Isaiah 36

1 And it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them.

Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria [Level plain] attacked all of the fortified cities of Judah [Praised], and captured them.

2 And the king of Assyria sent Rab-shakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem, to king Hezekiah, with a strong force. And he stood by the aqueduct of the upper pool, on the highway of the fuller's field.

The king of Assyria [Level plain] sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem [City of peace] to king Hezekiah with a large army. He stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool in the fuller’s field highway.

3 Then came forth to him Eliakim the son of Hilkijah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the chronicler.

Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder came out to him.

4 And Rab-shakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this in which thou trustest?

Rabshakeh said to them, “Now tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria [Level plain], “What confidence is this in which you trust?

5 Thou sayest, but it is a word of the lips, [There is] counsel and strength for war. Now on whom dost thou rely, that thou hast revolted against me?

I say that your counsel and strength for the war are only vain words. Now in whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?

6 Behold, thou reliest upon the staff of that broken reed, upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it goes into his hand, and pierces it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that rely upon him.

Behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt [Abode of slavery], which if a man leans on it, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt [Abode of slavery] to all who trust in him.

7 And if thou say to me, We rely upon Jehovah our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?

But if you tell me, ‘We trust in Yahweh Eloheikhem [Yahweh our God],’ is not that he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah [Praised] and to Jerusalem [City of peace], ‘You shall worship before this altar?’”

8 And now engage, I pray thee, with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

Now therefore, please make a pledge to my master the king of Assyria [Level plain], and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.

9 How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants? And thou reliest upon Egypt for chariots and for horsemen!

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 [Abode of slavery] for chariots and for horsemen?

10 And now am I come up without Jehovah against this land to destroy it? Jehovah said to me, Go up against this land and destroy it.

Have I come up now without Adonai against this land to destroy it? Adonai said to me, “Go up against this land, and destroy it.”’”

11 And Eliakim and Shebna and Joah said to Rab-shakeh, Speak, we pray thee, to thy servants in Syriac, for we understand it; and speak not to us in the Jewish [language] in the ears of the people that are upon the wall.

Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah said to Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic [Elevated], for we sh'ma ·hear understand obey· it; and don’t speak to us in the Jews’ language in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.”

12 And Rab-shakeh said, Is it to thy master and to thee that my master sent me 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?

But Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you, to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, who will eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?”

13 And Rab-shakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jewish [language], and said, Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!

Then Rabshakeh stood, and called out with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and said, “Sh'ma ·Hear obey· the words of the great king, the king of Assyria [Level plain]!

14 Thus says the king: Let not Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you.

Thus says the king, ‘Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you.

15 Neither let Hezekiah make you rely upon Jehovah, saying, Jehovah will certainly deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.

Don’t let Hezekiah make you trust in Adonai, saying, “Adonai will surely deliver us. This city won’t be given into the hand of the king of Assyria [Level plain].”’

16 Hearken 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;

Don’t sh'ma ·hear obey· Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria [Level plain], ‘Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and each of you eat from his vine, and each one from his fig tree, and each one of you drink the waters of his own cistern;

17 until 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.

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.

18 Let not Hezekiah persuade you, saying, Jehovah will deliver us. Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, “Adonai will deliver us.” Have any of the deities of the nations delivered their lands from the hand of the king of Assyria [Level plain]?

19 Where are the gods of Hamath and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?

Where are the deities of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the deities of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?

20 Who are they among all the gods of these countries that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Jehovah should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?

Who are they among all the deities of these countries that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Adonai should deliver Jerusalem [City of peace] out of my hand?’”

21 And they were silent, and answered him not a word; for the king's command was, saying, Answer him not.

But they remained silent, and said nothing in reply, for the king’s order was, “Don’t answer him.”

22 And 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.

Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.