2 Kings 18
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New King James VersionHolman Christian Standard Bible
1Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea the son of Elah, king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign.1In the third year of Israel's King Hoshea son of Elah, Hezekiah son of Ahaz became king of Judah.
2He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.2He was 25 years old when he became king and reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abi daughter of Zechariah.
3And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done.3He did what was right in the LORD's sight just as his ancestor David had done.
4He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan.4He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake that Moses made, for the Israelites burned incense to it up to that time. He called it Nehushtan.
5He trusted in the LORD God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.5Hezekiah trusted in the LORD God of Israel; not one of the kings of Judah was like him, either before him or after him.
6For he held fast to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.6He remained faithful to Yahweh and did not turn from following Him but kept the commands the LORD had commanded Moses.
7The LORD was with him; he prospered wherever he went. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.7The LORD was with him, and wherever he went he prospered. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.
8He subdued the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.8He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its borders, from watchtower to fortified city.
9Now it came to pass in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea the son of Elah, king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it.9In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Israel's King Hoshea son of Elah, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and besieged it.
10And at the end of three years they took it. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is, the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.10The Assyrians captured it at the end of three years. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Israel's King Hoshea, Samaria was captured.
11Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away captive to Assyria, and put them in Halah and by the Habor, the River of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes,11The king of Assyria deported the Israelites to Assyria and put them in Halah and by the Habor, Gozan's river, and in the cities of the Medes,
12because they did not obey the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed His covenant and all that Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded; and they would neither hear nor do them.12because they did not listen to the voice of the LORD their God but violated His covenant--all He had commanded Moses the servant of the LORD. They did not listen, and they did not obey.
13And in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.13In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.
14Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong; turn away from me; whatever you impose on me I will pay.” And the king of Assyria assessed Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.14So Hezekiah king of Judah sent word to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, "I have done wrong; withdraw from me. Whatever you demand from me, I will pay." The king of Assyria demanded 11 tons of silver and one ton of gold from King Hezekiah of Judah.
15So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s house.15So Hezekiah gave him all the silver found in the LORD's temple and in the treasuries of the king's palace.
16At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.16At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the LORD's sanctuary and from the doorposts he had overlaid and gave it to the king of Assyria.
17Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh from Lachish, with a great army against Jerusalem, to King Hezekiah. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. When they had come up, they went and stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool, which was on the highway to the Fuller’s Field.17Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rab-saris, and the Rabshakeh, along with a massive army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They advanced and came to Jerusalem, and they took their position by the aqueduct of the upper pool, which is by the highway to the Fuller's Field.
18And when they had called to the king, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came out to them.18Then they called for the king, but Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, Shebnah the court secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the court historian, came out to them.
19Then the 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?19Then the Rabshakeh said to them, "Tell Hezekiah this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: 'What are you relying on?
20You speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. And in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me?20You think mere words are strategy and strength for war. What are you now relying on so that you have rebelled against me?
21Now look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.21Look, you are now trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will enter and pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. This is how Pharaoh king of Egypt is to all who trust in him.
22But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’ is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem’?” ’22Suppose you say to me: We trust in the LORD our God. Isn't He the One whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem: You must worship at this altar in Jerusalem?"
23Now therefore, I urge you, give a pledge to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses—if you are able on your part to put riders on them!23So now make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria. I'll give you 2,000 horses if you're able to supply riders for them!
24How then will you repel one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen?24How then can you drive back a single officer among the least of my master's servants and trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
25Have 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.’ ”25Have I attacked this place to destroy it without the LORD's approval? The LORD said to me, 'Attack this land and destroy it.'"
26Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; and do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.”26Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebnah, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Don't speak with us in Hebrew within earshot of the people on the wall."
27But the Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, who will eat and drink their own waste with you?”27But the Rabshakeh said to them, "Has my master sent me only to your master and to you to speak these words? Hasn't he also sent me to the men who sit on the wall, destined with you to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine?"
28Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out with a loud voice in Hebrew, and spoke, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria!28The Rabshakeh stood and called out loudly in Hebrew. Then he spoke: "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria.
29Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not be able to deliver you from his hand;29This is what the king says: 'Don't let Hezekiah deceive you; he can't deliver you from my hand.
30nor 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.” ’30Don't let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the LORD by saying: Certainly the LORD will deliver us! This city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.'"
31Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make peace with me by a present and come out to me; and every one of you eat from his own vine and every one from his own fig tree, and every one of you drink the waters of his own cistern;31Don't listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: 'Make peace with me and surrender to me. Then every one of you may eat from his own vine and his own fig tree, and every one may drink water from his own cistern
32until 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 groves and honey, that you may live and not die. But do not listen to Hezekiah, lest he persuade you, saying, “The LORD will deliver us.”32until 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 honey--so that you may live and not die. But don't listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you, saying: The LORD will deliver us.
33Has any of the gods of the nations at all delivered its land from the hand of the king of Assyria?33Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land from the power of the king of Assyria?
34Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim and Hena and Ivah? Indeed, have they delivered Samaria from my hand?34Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?
35Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their countries from my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’ ”35Who among all the gods of the lands has delivered his land from my power? So will the LORD deliver Jerusalem?'"
36But the people held their peace and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, “Do not answer him.”36But the people kept silent; they didn't say anything, for the king's command was, "Don't answer him."
37Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.37Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the court secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the court historian, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and reported to him the words of the Rabshakeh.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
2 Kings 17
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