2 Kings 18:1‑20:21• 1And it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea the son of Elah, king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign.
2He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Abi, daughter of Zechariah.
3And he did what was right in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that David his father had done.
4He removed the high places, and broke the columns, and cut down the Asherahs, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made; for to those days the children of Israel burned incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
5He trusted in Jehovah the 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 Jehovah and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments which Jehovah commanded Moses.
7And Jehovah was with him; he prospered whithersoever he went forth; and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.
8He smote the Philistines unto Gazah and its borders, from the watchmen's tower to the fortified city.
9So 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 into 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 Jehovah their God, but transgressed his covenant and all that Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
13And in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified 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 Jehovah, 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 Jehovah, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave them 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 king Hezekiah, to 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 fullers' 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 chronicler.
19And Rab-Shakeh said to them, Say 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 Jehovah 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 Jehovah against this place to destroy it? Jehovah said to me, Go up against this land and destroy it.
26And Eliakim the son of Hilkijah, and Shebnah and Joah said to Rab-Shakeh, Speak, we pray thee, to thy servants in Syriac, for we understand it, and talk not with us in the Jewish 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? Is it not to the men that sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung and drink their own urine 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 Jehovah, saying, Jehovah 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 says the king of Assyria: Make peace with me, and come out to me; and eat every one of his vine and every one of his fig-tree, and drink every one the waters of his own 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 olive-trees and of honey, that ye may live and not die; and hearken not to Hezekiah, when he persuades you, saying, Jehovah will deliver us.
33Have 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 Ivvah? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
35Which are they among all the gods of the countries, who have delivered their country out of my hand, that Jehovah should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
36But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word, for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
37And Eliakim the son of Hilkijah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the chronicler, came to Hezekiah with their garments rent, and told him the words of Rab-Shakeh.
1And it came to pass when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his garments, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of Jehovah.
2And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz.
3And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.
4It may be Jehovah thy God will hear all the words of Rab-Shakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which Jehovah thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.
5So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
6And Isaiah said to them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith Jehovah, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
7Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.
8So Rab-Shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
9And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying,
10Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah saying: Let not thy God, upon whom thou reliest, deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
11Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all countries, destroying them utterly; and shalt thou be delivered?
12Have the gods of the nations which my fathers have destroyed delivered them: Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden that were in Thelassar?
13Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah?
14And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up into the house of Jehovah and spread it before Jehovah.
15And Hezekiah prayed before Jehovah, and said, O Jehovah God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubim, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
16O Jehovah, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, O Jehovah, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.
17Of a truth, Jehovah, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands,
18and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone; therefore have they destroyed them.
19And now, Jehovah our God, I beseech thee, save us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou, Jehovah, art God, thou only.
20And Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Jehovah God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
21This is the word that Jehovah hath spoken concerning him:
22Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed?{HR}And against whom hast thou exalted thy voice,{HR}And lifted up thine eyes on high?{HR}Even again the Holy One of Israel. {HR}
23By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said,{HR}With the multitude of my chariots have I come up{HR}To the height of the mountain, to the recesses of Lebanon,{HR}And I will cut down its tall cedars, the choice of its cypresses;{HR}And I will enter into its furthest lodging-place,{HR}Into the forest of its fruitful field.{HR}
24I have digged, and have drunk strange waters,{HR}And with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the streams of Matsor.
25Hast thou not heard long ago that I have done it?{HR}And that from ancient days I formed it?{HR}Now have I brought it to pass,{HR}That thou shouldest lay waste fortified cities into ruinous heaps.{HR}
26And their inhabitants were powerless,{HR}They were dismayed and put to shame;{HR}They were as the growing grass, and as the green herb,{HR}As the grass on the housetops, and grain blighted before it be grown up.{HR}
27But I know thine abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in,{HR}And thy raging against me.{HR}
28Because thy raging against me and thine arrogance is come up into mine ears,{HR}I will put my ring in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips,{HR}And I will make thee go back by the way by which thou camest.
29And this shall be the sign unto thee:{HR}They shall eat this year such as groweth of itself,{HR}And in the second year that which springeth of the same;{HR}But in the third year sow ye and reap,{HR}And plant vineyards and eat the fruit thereof.{HR}
30And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah{HR}Shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward;{HR}
31For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant,{HR}And out of mount Zion they that escape:{HR}The zeal of Jehovah of hosts shall do this.
32Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the king of Assyria:{HR}He shall not come into this city,{HR}Nor shoot an arrow there,{HR}Nor come before it with shield,{HR}Nor cast a bank against it.{HR}
33By the way that he came, by the same shall he return,{HR}And shall not come into this city, saith Jehovah.
34For I will defend this city, to save it,{HR}For mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
35It came to pass that night, that the angel of Jehovah went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred eighty-five thousand; and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
36And Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and abode at Nineveh.
37And it came to pass as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.
1In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die and not live.
2He turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto Jehovah, saying,
3I beseech, O Jehovah, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
4And it came to pass afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of Jehovah came to him saying,
5Turn again, and tell Hezekiah, the captain of my people, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer; I have seen thy tears. Behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of Jehovah.
6And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
7And Isaiah said, Take a cake of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
8And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, What shall be the sign that Jehovah will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of Jehovah the third day?
9And Isaiah said, This shall be the sign to thee from Jehovah, that Jehovah will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?
10And Hezekiah said, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees; nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.
11And Isaiah the prophet cried to Jehovah, and he brought the shadow back on the degrees by which it had gone down on the dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.
12At that time Berodach-Baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah; for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
13And Hezekiah hearkened to them, and showed them all his treasure-house, the silver and the gold, and the spices and the fine oil, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found among his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah did not show them.
14Then came the prophet Isaiah to king Hezekiah and said to him, What said these men? and from whence came they to thee? And Hezekiah said, They came from a far country, from Babylon.
15And he said, What have they seen in thy house? And Hezekiah said, All that is in my house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.
16And Isaiah said to Hezekiah, Hear the word of Jehovah:
17Behold, days come that all that is in thy house, and what thy fathers have laid up until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left, saith Jehovah.
18And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, whom thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be chamberlains in the palace of the king of Babylon.
19And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, Good is the word of Jehovah which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not so? if only there shall be peace and truth in my days!
20And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made the pool and the aqueduct, and brought the water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
21And Hezekiah slept with his fathers; and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead. (2 Kings 18:1‑20:21)