2 Kings 18
18
Judah
Hezekiah
1Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 2Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah. 3And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did. 4He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. 5He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. 6For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses. 7And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not. 8He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
9And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it. 10And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. 11And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes: 12because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
Assyria's Threat
13Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them. 14And Hezekiah king of Judah sent 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 Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house. 16At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria. 17And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great 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 upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field. 18And 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, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.
19And Rab-shakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? 20Thou sayest, (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? 21Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. 22But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? 23Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them. 24How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 25Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
26Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rab-shakeh, 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. 27But Rab-shakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent 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 with you? 28Then Rab-shakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria: 29Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand: 30neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. 31Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make 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: 32until 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 oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. 33Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 34Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand? 35Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?
36But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not. 37Then came Eliakim 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 clothes rent, and told him the words of Rab-shakeh.
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2 Kings 18: KJV
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Rights in the Authorized (King James) Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Published by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press.
Learn More About King James VersionMelachim Bais 18
18
1Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea Ben Elah Melech Yisroel, that Chizkiyah Ben Achaz Melech Yehudah began to reign.
2Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine shanah in Yerushalayim. Shem immo also was Avi Bat Zecharyah.
3And he did that which was yashar in the sight of Hashem, according to all that Dovid Aviv did.
4He removed the#18:4 idolatrous high places and smashed the matzevot, and cut down the Asherah, and broke in pieces the nachash nechoshet that Moshe had made; for up to those yamim the Bnei Yisroel did burn ketoret to it; and it was called Nechushtan.
5He trusted in Hashem Elohei Yisroel; so that after him was none like him among all the Melachim of Yehudah, nor any that were before him.
6For his deveykus was to Hashem, he departed not from following Him, but was shomer over His mitzvot Hashem commanded Moshe.
7And Hashem was with him; he prospered whithersoever he went forth; he rebelled against Melech Ashur, and served him not.
8He struck down the Pelishtim, even unto Azah (Gaza), and the territories thereof, from the migdal notzrim to the fortified city.
9And it came to pass in the fourth year of Melech Chizkiyah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea Ben Elah Melech Yisroel, that Shalmaneser Melech Ashur came up against Shomron, and besieged it.
10And at the end of three years they captured it; even in the sixth year of Chizkiyah, that is, in the ninth year of Hoshea Melech Yisroel, Shomron was captured.
11And Melech Ashur did carry away Yisroel into Golus in Assyria, and put them in Chalach and in Chavor by the of Gozan River, and in the cities of the Medes;
12Because they obeyed not the voice of Hashem Eloheihem, but transgressed His Brit, and all that Moshe Eved Hashem commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
13Now in the fourteenth year of Melech Chizkiyah did Sancheriv Melech Ashur come up against all the fortified cities of Yehudah, and captured them.
14And Chizkiyah Melech Yehudah sent to Melech Ashur at Lakhish, saying, I have offended; withdraw from me; that which thou demandest me will I bear. And Melech Ashur exacted from Chizkiyah Melech Yehudah three hundred talents of kesef and thirty talents of zahav.
15And Chizkiyah gave him all the kesef that was found in the Beis Hashem, and in the otzarot of the Bais HaMelech.
16At that time did Chizkiyah strip off the zahav from the daletot Heikhal Hashem, and from the omenot (doorposts) which Chizkiyah Melech Yehudah had overlaid, and gave it to Melech Ashur.
17And Melech Ashur sent Tartan and Rav Saris and Rav Shakeh from Lakhish to Melech Chizkiyah with a large army against Yerushalayim. And they went up and came to Yerushalayim. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the te'alat haberekhah haelyonah (aqueduct of the Upper Pool), on the highway of the Sadeh of the Launderer.
18And when they had called to HaMelech, there came out to them Elyakim Ben Chilkiyah, which was over the Bais (palace), and Shevna the Sofer, and Yoach Ben Asaph the Mazkir (secretary).
19And Rav Shakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Chizkiyah, Thus saith HaMelech Hagadol, Melech Ashur; What bitachon (confidence) is this wherein thou trustest?
20Thou sayest — but they are mere davar sfatayim (words of lips, vain words) — I have etzah (counsel) and gevurah (strength) for the milchamah. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
21Now, hinei, thou trustest upon the mishenet (staff) of this bruised reed, even upon Mitzrayim, on which if a man lean, it will go into his yad, and pierce it; so is Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim unto all that depend on him.
22But if ye say unto me, We trust in Hashem Eloheinu; is not that He, whose high places and whose mizbechot Chizkiyah hath taken away, and hath said to Yehudah and Yerushalayim, Ye shall worship before this Mizbe'ach in Yerushalayim?
23Therefore, now, give pledges to adoni Melech Ashur, and I will deliver thee two thousand susim, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
24How then wilt thou turn away the face of one officer of the least of the avadim of adoni, and put thy trust in Mitzrayim for chariots and for parashim?
25Am I now come up without Hashem against this makom to destroy it? Hashem said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
26Then said Elyakim Ben Chilkiyah, and Shevna, and Yoach, unto Rav Shakeh, Speak, now, to thy avadim in Aramit (Aramaic); for we understand it; and speak not to us in Yehudit (Hebrew) in the ears of the people that are on the chomah.
27But Rav Shakeh said unto them, Hath adoni sent me to adoneicha, and to thee, to speak these words? Hath he not sent me to the anashim which sit on the chomah, that may eat their own dung, and drink their own urine with you?
28Then Rav Shakeh stood and cried with a kol gadol in Yehudit, and spoke, saying, Hear the word of HaMelech Hagadol, Melech Ashur.
29Thus saith HaMelech, Let not Chizkiyah deceive you; for he shall not be able to save you out of his yad;
30Neither let Chizkiyah make you trust in Hashem, saying, Hashem will surely save us, and this city shall not be given into the yad Melech Ashur.
31Pay heed not to Chizkiyah; for thus saith HaMelech Ashur, Make a brocha with me, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own gefen, every one of his te'enah, and drink ye every one the waters of his bor;
32Until I come and take you away to an eretz like your own eretz, an eretz dagan and tirosh, an eretz lechem and kramim, a land of zayit yitzhar and of devash, that ye may live, and not die; and pay heed not unto Chizkiyah, when he persuadeth you, saying, Hashem will save us.
33Hath any of the elohei HaGoyim delivered at all his land out of the yad Melech Ashur?
34Where are elohei Chamat, and of Arpad? Where are elohei Sepharvayim, Hena, and Ivah? Have they saved Shomron out of mine yad?
35Who are they among all the elohim of the lands, that have saved their land out of mine yad, that Hashem should save Yerushalayim out of mine yad?
36But the people held their peace, and answered him not a davar; for the mitzvat HaMelech was, saying, Answer him not.
37Then came Elyakim Ben Chilkiyah, which was over the Bais (palace), and Shevna the Sofer, and Yoach Ben Asaph the Mazkir (secretary), to Chizkiyah with their begadim torn, and told him the words of Rav Shakeh.
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