1 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Yisrael, that Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu) the son of Achaz king of Judah (Yehudah) began to reign.

2 Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem (Yerushalayim). His mother’s name was Avi, the daughter of Zechariah (Zekharyah).

3 And he did that which was right in the sight of יהוה, according to all that Dawid his father did.

4 He removed the high places, and broke the images, and cut down the Asherah, and broke in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses (Mosheh) had made; for unto those days the children of Yisrael did burn incense to it; and he called it Nechushtan.

5 He trusted in יהוה God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael); so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah (Yehudah), nor any that were before him.

6 For he clave to יהוה, and departed not from following Him, but kept His commandments, which יהוה commanded Moses (Mosheh).

7 And יהוה was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth; and he rebelled against the king of Assyria (Ashshur), and served him not.

8 He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza (Azzah), and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

9 And it came to pass in the fourth year of King Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu), which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Yisrael, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria (Ashshur) came up against Samaria (Shomeron), and besieged it.

10 And at the end of three years they took it; even in the sixth year of Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu), that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Yisrael, Samaria (Shomeron) was taken.

11 And the king of Assyria (Ashshur) did carry away Yisrael unto Assyria (Ashshur), 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 יהוה their God (Elohim), but transgressed His covenant, and all that Moses (Mosheh) the servant of יהוה commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.

13 Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu) did Senna-cherib king of Assyria (Ashshur) come up against all the fenced cities of Judah (Yehudah), and took them.

14 And Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu) king of Judah (Yehudah) sent to the king of Assyria (Ashshur) to Lachish, saying, “I have offended; return from me, that which you puttest on me will I bear.” And the king of Assyria (Ashshur) appointed unto Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu) king of Judah (Yehudah) three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.

15 And Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu) gave him all the silver that was found in the house of יהוה, and in the treasures of the king’s house.

16 At that time did Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu) cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of יהוה, and from the pillars which Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu) king of Judah (Yehudah) had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria (Ashshur).

17 And the king of Assyria (Ashshur) sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu) with a great army against Jerusalem (Yerushalayim). And they went up and came to Jerusalem (Yerushalayim). 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 And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Elyaqim the son of Chilqiyahu, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Yoach the son of Asaph the recorder.

19 And Rabshakeh said unto them, “Speak you now to Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu), ‘Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria (Ashshur): “What confidence is this wherein you trustest?

20 You sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost you trust, that you rebellest against me?

21 Now, behold, you trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt (Mitsrayim), on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand, and pierce it; so is Pharaoh (Paroh) king of Egypt (Mitsrayim) unto all that trust on him.

22 But if you say unto me, ‘We trust in יהוה our God (Elohim)’; is not that He, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu) hath taken away, and hath said to Judah (Yehudah) and Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem (Yerushalayim)’?”’

23 Now therefore, please give pledges to my lord (adoni) the king of Assyria (Ashshur), and I will deliver you two thousand horses, if you be able on your part to set riders upon them.

24 How then wilt you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust on Egypt (Mitsrayim) for chariots and for horsemen?

25 Am I now come up without יהוה against this place to destroy it? יהוה said to me, “Go up against this land, and destroy it.”

26 Then said Elyaqim the son of Hilkiah (Chilqiyahu), and Shebna, and Yoach, unto Rabshakeh, “Speak, please, to your servants in the Syrian language (Aramit); for we understand it and talk not with us in the Jews’ language (Yehudit) in the ears of the people that are on the wall.”

27 But Rabshakeh said unto them, “Hath my master sent me to your master, and to you, to speak these words? Hath he not sent me to the men who sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?”

28 Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language (Yehudit), and spake, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria (Ashshur).

29 Thus saith the king: ‘Let not Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu) deceive you; for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand;

30 Neither let Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu) make you trust in יהוה, saying, “יהוה will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria (Ashshur).”’

31 Hearken not to Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu); for thus saith the king of Assyria (Ashshur), “Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat you every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink you every one the waters of his cistern;

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 you may live, and not die; and hearken not unto Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu), when he persuadeth you, saying, “יהוה will deliver us.”

33 Hath any of the gods (elohim) of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria (Ashshur)?

34 Where are the gods (elohim) of Hamath, and of Arpad? Where are the gods (elohim) of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Iwah? Have they delivered Samaria (Shomeron) out of mine hand?

35 Who are they among all the gods (elohim) of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that יהוה should deliver Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) 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 Elyaqim the son of Hilkiah (Chilqiyahu), which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Yoach the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah (Chizkiyahu) with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.