Sennacherib Invades Judah
1Now it came to pass in the fourteenthyearof kingHezekiah,[that] Sennacheribkingof Assyriacame upagainst all the defencedcitiesof Judah,and tookthem.2And the kingof AssyriasentRabshakehfrom Lachishto Jerusalemunto kingHezekiahwith a greatarmy.And he stoodby the conduitof the upperpoolin the highwayof the fuller'sfield.3Then came forthunto him Eliakim,Hilkiah'sson,which was over the house,and Shebnathe scribe,and Joah,Asaph'sson,the recorder.
4And Rabshakehsaidunto them, Sayye now to Hezekiah,Thus saiththe greatking,the kingof Assyria,What confidence[is] this wherein thou trustest?5I say,[sayest thou], (but [they are but] vainwords) [I have] counseland strengthfor war:now on whom dost thou trust,that thou rebellestagainst me?6Lo, thou trustestin the staffof this brokenreed,on Egypt;whereon if a manlean,it will gointo his hand,and pierceit: so [is] Pharaohkingof Egyptto all that trustin him.7But if thou sayto me, We trustin the LORDour God:[is it] not he, whose high placesand whose altarsHezekiahhath taken away,and saidto Judahand to Jerusalem,Ye shall worshipbeforethis altar?8Now therefore give pledges,I pray thee, to my masterthe kingof Assyria,and I will givethee two thousandhorses,if thou be ableon thy part to setridersupon them.9How then wilt thou turn awaythe faceof onecaptainof the leastof my master'sservants,and put thy truston Egyptfor chariotsand for horsemen?10And am I now come upwithoutthe LORDagainst this landto destroyit? the LORDsaidunto me, Go upagainst this land,and destroyit.
11Then saidEliakimand Shebnaand Joahunto Rabshakeh,Speak,I pray thee, unto thy servantsin the Syrian language;for we understand[it]: and speaknot to us in the Jews' language,in the earsof the peoplethat [are] on the wall.12But Rabshakehsaid,Hath my mastersentme to thy masterand to thee to speakthese words?[hath he] not [sent me] to the menthat situpon the wall,that they may eattheir own dung,and drinktheir own pisswith you?
13Then Rabshakehstood,and criedwith a loudvoicein the Jews' language,and said,Hearye the wordsof the greatking,the kingof Assyria.14Thus saiththe king,Let not Hezekiahdeceiveyou: for he shall not be ableto deliveryou.15Neither let Hezekiahmake you trustin the LORD,saying,The LORDwill surelydeliverus: this cityshall not be deliveredinto the handof the kingof Assyria.16Hearkennot to Hezekiah:for thus saiththe kingof Assyria,Make[an agreement] with me [by] a present,and come outto me: and eatye every oneof his vine,and every oneof his fig tree,and drinkye every onethe watersof his own cistern;17Until I comeand take you awayto a landlike your own land,a landof cornand wine,a landof breadand vineyards.18[Beware] lest Hezekiahpersuadeyou, saying,The LORDwill deliverus. Hath anyof the godsof the nationsdeliveredhis landout of the handof the kingof Assyria?19Where [are] the godsof Hamathand Arphad?where [are] the godsof Sepharvaim?and have they deliveredSamariaout of my hand?20Who [are they] among all the godsof these lands,that have deliveredtheir landout of my hand,that the LORDshould deliverJerusalemout of my hand?
21But they held their peace,and answeredhim not a word:for the king'scommandmentwas, saying,Answerhim not.22Then cameEliakim,the sonof Hilkiah,that [was] over the household,and Shebnathe scribe,and Joah,the sonof Asaph,the recorder,to Hezekiahwith [their] clothesrent,and toldhim the wordsof Rabshakeh.
