2 Kings 18
1 Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, became king of Judah in the third year of the reign of Hoshea, son of Elah, king of Israel.
| וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּשְׁנַ֣ת שָׁלֹ֔שׁ לְהֹושֵׁ֥עַ בֶּן־אֵלָ֖ה מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מָלַ֛ךְ חִזְקִיָּ֥ה בֶן־אָחָ֖ז מֶ֥לֶךְ יְהוּדָֽה׃ |
2 He was twenty-five when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abi, daughter of Zechariah.
| בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְחָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנָה֙ הָיָ֣ה בְמָלְכֹ֔ו וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים וָתֵ֙שַׁע֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמֹּ֔ו אֲבִ֖י בַּת־זְכַרְיָֽה׃ |
3 He did what was right in the Lord's sight, following all that his forefather David had done.
| וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה דָּוִ֥ד אָבִֽיו׃ |
4 He removed the high places, smashed the stone idols, and cut down the Asherah poles. He ground to pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, because up to then the Israelites had been sacrificing offerings to it. It was called Nehushtan.
| ה֣וּא ׀ הֵסִ֣יר אֶת־הַבָּמֹ֗ות וְשִׁבַּר֙ אֶת־הַמַּצֵּבֹ֔ת וְכָרַ֖ת אֶת־הָֽאֲשֵׁרָ֑ה וְכִתַּת֩ נְחַ֨שׁ הַנְּחֹ֜שֶׁת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֣ה מֹשֶׁ֗ה כִּ֣י עַד־הַיָּמִ֤ים הָהֵ֙מָּה֙ הָי֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מְקַטְּרִ֣ים לֹ֔ו וַיִּקְרָא־לֹ֖ו נְחֻשְׁתָּֽן׃ |
5 Hezekiah put his trust in the Lord, the God of Israel. Among the kings of Judah there was no one like him, neither before him nor after him.
| בַּיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּטָ֑ח וְאַחֲרָ֞יו לֹא־הָיָ֣ה כָמֹ֗הוּ בְּכֹל֙ מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ לְפָנָֽיו׃ |
6 He stayed faithful to the Lord and did not give up following him. He kept the commandments that the Lord had given Moses.
| וַיִּדְבַּק֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה לֹא־סָ֖ר מֵאַֽחֲרָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁמֹר֙ מִצְוֹתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ |
7 The Lord was with him; he was successful in everything he did. He defied the king of Assyria and refused to submit to him.
| וְהָיָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ עִמֹּ֔ו בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵ֖א יַשְׂכִּ֑יל וַיִּמְרֹ֥ד בְּמֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֖וּר וְלֹ֥א עֲבָדֹֽו׃ |
8 He defeated the Philistines all the way to Gaza and the surrounding area, from watchtower to fortified town.
| הֽוּא־הִכָּ֧ה אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֛ים עַד־עַזָּ֖ה וְאֶת־גְּבוּלֶ֑יהָ מִמִּגְדַּ֥ל נֹוצְרִ֖ים עַד־עִ֥יר מִבְצָֽר׃ פ |
9 In the fourth year of Hezekiah's reign, equivalent to the seventh year of the reign of Hoshea, son of Elah, king of Israel, Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, attacked Samaria, besieging it.
| וַֽיְהִ֞י בַּשָּׁנָ֤ה הָֽרְבִיעִית֙ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ הִ֚יא הַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔ית לְהֹושֵׁ֥עַ בֶּן־אֵלָ֖ה מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עָלָ֞ה שַׁלְמַנְאֶ֧סֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֛וּר עַל־שֹׁמְרֹ֖ון וַיָּ֥צַר עָלֶֽיהָ׃ |
10 The Assyrians conquered it after three years. This was during the sixth year of Hezekiah, equivalent to the ninth year of Hoshea, king of Israel.
| וַֽיִּלְכְּדֻ֗הָ מִקְצֵה֙ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֔ים בִּשְׁנַת־שֵׁ֖שׁ לְחִזְקִיָּ֑ה הִ֣יא שְׁנַת־תֵּ֗שַׁע לְהֹושֵׁ֙עַ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נִלְכְּדָ֖ה שֹׁמְרֹֽון׃ |
11 The king of Assyria deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River, and in the towns of the Medes.
| וַיֶּ֧גֶל מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֛וּר אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אַשּׁ֑וּרָה וַיַּנְחֵ֞ם בַּחְלַ֧ח וּבְחָבֹ֛ור נְהַ֥ר גֹּוזָ֖ן וְעָרֵ֥י מָדָֽי׃ |
12 This happened because they refused to listen to the Lord their God and broke his agreement—all that Moses, the Lord's servant, had commanded. They refused to listen and did not obey.
| עַ֣ל ׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֗וּ בְּקֹול֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּעַבְרוּ֙ אֶת־בְּרִיתֹ֔ו אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֔ה מֹשֶׁ֖ה עֶ֣בֶד יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ וְלֹ֥א עָשֽׂוּ׃ פ |
13 Sennacherib, king of Assyria, attacked and conquered all the fortified towns of Judah in the fourteenth year of the reign of Hezekiah.
| וּבְאַרְבַּע֩ עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה שָׁנָ֜ה לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֗ה עָלָ֞ה סַנְחֵרִ֤יב מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר֙ עַ֣ל כָּל־עָרֵ֧י יְהוּדָ֛ה הַבְּצֻרֹ֖ות וַֽיִּתְפְּשֵֽׂם׃ |
14 So Hezekiah, king of Judah, sent a message to the king of Assyria who was at Lachish, saying, “I've made a terrible mistake! Please retreat and leave me alone, and I'll pay you whatever you want!” The king of Assyria demanded Hezekiah, king of Judah, pay three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
| וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח חִזְקִיָּ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֣ה אֶל־מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר֩ ׀ לָכִ֨ישָׁה ׀ לֵאמֹ֤ר ׀ חָטָ֙אתִי֙ שׁ֣וּב מֵֽעָלַ֔י אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־תִּתֵּ֥ן עָלַ֖י אֶשָּׂ֑א וַיָּ֨שֶׂם מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֜וּר עַל־חִזְקִיָּ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֗ה שְׁלֹ֤שׁ מֵאֹות֙ כִּכַּר־כֶּ֔סֶף וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים כִּכַּ֥ר זָהָֽב׃ |
15 Hezekiah paid him using all the silver from the Lord's Temple and the treasuries of the royal palace.
| וַיִּתֵּן֙ חִזְקִיָּ֔ה אֶת־כָּל־הַכֶּ֖סֶף הַנִּמְצָ֣א בֵית־יְהוָ֑ה וּבְאֹצְרֹ֖ות בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ |
16 He even stripped the gold he had used to overlay the doors and doorposts of the Lord's Temple and gave everything to the king of Assyria.
| בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא קִצַּ֨ץ חִזְקִיָּ֜ה אֶת־דַּלְתֹ֨ות הֵיכַ֤ל יְהוָה֙ וְאֶת־הָאֹ֣מְנֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִפָּ֔ה חִזְקִיָּ֖ה מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֖ם לְמֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃ פ |
17 Even so, the king of Assyria sent his commander in chief, his head officer, and his army general, along with a large army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They approached Jerusalem and made camp beside the aqueduct of the upper pool, on the road to where laundry is washed.
| וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֡וּר אֶת־תַּרְתָּ֥ן וְאֶת־רַב־סָרִ֣יס ׀ וְאֶת־רַב־שָׁקֵ֨ה מִן־לָכִ֜ישׁ אֶל־הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֛הוּ בְּחֵ֥יל כָּבֵ֖ד יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙ וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ יְרוּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם וַיַּעֲל֣וּ וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙ בִּתְעָלַת֙ הַבְּרֵכָ֣ה הָֽעֶלְיֹונָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֕ר בִּמְסִלַּ֖ת שְׂדֵ֥ה כֹובֵֽס׃ |
18 They called for the king. Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, the palace manager, Shebnah the scribe, and Joah, son of Asaph, the record-keeper, went out to speak with them.
| וַֽיִּקְרְאוּ֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיֵּצֵ֧א אֲלֵהֶ֛ם אֶלְיָקִ֥ים בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֖הוּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הַבָּ֑יִת וְשֶׁבְנָה֙ הַסֹּפֵ֔ר וְיֹואָ֥ח בֶּן־אָסָ֖ף הַמַּזְכִּֽיר׃ |
19 The Assyrian army general said to them, “Tell Hezekiah this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: What are you trusting in that gives you such confidence?
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ רַב־שָׁקֵ֔ה אִמְרוּ־נָ֖א אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ הַגָּדֹול֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר מָ֧ה הַבִּטָּחֹ֛ון הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּטָֽחְתָּ׃ |
20 You say you have a strategy and are ready for war, but these are empty words. Who are you relying on, now that you have rebelled against me?
| אָמַ֙רְתָּ֙ אַךְ־דְּבַר־שְׂפָתַ֔יִם עֵצָ֥ה וּגְבוּרָ֖ה לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה עַתָּה֙ עַל־מִ֣י בָטַ֔חְתָּ כִּ֥י מָרַ֖דְתָּ בִּֽי׃ |
21 Now look! You're trusting in Egypt, a walking stick that's like a broken reed that will cut the hand of anyone leaning on it. That's what Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is like to everyone who trusts in him.
| עַתָּ֡ה הִנֵּ֣ה בָטַ֣חְתָּ לְּךָ֡ עַל־מִשְׁעֶנֶת֩ הַקָּנֶ֨ה הָרָצ֤וּץ הַזֶּה֙ עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִסָּמֵ֥ךְ אִישׁ֙ עָלָ֔יו וּבָ֥א בְכַפֹּ֖ו וּנְקָבָ֑הּ כֵּ֚ן פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם לְכָֽל־הַבֹּטְחִ֖ים עָלָֽיו׃ |
22 If you tell me, ‘We're trusting in the Lord our God,’ well didn't Hezekiah remove his high places and his altars, telling Judah and Jerusalem: ‘You have to worship at this altar in Jerusalem’?
| וְכִי־תֹאמְר֣וּן אֵלַ֔י אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ בָּטָ֑חְנוּ הֲלֹוא־ה֗וּא אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵסִ֤יר חִזְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ אֶת־בָּמֹתָ֣יו וְאֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתָ֔יו וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לִֽיהוּדָה֙ וְלִיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם לִפְנֵי֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֣חַ הַזֶּ֔ה תִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ |
23 Why don't you accept a challenge from my master, the king of Assyria? He says, I'll give you two thousand horses, if you can find enough riders for them!
| וְעַתָּה֙ הִתְעָ֣רֶב נָ֔א אֶת־אֲדֹנִ֖י אֶת־מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֑וּר וְאֶתְּנָ֤ה לְךָ֙ אַלְפַּ֣יִם סוּסִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֕ל לָ֥תֶת לְךָ֖ רֹכְבִ֥ים עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ |
24 How could you defeat even a single officer in charge of the weakest of my master's men when you're trusting in Egypt for chariots and horsemen?
| וְאֵ֣יךְ תָּשִׁ֗יב אֵ֠ת פְּנֵ֨י פַחַ֥ת אַחַ֛ד עַבְדֵ֥י אֲדֹנִ֖י הַקְּטַנִּ֑ים וַתִּבְטַ֤ח לְךָ֙ עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם לְרֶ֖כֶב וּלְפָרָשִֽׁים׃ |
25 More than that—would I have come to attack this pace without the Lord's encouragement? It was the Lord himself who told me, ‘Go and attack this land and destroy it.’”
| עַתָּה֙ הֲמִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה עָלִ֛יתִי עַל־הַמָּקֹ֥ום הַזֶּ֖ה לְהַשְׁחִתֹ֑ו יְהוָה֙ אָמַ֣ר אֵלַ֔י עֲלֵ֛ה עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את וְהַשְׁחִיתָֽהּ׃ |
26 Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, together with Shebnah and Joah, said to the army general, “Please speak to us, your servants, in Aramaic, for we understand it. Don't speak to us in Hebrew while the people on the wall are listening.”
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶלְיָקִ֣ים בֶּן־חִ֠לְקִיָּהוּ וְשֶׁבְנָ֨ה וְיֹואָ֜ח אֶל־רַב־שָׁקֵ֗ה דַּבֶּר־נָ֤א אֶל־עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲרָמִ֔ית כִּ֥י שֹׁמְעִ֖ים אֲנָ֑חְנוּ וְאַל־תְּדַבֵּ֤ר עִמָּ֙נוּ֙ יְהוּדִ֔ית בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַחֹמָֽה׃ |
27 But the army general replied, “Did my master only send me to say these things to your master and to you, and not to the people sitting on the wall? They too, just like you, are going to have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine!”
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם רַב־שָׁקֵ֗ה הַעַ֨ל אֲדֹנֶ֤יךָ וְאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲדֹנִ֔י לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה הֲלֹ֣א עַל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ עַל־הַ֣חֹמָ֔ה לֶאֱכֹ֣ל אֶת חֲרֵיהֶם (צֹואָתָ֗ם) וְלִשְׁתֹּ֛ות אֶת־שֵׁינֵיהֶם (מֵֽימֵי רַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם) עִמָּכֶֽם׃ |
28 Then the army general shouted out in Hebrew, “Listen to this from the great king, the king of Assyria!
| וַֽיַּעֲמֹד֙ רַב־שָׁקֵ֔ה וַיִּקְרָ֥א בְקֹול־גָּדֹ֖ול יְהוּדִ֑ית וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר וַיֹּ֔אמֶר שִׁמְע֛וּ דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ הַגָּדֹ֖ול מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃ |
29 This is what the king says: Don't let Hezekiah trick you! He can't save you from me!
| כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אַל־יַשִּׁ֥יא לָכֶ֖ם חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כִּי־לֹ֣א יוּכַ֔ל לְהַצִּ֥יל אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִיָּדֹֽו׃ |
30 Don't believe Hezekiah when he tells you to trust in the Lord, saying, ‘I'm certain the Lord will save us. This city will never fall into the hands of the king of Assyria.’
| וְאַל־יַבְטַ֨ח אֶתְכֶ֤ם חִזְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה לֵאמֹ֔ר הַצֵּ֥ל יַצִּילֵ֖נוּ יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹ֤א תִנָּתֵן֙ אֶת־הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את בְּיַ֖ד מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃ |
31 Don't listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king says: Make a peace treaty with me and surrender to me. That way everyone will eat from their own vine and their own fig tree, and drink water from their own well!
| אַֽל־תִּשְׁמְע֖וּ אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֜ר מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֗וּר עֲשֽׂוּ־אִתִּ֤י בְרָכָה֙ וּצְא֣וּ אֵלַ֔י וְאִכְל֤וּ אִישׁ־גַּפְנֹו֙ וְאִ֣ישׁ תְּאֵֽנָתֹ֔ו וּשְׁת֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ מֵֽי־בֹורֹֽו׃ |
32 I will come and take you to a land that's like your own, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey. Then you will live and not die. But don't listen to Hezekiah, for he's tricking you when he says, ‘The Lord will deliver us.’
| עַד־בֹּאִי֩ וְלָקַחְתִּ֨י אֶתְכֶ֜ם אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּאַרְצְכֶ֗ם אֶרֶץ֩ דָּגָ֨ן וְתִירֹ֜ושׁ אֶ֧רֶץ לֶ֣חֶם וּכְרָמִ֗ים אֶ֣רֶץ זֵ֤ית יִצְהָר֙ וּדְבַ֔שׁ וִֽחְי֖וּ וְלֹ֣א תָמֻ֑תוּ וְאַֽל־תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ כִּֽי־יַסִּ֤ית אֶתְכֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יְהוָ֖ה יַצִּילֵֽנוּ׃ |
33 Have any of the gods of any nation ever saved their land from the power of the king of Assyria?
| הַהַצֵּ֥ל הִצִּ֛ילוּ אֱלֹהֵ֥י הַגֹּויִ֖ם אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אַרְצֹ֑ו מִיַּ֖ד מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃ |
34 Where were the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where were the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Were they able to save Samaria from me?
| אַיֵּה֩ אֱלֹהֵ֨י חֲמָ֜ת וְאַרְפָּ֗ד אַיֵּ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י סְפַרְוַ֖יִם הֵנַ֣ע וְעִוָּ֑ה כִּֽי־הִצִּ֥ילוּ אֶת־שֹׁמְרֹ֖ון מִיָּדִֽי׃ |
35 Which one of all the gods of these countries has saved their land from me? How then could the Lord save Jerusalem from me?”
| מִ֚י בְּכָל־אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָֽאֲרָצֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁר־הִצִּ֥ילוּ אֶת־אַרְצָ֖ם מִיָּדִ֑י כִּי־יַצִּ֧יל יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם מִיָּדִֽי׃ |
36 But the people remained silent and didn't say anything, for Hezekiah had given the order, “Don't answer him.”
| וְהֶחֱרִ֣ישׁוּ הָעָ֔ם וְלֹֽא־עָנ֥וּ אֹתֹ֖ו דָּבָ֑ר כִּי־מִצְוַ֨ת הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ הִ֛יא לֵאמֹ֖ר לֹ֥א תַעֲנֻֽהוּ׃ |
37 Then Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, the palace manager, Shebna the scribe, and Joah, son of Asaph, the record-keeper, went to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and they told him what the Assyrian army general had said.
| וַיָּבֹ֣א אֶלְיָקִ֣ים בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַ֠בַּיִת וְשֶׁבְנָ֨א הַסֹּפֵ֜ר וְיֹואָ֨ח בֶּן־אָסָ֧ף הַמַּזְכִּ֛יר אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ קְרוּעֵ֣י בְגָדִ֑ים וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ לֹ֔ו דִּבְרֵ֖י רַב־שָׁקֵֽה׃ |
