The Second Book of the Kings

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Kapitel 18 -

(2 Chronicles 29:1–2)

Now in the third yeere of Hoshea, sonne of Elah King of Israel, Hezekiah the sonne of Ahaz king of Iudah began to reigne.

He was fiue and twentie yeere olde when he began to reigne, and reigned nine and twenty yeere in Ierusalem. His mothers name also was Abi the daughter of Zachariah,

And he did vprightly in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Dauid his father had done.

He tooke away the hie places, and brake the images, and cut downe the groues, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for vnto those dayes the children of Israel did burne incense to it, and hee called it Nehushtan.

He trusted in the Lord God of Israel: so that after him was none like him among all the Kings of Iudah, neither were there any such before him.

For he claue to the Lord, and departed not from him, but kept his commandements, which the Lord had commanded Moses.

So the Lord was with him, and he prospered in all thinges, which he tooke in hande: also he rebelled against the King of Asshur, and serued him not.

He smote the Philistims vnto Azzah, and the coastes thereof, from the watch towre vnto the defensed citie.

And in the fourth yere of King Hezekiah, (which was the seuenth yeere of Hoshea sonne of Elah King of Israel) Shalmaneser King of Asshur came vp against Samaria, and besieged it.

And after three yeeres they tooke it, euen in the sixt yeere of Hezekiah: that is, the ninth yeere of Hoshea King of Israel was Samaria taken.

Then the King of Asshur did carry away Israel vnto Asshur, and put them in Halah and in Habor, by the riuer of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes,

Because they woulde not obey the voyce of the Lord their God, but transgressed his couenant: that is, all that Moses the seruant of the Lord had commanded, and would neyther obey nor doe them.

Sennacherib Invades Judah

(2 Chronicles 32:1–8; Psalm 46:1–11)

Moreouer, in the fourteenth yeere of King Hezekiah, Saneherib King of Asshur came vp against all the strong cities of Iudah, and tooke them.

Then Hezekiah King of Iudah sent vnto the King of Asshur to Lachish, saying, I haue offended: depart from me, and what thou layest vpon me, I wil beare it. And the King of Asshur appoynted vnto Hezekiah King of Iudah three hudreth talents of siluer, and thirty talets of golde.

Therefore Hezekiah gaue all the siluer that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the Kings house.

At the same season did Hezekiah pul off the plates of the doores of the Temple of the Lord, and the pillars (which the sayd Hezekiah King of Iudah had couered ouer) and gaue them to the King of Asshur.

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

(2 Chronicles 32:9–19; Isaiah 36:1–22)

And the King of Asshur sent Tartan, and Rab-saris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a great hoste against Ierusalem. And they went vp, and came to Ierusalem, and when they were come vp, they stood by the conduite of the vpper poole, which is by the path of the fullers fielde,

And called to the King. Then came out to them Eliakim the sonne of Hilkiah, which was steward of the house, and Shebnah the chanceller, and Ioah the sonne of Asaph the recorder.

And Rabshakeh sayde vnto them, Tell ye Hezekiah, I pray you, Thus saith the great King, euen the great King of Asshur, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?

Thou thinkest, Surely I haue eloquence, but counsell and strength are for the warre. On whom then doest thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

Lo, thou trustest now in this broken staffe of reede, to wit, on Egypt, on which if a man leane, it will goe into his hand, and pearce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt vnto all that trust on him.

But if ye say vnto me, We trust in the Lord our God, is not that he whose hie places, and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath sayd to Iudah and Ierusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Ierusalem?

Now therefore giue hostages to my lord the King of Asshur, and I will giue thee two thousand horses, if thou be able to set riders vpon them.

For how canst thou despise any captaine of the least of my masters seruants, and put thy trust on Egypt for charets and horsemen?

Am I now come vp without the Lord to this place, to destroy it? the Lord sayd to me, Goe vp against this land, and destroy it.

Then Eliakim the sonne of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Ioah said vnto Rabshakeh, Speake I pray thee, to thy seruants in the Aramites language, for we vnderstand it, and talke not with vs in the Iewes tongue, in the audience of the people that are on the wall.

But Rabshakeh saide vnto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speake these words, and not to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eate their owne doung, and drinke their owne pisse with you?

So Rabshakeh stoode and cryed with a loude voyce in the Iewes language, and spake, saying, Heare the wordes of the great King, of the king of Asshur.

Thus sayth the King, Let not Hezekiah deceiue you: for he shall not be able to deliuer you out of mine hand.

Neither let Hezekiah make you to trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliuer vs, and this citie shall not be giuen ouer into the hand of the king of Asshur.

Hearken not vnto Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Asshur, Make appointment with me, and come out to me, that euery man may eate of his owne vine, and euery man of his owne figge tree, and drinke euery man of the water of his owne well,

Till I come, and bring you to a land like your owne land, euen a land of wheate and wine, a land of bread and vineyardes, a lande of oliues oyle, and hony, that ye may liue and not die: and obey not Hezekiah, for he deceiueth you, saying, The Lord will deliuer vs.

Hath any of the gods of the nations deliuered his lande out of the hand of the King of Asshur?

Where is the god of Hamah, and of Arpad? where is the god of Sepharuaim, Hena and Iuah? how haue they deliuered Samaria out of mine hand?

Who are they among all the gods of the nations, that haue deliuered their lande out of mine hand, that the Lord should deliuer Ierusalem out of mine hand?

But the people helde their peace, and answered not him a worde: for the Kings commandement was, saying, Answere ye him not.

Then Eliakim, the sonne of Hilkiah which was steward of the house, and Shebnah the chanceller, and Ioah the sonne of Asaph the recorder came to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and tolde him the wordes of Rabshakeh.

(2 Chronicles 29:1–2)

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

He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.

He did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, according to all that David his father had done.

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

He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel, so that after him was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among them that were before him.

For he joined with the LORD. He didn’t depart from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.

The LORD was with him. Wherever he went, he prospered. He rebelled against the king of Assyria, and didn’t serve him.

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

In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it.

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.

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,

because they didn’t obey the LORD their God’s voice, but transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear it or do it.

Sennacherib Invades Judah

(2 Chronicles 32:1–8; Psalm 46:1–11)

Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.

Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have offended you. Withdraw 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

(a)

of gold.

Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the LORD’s house and in the treasures of the king’s house.

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

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

(2 Chronicles 32:9–19; Isaiah 36:1–22)

The king of Assyria sent Tartan, Rabsaris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a great army to Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem. When they had come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field.

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

Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘The great king, the king of Assyria, says, “What confidence is this in which you trust?

You say (but they are but vain words), ‘There is counsel and strength for war.’ Now on whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?

Now, behold, 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.

But if you tell me, ‘We trust in the LORD 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’?

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.

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?

Have I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? the LORD said to me, ‘Go up against this land, and destroy it.’”’”

Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebnah, and Joah, said to Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in the Syrian language, for we understand it. Don’t speak with us in the Jews’ language, in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.”

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 urine with you?”

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.

The king says, ‘Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you out of his hand.

Don’t let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, “The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.”

Don’t listen to Hezekiah.’ For the king of Assyria says, ‘Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and everyone of you eat from his own vine, and everyone from his own fig tree, and everyone drink water from his own cistern;

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. Don’t listen to Hezekiah when he persuades you, saying, “The LORD will deliver us.”

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

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?

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

But the people stayed quiet, and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, “Don’t answer him.”

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 Rabshakeh’s words.

Fußnoten

(a)18:14 A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces