2 Kings 18

1 Now it happened in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.

And it came to pass in the third year of Osee son of Ela king of Israel [that] Ezekias son of Achaz king of Juda began to reign.

2 He 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 the daughter of Zechariah.

Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name [was] Abu, daughter of Zacharias.

3 He did that which was right in the eyes of YHWH, according to all that David his father had done.

And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David did.

4 He removed the high places, and broke the pillars, and cut down the Asherah: and he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for in those days the children of Israel burned incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan.

He removed the high places, and broke in pieces the pillars, and utterly destroyed the groves, and the brazen serpent which Moses made: because until those days the children of Israel burnt incense to it: and he called it Neesthan.

5 He trusted in YHWH, the God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among them that were before him.

He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; and after him there was not any like him among the kings of Juda, nor among those that were before him.

6 For he joined with YHWH; he did not depart from following him, but kept his commandments, which YHWH commanded Moses.

And he clave to the Lord, he departed not from following him; and he kept his commandments, as many as he commanded Moses.

7 YHWH was with him; wherever he went forth he prospered: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and did not serve him.

And the Lord was with him; and he was wise in all that he undertook: and he revolted from the king of the Assyrians, and served him not.

8 He struck the Philistines to Gaza and its borders, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city.

He struck the Philistines [even] to Gaza, and to the border of it, from the tower of the watchmen even to the strong city.

9 It happened 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.

And it came to pass in the fourth year of King Ezekias (this is the seventh year of Osee son of Ela king of Israel, ) [that] Salamanassar king of the Assyrians 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.

And he took it at the end of three years, in the sixth year of Ezekias, (this [is] the ninth year of Osee king of Israel, when 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,

And the king of the Assyrians carried away the Samaritans to Assyria, and put them in Alae and in Abor, [by] the river Gozan, and [in] the mountains of the Medes;

12 because they did not obey the voice of YHWH their God, but transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of YHWH commanded, and would not hear it, nor do it.

because they listened not to the voice of the Lord their God, and transgressed his covenant, [even] in all things that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and listened not [to them], nor did [them].

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.

And in the fourteenth year of king Ezekias came up Sennacherim king of the Assyrians against the strong cities of Juda, and took them.

14 Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, "I have offended; return 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.

And Ezekias king of Juda sent messengers to the king of the Assyrians to Lachis, saying, I have offended; depart from me: whatever you shall lay upon me, I will bear. And the king of Assyria laid upon Ezekias king of Juda [a tribute of] three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold.

15 Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of YHWH, and in the treasures of the king's house.

And Ezekias gave all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king's house.

16 At that time, Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of YHWH's temple, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.

At that time Ezekias cut off [the gold from] the doors of the temple, and [from] the pillars which Ezekias king of Juda [had] overlaid with gold, and gave it to the king of the Assyrians.

17 The king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army to Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway of the Launderers' Field.

And the king of the Assyrians sent Tharthan and Raphis and Rapsakes from Lachis to king Ezekias with a strong force against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and stood by the aqueduct of the upper pool, which is by the way of the fuller's field.

18 When they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.

And they cried to Ezekias: and there came to him Heliakim the son of Chelcias the steward, and Somnas the scribe, and Joas the son of Saphat the recorder.

19 Rabshakeh said to them, "Say now to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, "What confidence is this in which you trust?

And Rapsakes said to them, Say now to Ezekias, Thus says the king, the great king of the Assyrians, What [is] this confidence wherein you trust?

20 Do you think that empty words are strategy and power for war? Now on whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?

You have said, (but [they are] mere words, ) [I have] counsel and strength for war. Now then in whom do you trust, that you have revolted from me?

21 Now, look, 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.

See now, are you trusting for yourself on this broken staff of reed, [even] upon Egypt? whoever shall stay himself upon it, it shall even go into his hand, and pierce it: so [is] Pharao king of Egypt to all that trust on him.

22 But if you tell me, 'We trust in YHWH 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?'

And whereas you have said to me, We trust on the Lord God: [is] not this he, whose high places and altars Ezekias has removed, and has said to Juda and 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.

And now, I pray you, make and agreement with my lord the king of the Assyrians, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you shall be able on your part to set riders upon 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?

How then will you turn away the face of one petty governor, from among the least of my lord's servants? whereas you trust for yourself on Egypt for chariots and horsemen.

25 Have I now come up without YHWH against this place to destroy it? YHWH said to me, 'Go up against this land, and destroy it.'"'"

And now have we come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

26 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, said to Rabshakeh, "Please speak to your servants in the Aramaic language; for we understand it. Do not speak with us in the Jews' language, in the hearing of the people who are on the wall."

And Heliakim the son of Chelkias, and Somnas, and Joas, said to Rapsakes, Speak now to your servants in the Syrian language, for we understand it; and speak not with us in the Jewish language: and why do you speak in the ears of the people that 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 water with you?"

And Rapsakes said to them, Has my master sent me to your master, and to you, to speak these words? [has he] not [sent me] to the men who sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own water together 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.

And Rapsakes stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jewish language, and spoke, and said, Hear the words of the great king of the Assyrians:

29 Thus says the king, 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you out of my hand.

thus says the king, Let not Ezekias encourage you with words: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand.

30 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in YHWH, saying, "YHWH will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria."

And let not Ezekias cause you to trust on the Lord, saying, The Lord will certainly deliver us; this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of the Assyrians: listen not to Ezekias:

31 Do not listen to Hezekiah.' For thus says the king of Assyria, 'Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and everyone of you eat of his vine, and everyone of his fig tree, and everyone drink the waters of his own cistern;

for thus says the king of the Assyrians, Gain my favor, and come forth to me, and every man shall drink [of the wine] of his own vine, and every man shall eat of his own fig tree, and shall drink water out of 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. Do not listen to Hezekiah, when he persuades you, saying, "YHWH will deliver us."

until I come and remove you to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, and bread and vineyards, a land of olive oil, and honey, and you shall live and not die: and do not you listen to Ezekias, for he deceives you, saying, The Lord shall deliver you.

33 Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

Have the Gods of the nations at all delivered each their own land out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians?

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?

Where is the god of Haemath, and of Arphad? where is the god of Seppharvaim, Ana, and Aba? for 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 YHWH should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?'"

Who [is there] among all the gods of the countries, who have delivered their countries out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?

36 But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, "Do not answer him."

But [the men] were silent, and answered him not a word: for [there was] a commandment of the king, saying, You shall not 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 the words of Rabshakeh.

And Heliakim the son of Chelcias, the steward, and Somnas the scribe, and Joas the son of Saphat the recorder came in to Ezekias, having tore their garments; and they reported to him the words of Rapsakes.