1Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Yashar'el (Israel), that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Yahudah (Judah) began to reign.
2Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.
3And he did that which was right in the sight of Yahuah (LORD), according to all that David his father did.
4He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Yashar'el (Israel) did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
5He trusted in Yahuah Elohim (the LORD God) of Yashar'el (Israel); so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Yahudah (Judah), nor any that were before him.
6For he clave to Yahuah (LORD), and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which Yahuah (LORD) commanded Moses.
7And Yahuah (LORD) was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.
8He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
9And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Yashar'el (Israel), that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
10And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Yashar'el (Israel), Samaria was taken.
11And the king of Assyria did carry away Yashar'el (Israel) unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:
12Because they obeyed not the voice of Yahuah (LORD) their Elohim (God), but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of Yahuah (LORD) commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
13Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Yahudah (Judah), and took them.
14And Hezekiah king of Yahudah (Judah) sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which you put on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Yahudah (Judah) three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
15And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of Yahuah (LORD), and in the treasures of the king’s house.
16At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of Yahuah (LORD), and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Yahudah (Judah) had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
17And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field.
18And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.
19And Rab-shakeh said unto them, Speak you now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein you trust?
20You say, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom do you trust, that you rebellest against me?
21Now, behold, you trust upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.
22But if you say unto me, We trust in Yahuah Eloheinu (the LORD our God): is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Yahudah (Judah) and Jerusalem, You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?
23Now therefore, I pray you, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver you two thousand horses, if you be able on your part to set riders upon them.
24How then will 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?
25Am I now come up without Yahuah (LORD) against this place to destroy it? Yahuah (LORD) said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
26Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rab-shakeh, Speak, I pray you, to your servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Yahudim's (Jews’) language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.
27But Rab-shakeh said unto them, Has my master sent me to your master, and to you, to speak these words? has he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
28Then Rab-shakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Yahudim's (Jews’) language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:
29Thus says the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:
30Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in Yahuah (LORD), saying, Yahuah (LORD) will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
31Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus says the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat you every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink you every one the waters of his cistern:
32Until 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, a land of oil olive and of honey, that you may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, Yahuah (LORD) will deliver us.
33Has any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
34Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
35Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Yahuah (LORD) should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
36But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
37Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which 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.