36 When King Hezekiah had ruled Judah for 14 years, King Sennacherib of Assyria attacked Judah with his army. He took all the strong cities in Judah for himself. [ a ] 2 Then the king of Assyria sent his army officer from Lachish to Jerusalem, to speak to King Hezekiah. The officer took a large army with him. He stopped at the stream of water that came from the higher pool. It was on the road to the field where people washed clothes.
3 These people came out to meet him:
Hilkiah's son Eliakim, who was the most important officer in the king's palace.
Shebna, a government officer.
Asaph's son, Joah, the king's secretary.
4 The Assyrian army officer said to them, ‘Tell Hezekiah that the great king, the king of Assyria, says this to him:
“Why are you so sure that someone will rescue you from our power? 5 You say that you have good plans. You say that your army is strong. But those are only useless words! You have turned against me, so who are you trusting to save you? 6 Yes, you think that Egypt is strong enough to help you. But you should not trust Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. He is like a weak stick. If you use it to walk with, it will break! A broken piece of stick will make a hole through your hand and give you much pain! That is the trouble that the king of Egypt brings to everyone who trusts him to help them. 7 Maybe you will say to me, ‘We are trusting the Lord our God to help us.’ But it was your king, Hezekiah, who removed the altars and the special places where you worship your God. He told the people of Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship God only at the altar here in Jerusalem.’ ”
8 So you should make an agreement with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2,000 horses, if you have enough riders to put on them. 9 You cannot refuse what I offer to you! And I am only an unimportant officer who serves my master. You are hoping that Egypt will give you chariots and men to ride on horses. But you will never be strong enough to win a battle against us. 10 You should also understand this: It was the Lord himself who commanded me to bring my army here and attack Jerusalem. He said to me, “Attack this country and destroy it!” ’
11 Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah said to the leader of the Assyrian army, ‘Please sir, speak to us in the Aramaic language. We can understand it. Do not speak to us in the Hebrew language, because all the people who are on the wall of the city will understand it.’
12 But the Assyrian army leader replied, ‘My master did not send me here to give this message only to your king and to you. The men who are sitting on the city wall also need to hear my master's message. Like you, they will soon have to eat their own dung and drink their own urine.’
13 Then the Assyrian army leader stood there and he shouted in the Hebrew language, ‘Listen to this message from the great king, the king of Assyria! 14 This is what the king says to you:
“Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot save you from my power. 15 Do not believe Hezekiah when he tells you that you can trust the Lord to help you. He says, ‘The Lord will surely rescue us. He will not let the king of Assyria take this city for himself.’ 16 Do not believe what Hezekiah says!”
This is what the king of Assyria says to you: “Show me that you accept my offer of peace and come out of your city. Then you will all live safely in your homes. You will eat the fruit from your own vines and fig trees. You will drink the water from your own wells. 17 Later, I will come to Jerusalem. I will take you away to a country that is like your own land here. There will be plenty of grain and new wine for you in that country. There will be bread and there will be vineyards. 18 Do not let Hezekiah deceive you when he says, ‘The Lord will rescue us.’ No god of any nation has ever saved his country from the king of Assyria's power.
19 The gods of Hamath and Arpad could not help their people. The gods of Sepharvaim could not help their people either. No god was able to rescue Samaria from my power. 20 No god among all the gods of those countries could save their people from my power. So do not think that the Lord can save Jerusalem from my power.” ’
21 When the people who were sitting on the wall heard this, they were quiet. They did not reply, because King Hezekiah had said, ‘Do not answer him.’
22 Then King Hezekiah's three officers, Eliakim, Shebna and Joah, went back to Hezekiah. They had torn their clothes because they were very upset. They told the king what the Assyrian officer had said.
36 During Hezekiah’s 14th year as king, Sennacherib king of Assyria went to fight against all the strong cities of Judah. Sennacherib defeated those cities. 2 He sent his commander with a large army to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. The commander and his army left Lachish and went to Jerusalem. They stopped near the aqueduct [ a ] by the Upper Pool, [ b ] on the street that leads up to Laundryman’s Field.
3 Three men from Jerusalem went out to talk with the commander. These men were Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Joah son of Asaph, and Shebna. Eliakim was the palace manager, Joah was the record keeper, and Shebna was the royal secretary.
4 The commander told them, “Tell Hezekiah this is what the great king, the king of Assyria says:
“‘What are you trusting in to help you? 5 I tell you, if you are trusting in power and great battle plans, that is useless. Those are nothing but empty words. Now I ask you, who do you trust so much that you are willing to rebel against me? 6 Are you depending on Egypt to help you? Egypt is like a broken walking stick. If you lean on it for support, it will only stab you and hurt you. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, cannot be trusted by anyone who depends on him for help.
7 “‘So maybe you will say, “We trust the Lord our God to help us.” But Hezekiah destroyed the altars and high places where people worshiped your God, right? Hezekiah told the people of Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship only at this one altar here in Jerusalem.”
8 “‘If you still want to fight, my master, the king of Assyria, will make this agreement with you. I promise that I will give you 2000 horses if you can find enough men to ride them into battle. 9 But even then, you couldn’t beat even one of my master’s lowest ranking officers. So why do you still depend on Egypt’s chariots and horse soldiers?
10 “‘Now, do you think I came to this country to destroy it without the Lord ’s help. No, it was the Lord who said to me, “Go up against this country and destroy it!”’”
11 Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the commander, “Please, speak to us in Hebrew. [ c ] We understand that language. Don’t speak to us in the language of Judah. If you use our language, the people on the city walls will understand you.”
12 But the commander said, “My master sent me to speak to everyone, not just to you and your master. I must also speak to those people sitting there on the wall. When we surround your city, they will suffer too. Like you, they will become so hungry they will eat their own waste and drink their own urine!”
13 Then the commander, shouting loudly in Hebrew, [ d ] gave this warning to them all:
Hear this message from the great king, the king of Assyria! 14 This is what the king says: Don’t let Hezekiah fool you! He cannot save you from my power. 15 Don’t listen to him when he tells you to trust in the Lord . Don’t believe him when he says, “The Lord will save us. He will not let the king of Assyria defeat the city.”
16 Don’t listen to Hezekiah! This is what the king of Assyria says: Come out here and show me that you want peace. Then you will all be free to have grapes from your own vines, figs from your own trees, and water from your own well. 17 After some time, I will come and take you to a land like your own. In that new land, you will have plenty of grain for making bread and vineyards for producing wine.
18 Don’t believe Hezekiah when he tells you, “The Lord will save us.” He is wrong. Did any of the gods of other nations save their land from the king of Assyria? 19 When I destroyed the cities of Hamath and Arpad, where were their gods? What about the gods of Sepharvaim? Were any gods able to save Samaria from my power? 20 None of the gods of these other places were able to save their land from me! So why do you think the Lord can save Jerusalem from me?
21 But the people were silent. They did not say a word to the commander, because King Hezekiah had commanded them, “Don’t say anything to him.”
22 Then the palace manager (Eliakim son of Hilkiah), the royal secretary (Shebna), and the record keeper (Joah son of Asaph) went to Hezekiah. Their clothes were torn to show they were upset. They told Hezekiah everything the Assyrian commander had said.
36 Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them.
2 And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field.
3 Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah's son, which was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph's son, the recorder.
4 And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
5 I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
6 Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.
7 But if thou say to me, We trust in the Lord our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?
8 Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
9 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?
10 And am I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? the Lord said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
11 Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.
12 But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
13 Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.
14 Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.
15 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord , saying, The Lord will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
16 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 eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;
17 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.
18 Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, the Lord will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
20 Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
21 But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
22 Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that 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 Rabshakeh.
36 ( A ) Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, ( B ) Sennacherib king of Assyria marched against all the fortified cities of Judah and seized them. 2 And the ( C ) king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah with a large army. And he stood by the ( D ) conduit of the upper pool on the road to the [ a ] fuller’s field. 3 Then ( E ) Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and ( F ) Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the secretary, went out to him.
4 And ( G ) Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: “What is this confidence that you have? 5 I say, ‘Your plan and strength for the war are only [ b ] empty words.’ Now on whom have you relied, that ( H ) you have revolted against me? 6 Behold, you have relied on the ( I ) staff of this broken reed, on Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his [ c ] hand and pierce it. ( J ) So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him. 7 But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the Lord our God,’ is it not He ( K ) whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar’? 8 Now then, come make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to put riders on them! 9 How then can you [ d ] drive back even one [ e ] official of the least of my master’s servants and [ f ] ( L ) rely on Egypt for chariots and horsemen? 10 And have I now come up [ g ] without the Lord ’ s approval against this land to destroy it? ( M ) The Lord said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”’”
11 Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in ( N ) Aramaic, for we [ h ] understand it ; and do not speak to us in [ i ] ( O ) Judean [ j ] so that the people who are on the wall hear you .” 12 But Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, doomed to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?”
13 Then Rabshakeh stood and ( P ) called out with a loud voice in Judean and said, “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! 14 This is what the king says: ‘Do not let Hezekiah ( Q ) deceive you, for he will not be able to save you; 15 and do not let Hezekiah lead you to ( R ) rely on the Lord , saying, “The Lord will certainly save us. This city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria!” 16 Do not listen to Hezekiah,’ for this is what the king of Assyria says: ‘ [ k ] Surrender to me and come out to me, and eat, each one, of his ( S ) vine and each of his fig tree, and each drink of the ( T ) waters of his own cistern, 17 until 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. 18 Beware that Hezekiah does not mislead you, saying, “ ( U ) The Lord will save us.” Has any one of the gods of the nations saved his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of ( V ) Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of ( W ) Sepharvaim? And when have they ( X ) saved Samaria from my hand? 20 Who among all the ( Y ) gods of these lands have saved their land from my hand, that the ( Z ) Lord would save Jerusalem from my hand?’”
21 But they were silent and did not ( AA ) answer him so much as a word; for the king’s command was, “Do not answer him.” 22 Then ( AB ) Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and ( AC ) Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the secretary, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and reported to him the words of Rabshakeh.
36 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s ( B ) reign, Sennacherib ( C ) king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. ( D ) 2 Then the king of Assyria sent his field commander with a large army from Lachish ( E ) to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. When the commander stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field, ( F ) 3 Eliakim ( G ) son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, ( H ) Shebna ( I ) the secretary, ( J ) and Joah ( K ) son of Asaph the recorder ( L ) went out to him.
4 The field commander said to them, “Tell Hezekiah:
“‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? 5 You say you have counsel and might for war—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel ( M ) against me? 6 Look, I know you are depending ( N ) on Egypt, ( O ) that splintered reed ( P ) of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. 7 But if you say to me, “We are depending ( Q ) on the Lord our God”—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, ( R ) saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar”? ( S )
8 “‘Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses ( T ) —if you can put riders on them! 9 How then can you repulse one officer of the least of my master’s officials, even though you are depending on Egypt ( U ) for chariots ( V ) and horsemen [ a ] ? ( W ) 10 Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the Lord ? The Lord himself told ( X ) me to march against this country and destroy it.’”
11 Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah ( Y ) said to the field commander, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, ( Z ) since we understand it. Don’t speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.”
12 But the commander replied, “Was it only to your master and you that my master sent me to say these things, and not to the people sitting on the wall—who, like you, will have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine? ( AA ) ”
13 Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew, ( AB ) “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! ( AC ) 14 This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive ( AD ) you. He cannot deliver you! 15 Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, ‘The Lord will surely deliver ( AE ) us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’ ( AF )
16 “Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree ( AG ) and drink water from your own cistern, ( AH ) 17 until I come and take you to a land like your own ( AI ) —a land of grain and new wine, ( AJ ) a land of bread and vineyards.
18 “Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, ‘The Lord will deliver us.’ Have the gods of any nations ever delivered their lands from the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? ( AK ) Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? ( AL ) Have they rescued Samaria ( AM ) from my hand? 20 Who of all the gods ( AN ) of these countries have been able to save their lands from me? How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?” ( AO )
21 But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, “Do not answer him.” ( AP )
22 Then Eliakim ( AQ ) son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and Joah son of Asaph the recorder ( AR ) went to Hezekiah, with their clothes torn, ( AS ) and told him what the field commander had said.
