacred pillarsH4676, and cut downH3772 the Asherah polesH842. He also demolishedH3807 the bronzeH5178 snakeH5175 calledH7121 NehushtanH51802 thatH834 MosesH4872 had madeH6213, forH3588 up toH5704 thatH1992H1961 timeH3117 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 had burned incenseH6999 to it.

5Hezekiah trustedH982 in the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478. NoH3808 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 wasH1961 like himH3644H3605, either before himH6440 or after himH310. 6He remained faithfulH1692 to the LORDH3068 and did notH3808 turnH5493 from following HimH310; he keptH8104 the commandmentsH4687 thatH834 the LORDH3068 had givenH6680 MosesH4872.

7And the LORDH3068 wasH1961 withH5973 Hezekiah, and he prosperedH7919 whereverH3605 he wentH3318. He rebelledH4775 against the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 and refusedH3808 to serve himH5647. 8HeH1931 defeatedH5221 the PhilistinesH6430 asH5704 far as GazaH5804 and its bordersH1366, fromH4026 watchtowerH5341 toH5704 fortifiedH4013 cityH5892.

9

In the fourthH7243 yearH8141 of Hezekiah’sH2396 reignH4428, whichH1931 was the seventhH7637 yearH8141 of the reignH4428 of HosheaH1954 sonH1121 of ElahH425 over IsraelH3478, ShalmaneserH8022 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 marchedH5927 againstH5921 SamariaH8111 and besiegedH6696 itH5921. 10And at the endH7097 of threeH7969 yearsH8141, the Assyrians captured itH3920.

So SamariaH8111 was capturedH3920 in the sixthH8337 yearH8141 of HezekiahH2396, whichH1931 was the ninthH8672 yearH8141 of HosheaH1954 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478. 11The kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 exiledH1540 the IsraelitesH3478 to AssyriaH804 and settled themH5148 in HalahH2477, in GozanH1470 by the HaborH2249 RiverH5104, and in the citiesH5892 of the MedesH4074. 12This happened becauseH5921 they did notH3808 listenH8085 to the voiceH6963 of the LORDH3068 their GodH430, but violatedH5674 His covenantH1285—allH3605 thatH834 MosesH4872 the servantH5650 of the LORDH3068 had commandedH6680—and would neitherH3808 listenH8085 norH3808 obeyH6213.

Sennacherib Invades Judah

(2 Chronicles 32:1–8; Psalm 46:1–11)

13In the fourteenthH702H6240 yearH8141 of Hezekiah’sH2396 reignH4428, SennacheribH5576 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 attackedH5927H5921 and capturedH8610 allH3605 the fortifiedH1219 citiesH5892 of JudahH3063. 14So HezekiahH2396 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 sentH7971 word toH413 the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 at LachishH3923, sayingH559, “I have done wrongH2398; withdrawH7725 from meH5921, and I will payH5375 whateverH834 you demandH5414 from meH5921.”

And the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 exactedH7760 fromH5921 HezekiahH2396 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 threeH7969 hundredH3967 talentsH3603 of silverH37013 and thirtyH7970 talentsH3603 of goldH2091.4 15HezekiahH2396 gave himH5414 allH3605 the silverH3701 that was foundH4672 in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 and in the treasuriesH214 of the royalH4428 palaceH1004.

16At thatH1931 timeH6256 HezekiahH2396 strippedH7112 the gold with whichH2396 he had platedH6823 the doorsH1817 andH853 doorpostsH547 of the templeH1964 of the LORDH3068, andH4428H3063 he gave itH5414 to the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804.

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

(2 Chronicles 32:9–19; Isaiah 36:1–22)

17Nevertheless, the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 sentH7971 the TartanH8661,5 the RabsarisH7249,6 and the RabshakehH7262,7 along with a great armyH3515, fromH4480 LachishH3923 toH413 KingH4428 HezekiahH2396H2428 at JerusalemH3389. They advanced upH5927H935 to JerusalemH3389H5927H935 and stationed themselvesH5975 by the aqueductH8585 of the upperH5945 poolH1295, on the roadH4546 to the Launderer’sH3526 FieldH7704. 18Then they calledH7121 forH413 the kingH4428. And EliakimH471 sonH1121 of HilkiahH2518 the palaceH1004 administratorH5921, ShebnahH7644 the scribeH5608, and JoahH3098 sonH1121 of AsaphH623 the recorderH2142, went outH3318 to themH413.

19The RabshakehH7262 saidH559 to themH413, “TellH559H4994H413 HezekiahH2396 that this is whatH3541 the greatH1419 kingH4428, the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804, saysH559: WhatH4100 is the basisH982 of thisH2088 confidenceH986 of yoursH834? 20You claimH559 to have a strategyH6098 and strengthH1369 for warH4421, butH389 these are emptyH8193 wordsH1697. InH5921 whomH4310 are you nowH6258 trustingH982, thatH3588 you have rebelledH4775 against me?

21LookH2009 nowH6258, you are trustingH982 in EgyptH4714, that splinteredH7533H2088 reedH7070 of a staffH4938 that will pierceH935H5344 the handH3709 of anyoneH376 whoH834 leans on itH5564. Such isH3651 PharaohH6547 kingH4428 of EgyptH4714 to allH3605 who trustH982 in himH5921. 22But ifH3588 you sayH559 to meH413, ‘We trustH982 inH413 the LORDH3068 our GodH430,’ is HeH1931 notH3808 the OneH834 whose high placesH1116 and altarsH4196 HezekiahH2396 has removedH5493, sayingH559 to JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389: ‘You must worshipH7812 beforeH6440 thisH2088 altarH4196 in JerusalemH3389’?

23Now, thereforeH6258, make a bargainH6148H4994 withH854 my masterH113H854, the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804. I will giveH5414 you two thousandH505 horsesH5483—ifH518 you canH3201 putH5414 ridersH7392 on themH5921! 24For howH349 can you repelH7725 a singleH259 officerH6346 among the leastH6996 of my master’sH113 servantsH5650 when you dependH982 onH5921 EgyptH4714 for chariotsH7393 and horsemenH6571? 25So nowH6258, was it apart fromH1107 the LORDH3068 that I have come upH5927 againstH5921 thisH2088 placeH4725 to destroy itH7843? The LORD HimselfH3068 saidH559 to meH413, ‘Go upH5927 againstH5921 thisH2063 landH776 and destroy itH7843.’”

26Then EliakimH471 sonH1121 of HilkiahH2518, along with ShebnahH7644 and JoahH3098, saidH559 toH413 the RabshakehH7262, “PleaseH4994 speakH1696 toH413 your servantsH5650 in AramaicH762, sinceH3588 weH587 understand itH8085. Do notH408 speakH1696 with usH5973 in HebrewH30668 in the hearingH241 of the peopleH5971 onH5921 the wallH2346.”

27But the RabshakehH7262 repliedH559H413, “Has my masterH113 sent meH7971 to speakH1696 theseH428 wordsH1697 only toH5921 you andH413 your masterH113, and notH3808 toH5921 the menH582 sittingH3427 onH5921 the wallH2346, who are destined with youH5973 to eatH398 their own dungH2716 and drinkH8354 their own urineH7890?”

28Then the RabshakehH7262 stoodH5975 and called outH7121 loudlyH6963H1419 in HebrewH3066: “HearH8085 the wordH1697 of the greatH1419 kingH4428, the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804! 29This is whatH3541 the kingH4428 saysH559: Do notH408 let HezekiahH2396H3588 deceiveH5377 you; he cannotH3808H3201 deliverH5337 youH853 from my handH3027. 30Do notH408 let HezekiahH2396 persuade you to trustH982 inH413 the LORDH3068 when he saysH559, ‘The LORDH3068 will surely deliver usH5337; thisH2063 cityH5892 will notH3808 be givenH5414 into the handH3027 of the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804.’

31Do notH408 listenH8085 toH413 HezekiahH2396, forH3588 this is whatH3541 the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 saysH559: MakeH6213 peaceH1293 with meH8549 and come outH3318 to meH413. Then every one of youH376 will eatH398 from his own vineH1612 and his own fig treeH8384 and drinkH8354H376 waterH4325 from his own cisternH953, 32untilH5704 I comeH935 and take you awayH3947 toH413 a landH776 like your ownH776—a landH776 of grainH1715 and new wineH8492, a landH776 of breadH3899 and vineyardsH3754, a landH776 of olive treesH2132H3323 and honeyH1706—so that you may liveH2421 and notH3808 dieH4191. But do notH408 listenH8085 toH413 HezekiahH2396, forH3588 he misleads youH5496 when he saysH559, ‘The LORDH3068 will deliver usH5337.’

33Has the godH430 of anyH376 nationH1471 ever deliveredH5337 his landH776 from the handH3027 of the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804? 34WhereH346 are the godsH430 of HamathH2574 and ArpadH774? WhereH346 are the godsH430 of SepharvaimH5617, HenaH2012, and IvvahH5755H3588? Have they deliveredH5337 SamariaH8111 from my handH3027? 35WhoH4310 among allH3605 the godsH430 of these landsH776 has deliveredH5337 his landH776 from my handH3027H3588? How then can the LORDH3068 deliverH5337 JerusalemH3389 from my handH3027?”

36But the peopleH5971 remained silentH2790 and did notH3808 answerH6030 a wordH1697, forH3588 Hezekiah had commandedH4687, “Do notH3808 answer himH6030.”

37Then Hilkiah’sH2518 sonH1121 EliakimH471 the palaceH1004 administratorH5921, ShebnaH7644 the scribeH5608, and Asaph’sH623 sonH1121 JoahH3098 the recorderH2142 cameH935 toH413 HezekiahH2396 with their clothesH899 tornH7167, and they relayedH5046 to him the wordsH1697 of the RabshakehH7262.