2 Kings
2 Kings 18 ©
1 Hezekiah's good reign. 4 He abolisheth idolatry, and prospereth. 9 In his time Samaria is taken, and Israel carried away captive for their sins. 13 Sennacherib invadeth Judah, and receiveth the appointed tribute from Hezekiah. 17 He sendeth Rab-shakeh, who insulteth Hezekiah, 28 and in a blasphemous speech soliciteth the people to revolt.
Twenty 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 2Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.
¶He cremoved the high places, and brake the 3images, and cut down the dgroves, and brake in pieces the ebrasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it 4Nehushtan.
He lsmote the Philistines, even unto 6Gaza, and the borders thereof, mfrom the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
¶And nit 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.
Because qthey 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.
And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to sLachish, saying, tI 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 uthree hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
And Hezekiah vgave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house.
¶And xthe king of Assyria sent yTartan and Rab-saris and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a 9great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the z*conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the *fuller's field.
And Rab-shakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, cThus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, dWhat confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
Thou 11sayest, (but they are but 12vain words,) 13I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom 14dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath ftaken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?
Now therefore, I pray thee, give 15pledges 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.
How 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?
But 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 ieat their own dung, and drink 16their own piss with you?
Then jRab-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:
Neither 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.
Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, ma 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 19persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.
Hath any of the ngods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?