Isaiah 36

1 Now 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 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.

2 And the king of Assyria sent Rab-shakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fullers' field.

Then did the king of Assyria send Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto King Hezekiah with a heavy force, —and he took his stand by the upper channel of the pool, in the highway of the fuller’s field.

3 Then came forth unto him Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.

And there went out to him—Eliakim son of Hilkiah who was over the household, —and Shebna, the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder.

4 And Rab-shakeh said unto them: 'Say ye now to Hezekiah: Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?

And Rabshakeh said unto them, Pray you say unto Hezekiah, —Thus, saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What is this trust, wherewith thou dost trust?

5 I said: It is but vain words; for counsel and strength are for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me?

I have said [sayest thou] —they are only words of the lips—Counsel and might have I for the war, —Now, upon whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me?

6 Behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it; so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on him.

Lo! thou dost trust on the support of this bruised cane, on Egypt, whereon if a man lean it will enter his hand and lay it open, —So, is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust upon him.

7 But if thou say unto me: We trust in the LORD our God; is not that He, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and to Jerusalem: Ye shall worship before this altar?

But, if thou shouldst say unto me, In Yahweh our God, do we trust, Then is that not he whose high places and whose altars, Hezekiah hath removed, and said unto Judah and unto Jerusalem, Before this altar, shall ye bow yourselves down?

8 Now therefore, I pray thee, make a wager 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, pledge thyself I pray thee with my lord, the king of Assyria, —That I supply thee with two thousand horses, If thou on thy part be able to set riders upon them;

9 How then canst thou turn away the face of one captain, even of the least of my master's servants? yet thou puttest thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen!

How then wilt thou turn away the face of one pasha of the least of my lord’s servants? Or hast thou on thy part trusted upon Egypt, for chariots and for horsemen?

10 And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? The LORD said unto me: Go up against this land, and destroy it.'

But, now, is it, without Yahweh, that I have come up against this land to destroy it? Yahweh himself, said unto me, Go thou up against this land and destroy it!

11 Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rab-shakeh: 'Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Aramean language, for we understand it; and speak not to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.'

Then said Eliakim, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh—Speak we pray thee unto thy servants in the Syrian language, for we, can, understand, it, —and do not speak unto us in the Jews’ language, in the ears of the people who are upon the wall.

12 But Rab-shakeh said: 'Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water with you?'

But Rabshakeh said—Is it unto thy lord and unto thee, that my lord hath sent me, to speak these things? Is it not concerning the men who are tarrying upon the wall, that they may eat and drink what cometh from them, with you?

13 Then Rab-shakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said: 'Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.

So then Rabshakeh took his stand, and cried out with a loud voice, in the Jews’ language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria:

14 Thus saith the king: Let not Hezekiah beguile you, for he will not be able to deliver you;

Thus, saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you, —for he shall not be able to deliver you.

15 neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying: The LORD will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.

Neither let Hezekiah cause you to trust in Yahweh saying, Yahweh, will certainly deliver, us, —this city shall not be given over, into the hand of the king of Assyria.

16 Hearken not to Hezekiah; for thus saith the king of Assyria: Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig-tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;

Do not hearken unto Hezekiah, —for, thus, saith the king of Assyria, Deal with me thankfully, and come out unto me, Then shall ye eat, Every one of his own vine and Every one of his own fig-tree, And drink every one 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, into A land like your own land, —A land of corn and new wine, A land of bread and vineyards: —

18 Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying: The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

Lest Hezekiah, persuade you, saying, Yahweh will deliver us! Have the gods of the nations, delivered, —any one of them—his country, out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

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

Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? If indeed they had only delivered Samaria, out of my hand!

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

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

21 But they held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, saying: 'Answer him not.'

But they held their peace, and answered him not a word, —for the command of the king, it was, saying, —Ye must not answer him.

22 Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rab-shakeh.

Then came in—Eliakim son of Hilkiah who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder, unto Hezekiah, with rent clothes, —and they told him the words of Rabshakeh.