2 Kings 18 – Bible | Equip God’s People

World English Bible Classic

^[1] Now in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. ^[2] He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. ^[3] He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, according to all that David his father had done. ^[4] He removed the high places, broke the pillars, and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because in those days the children of Israel burned incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan. ^[5] He trusted in Yahweh, the God of Israel, so that after him was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among them that were before him. ^[6] For he joined with Yahweh. He didn’t depart from following him, but kept his commandments, which Yahweh commanded Moses. ^[7] Yahweh was with him. Wherever he went, he prospered. He rebelled against the king of Assyria, and didn’t serve him. ^[8] He struck the Philistines to Gaza and its borders, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city. ^[9] In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it. ^[10] At the end of three years they took it. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. ^[11] The king of Assyria carried Israel away to Assyria, and put them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, ^[12] because they didn’t obey Yahweh their God’s voice, but transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded, and would not hear it or do it. ^[13] Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. ^[14] Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have offended you. Withdraw from me. That which you put on me, I will bear.” The king of Assyria appointed to Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents^ⓘ of gold. ^[15] Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in Yahweh’s house and in the treasures of the king’s house. ^[16] At that time, Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of Yahweh’s temple, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria. ^[17] The king of Assyria sent Tartan, Rabsaris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a great army to Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem. When they had come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field. ^[18] When they had called to the king, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder came out to them. ^[19] Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘The great king, the king of Assyria, says, “What confidence is this in which you trust? ^[20] You say (but they are but vain words), ‘There is counsel and strength for war.’ Now on whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me? ^[21] Now, behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt. If a man leans on it, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust on him. ^[22] But if you tell me, ‘We trust in Yahweh our God,’ isn’t that he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem’? ^[23] Now therefore, please give pledges to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses if you are able on your part to set riders on them. ^[24] How then can you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? ^[25] Have I now come up without Yahweh against this place to destroy it? Yahweh said to me, ‘Go up against this land, and destroy it.’ ” ’ ” ^[26] Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebnah, and Joah, said to Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in the Syrian language, for we understand it. Don’t speak with us in the Jews’ language, in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” ^[27] But Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me to your master and to you, to speak these words? Hasn’t he sent me to the men who sit on the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own urine with you?” ^[28] Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and spoke, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. ^[29] The king says, ‘Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you out of his hand. ^[30] Don’t let Hezekiah make you trust in Yahweh, saying, “Yahweh will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” ^[31] Don’t listen to Hezekiah.’ For the king of Assyria says, ‘Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and everyone of you eat from his own vine, and everyone from his own fig tree, and everyone drink water from his own cistern; ^[32] until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and of honey, that you may live and not die. Don’t listen to Hezekiah when he persuades you, saying, “Yahweh will deliver us.” ^[33] Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? ^[34] Where are the gods of Hamath and of Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? ^[35] Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Yahweh should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’ ” ^[36] But the people stayed quiet, and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, “Don’t answer him.” ^[37] Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, came with Shebna the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him Rabshakeh’s words.

Footnotes

A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces

King James Version

^[1] Now it came to pass in the thirdH7969 yearH8141 of HosheaH1954 sonH1121 of ElahH425 kingH4428 of Israel,H3478 [that] HezekiahH2396 the sonH1121 of AhazH271 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 began to reign.H4427(QalPerf) ^[2] TwentyH6242 and fiveH2568 yearsH8141 oldH1121 was he when he began to reign;H4427(QalInf) and he reignedH4427(QalPerf) twentyH6242 and nineH8672 yearsH8141 in Jerusalem.H3389 His mother’sH517 nameH8034 also [was] Abi,H21 the daughterH1323 of Zachariah.H2148 ^[3] And he didH6213(QalImpf) [that which was] rightH3477 in the sightH5869 of the Lord,H3068 according to all that DavidH1732 his fatherH1 did.H6213(QalPerf) ^[4] He removedH5493(HiphPerf) the high places,H1116 and brakeH7665(PielPerf) the images,H4676 and cut downH3772(QalPerf) the groves,H842 and brake in piecesH3807(PielPerf) the brasenH5178 serpentH5175 that MosesH4872 had made:H6213(QalPerf) for unto those daysH3117 the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478 did burn incenseH6999(PielPtc) to it: and he calledH7121(QalImpf) it Nehushtan.H5180 ^[5] He trustedH982(QalPerf) in the LordH3068 GodH430 of Israel;H3478 so that afterH310 him was none like him among all the kingsH4428 of Judah,H3063 nor [any] that were beforeH6440 him. ^[6] For he claveH1692(QalImpf) to the Lord,H3068 [and] departedH5493(QalPerf) not from followingH310 him, but keptH8104(QalImpf) his commandments,H4687 which the LordH3068 commandedH6680(PielPerf) Moses.H4872 ^[7] And the LordH3068 was with him; [and] he prosperedH7919(HiphImpf) whithersoever he went forth:H3318(QalImpf) and he rebelledH4775(QalImpf) against the kingH4428 of Assyria,H804 and servedH5647(QalPerf) him not. ^[8] He smoteH5221(HiphPerf) the Philistines,H6430 [even] unto Gaza,H5804 and the bordersH1366 thereof, from the towerH4026 of the watchmenH5341(QalActPtc) to the fencedH4013 city.H5892 ^[9] And it came to pass in the fourthH7243 yearH8141 of kingH4428 Hezekiah,H2396 which [was] the seventhH7637 yearH8141 of HosheaH1954 sonH1121 of ElahH425 kingH4428 of Israel,H3478 [that] ShalmaneserH8022 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 came upH5927(QalPerf) against Samaria,H8111 and besiegedH6696(QalImpf) it. ^[10] And at the endH7097 of threeH7969 yearsH8141 they tookH3920(QalImpf) it: [even] in the sixthH8337 yearH8141 of Hezekiah,H2396 that [is] the ninthH8672 yearH8141 of HosheaH1954 kingH4428 of Israel,H3478 SamariaH8111 was taken.H3920(NiphPerf) ^[11] And the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 did carry awayH1540(HiphImpf) IsraelH3478 unto Assyria,H804 and putH5148(HiphImpf) them in HalahH2477 and in HaborH2249 [by] the riverH5104 of Gozan,H1470 and in the citiesH5892 of the Medes:H4074 ^[12] Because they obeyedH8085(QalPerf) not the voiceH6963 of the LordH3068 their God,H430 but transgressedH5674(QalImpf) his covenant,H1285 [and] all that MosesH4872 the servantH5650 of the LordH3068 commanded,H6680(PielPerf) and would not hearH8085(QalPerf) [them], nor doH6213(QalPerf) [them]. ^[13] Now in the fourteenthH702 yearH8141 of kingH4428 HezekiahH2396 did SennacheribH5576 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 come upH5927(QalPerf) against all the fencedH1219(QalPasPtc) citiesH5892 of Judah,H3063 and tookH8610(QalImpf) them. ^[14] And HezekiahH2396 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 sentH7971(QalImpf) to the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 to Lachish,H3923 saying,H559(QalInf) I have offended;H2398(QalPerf) returnH7725(QalImpv) from me: that which thou puttestH5414(QalImpf) on me will I bear.H5375(QalImpf) And the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 appointedH7760(QalImpf) unto HezekiahH2396 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 threeH7969 hundredH3967 talentsH3603 of silverH3701 and thirtyH7970 talentsH3603 of gold.H2091 ^[15] And HezekiahH2396 gaveH5414(QalImpf) [him] all the silverH3701 that was foundH4672(NiphPtc) in the houseH1004 of the Lord,H3068 and in the treasuresH214 of the king’sH4428 house.H1004 ^[16] At that timeH6256 did HezekiahH2396 cut offH7112(PielPerf) [the gold from] the doorsH1817 of the templeH1964 of the Lord,H3068 and [from] the pillarsH547 which HezekiahH2396 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 had overlaid,H6823(PielPerf) and gaveH5414(QalImpf) it to the kingH4428 of Assyria.H804 ^[17] And the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 sentH7971(QalImpf) TartanH8661 and RabsarisH7249 and RabshakehH7262 from LachishH3923 to kingH4428 HezekiahH2396 with a greatH3515 hostH2426 against Jerusalem.H3389 And they went upH5927(QalImpf) and cameH935(QalImpf) to Jerusalem.H3389 And when they were come up,H5927(QalImpf) they cameH935(QalImpf) and stoodH5975(QalImpf) by the conduitH8585 of the upperH5945 pool,H1295 which [is] in the highwayH4546 of the fuller’sH3526(QalPtc) field.H7704 ^[18] And when they had calledH7121(QalImpf) to the king,H4428 there came outH3318(QalImpf) to them EliakimH471 the sonH1121 of Hilkiah,H2518 which [was] over the household,H1004 and ShebnaH7644 the scribe,H5608(QalActPtc) and JoahH3098 the sonH1121 of AsaphH623 the recorder.H2142(HiphPtc) ^[19] And RabshakehH7262 saidH559(QalImpf) unto them, SpeakH559(QalImpv) ye now to Hezekiah,H2396 Thus saithH559(QalPerf) the greatH1419 king,H4428 the kingH4428 of Assyria,H804 What confidenceH986 [is] this wherein thou trustest?H982(QalPerf) ^[20] Thou sayest,H559(QalPerf) (but [they are but] vainH8193 words,H1697) [I have] counselH6098 and strengthH1369 for the war.H4421 Now on whom dost thou trust,H982(QalPerf) that thou rebellestH4775(QalPerf) against me? ^[21] Now, behold, thou trustestH982(QalPerf) upon the staffH4938 of this bruisedH7533(QalPasPtc) reed,H7070 [even] upon Egypt,H4714 on which if a manH376 lean,H5564(NiphImpf) it will goH935(QalPerf) into his hand,H3709 and pierceH5344(QalPerf) it: so [is] PharaohH6547 kingH4428 of EgyptH4714 unto all that trustH982(QalActPtc) on him. ^[22] But if ye sayH559(QalImpf) unto me, We trustH982(QalPerf) in the LordH3068 our God:H430 [is] not that he, whose high placesH1116 and whose altarsH4196 HezekiahH2396 hath taken away,H5493(HiphPerf) and hath saidH559(QalImpf) to JudahH3063 and Jerusalem,H3389 Ye shall worshipH7812(HithImpf) beforeH6440 this altarH4196 in Jerusalem?H3389 ^[23] Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledgesH6148(HithImpv) to my lordH113 the kingH4428 of Assyria,H804 and I will deliverH5414(QalImpf) thee two thousandH505 horses,H5483 if thou be ableH3201(QalImpf) on thy part to setH5414(QalInf) ridersH7392(QalActPtc) upon them. ^[24] How then wilt thou turn awayH7725(HiphImpf) the faceH6440 of oneH259 captainH6346 of the leastH6996 of my master’sH113 servants,H5650 and put thy trustH982(QalImpf) on EgyptH4714 for chariotsH7393 and for horsemen?H6571 ^[25] Am I now come upH5927(QalPerf) withoutH1107 the LordH3068 against this placeH4725 to destroyH7843(HiphInf) it? The LordH3068 saidH559(QalPerf) to me, Go upH5927(QalImpv) against this land,H776 and destroyH7843(HiphImpv) it. ^[26] Then saidH559(QalImpf) EliakimH471 the sonH1121 of Hilkiah,H2518 and Shebna,H7644 and Joah,H3098 unto Rabshakeh,H7262 Speak,H1696(PielImpv) I pray thee, to thy servantsH5650 in the Syrian language;H762 for we understandH8085(QalActPtc) [it]: and talkH1696(PielImpf) not with us in the Jews’ languageH3066 in the earsH241 of the peopleH5971 that [are] on the wall.H2346 ^[27] But RabshakehH7262 saidH559(QalImpf) unto them, Hath my masterH113 sentH7971(QalPerf) me to thy master,H113 and to thee, to speakH1696(PielInf) these words?H1697 [hath he] not [sent me] to the menH582 which sitH3427(QalActPtc) on the wall,H2346 that they may eatH398(QalInf) their own dung,H6675(Qere) and drinkH8354(QalInf) their own pissH4325 with you? ^[28] Then RabshakehH7262 stoodH5975(QalImpf) and criedH7121(QalImpf) with a loudH1419 voiceH6963 in the Jews’ language,H3066 and spake,H1696(PielImpf) saying,H559(QalImpf) HearH8085(QalImpv) the wordH1697 of the greatH1419 king,H4428 the kingH4428 of Assyria:H804 ^[29] Thus saithH559(QalPerf) the king,H4428 Let not HezekiahH2396 deceiveH5377(HiphImpf) you: for he shall not be ableH3201(QalImpf) to deliverH5337(HiphInf) you out of his hand:H3027 ^[30] Neither let HezekiahH2396 make you trustH982(HiphImpf) in the Lord,H3068 saying,H559(QalInf) The LordH3068 will surelyH5337(HiphInf) deliverH5337(HiphImpf) us, and this cityH5892 shall not be deliveredH5414(NiphImpf) into the handH3027 of the kingH4428 of Assyria.H804 ^[31] HearkenH8085(QalImpf) not to Hezekiah:H2396 for thus saithH559(QalPerf) the kingH4428 of Assyria,H804 MakeH6213(QalImpv) [an agreement] with me by a present,H1293 and come outH3318(QalImpv) to me, and [then] eatH398(QalImpv) ye every manH376 of his own vine,H1612 and every oneH376 of his fig tree,H8384 and drinkH8354(QalImpv) ye every oneH376 the watersH4325 of his cistern:H953 ^[32] Until I comeH935(QalInf) and take you awayH3947(QalPerf) to a landH776 like your own land,H776 a landH776 of cornH1715 and wine,H8492 a landH776 of breadH3899 and vineyards,H3754 a landH776 of oilH3323 oliveH2132 and of honey,H1706 that ye may live,H2421(QalImpv) and not die:H4191(QalImpf) and hearkenH8085(QalImpf) not unto Hezekiah,H2396 when he persuadethH5496(HiphImpf) you, saying,H559(QalInf) The LordH3068 will deliverH5337(HiphImpf) us. ^[33] Hath anyH376 of the godsH430 of the nationsH1471 deliveredH5337(HiphPerf) at allH5337(HiphInf) his landH776 out of the handH3027 of the kingH4428 of Assyria?H804 ^[34] Where [are] the godsH430 of Hamath,H2574 and of Arpad?H774 where [are] the godsH430 of Sepharvaim,H5617 Hena,H2012 and Ivah?H5755 have they deliveredH5337(HiphPerf) SamariaH8111 out of mine hand?H3027 ^[35] Who [are] they among all the godsH430 of the countries,H776 that have deliveredH5337(HiphPerf) their countryH776 out of mine hand,H3027 that the LordH3068 should deliverH5337(HiphImpf) JerusalemH3389 out of mine hand?H3027 ^[36] But the peopleH5971 held their peace,H2790(HiphPerf) and answeredH6030(QalPerf) him not a word:H1697 for the king’sH4428 commandmentH4687 was, saying,H559(QalInf) AnswerH6030(QalImpf) him not. ^[37] Then cameH935(QalImpf) EliakimH471 the sonH1121 of Hilkiah,H2518 which [was] over the household,H1004 and ShebnaH7644 the scribe,H5608(QalActPtc) and JoahH3098 the sonH1121 of AsaphH623 the recorder,H2142(HiphPtc) to HezekiahH2396 with [their] clothesH899 rent,H7167(QalPasPtc) and toldH5046(HiphImpf) him the wordsH1697 of Rabshakeh.H7262

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