1Now 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 . 2Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign ; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem : and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah . 3And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah , according to all that David his father had done . 4He removed the high places , and brake the pillars , and cut down the Asherah: and he brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made ; for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it ; and he called it Nehushtan . 5He trusted in Jehovah , the God of Israel ; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah , nor among them that were before him . 6For he clave to Jehovah ; he departed not from following him , but kept his commandments , which Jehovah commanded Moses .
Hezekiah's Trust in the Lord
7And Jehovah was with him ; whithersoever he went forth he prospered : and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not . 8He smote the Philistines unto Gaza and the borders thereof , from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city .
Assyria's Threat and Hezekiah's Response
9And 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 . 10And at the end of three years they took it : in the sixth year of Hezekiah , which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel , Samaria was taken . 11And the king of Assyria carried Israel away unto Assyria, and put them in Halah , and on the Habor , the river of Gozan , and in the cities of the Medes , 12because they obeyed not the voice of Jehovah their God , but transgressed his covenant , even all that Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded , and would not hear it , nor do it . 13Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fortified cities of Judah , and took them . 14And 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 . 15And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of Jehovah , and in the treasures of the king ’s house . 16At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of Jehovah , and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid , and gave it to the king of Assyria.
God's Assurance and Deliverance
17And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army unto 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 . 18And when they had called to the king , there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah , who was over the household , and Shebnah the scribe , and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder . 19And 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? 20Thou sayest ( but they are but vain words ), There is counsel and strength for the war . Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me ? 21Now , 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 unto all that trust on him . 22But if ye 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 in Jerusalem ? 23Now 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 . 24How 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 ? 25Am I now come up without Jehovah against this place to destroy it ? Jehovah said unto me , Go up against this land , and destroy it . 26Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah , and Shebnah , and Joah , unto Rabshakeh , Speak , I pray thee , to thy servants in the Syrian language ; for we understand it : and speak not with us in the Jews’ language , in the ears of the people that are on the wall . 27But Rabshakeh 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 that sit on the wall , to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water with you ? 28Then Rabshakeh stood , and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language , and spake , saying , Hear ye the word of the great king , the king of Assyria. 29Thus saith the king , Let not Hezekiah deceive you ; for he will not be able to deliver you out of his hand : 30neither let Hezekiah make you trust in Jehovah , saying, Jehovah will surely deliver us , and this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. 31Hearken 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; 32until 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 , a land of olive-trees and of honey , that ye may live , and not die : and hearken not unto Hezekiah , when he persuadeth you , saying, Jehovah will deliver us . 33Hath any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 34Where are the gods of Hamath , and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim , of Hena , and Ivvah ? have they delivered Samaria out of my hand ? 35Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand , that Jehovah should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand ? 36But the people held their peace , and answered him not a word ; for the king ’s commandment was , saying , Answer him not . 37Then 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 rent , and told him the words of Rabshakeh .