¹ 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.

---

¹ Now it came to pass in the fourteenth ^{H702 H6240} year ^H8141 of king ^H4428 Hezekiah, ^H2396 that Sennacherib ^H5576 king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804 came up ^H5927 against all the defenced ^H1219 cities ^H5892 of Judah, ^H3063 and took ^H8610 them.

² And the king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804 sent ^H7971 Rabshakeh ^H7262 from Lachish ^H3923 to Jerusalem ^H3389 unto king ^H4428 Hezekiah ^H2396 with a great ^H3515 army. ^H2426 And he stood ^H5975 by the conduit ^H8585 of the upper ^H5945 pool ^H1295 in the highway ^H4546 of the fuller's ^H3526 field. ^H7704

³ Then came forth ^H3318 unto him Eliakim, ^H471 Hilkiah's ^H2518 son, ^H1121 which was over the house, ^H1004 and Shebna ^H7644 the scribe, ^H5608 and Joah, ^H3098 Asaph's ^H623 son, ^H1121 the recorder. ^H2142

⁴ And Rabshakeh ^H7262 said ^H559 unto them, Say ^H559 ye now to Hezekiah, ^H2396 Thus saith ^H559 the great ^H1419 king, ^H4428 the king ^H4428 of Assyria, ^H804 What confidence ^H986 is this wherein thou trustest? ^H982

⁵ I say, ^H559 sayest thou, (but they are but vain ^H8193 words) ^H1697 I have counsel ^H6098 and strength ^H1369 for war: ^H4421 now on whom dost thou trust, ^H982 that thou rebellest ^H4775 against me?

⁶ Lo, thou trustest ^H982 in the staff ^H4938 of this broken ^H7533 reed, ^H7070 on Egypt; ^H4714 whereon if a man ^H376 lean, ^H5564 it will go ^H935 into his hand, ^H3709 and pierce ^H5344 it: so is Pharaoh ^H6547 king ^H4428 of Egypt ^H4714 to all that trust ^H982 in him.

⁷ But if thou say ^H559 to me, We trust ^H982 in the LORD ^H3068 our God: ^H430 is it not he, whose high places ^H1116 and whose altars ^H4196 Hezekiah ^H2396 hath taken away, ^H5493 and said ^H559 to Judah ^H3063 and to Jerusalem, ^H3389 Ye shall worship ^H7812 before ^H6440 this altar? ^H4196

⁸ Now therefore give pledges, ^H6148 I pray thee, to my master ^H113 the king ^H4428 of Assyria, ^H804 and I will give ^H5414 thee two thousand ^H505 horses, ^H5483 if thou be able ^H3201 on thy part to set ^H5414 riders ^H7392 upon them.

⁹ How then wilt thou turn away ^H7725 the face ^H6440 of one ^H259 captain ^H6346 of the least ^H6996 of my master's ^H113 servants, ^H5650 and put thy trust ^H982 on Egypt ^H4714 for chariots ^H7393 and for horsemen? ^H6571

¹⁰ And am I now come up ^H5927 without ^H1107 the LORD ^H3068 against this land ^H776 to destroy ^H7843 it? the LORD ^H3068 said ^H559 unto me, Go up ^H5927 against this land, ^H776 and destroy ^H7843 it.

¹¹ Then said ^H559 Eliakim ^H471 and Shebna ^H7644 and Joah ^H3098 unto Rabshakeh, ^H7262 Speak, ^H1696 I pray thee, unto thy servants ^H5650 in the Syrian language; ^H762 for we understand ^H8085 it: and speak ^H1696 not to us in the Jews' language, ^H3066 in the ears ^H241 of the people ^H5971 that are on the wall. ^H2346

¹² But Rabshakeh ^H7262 said, ^H559 Hath my master ^H113 sent ^H7971 me to thy master ^H113 and to thee to speak ^H1696 these words? ^H1697 hath he not sent me to the men ^H582 that sit ^H3427 upon the wall, ^H2346 that they may eat ^H398 their own dung, ^{H2716 H6675} and drink ^H8354 their own piss ^{H4325 H7272 H7890} with you?

¹³ Then Rabshakeh ^H7262 stood, ^H5975 and cried ^H7121 with a loud ^H1419 voice ^H6963 in the Jews' language, ^H3066 and said, ^H559 Hear ^H8085 ye the words ^H1697 of the great ^H1419 king, ^H4428 the king ^H4428 of Assyria. ^H804

¹⁴ Thus saith ^H559 the king, ^H4428 Let not Hezekiah ^H2396 deceive ^H5377 you: for he shall not be able ^H3201 to deliver ^H5337 you.

¹⁵ Neither let Hezekiah ^H2396 make you trust ^H982 in the LORD, ^H3068 saying, ^H559 The LORD ^H3068 will surely ^H5337 deliver ^H5337 us: this city ^H5892 shall not be delivered ^H5414 into the hand ^H3027 of the king ^H4428 of Assyria. ^H804

¹⁶ Hearken ^H8085 not to Hezekiah: ^H2396 for thus saith ^H559 the king ^H4428 of Assyria, ^H804 Make ^H6213 an agreement with me by a present, ^H1293 and come out ^H3318 to me: and eat ^H398 ye every one ^H376 of his vine, ^H1612 and every one ^H376 of his fig tree, ^H8384 and drink ^H8354 ye every one ^H376 the waters ^H4325 of his own cistern; ^H953

¹⁷ Until I come ^H935 and take you away ^H3947 to a land ^H776 like your own land, ^H776 a land ^H776 of corn ^H1715 and wine, ^H8492 a land ^H776 of bread ^H3899 and vineyards. ^H3754

¹⁸ Beware lest Hezekiah ^H2396 persuade ^H5496 you, saying, ^H559 The LORD ^H3068 will deliver ^H5337 us. Hath any ^H376 of the gods ^H430 of the nations ^H1471 delivered ^H5337 his land ^H776 out of the hand ^H3027 of the king ^H4428 of Assyria? ^H804

¹⁹ Where are the gods ^H430 of Hamath ^H2574 and Arphad? ^H774 where are the gods ^H430 of Sepharvaim? ^H5617 and have they delivered ^H5337 Samaria ^H8111 out of my hand? ^H3027

²⁰ Who are they among all the gods ^H430 of these lands, ^H776 that have delivered ^H5337 their land ^H776 out of my hand, ^H3027 that the LORD ^H3068 should deliver ^H5337 Jerusalem ^H3389 out of my hand? ^H3027

²¹ But they held their peace, ^H2790 and answered ^H6030 him not a word: ^H1697 for the king's ^H4428 commandment ^H4687 was, saying, ^H559 Answer ^H6030 him not.

²² Then came ^H935 Eliakim, ^H471 the son ^H1121 of Hilkiah, ^H2518 that was over the household, ^H1004 and Shebna ^H7644 the scribe, ^H5608 and Joah, ^H3098 the son ^H1121 of Asaph, ^H623 the recorder, ^H2142 to Hezekiah ^H2396 with their clothes ^H899 rent, ^H7167 and told ^H5046 him the words ^H1697 of Rabshakeh. ^H7262

---

¹ Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified 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 the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, 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, `thy' counsel and strength for the war are but vain words: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me?

⁶ Behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon 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 on him.

⁷ But if thou say unto me, We trust in Jehovah our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?

⁸ Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges 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 canst 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 Jehovah against this land to destroy it? Jehovah 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, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water 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 will not be able to deliver you:

¹⁵ neither let Hezekiah make you trust in Jehovah, saying, Jehovah will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.

¹⁶ Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make your peace with me, 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 grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.

¹⁸ Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, Jehovah 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 Arpad? 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 countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Jehovah 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.

---

¹ And it cometh to pass, in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, come up hath Sennacherib king of Asshur against all the fenced cities of Judah, and seizeth them.

² And the king of Asshur sendeth Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem, unto the king Hezekiah, with a heavy force, and he standeth by the conduit of the upper pool, in the highway of the fuller's field,

³ and go forth unto him doth Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who `is' over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph, the remembrancer.

⁴ And Rabshakeh saith unto them, `Say ye, I pray you, unto Hezekiah, `Thus said the great king, the king of Asshur, What `is' this confidence in which thou hast confided?

⁵ I have said: Only, a word of the lips! counsel and might `are' for battle: now, on whom hast thou trusted, that thou hast rebelled against me?

⁶ `Lo, thou hast trusted on the staff of this broken reed -- on Egypt -- which a man leaneth on, and it hath gone into his hand, and pierced it -- so `is' Pharaoh king of Egypt to all those trusting on him.

⁷ `And dost thou say unto me, Unto Jehovah our God we have trusted? is it not He, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath turned aside, and saith to Judah and to Jerusalem, Before this altar ye do bow yourselves?

⁸ `And now, negotiate, I pray thee, with my lord the king of Asshur, and I give to thee two thousand horses, if thou art able to put for thee riders on them.

⁹ And how dost thou turn back the face of one captain of the least of the servants of my lord, and dost trust for thee on Egypt, for chariot and for horsemen?

¹⁰ And now, without Jehovah have I come up against this land to destroy it? Jehovah said unto me, Go up unto this land, and thou hast destroyed it.'

¹¹ And Eliakim saith -- and Shebna and Joah -- unto Rabshakeh, `Speak, we pray thee, unto thy servants `in' Aramaean, for we are understanding; and do not speak unto us `in' Jewish, in the ears of the people who `are' on the wall.'

¹² And Rabshakeh saith, `Unto thy lord, and unto thee, hath my lord sent me to speak these words? is it not for the men -- those sitting on the wall to eat their own dung and to drink their own water with you?'

¹³ And Rabshakeh standeth and calleth with a great voice `in' Jewish, and saith, `Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Asshur:

¹⁴ Thus said the king, Let not Hezekiah lift you up, for he is not able to deliver you;

¹⁵ and let not Hezekiah make you trust unto Jehovah, saying, Jehovah doth certainly deliver us, this city is not given into the hand of the king of Asshur.

¹⁶ `Do not hearken unto Hezekiah, for thus said the king of Asshur, Make ye with me a blessing, and come out unto me, and eat ye each of his vine, and each of his fig-tree, and drink ye each the waters of his own well,

¹⁷ till my coming in, and I have taken you unto a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards;

¹⁸ lest Hezekiah doth persuade you, saying, Jehovah doth deliver us. `Have the gods of the nations delivered each his land out of the hand of the king of Asshur?

¹⁹ Where `are' the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where the gods of Sepharvaim, that they have delivered Samaria out of my hand?

²⁰ Who among all the gods of these lands `are' they who have delivered their land out of my hand, that Jehovah doth deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?'

²¹ And they keep silent, and have not answered him a word, for a command of the king is, saying, `Do not answer him.'

²² And Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who `is' over the house, cometh in, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph, the remembrancer, unto Hezekiah with rent garments, and they declare to him the words of Rabshakeh.

---

¹ And it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them.

² And the king of Assyria sent Rab-shakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem, to king Hezekiah, with a strong force. And he stood by the aqueduct of the upper pool, on the highway of the fuller's field.

³ Then came forth to him Eliakim the son of Hilkijah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the chronicler.

⁴ And Rab-shakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this in which thou trustest?

⁵ Thou sayest, but it is a word of the lips, [There is] counsel and strength for war. Now on whom dost thou rely, that thou hast revolted against me?

⁶ Behold, thou reliest upon the staff of that broken reed, upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it goes into his hand, and pierces it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that rely upon him.

⁷ And if thou say to me, We rely upon Jehovah our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?

⁸ And now engage, I pray thee, with 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 thou reliest upon Egypt for chariots and for horsemen!

¹⁰ And now am I come up without Jehovah against this land to destroy it? Jehovah said to me, Go up against this land and destroy it.

¹¹ And Eliakim and Shebna and Joah said to Rab-shakeh, Speak, we pray thee, to thy servants in Syriac, for we understand it; and speak not to us in the Jewish [language] in the ears of the people that are upon the wall.

¹² And Rab-shakeh said, Is it to thy master and to thee that my master sent me to speak these words? Is it not to the men that sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own urine with you?

¹³ And Rab-shakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jewish [language], and said, Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!

¹⁴ Thus says the king: Let not Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you.

¹⁵ Neither let Hezekiah make you rely upon Jehovah, saying, Jehovah will certainly deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.

¹⁶ Hearken not to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: Make peace with me and come out to me; and eat every one of his vine, and every one of his fig-tree, and drink 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 Let not Hezekiah persuade you, saying, Jehovah will deliver us. Has 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 of Arpad? 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 countries that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Jehovah should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?

²¹ And they were silent, and answered him not a word; for the king's command was, saying, Answer him not.

²² And Eliakim the son of Hilkijah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the chronicler, came to Hezekiah, with their garments rent, and told him the words of Rab-shakeh.

---

¹ Now it happened in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them.

² The king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem to king Hezekiah with a great army. He stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field.

³ Then came forth to him Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder.

⁴ Rabshakeh said to them, Say you now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this in which you trust?

⁵ I say, [your] counsel and strength for the war are but vain words: now on whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?

⁶ Behold, you trust on the staff of this bruised reed, even on Egypt, whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust on him.

⁷ But if you tell me, We trust in Yahweh our God: isn't that he, 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 therefore, please give pledges to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.

⁹ How then can you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put your trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

¹⁰ Am I now come up without Yahweh against this land to destroy it? Yahweh said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

¹¹ Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah to Rabshakeh, Please speak, to your servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and don't speak to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the people who are on the wall.

¹² But Rabshakeh said, Has my master sent me to your master, and to you, to speak these words? [has he] not [sent me] to the men who sit on the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water with you?

¹³ Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear you the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.

¹⁴ Thus says the king, Don't let Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you:

¹⁵ neither let Hezekiah make you trust in Yahweh, saying, Yahweh will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.

¹⁶ Don't listen to Hezekiah: for thus says the king of Assyria, Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and eat you everyone of his vine, and everyone of his fig tree, and drink you everyone the 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 lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, Yahweh will deliver us. Has 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 Arpad? 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 countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Yahweh 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, Don't answer him.

²² Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

---

¹ And it came about in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah that Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came up against all the walled towns of Judah and took them.

² And the king of Assyria sent the Rab-shakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah with a strong force, and he took up his position by the stream of the higher pool, by the highway of the washerman's

³ And there came out to him Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, who was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder.

⁴ And the Rab-shakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, These are the words of the great king, the king of Assyria: In what are you placing your hope?

⁵ You say you have a design and strength for war, but these are only words: now to whom are you looking for support, that you have gone against my authority?

⁶ See, you are basing your hope on that broken rod of Egypt, which will go into a man's hand if he makes use of it for a support; for so is Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to all who put their faith in him.

⁷ And if you say to me, Our hope is in the Lord our God; is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has taken away, saying to Judah and Jerusalem that worship may only be given before this altar?

⁸ And now, take a chance with my master, the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able to put horsemen on them.

⁹ How then may you put to shame the least of my master's servants? and you have put your hope in Egypt for war-carriages and horsemen:

¹⁰ And have I now come to send destruction on this land without the Lord's authority? It was the Lord himself who said to me, Go up against this land and make it waste.

¹¹ Then Eliakim and Shebna and Joah said to the Rab-shakeh, Please make use of the Aramaean language in talking to your servants, for we are used to it, and do not make use of the Jews' language in the hearing of the people on the wall.

¹² But the Rab-shakeh said, Is it to your master or to you that my master has sent me to say these words? has he not sent me to the men seated on the wall? for they are the people who will be short of food with you when the town is shut in.

¹³ Then the Rab-shakeh got up and said with a loud voice in the Jews' language, Give ear to the words of the great king, the king of Assyria:

¹⁴ This is what the king says: Do not be tricked by Hezekiah, for there is no salvation for you in him.

¹⁵ And do not let Hezekiah make you put your faith in the Lord, saying, The Lord will certainly keep us safe, and this town will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.

¹⁶ Do not give ear to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says, Make peace with me, and come out to me; and everyone will be free to take the fruit of his vine and of his fig-tree, and the water of his spring;

¹⁷ Till I come and take you away to a land like yours, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vine-gardens.

¹⁸ Give no attention to Hezekiah when he says to you, The Lord will keep us safe. Has any one of the gods of the nations kept his land from falling into the hands of the king of Assyria?

¹⁹ Where are the gods of Hamath and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? where are the gods of Samaria? and have they kept Samaria out of my hand?

²⁰ Who among all the gods of these countries have kept their country from falling into my hand, to give cause for the thought that the Lord will keep Jerusalem from falling into my hand?

²¹ But they kept quiet and gave him no answer: for the king's order was, Give him no answer.

²² Then Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, who was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothing parted as a sign of grief, and gave him an account of what the Rab-shakeh had said.