II Kings 18

וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּשְׁנַ֣ת שָׁלֹ֔שׁ לְהוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בֶּן־אֵלָ֖ה מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מָלַ֛ךְ חִזְקִיָּ֥ה בֶן־אָחָ֖ז מֶ֥לֶךְ יְהוּדָֽה׃ In the third year of King Hoshea son of Elah of Israel, Hezekiah son of King Ahaz of Judah became king.

בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְחָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנָה֙ הָיָ֣ה בְמׇלְכ֔וֹ וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים וָתֵ֙שַׁע֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ אֲבִ֖י בַּת־זְכַרְיָֽה׃ He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years; his mother’s name was Abi^aAbi Cf. 2 Chron. 29.1 “Abijah.” daughter of Zechariah.

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה דָּוִ֥ד אָבִֽיו׃ He did what was pleasing to GOD, just as his forefather David had done.

ה֣וּא ׀ הֵסִ֣יר אֶת־הַבָּמ֗וֹת וְשִׁבַּר֙ אֶת־הַמַּצֵּבֹ֔ת וְכָרַ֖ת אֶת־הָֽאֲשֵׁרָ֑ה וְכִתַּת֩ נְחַ֨שׁ הַנְּחֹ֜שֶׁת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֣ה מֹשֶׁ֗ה כִּ֣י עַד־הַיָּמִ֤ים הָהֵ֙מָּה֙ הָי֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מְקַטְּרִ֣ים ל֔וֹ וַיִּקְרָא־ל֖וֹ נְחֻשְׁתָּֽן׃ He abolished the shrines and smashed the pillars and cut down the sacred post.^bsacred post See note at 13.6. He also broke into pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until that time the Israelites had been offering sacrifices to it; it was called Nehushtan.

בַּיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּטָ֑ח וְאַחֲרָ֞יו לֹא־הָיָ֣ה כָמֹ֗הוּ בְּכֹל֙ מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ לְפָנָֽיו׃ He trusted only in the ETERNAL the God of Israel; there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those before him.

וַיִּדְבַּק֙ בַּֽיהֹוָ֔ה לֹא־סָ֖ר מֵאַֽחֲרָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁמֹר֙ מִצְוֺתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ He clung to GOD; he did not hesitate to be directed,^chesitate to be directed Lit. “turn away from following Him.” but kept the commandments that GOD had given to Moses.

וְהָיָ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ עִמּ֔וֹ בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵ֖א יַשְׂכִּ֑יל וַיִּמְרֹ֥ד בְּמֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֖וּר וְלֹ֥א עֲבָדֽוֹ׃ And GOD was always with him; he was successful wherever he turned. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and would not serve him.

הֽוּא־הִכָּ֧ה אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֛ים עַד־עַזָּ֖ה וְאֶת־גְּבוּלֶ֑יהָ מִמִּגְדַּ֥ל נוֹצְרִ֖ים עַד־עִ֥יר מִבְצָֽר׃ {פ}
He overran Philistia as far as Gaza and its border areas, from watchtower to fortified town.

וַיְהִ֞י בַּשָּׁנָ֤ה הָֽרְבִיעִית֙ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ הִ֚יא הַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔ית לְהוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בֶּן־אֵלָ֖ה מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עָלָ֞ה שַׁלְמַנְאֶ֧סֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֛וּר עַל־שֹׁמְר֖וֹן וַיָּ֥צַר עָלֶֽיהָ׃ In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of King Hoshea son of Elah of Israel, King Shalmaneser of Assyria marched against Samaria and besieged it,

וַֽיִּלְכְּדֻ֗הָ מִקְצֵה֙ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֔ים בִּשְׁנַת־שֵׁ֖שׁ לְחִזְקִיָּ֑ה הִ֣יא שְׁנַת־תֵּ֗שַׁע לְהוֹשֵׁ֙עַ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נִלְכְּדָ֖ה שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃ and he^dhe So some mss. and ancient versions; most mss. and editions read “they.” captured it at the end of three years. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of King Hoshea of Israel, Samaria was captured;

וַיֶּ֧גֶל מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֛וּר אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אַשּׁ֑וּרָה וַיַּנְחֵ֞ם בַּחְלַ֧ח וּבְחָב֛וֹר נְהַ֥ר גּוֹזָ֖ן וְעָרֵ֥י מָדָֽי׃ and the king of Assyria deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in^esettled them in Lit. “led them to.” Halah, along the Habor [and] the River Gozan, and in the towns of Media.

עַ֣ל ׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֗וּ בְּקוֹל֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּעַבְרוּ֙ אֶת־בְּרִית֔וֹ אֵ֚ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֔ה מֹשֶׁ֖ה עֶ֣בֶד יְהֹוָ֑ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ וְלֹ֥א עָשֽׂוּ׃ {פ}
[This happened] because they did not obey the ETERNAL their God; they transgressed God’s covenant—all that Moses the servant of GOD had commanded. They did not obey and they did not fulfill it.

וּבְאַרְבַּע֩ עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה שָׁנָ֜ה לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֗ה עָלָ֞ה סַנְחֵרִ֤יב מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר֙ עַ֣ל כׇּל־עָרֵ֧י יְהוּדָ֛ה הַבְּצֻר֖וֹת וַֽיִּתְפְּשֵֽׂם׃ In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria marched against all the fortified towns of Judah and seized them.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח חִזְקִיָּ֣ה מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֣ה אֶל־מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר֩ ׀ לָכִ֨ישָׁה ׀ לֵאמֹ֤ר ׀ חָטָ֙אתִי֙ שׁ֣וּב מֵֽעָלַ֔י אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־תִּתֵּ֥ן עָלַ֖י אֶשָּׂ֑א וַיָּ֨שֶׂם מֶלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֜וּר עַל־חִזְקִיָּ֣ה מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֗ה שְׁלֹ֤שׁ מֵאוֹת֙ כִּכַּר־כֶּ֔סֶף וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים כִּכַּ֥ר זָהָֽב׃ King Hezekiah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: “I have done wrong; withdraw from me; and I shall bear whatever you impose on me.” So the king of Assyria imposed upon King Hezekiah of Judah a payment of three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.

וַיִּתֵּן֙ חִזְקִיָּ֔ה אֶת־כׇּל־הַכֶּ֖סֶף הַנִּמְצָ֣א בֵית־יְהֹוָ֑ה וּבְאֹצְר֖וֹת בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was on hand in the House of GOD and in the treasuries of the palace.

בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא קִצַּ֨ץ חִזְקִיָּ֜ה אֶת־דַּלְת֨וֹת הֵיכַ֤ל יְהֹוָה֙ וְאֶת־הָאֹ֣מְנ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִפָּ֔ה חִזְקִיָּ֖ה מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֖ם לְמֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃ {פ}
At that time Hezekiah cut down the doors and the doorposts^fdoorposts Meaning of Heb. uncertain. of the Temple of GOD, which King Hezekiah had overlaid [with gold], and gave them to the king of Assyria.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח מֶלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֡וּר אֶת־תַּרְתָּ֣ן וְאֶת־רַב־סָרִ֣יס ׀ וְאֶת־רַבְשָׁקֵ֨ה מִן־לָכִ֜ישׁ אֶל־הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֛הוּ בְּחֵ֥יל כָּבֵ֖ד יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙ וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ יְרוּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם וַיַּעֲל֣וּ וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙ בִּתְעָלַת֙ הַבְּרֵכָ֣ה הָעֶלְיוֹנָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֕ר בִּמְסִלַּ֖ת שְׂדֵ֥ה כֹבֵֽס׃ But the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh^gTartan…Rabsaris…Rabshakeh Assyrian titles. from Lachish with a large force to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. They marched up to Jerusalem; and when they arrived, they took up a position near the conduit of the Upper Pool, by the road of the Fuller’s Field.

וַֽיִּקְרְאוּ֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיֵּצֵ֧א אֲלֵהֶ֛ם אֶלְיָקִ֥ים בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֖הוּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הַבָּ֑יִת וְשֶׁבְנָה֙ הַסֹּפֵ֔ר וְיוֹאָ֥ח בֶּן־אָסָ֖ף הַמַּזְכִּֽיר׃ They summoned the king; and Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went out to them.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ רַבְשָׁקֵ֔ה אִמְרוּ־נָ֖א אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כֹּה־אָמַ֞ר הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ הַגָּדוֹל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר מָ֧ה הַבִּטָּח֛וֹן הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּטָֽחְתָּ׃ The Rabshakeh said to them, “You tell Hezekiah: Thus said the Great King, the King of Assyria: What makes you so confident?

אָמַ֙רְתָּ֙ אַךְ־דְּבַר־שְׂפָתַ֔יִם עֵצָ֥ה וּגְבוּרָ֖ה לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה עַתָּה֙ עַל־מִ֣י בָטַ֔חְתָּ כִּ֥י מָרַ֖דְתָּ בִּֽי׃ You must think that mere talk is counsel and valor for war! Look, on whom are you relying, that you have rebelled against me?

עַתָּ֡ה הִנֵּ֣ה בָטַ֣חְתָּ לְּךָ֡ עַל־מִשְׁעֶ֩נֶת֩ הַקָּנֶ֨ה הָרָצ֤וּץ הַזֶּה֙ עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִסָּמֵ֥ךְ אִישׁ֙ עָלָ֔יו וּבָ֥א בְכַפּ֖וֹ וּנְקָבָ֑הּ כֵּ֚ן פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם לְכׇֽל־הַבֹּטְחִ֖ים עָלָֽיו׃ You rely, of all things, on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which enters and punctures the palm of anyone who leans on it! That’s what Pharaoh king of Egypt is like to all who rely on him.

וְכִֽי־תֹאמְר֣וּן אֵלַ֔י אֶל־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ בָּטָ֑חְנוּ הֲלוֹא־ה֗וּא אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵסִ֤יר חִזְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ אֶת־בָּמֹתָ֣יו וְאֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתָ֔יו וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לִֽיהוּדָה֙ וְלִיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם לִפְנֵי֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֣חַ הַזֶּ֔ה תִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ And if you tell me that you are relying on the ETERNAL your God: is this not the very one whose shrines and altars Hezekiah did away with, telling Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship only at this altar in Jerusalem’?

וְעַתָּה֙ הִתְעָ֣רֶב נָ֔א אֶת־אֲדֹנִ֖י אֶת־מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֑וּר וְאֶתְּנָ֤ה לְךָ֙ אַלְפַּ֣יִם סוּסִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֕ל לָ֥תֶת לְךָ֖ רֹכְבִ֥ים עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ Come now, make this wager with my master, the king of Assyria: I’ll give you two thousand horses if you can produce riders to mount them.

וְאֵ֣יךְ תָּשִׁ֗יב אֵ֠ת פְּנֵ֨י פַחַ֥ת אַחַ֛ד עַבְדֵ֥י אֲדֹנִ֖י הַקְּטַנִּ֑ים וַתִּבְטַ֤ח לְךָ֙ עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם לְרֶ֖כֶב וּלְפָרָשִֽׁים׃ So how could you refuse anything even to the deputy of one of my master’s lesser servants, relying on Egypt for chariots and riders?

עַתָּה֙ הֲמִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה עָלִ֛יתִי עַל־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה לְהַשְׁחִת֑וֹ יְהֹוָה֙ אָמַ֣ר אֵלַ֔י עֲלֵ֛ה עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את וְהַשְׁחִיתָֽהּ׃ And do you think I have marched against this land to destroy it without GOD ? It was GOD who told me: Go up against that land and destroy it.”

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶלְיָקִ֣ים בֶּן־חִ֠לְקִיָּ֠הוּ וְשֶׁבְנָ֨ה וְיוֹאָ֜ח אֶל־רַבְשָׁקֵ֗ה דַּבֶּר־נָ֤א אֶל־עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲרָמִ֔ית כִּ֥י שֹׁמְעִ֖ים אֲנָ֑חְנוּ וְאַל־תְּדַבֵּ֤ר עִמָּ֙נוּ֙ יְהוּדִ֔ית בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַחֹמָֽה׃ Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah replied to the Rabshakeh, “Please, speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; do not speak to us in Judean in the hearing of the people on the wall.”

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם רַבְשָׁקֵ֗ה הַעַ֨ל אֲדֹנֶ֤יךָ וְאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲדֹנִ֔י לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה הֲלֹ֣א עַל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ עַל־הַ֣חֹמָ֔ה לֶאֱכֹ֣ל אֶת־[צוֹאָתָ֗ם] (חריהם) וְלִשְׁתּ֛וֹת אֶת־[מֵימֵ֥י רַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם] (שניהם) עִמָּכֶֽם׃ But the Rabshakeh answered them, “Was it to your master and to you that my master sent me to speak those words? It was precisely to the men who are sitting on the wall—who will have to eat their dung and drink their urine with you.”

וַֽיַּעֲמֹד֙ רַבְשָׁקֵ֔ה וַיִּקְרָ֥א בְקוֹל־גָּד֖וֹל יְהוּדִ֑ית וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר וַיֹּ֔אמֶר שִׁמְע֛וּ דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ הַגָּד֖וֹל מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃ And the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in Judean: “Hear the words of the Great King, the King of Assyria.

כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אַל־יַשִּׁ֥א לָכֶ֖ם חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כִּי־לֹ֣א יוּכַ֔ל לְהַצִּ֥יל אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִיָּדֽוֹ׃ Thus said the king: Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you from my^hmy So several mss. and ancient versions; most mss. and editions read “his.” hands.

וְאַל־יַבְטַ֨ח אֶתְכֶ֤ם חִזְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה לֵאמֹ֔ר הַצֵּ֥ל יַצִּילֵ֖נוּ יְהֹוָ֑ה וְלֹ֤א תִנָּתֵן֙ אֶת־הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את בְּיַ֖ד מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃ Don’t let Hezekiah make you rely on GOD, saying: GOD will surely save us: this city will not fall into the hands of the king of Assyria.

אַֽל־תִּשְׁמְע֖וּ אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֜ר מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֗וּר עֲשֽׂוּ־אִתִּ֤י בְרָכָה֙ וּצְא֣וּ אֵלַ֔י וְאִכְל֤וּ אִישׁ־גַּפְנוֹ֙ וְאִ֣ישׁ תְּאֵנָת֔וֹ וּשְׁת֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ מֵי־בֹרֽוֹ׃ Don’t listen to Hezekiah. For thus said the king of Assyria: Make your peace with me and come out to me,ⁱto me I.e., to my representative the Rabshakeh. so that you may all eat from your vines and your fig trees and drink water from your cisterns,

עַד־בֹּאִי֩ וְלָקַחְתִּ֨י אֶתְכֶ֜ם אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּאַרְצְכֶ֗ם אֶ֩רֶץ֩ דָּגָ֨ן וְתִיר֜וֹשׁ אֶ֧רֶץ לֶ֣חֶם וּכְרָמִ֗ים אֶ֣רֶץ זֵ֤ית יִצְהָר֙ וּדְבַ֔שׁ וִֽחְי֖וּ וְלֹ֣א תָמֻ֑תוּ וְאַֽל־תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ כִּֽי־יַסִּ֤ית אֶתְכֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יְהֹוָ֖ה יַצִּילֵֽנוּ׃ until I come and take you away to a land like your own, a land of grain [fields] and vineyards, of bread and wine, of olive oil and honey, so that you may live and not die. Don’t listen to Hezekiah, who misleads you by saying, ‘GOD will save us.’

הַהַצֵּ֥ל הִצִּ֛ילוּ אֱלֹהֵ֥י הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אַרְצ֑וֹ מִיַּ֖ד מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃ Did any of the gods of other nations save their land from the king of Assyria?

אַיֵּה֩ אֱלֹהֵ֨י חֲמָ֜ת וְאַרְפָּ֗ד אַיֵּ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י סְפַרְוַ֖יִם הֵנַ֣ע וְעִוָּ֑ה כִּי־הִצִּ֥ילוּ אֶת־שֹׁמְר֖וֹן מִיָּדִֽי׃ Where were the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where were the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? [And] did they^jthey I.e., the gods of Samaria. save Samaria from me?

מִ֚י בְּכׇל־אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָאֲרָצ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁר־הִצִּ֥ילוּ אֶת־אַרְצָ֖ם מִיָּדִ֑י כִּֽי־יַצִּ֧יל יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם מִיָּדִֽי׃ Which among all the gods of [those] countries saved their countries from me, that GOD should save Jerusalem from me?”

וְהֶחֱרִ֣ישׁוּ הָעָ֔ם וְלֹא־עָנ֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ דָּבָ֑ר כִּֽי־מִצְוַ֨ת הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ הִ֛יא לֵאמֹ֖ר לֹ֥א תַעֲנֻֽהוּ׃ But the people were silent and did not say a word in reply; for the king’s order was: “Do not answer him.”

וַיָּבֹ֣א אֶלְיָקִ֣ים בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַ֠בַּ֠יִת וְשֶׁבְנָ֨א הַסֹּפֵ֜ר וְיוֹאָ֨ח בֶּן־אָסָ֧ף הַמַּזְכִּ֛יר אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ קְרוּעֵ֣י בְגָדִ֑ים וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ ל֔וֹ דִּבְרֵ֖י רַבְשָׁקֵֽה׃ And so Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder came to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and they reported to him what the Rabshakeh had said.