2 Kings 18

Hezekiah Reigns over Judah

1Now it cameH1961 aboutH1961 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 for twenty-nineH6242H8672 yearsH8141 in JerusalemH3389; and his mother’sH517 nameH8034 was AbiH21 the daughterH1323 of ZechariahH2148. 34He didH6213 whatH3477 wasH3477 rightH3477 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068, in accordance with everythingH3605 that his fatherH1 DavidH1732 had doneH6213. 45He removedH5493 the highH1116 placesH1116 and smashedH7665 the memorialH4676 stonesH4676 toH7665 piecesH7665, and cutH3772 downH3772 the 6AsherahH842. He also crushedH3807 toH3807 piecesH3807 7the bronzeH5178 serpentH5175 that MosesH4872 had madeH6213, for untilH5704 thoseH1992 daysH3117 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 had been burningH6999 incenseH6999 to it; and it was calledH7121 8NehushtanH5180. 59He trustedH982 in the LordH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478; and 10afterH310 him there was noH3808 one likeH3644 him among allH3605 the kingsH4428 of JudahH3063, norH3808 among those whoH834 cameH1961 beforeH6440 him. 6For he 11clungH1692 to the LordH3068; he did not desistH5493 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 wasH7919 successfulH7919. And 13he revoltedH4775 against the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 and did not serveH5647 him. 814He 15defeatedH5221 the PhilistinesH6430 as farH5704 as GazaH5804 and its territoryH1366, from 16watchtowerH5341H4026 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 marchedH5927 againstH5921 SamariaH8111 and besiegedH6696H5921 it. 10And at 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 ledH1540 IsraelH3478 intoH1540 exileH1540 to AssyriaH804, and putH5148 them in 19HalahH2477 and on the HaborH2249, the riverH5104 of GozanH1470, and in the citiesH5892 of the MedesH4074. 12This happened becauseH5921H834 they 20did not obeyH8085 the voiceH6963 of the LordH3068 their GodH430, but violatedH5674 His covenantH1285, allH3605 that MosesH4872 the servantH5650 of the LordH3068 had commandedH6680; they would neitherH3808 listenH8085 norH3808 doH6213 it.

Invasion of Judah

1321Now in the fourteenthH702H6240 yearH8141 of KingH4428 HezekiahH2396, SennacheribH5576 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 marchedH5927 againstH5921 allH3605 the fortifiedH1219 citiesH5892 of JudahH3063 and seizedH8610 them. 14Then HezekiahH2396 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 sentH7971 messengers to the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 at LachishH3923, sayingH559, “22I have doneH2398 wrongH2398. 23WithdrawH7725 from me; whateverH834 you imposeH5414 on me I will endureH5375.” So the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 imposedH7760 on HezekiahH2396 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 the payment of threeH7969 hundredH3967 24talentsH3603 of silverH3701 and thirtyH7970 talentsH3603 of goldH2091. 1525HezekiahH2396 then gaveH5414 him allH3605 the silverH3701 that 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 he gaveH5414 it to the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804.

17Then the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 sentH7971 26TartanH8661, Rab-sarisH7249, and RabshakehH7262 from LachishH3923 to KingH4428 HezekiahH2396 with a largeH3515 armyH2428 to JerusalemH3389. So they wentH5927 upH5927 and cameH935 to JerusalemH3389. And when they wentH5927 upH5927, they cameH935 and stoodH5975 by the 27conduitH8585 of the upperH5945 poolH1295, whichH834 is on the roadH4546 of the 28fuller’sH3526 fieldH7704. 18Then they calledH7121 to the kingH4428, and 29EliakimH471 the sonH1121 of HilkiahH2518, whoH834 was inH5921 chargeH5921 ofH5921 the householdH1004, 30ShebnahH7644 the scribeH5613, and JoahH3098 the sonH1121 of AsaphH623 the secretaryH4206, wentH3318 outH3318 to them.

19And RabshakehH7262 saidH559 to them, “SayH559 nowH4994 to HezekiahH2396, ‘ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the greatH1419 kingH4428, the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 saysH559: “31WhatH4100 is thisH2088 confidenceH986 that you 32haveH982? 20You sayH559--but they are onlyH389 33emptyH8193 wordsH1697-I have a planH6098 and strengthH1369 for the warH4421.’ NowH6258 on whomH4310 have you reliedH982, 34that you have revoltedH4775 against me? 21NowH6258 beholdH2009, you have 3536reliedH982 on the 37supportH4938 of thisH2088 brokenH7533 reedH7070, on EgyptH4714; on whichH834 if a manH376 leansH5564, it will goH935 into his 38handH3709 and pierceH5344 it. ThatH3651 isH3651 howH3651 PharaohH6547 kingH4428 of EgyptH4714 is to allH3605 who relyH982 on him. 22However, ifH3588 you sayH559 to me, ‘We have trustedH982 in the LordH3068 our GodH430,’ is it not He whoseH834 highH1116 placesH1116 and 39whose altarsH4196 HezekiahH2396 has removedH5493, and has saidH559 to JudahH3063 and to JerusalemH3389, ‘You shall worshipH2331 beforeH6440 thisH2088 altarH4196 in JerusalemH3389’? 23NowH6258 then, 40comeH4994 makeH6148 aH6148 wagerH6148 with my masterH113 the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804: I will giveH5414 you two thousandH505 horsesH5483, ifH518 you areH3201 ableH3201 on your part to putH5414 ridersH7392 on them! 24HowH349 then can you driveH7725 backH7725 even 41oneH259 42officialH6346 of the leastH6996 of my master’sH113 servantsH5650, and 43relyH982 on EgyptH4714 for chariotsH7393 and horsemenH6571? 25Have I nowH6258 comeH5927 upH5927 withoutH1107 44the Lord’sH3068 approval againstH5921 thisH2088 placeH4725 to destroyH7843 it? The LordH3068 saidH559 to me, ‘GoH5927 upH5927 againstH5921 thisH2088 landH776 and destroyH7843 it.’”’”

26Then EliakimH471 the sonH1121 of HilkiahH2518, ShebnahH7644, and JoahH3098, saidH559 to RabshakehH7262, “SpeakH1696 nowH4994 to your servantsH5650 in AramaicH762, becauseH3588 we 45understandH8085 it; and do not speakH1696 with us in 4647JudeanH3066 48so that the peopleH5971 whoH834 are on the wallH2346 hearH241 you.” 27But RabshakehH7262 saidH559 to them, “Has my masterH113 sentH7971 me only to your masterH113 and to you to speakH1696 theseH428 wordsH1697? Has he not also sent me to the menH376 who sitH3427 on the wallH2346, doomed to eatH398 their own dungH2716 and drinkH8354 their own urineH7890 with you?”

28Then RabshakehH7262 stoodH5975 up and shoutedH7121 with a loudH1419 voiceH6963 in JudeanH3066, 49sayingH1696H559, “HearH8085 the wordH1697 of the greatH1419 kingH4428, the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804! 29ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the kingH4428 saysH559: ‘50Do not let HezekiahH2396 deceiveH5378 you, for he will not beH3201 ableH3201 to saveH5337 you from 51my handH3027. 30And do not let HezekiahH2396 lead you to trustH982 in the LordH3068 by sayingH559, “The LordH3068 will certainlyH5337 saveH5337 us, and thisH2088 cityH5892 will not be handedH5414H3027 overH5414 to the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804.” 31Do not listenH8085 to HezekiahH2396, for thisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 saysH559: “MakeH6213 52your peaceH1293 with me and comeH3318 outH3318 to me, and eatH398, 53eachH376 one, from his vineH1612 and eachH376 from his figH8384 treeH8384, and drinkH8354, eachH376 one, the watersH4325 of his own cisternH953, 32untilH5704 I comeH935 and takeH3947 you 54to a landH776 like your own landH776, a landH776 of grainH1715 and newH8492 wineH8492, a landH776 of breadH3899 and vineyardsH3754, a landH776 of oliveH2132 treesH2132 producing oilH3323, and of honeyH1706, so that you will liveH2421 and not dieH4191.” But do not listenH8085 to HezekiahH2396, becauseH3588 he misleadsH5496 you by sayingH559, “The LordH3068 will saveH5337 us.” 3355Has anyH376 of the godsH430 of the nationsH1471 actuallyH5337 savedH5337 his landH776 from the handH3027 of the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804? 3456WhereH346 are the godsH430 of HamathH2574 and 57ArpadH774? WhereH346 are the godsH430 of SepharvaimH5617, HenaH2012, and 5859IvvahH5755? Have they savedH5337 SamariaH8111 from my handH3027? 35WhoH4310 among allH3605 the godsH430 of the landsH776 are there whoH834 have savedH5337 their landH776 from my handH3027, 60that the LordH3068 would saveH5337 JerusalemH3389 from my handH3027?’”

36But the peopleH5971 wereH2790 silentH2790 and did not answerH6030 him with even a wordH1697, becauseH3588 it was the king’sH4428 61commandH4687: “Do not answerH6030 him.” 37Then 62EliakimH471 the sonH1121 of HilkiahH2518, whoH834 was inH5921 chargeH5921 ofH5921 the householdH1004, and ShebnaH7644 the scribeH5613 and JoahH3098 the sonH1121 of AsaphH623, the secretaryH4206, cameH935 to HezekiahH2396 63with their clothesH899 tornH7167, and they reportedH5046 to him the wordsH1697 of RabshakehH7262.