2 Kings 18

1 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.*18.1 Hezekiah: he is called Ezekias 2 Twenty 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.*18.2 Abi: also called, Abijah 3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.

4 He 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 Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.*18.4 images: Heb. statues*18.4 Nehushtan: that is, A piece of brass 5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. 6 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.*18.6 from…: Heb. from after him 7 And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not. 8 He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.*18.8 Gaza: Heb. Azzah

9 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it. 10 And 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 Israel, Samaria was taken. 11 And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes: 12 Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.

13 Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.*18.13 Sennacherib: Heb. Sanherib 14 And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15 And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king’s house. 16 At that time did Hezekiah cut off 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.*18.16 it: Heb. them

17 And 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.*18.17 great: Heb. heavy 18 And 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.*18.18 scribe: or, secretary 19 And Rab-shakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? 20 Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?*18.20 sayest: or, talkest*18.20 vain…: Heb. word of the lips*18.20 I have…: or, but counsel and strength are for the war 21 Now, behold, thou trustest 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.*18.21 trustest: Heb. trustest thee 22 But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? 23 Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.*18.23 pledges: or, hostages 24 How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 25 Am 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. 26 Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rab-shakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews’ language in the ears of the people that are on the wall. 27 But Rab-shakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath 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?*18.27 their own piss: Heb. the water of their feet 28 Then Rab-shakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria: 29 Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand: 30 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. 31 Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:*18.31 Make…: or, Seek my favour: Heb. Make with me a blessing*18.31 cistern: or, pit 32 Until 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 ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.*18.32 persuadeth: or, deceiveth 33 Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 34 Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand? 35 Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand? 36 But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not. 37 Then 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.

希西家作犹大王（代下29:1~2，31:1）

1 以色列王以拉的儿子何细亚在位第三年，犹大王亚哈斯的儿子希西家登基作王。2 他登基的时候是二十五岁；他在耶路撒冷作王二十九年，他母亲名叫亚比，是撒迦利雅的女儿。3 他行耶和华看为正的事，效法他的祖宗大卫一切所行的。4 他废去邱坛，打碎神柱，砍掉亚舍拉；他又打碎摩西所做的铜蛇，因为直到那些日子，以色列人仍然向它焚香，称它作尼忽士但。5 他倚靠耶和华以色列的　神，在他以前或以后的犹大列王中，没有像他的。6 他忠于耶和华，没有转离不跟从他，谨守他的吩咐，就是他曾吩咐摩西的。7 耶和华和他同在，他所有的征战都得到成功。他背叛亚述王，不再臣服他。8 他攻击非利士人，直到迦萨和它的四境，从哨站以至设防城。

撒玛利亚被攻陷

9 希西家王在位第四年，就是以色列王以拉的儿子何细亚在位第七年，亚述王撒缦以色上来攻击撒玛利亚，把城围困；10 过了三年，他们就攻取了撒玛利亚。希西家在位第六年，就是以色列王何细亚在位第九年，撒玛利亚被攻取了。11 亚述王把以色列人掳到亚述去，把他们安置在哈腊、哈博河和歌散河，以及玛代人的城里；12 这是因为他们不听从耶和华他们　神的话，违背他的约；耶和华的仆人摩西吩咐的一切，他们都不听从，不遵行。

亚述王攻打犹大（代下32:1~9；赛36:1~3）

13 希西家王在位第十四年，亚述王西拿基立上来攻击犹大所有的设防城，占据了它们。14 犹大王希西家派人往拉吉去见亚述王说："我有罪了，请你离我回去吧，你们加于我的处分，我必承当。"于是亚述王罚了犹大王希西家九千公斤银子和九百公斤金子。15 希西家就把耶和华殿和王宫宝库内找到的所有金子都给了他。16 那时，犹大王希西家把耶和华殿门上和自己包在门柱上的金子，都刮了下来，给了亚述王。

17 亚述王从拉吉派他珥探、拉伯撒利和拉伯沙基率领大军，往耶路撒冷，到希西家王那里去。他们就上来，去到耶路撒冷。他们到达以后，就站在上池的引水道旁，在漂布地的大路上。18 他们呼叫王；希勒家的儿子王宫总管以利亚敬、书记舍伯那和亚萨的儿子史官约亚就出来见他们。

拉伯沙基的恐吓（赛36:4~12）

19 拉伯沙基对他们说："你们要对希西家说：‘亚述大王这样说：你所倚赖的这种防御算是甚么呢？20 你说有作战的智谋和能力，只是嘴上空言，现在你倚赖谁才背叛我呢？21 你看，你倚赖埃及这压伤的芦苇做的手杖，人若是倚靠它，它必刺入他的手，把手刺伤，埃及王法老对所有倚赖他的人正是这样。22 如果你们对我说：我们倚靠的是耶和华我们的　神，希西家不是曾把他的邱坛和祭坛废去，又对犹大人和耶路撒冷人说：你们要在耶路撒冷这祭坛前敬拜吗？23 现在，你可以和我主亚述王打赌，我给你二千匹战马，看你能否派出骑兵来骑牠们？24 否则，你怎能使我主最小的一位臣仆转脸逃跑呢？你竟然倚赖埃及供应战车和战马吗？25 现在，我上来攻击这地方，要毁灭它，不是有耶和华的意思吗？耶和华曾对我说：上去攻击那地，把它毁灭。’"

26 希勒家的儿子以利亚敬、舍伯那和约亚对拉伯沙基说："请用亚兰语和你的仆人们说话，因为我们听得懂；不要用犹大语和我们说话，免得传入在城墙上的人民的耳中。"27 拉伯沙基对他们说："我主派我来，只是对你的主和你说这些话吗？不也是对坐在城墙上，和你们在一起吃自己的粪、喝自己的尿的人民说的吗？"

劝降的话（代下32:9~19；赛36:13~22）

28 于是拉伯沙基站着，用犹大语大声喊着，说："你们要听亚述大王的话。29 王这样说：‘不要给希西家欺骗了你们，因为他不能从我的手中解救你们；30 也不要让希西家欺骗你们去信赖耶和华说：耶和华一定会解救我们，这城必不会交在亚述王的手中。31 不要听从希西家，因为亚述王这样说：你们要与我和好，出来向我投降，各人就可以吃自己的葡萄树和无花果树的果子，喝自己水池里的水。32 直到我来带你们到一个像你们国家的地方，那地方有五谷新酒，粮食和葡萄园，橄榄树和蜂蜜，你们必可以活着，不会死亡。不要听从希西家，因为他误导你们说：耶和华必解救我们。33 列国的神真能解救他们的国土脱离亚述王的手吗？34 哈马和亚珥拔的神在哪里呢？西法瓦音、希拿和以瓦的神在哪里呢？他们可以解救撒玛利亚脱离我的手吗？35 这些国家所有的神，有哪一个曾解救他自己的国家脱离我的手呢？难道耶和华能解救耶路撒冷脱离我的手吗？’"36 众民都不出声，一句话也不回答他，因为王吩咐他们："不要回答他。"37 当时王宫总管希勒家的儿子以利亚敬、书记舍伯那和亚萨的儿子史官约亚来到希西家那里，他们的衣服都撕裂了，他们把拉伯沙基的话都告诉了他。