2 Kings 18

Hezekiah Reigns over Judah

1Now it cameH1961 about 1in the thirdH7969 yearH8141 of HosheaH1954, the sonH1121 of ElahH425 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, that 2HezekiahH2396 the sonH1121 of AhazH271 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 becameH4427 kingH4427. 2He was 3twenty-fiveH6242H2568 yearsH8141 oldH1121 when he becameH4427 kingH4427, and he reignedH4427 twenty-nineH6242H8672 yearsH8141 in JerusalemH3389; and his mother’sH517 nameH8034 was AbiH21 the daughterH1323 of ZechariahH2148. 34He didH6213 rightH3477 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068, according to allH3605 that his fatherH1 DavidH1732 had doneH6213. 45He removedH5493 the highH1116 placesH1116 and brokeH7665 downH7665 the sacred pillarsH4676 and cutH3772 downH3772 the 6AsherahH842. He also brokeH3807 in piecesH3807 7the bronzeH5178 serpentH5175 that MosesH4872 had madeH6213, for untilH5704 thoseH1992 daysH3117 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 burnedH6999 incenseH6999 to it; and it was calledH7121 8NehushtanH5180. 59He trustedH982 in the LordH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478; 10so that afterH310 him there was noneH3808 likeH3644 him among allH3605 the kingsH4428 of JudahH3063, norH3808 among those whoH834 were beforeH6440 him. 6For he 11clungH1692 to the LordH3068; he did not departH5493 from followingH310 Him, but keptH8104 His commandmentsH4687, whichH834 the LordH3068 had commandedH6680 MosesH4872.

Hezekiah Victorious

712And the LordH3068 was with him; whereverH3605H834 he wentH3318 he prosperedH7919. And 13he rebelledH4775 against the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 and did not serveH5647 him. 814He 15defeatedH5221 the PhilistinesH6430 as farH5704 as GazaH5804 and its territoryH1366, from 16watchtowerH4026 to fortifiedH4013 cityH5892.

9Now in the fourthH7243 yearH8141 of KingH4428 HezekiahH2396, whichH1931 was the seventhH7637 yearH8141 of HosheaH1954 sonH1121 of ElahH425 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, 17ShalmaneserH8022 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 cameH5927 up againstH5921 SamariaH8111 and besiegedH6696H5921 it. 10At the endH7097 of threeH7969 yearsH8141 they capturedH3920 it; in the sixthH8337 yearH8141 of HezekiahH2396, whichH1931 was 18the ninthH8672 yearH8141 of HosheaH1954 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, SamariaH8111 was capturedH3920. 11Then the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 carriedH1540 IsraelH3478 awayH1540 into exileH1540 to AssyriaH804, and putH5148 them in 19HalahH2477 and on the HaborH2249, the riverH5104 of GozanH1470, and in the citiesH5892 of the MedesH4074, 12becauseH5921H834 they 20did not obeyH8085 the voiceH6963 of the LordH3068 their GodH430, but transgressedH5674 His covenantH1285, even allH3605 that MosesH4872 the servantH5650 of the LordH3068 commandedH6680; they would neitherH3808 listenH8085 norH3808 doH6213 it.

Invasion of Judah

1321Now in the fourteenthH702H6240 yearH8141 of KingH4428 HezekiahH2396, SennacheribH5576 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 cameH5927 up againstH5921 allH3605 the fortifiedH1219 citiesH5892 of JudahH3063 and seizedH8610 them. 14Then HezekiahH2396 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 sentH7971 to the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 at LachishH3923, sayingH559, “22I have doneH2398 wrongH2398. 23WithdrawH7725 from me; whateverH834 you 24imposeH5414 on me I will bearH5375.” So the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 25requiredH7760 of HezekiahH2396 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 threeH7969 hundredH3967 talentsH3603 of silverH3701 and thirtyH7970 talentsH3603 of goldH2091. 1526HezekiahH2396 gaveH5414 him allH3605 the silverH3701 which was foundH4672 in the houseH1004 of the LordH3068, and in the treasuriesH214 of the king’sH4428 houseH1004. 16At that timeH6256 HezekiahH2396 cutH7112 offH7112 the gold from the doorsH1817 of the templeH1964 of the LordH3068, and from the doorpostsH539 whichH834 HezekiahH2396 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 had overlaidH6823, and gaveH5414 it to the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804.

17Then the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 sentH7971 27TartanH8661 and Rab-sarisH7249 and RabshakehH7262 from LachishH3923 to KingH4428 HezekiahH2396 with a largeH3515 armyH2428 to JerusalemH3389. So they wentH5927 up and cameH935 to JerusalemH3389. And when they wentH5927 up, they cameH935 and stoodH5975 by the 28conduitH8585 of the upperH5945 poolH1295, whichH834 is on the highwayH4546 of the 29fuller’sH3526 fieldH7704. 18When they calledH7121 to the kingH4428, 30EliakimH471 the sonH1121 of HilkiahH2518, whoH834 was overH5921 the householdH1004, and 31ShebnahH7644 the scribeH5613 and JoahH3098 the sonH1121 of AsaphH623 the recorderH2142, cameH3318 out to them.

19Then RabshakehH7262 saidH559 to them, “SayH559 nowH4994 to HezekiahH2396, ‘ThusH3541 saysH559 the greatH1419 kingH4428, the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804, “32WhatH4100 is thisH2088 confidenceH986 that you 33haveH982? 20You sayH559 (but they are 34onlyH389 emptyH8193 wordsH1697), ‘I have counselH6098 and strengthH1369 for the warH4421.’ NowH6258 on whomH4310 do you relyH982, 35that you have rebelledH4775 against me? 21NowH6258 beholdH2009, you 3637relyH982 on the staffH4938 of thisH2088 crushedH7533 reedH7070, even on EgyptH4714; on whichH834 if a manH376 leansH5564, it will goH935 into his 38handH3709 and pierceH5344 it. SoH3651 is PharaohH6547 kingH4428 of EgyptH4714 to allH3605 who relyH982 on him. 22But ifH3588 you sayH559 to me, ‘We trustH982 in the LordH3068 our GodH430,’ is it not He whoseH834 highH1116 placesH1116 and 39whose altarsH4196 HezekiahH2396 has takenH5493 awayH5493, and has saidH559 to JudahH3063 and to JerusalemH3389, ‘You shall worshipH7812 beforeH6440 thisH2088 altarH4196 in JerusalemH3389’? 23NowH6258 therefore, 40comeH4994, makeH6148 a bargainH6148 with my masterH113 the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804, and I will giveH5414 you two thousandH505 horsesH5483, ifH518 you are ableH3201 on your part to setH5414 ridersH7392 on them. 24HowH349 then can you 41repulseH7725H6440 oneH259 42officialH6346 of the leastH6996 of my master’sH113 servantsH5650, and 43relyH982 on EgyptH4714 for chariotsH7393 and for horsemenH6571? 25Have I nowH6258 comeH5927 up 44withoutH1107 the Lord’sH3068 approval againstH5921 thisH2088 placeH4725 to destroyH7843 it? The LordH3068 saidH559 to me, ‘GoH5927 up againstH5921 thisH2088 landH776 and destroyH7843 it.’”’”

26Then EliakimH471 the sonH1121 of HilkiahH2518, and ShebnahH7644 and JoahH3098, saidH559 to RabshakehH7262, “SpeakH1696 nowH4994 to your servantsH5650 in AramaicH762, for we 45understandH8085 it; and do not speakH1696 with us in 4647JudeanH3066 in the hearingH241 of the peopleH5971 whoH834 are on the wallH2346.” 27But RabshakehH7262 saidH559 to them, “Has my masterH113 sentH7971 me only to your masterH113 and to you to speakH1696 theseH428 wordsH1697, and not to the menH376 who sitH3427 on the wallH2346, doomed to eatH398 their own dungH2716 and drinkH8354 their own urineH7890 with you?”

28Then RabshakehH7262 stoodH5975 and criedH7121 with a loudH1419 voiceH6963 in JudeanH3066, 48sayingH1696H559, “HearH8085 the wordH1697 of the greatH1419 kingH4428, the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804. 29ThusH3541 saysH559 the kingH4428, ‘49Do not let HezekiahH2396 deceiveH5378 you, for he will not be ableH3201 to deliverH5337 you from 50my handH3027; 30norH408 let HezekiahH2396 make you trustH982 in the LordH3068, sayingH559, “The LordH3068 will surelyH5337 deliverH5337 us, and thisH2088 cityH5892 will not be givenH5414 into the handH3027 of the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804.” 31Do not listenH8085 to HezekiahH2396, for thusH3541 saysH559 the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804, “51MakeH6213 your peaceH1293 with me and comeH3318 out to me, and eatH398 52eachH376 of his vineH1612 and eachH376 of his figH8384 treeH8384 and drinkH8354 eachH376 of the watersH4325 of his own cisternH953, 32untilH5704 I comeH935 and takeH3947 you away 53to a landH776 like your own landH776, a landH776 of grainH1715 and newH8492 wineH8492, a landH776 of breadH3899 and vineyardsH3754, a landH776 of oliveH2132 treesH2132 and honeyH1706, that you may liveH2421 and not dieH4191.” But do not listenH8085 to HezekiahH2396 whenH3588 he misleadsH5496 you, sayingH559, “The LordH3068 will deliverH5337 us.” 3354Has anyH376 oneH376 of the godsH430 of the nationsH1471 deliveredH5337 his landH776 from the handH3027 of the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804? 3455WhereH346 are the godsH430 of HamathH2574 and 56ArpadH774? WhereH346 are the godsH430 of SepharvaimH5617, HenaH2012 and 5758IvvahH5755? Have they deliveredH5337 SamariaH8111 from my handH3027? 35WhoH4310 among allH3605 the godsH430 of the landsH776 59have deliveredH5337 their landH776 from my handH3027, 60that the LordH3068 should deliverH5337 JerusalemH3389 from my handH3027?’”

36But the peopleH5971 were silentH2790 and answeredH6030 him not a wordH1697, for the king’sH4428 commandmentH4687 was, “Do not answerH6030 him.” 37Then 61EliakimH471 the sonH1121 of HilkiahH2518, whoH834 was overH5921 the householdH1004, and ShebnaH7644 the scribeH5613 and JoahH3098 the sonH1121 of AsaphH623, the recorderH2142, cameH935 to HezekiahH2396 62with their clothesH899 tornH7167 and toldH5046 him the wordsH1697 of RabshakehH7262.