Isaiah 36

1

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

(2 Kings 18:13–37; 2 Chronicles 32:1–8)

In the fourteenthH702H6240 yearH8141 of Hezekiah’sH2396 reignH4428, SennacheribH5576 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804H5921 attackedH5927 and capturedH8610 allH3605 the fortifiedH1219 citiesH5892 of JudahH3063. 2And the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 sentH7971 the RabshakehH7262,1 with a greatH3515 armyH2428, from LachishH3923 toH413 KingH4428 HezekiahH2396 at JerusalemH3389. And he stoppedH5975 by the aqueductH8585 of the upperH5945 poolH1295, on the roadH4546 to the Launderer’sH3526 FieldH7704.

3Then EliakimH471 sonH1121 of HilkiahH2518 the palaceH1004 administratorH5921, ShebnaH7644 the scribeH5608, and JoahH3098 sonH1121 of AsaphH623 the recorderH2142, went outH3318 to himH413.

4The 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? 5You claimH559 to have2 a strategyH6098 and strengthH1369 for warH4421, butH389 these are emptyH1697 wordsH8193. InH5921 whomH4310 are you nowH6258 trustingH982, thatH3588 you have rebelledH4775 against me?

6Look nowH2009, you are trustingH982 inH5921 EgyptH4714, thatH2088 splinteredH7533 reedH7070 of a staffH4938 thatH834 will pierceH935H5344 the handH3709 of anyoneH376 who leansH5564 on itH5921. Such isH3651 PharaohH6547 kingH4428 of EgyptH4714 to allH3605 who trustH982 in himH5921. 7But 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’?

8Now, thereforeH6258, make a bargainH6148H4994 withH854 my masterH113, the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804. I will giveH5414 you two thousandH505 horsesH5483—ifH518 you canH3201 putH5414 ridersH7392 on themH5921! 9For howH349 can you repelH7725 a singleH259 officerH6346 among the leastH6996 of my master’sH113 servantsH5650 when you dependH982 onH5921 EgyptH4714 for chariotsH7393 and horsemenH6571? 10So nowH6258, was it apart fromH1107 the LORDH3068 that I have come upH5927 againstH5921 thisH2063 landH776 to destroy itH7843? The LORD HimselfH3068 saidH559 to meH413, ‘Go upH5927 againstH413 thisH2063 landH776 and destroy itH7843.’”

11Then EliakimH471, ShebnaH7644, and JoahH3098 saidH559 toH413 the RabshakehH7262, “PleaseH4994 speakH1696 toH413 your servantsH5650 in AramaicH762, sinceH3588 weH587 understand itH8085. Do notH408 speakH1696 to usH413 in HebrewH30663 in the hearingH241 of the peopleH5971 onH5921 the wallH2346.”

12But the RabshakehH7262 repliedH559, “Has my masterH113 sent meH7971 to speakH1696 theseH428 wordsH1697 only toH413 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?”

13Then the RabshakehH7262 stoodH5975 and called outH7121 loudlyH6963H1419 in HebrewH3066H559: “HearH8085 the wordsH1697 of the greatH1419 kingH4428, the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804! 14This is whatH3541 the kingH4428 saysH559: Do notH408 let HezekiahH2396 deceiveH5377 you, forH3588 he cannotH3808H3201 deliverH5337 youH853. 15Do notH408 let HezekiahH2396H413 persuade you to trustH982 in 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.’

16Do notH408 listenH8085 toH413 HezekiahH2396, forH3588 this is whatH3541 the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 saysH559: MakeH6213 peaceH1293 with meH8544 and come outH3318 to meH413. Then every one of youH376 will eatH398 from his own vineH1612 andH376 his own fig treeH8384, and drinkH8354H376 waterH4325 from his own cisternH953, 17untilH5704 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.

18Do not letH6435 HezekiahH2396 misleadH5496 you when he saysH559, ‘The LORDH3068 will deliver usH5337.’ Has the godH430 of anyH376 nationH1471 ever deliveredH5337 his landH776 from the handH3027 of the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804? 19WhereH346 are the godsH430 of HamathH2574 and ArpadH774? WhereH346 are the godsH430 of SepharvaimH5617H3588? Have they deliveredH5337 SamariaH8111 from my handH3027? 20WhoH4310 among allH3605 the godsH430 of theseH428 landsH776 has deliveredH5337 his landH776 from my handH3027? How thenH3588 can the LORDH3068 deliverH5337 JerusalemH3389 from my handH3027?”

21But the people remained silentH2790 and did notH3808 answer a wordH6030, forH3588 Hezekiah had commandedH4687, “Do notH3808 answer himH6030.”

22Then 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.