4. Krallar 18

¹İsrail Kralı Ela oğlu Hoşe'nin krallığının üçüncü yılında, Yahuda Kralı Ahaz oğlu Hezekiya kral olarak hüküm sürmeye başladı.

²Krallığa başladığında yirmi beş yaşındaydı ve Yeruşalim'de yirmi dokuz yıl krallık yaptı; annesinin adı Zekeriya'nın kızı Abu'ydu.

³Babası Davut'un yapmış olduğu her şeye uygun olarak, Rab'bin gözünde doğru olanı yaptı.

⁴Yüksek tapınma yerlerini kaldırdı, dikili taşları parçaladı, kutsal korulukları kesip yok etti ve Musa'nın yapmış olduğu tunç yılanı parçaladı; çünkü o günlere kadar İsrailoğulları ona buhur yakıyorlardı ve ona Nehuştan adı verilmişti.

⁵İsrail'in Tanrısı Rab'be güvendi; kendisinden sonra Yahuda kralları arasında ve kendisinden önce gelmiş olanlar arasında onun gibisi bir daha var olmadı.

⁶Rab'be sımsıkı bağlandı, O'nun ardınca gitmekten sapmadı ve Rab'bin Musa'ya buyurmuş olduğu buyrukları yerine getirdi.

⁷Ve Rab onunla birlikteydi; giriştiği her işte bilgece başarılı oldu. Asur kralına isyan etti ve ona kulluk etmedi.

⁸Filistlileri Gazze'ye ve sınırlarına kadar, gözcü kulelerinden surlu kentlere dek bozguna uğrattı.

⁹Kral Hezekiya'nın dördüncü yılında (ki bu, İsrail Kralı Ela oğlu Hoşe'nin yedinci yılıydı) Asur Kralı Şalmaneser Samiriye üzerine yürüyüp kenti kuşatmaya başladı.

¹⁰Üç yılın sonunda kenti ele geçirdi. Hezekiya'nın altıncı yılında (ki bu, İsrail Kralı Hoşe'nin dokuzuncu yılıydı) Samiriye ele geçirildi.

¹¹Asur kralı Samiriye halkını Asur'a sürdü; onları Halah'ta, Gozan'ın Habor Irmağı kıyısında ve Medlerin dağlarında yerleştirdi.

¹²Çünkü Tanrıları Rab'bin sesini dinlememişler, O'nun antlaşmasını ve Rab'bin kulu Musa'nın buyurduğu her şeyi çiğnemişlerdi; ne dinlediler ne de yerine getirdiler.

¹³Kral Hezekiya'nın on dördüncü yılında Asur Kralı Sanherib, Yahuda'nın bütün surlu kentlerine karşı yürüyüp onları ele geçirdi.

¹⁴Yahuda Kralı Hezekiya, Lakiş'te bulunan Asur kralına ulaklar gönderip şöyle dedi: "Suç işledim, üzerimden çekil; bana ne yüklersen katlanacağım." Bunun üzerine Asur kralı, Yahuda Kralı Hezekiya'yı üç yüz talant gümüş ve otuz talant altın ödemekle yükümlü kıldı.

¹⁵Hezekiya da Rab'bin tapınağında ve kral sarayının hazinelerinde bulunan bütün gümüşü verdi.

¹⁶O dönemde Yahuda Kralı Hezekiya, tapınağın kapılarının ve kendisinin kaplatmış olduğu kapı sövelerinin altınlarını söküp Asur kralına verdi.

¹⁷Asur kralı; Tartan, Rabsaris ve Rabşake'yi büyük bir orduyla Lakiş'ten Yeruşalim'e, Kral Hezekiya'nın üzerine gönderdi. Onlar da yukarı çıkıp Yeruşalim'e geldiler ve Çırpıcı Tarlası yolundaki yukarı havuzun su kanalının yanında durdular.

¹⁸Kralı çağırdılar; saray sorumlusu Hilkiya oğlu Elyakim, yazıcı Şebna ve devlet tarihçisi Asaf oğlu Yoah onlara doğru çıktı.

¹⁹Rabşake onlara şöyle dedi: "Hezekiya'ya deyin ki, 'Büyük kral, Asur kralı şöyle diyor: Güvendiğin bu güvence nedir?

²⁰Savaş için öğüt ve gücün olduğunu söylüyorsun, ama bunlar sadece boş dudak sözleridir. Şimdi kime güvendin de bana başkaldırdın?

²¹İşte sen şimdi o kırık kamış değneğe, Mısır'a güveniyorsun! O kamış ki, ona dayanan herkesin eline batar ve delip geçer. Mısır Firavunu da kendisine güvenenlerin hepsi için böyledir.

²²Bana: "Biz Tanrımız Rab'be güveniyoruz" diyorsanız; Hezekiya'nın yüksek tapınma yerlerini ve sunaklarını kaldırıp Yahuda ve Yeruşalim halkına, "Yeruşalim'deki bu sunağın önünde tapınacaksınız" dediği Tanrı O değil mi?'

²³Şimdi gel, efendim Asur kralıyla bahse gir; eğer üzerine binecek biniciler bulabilirsen, sana iki bin at vereceğim!

²⁴Efendimin en önemsiz kullarından tek bir komutanı bile nasıl geri çevirebilirsin ki, savaş arabaları ve atlılar için Mısır'a güveniyorsun?

²⁵Hem ben burayı yıkmak için Rab'bin izni olmadan mı yürüdüm? Rab bana, 'O ülkeye karşı yürü ve orayı yık' dedi."

²⁶Hilkiya oğlu Elyakim, Şebna ve Yoah, Rabşake'ye, "Lütfen kullarınla Aramice konuş, çünkü biz anlarız; bizimle surun üzerindeki halkın kulakları önünde Yahudice konuşma" dediler.

²⁷Ama Rabşake onlara, "Efendim beni bu sözleri yalnız senin efendine ve sana söylemem için mi gönderdi?" dedi, "Sizinle birlikte kendi dışkılarını yemeleri ve kendi idrarlarını içmeleri için surun üzerinde oturan bu adamlara da söylemem için göndermedi mi?"

²⁸Sonra Rabşake ayağa kalktı, Yahudice yüksek sesle haykırarak şöyle konuştu: "Büyük kralın, Asur kralının sözlerini dinleyin!

²⁹Kral şöyle diyor: ‘Hezekiya sizi boş sözlerle aldatmasın, çünkü o sizi benim elimden kurtaramaz.

³⁰Hezekiya'nın, "Rab bizi kesinlikle kurtaracaktır, bu kent Asur kralının eline teslim edilmeyecektir" diyerek sizi Rab'be güvenmeye yöneltmesine izin vermeyin.’

³¹Hezekiya'yı dinlemeyin! Çünkü Asur kralı şöyle diyor: ‘Benimle barış yapın ve bana teslim olun; böylece her biriniz kendi asmasının ve kendi incir ağacının meyvesini yer, kendi sarnıcının suyunu içer.

³²Ta ki ben gelip sizi kendi ülkeniz gibi bir ülkeye, tahıl ve yeni şarap ülkesine, ekmek ve bağlar ülkesine, zeytinyağı ve bal ülkesine götürene dek. Böylece yaşar, ölmezsiniz. "Rab bizi kurtaracaktır" diyerek sizi saptıran Hezekiya'yı dinlemeyin.

³³Ulusların ilahlarından biri bile kendi ülkesini Asur kralının elinden kurtarabildi mi?

³⁴Hama'nın, Arpat'ın ilahları nerede? Sefarvayim'in, Hena'nın, İvva'nın ilahları nerede? Samiriye'yi benim elimden kurtarabildiler mi?

³⁵Bu ülkelerin bütün ilahları arasından hangisi kendi ülkesini benim elimden kurtardı ki, Rab de Yeruşalim'i benim elimden kurtarabilsin?’"

³⁶Ama halk sustu ve ona tek bir sözcükle bile karşılık vermedi; çünkü kralın, "Ona karşılık vermeyin" diye buyruğu vardı.

³⁷Sonra saray sorumlusu Hilkiya oğlu Elyakim, yazıcı Şebna ve devlet tarihçisi Asaf oğlu Yoah, giysilerini yırtmış olarak Hezekiya'nın yanına geldiler ve Rabşake'nin sözlerini ona bildirdiler.

¹ΚΑΙ ἐγένετο ἐν ἔτει τρίτῳ τῷ ῾Ωσηὲ υἱῷ ᾿Ηλὰ βασιλεῖ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Εζεκίας υἱὸς ῎Αχαζ βασιλέως ᾿Ιούδα.

²υἱὸς εἴκοσι καὶ πέντε ἐτῶν ἐν τῷ βασιλεύειν αὐτὸν καὶ εἴκοσι καὶ ἐννέα ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ ῎Αβου θυγάτηρ Ζαχαρίου.

³καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ εὐθὲς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς Κυρίου κατὰ πάντα, ὅσα ἐποίησε Δαυὶδ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ.

⁴αὐτὸς ἐξῇρε τὰ ὑψηλὰ καὶ συνέτριψε τὰς στήλας καὶ ἐξωλόθρευσε τὰ ἄλση καὶ τὸν ὄφιν τὸν χαλκοῦν, ὃν ἐποίησε Μωυσῆς, ὅτι ἕως τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐκείνων ἦσαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ θυμιῶντες αὐτῷ, καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὸν Νεεσθάν.

⁵ἐν Κυρίῳ Θεῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἤλπισε, καὶ μετ᾿ αὐτὸν οὐκ ἐγενήθη ὅμοιος αὐτῷ ἐν βασιλεῦσιν ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ἐν τοῖς γενομένοις ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ·

⁶καὶ ἐκολλήθη τῷ Κυρίῳ, οὐκ ἀπέστη ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐφύλαξε τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, ὅσας ἐνετείλατο Μωυσῇ·

⁷καὶ ἦν Κύριος μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν, οἷς ἐποίει, συνῆκε. καὶ ἠθέτησεν ἐν τῷ βασιλεῖ ᾿Ασσυρίων καὶ οὐκ ἐδούλευσεν αὐτῷ.

⁸αὐτὸς ἐπάταξε τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους ἕως Γάζης καὶ ἕως ὁρίου αὐτῆς ἀπὸ πύργου φυλασσόντων καὶ ἕως πόλεως ὀχυρᾶς.

⁹Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἔτει τῷ τετάρτῳ βασιλεῖ ᾿Εζεκίᾳ (αὐτὸς ἐνιαυτὸς ὁ ἕβδομος τῷ ῾Ωσηὲ υἱῷ ᾿Ηλὰ βασιλεῖ ᾿Ισραὴλ) ἀνέβη Σαλαμανασὰρ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων ἐπὶ Σαμάρειαν καὶ ἐπολιόρκει ἐπ᾿ αὐτήν·

¹⁰καὶ κατελάβετο αὐτὴν ἀπὸ τέλους τριῶν ἐτῶν ἐν ἔτει ἕκτῳ τῷ ᾿Εζεκίᾳ (αὐτὸς ἐνιαυτὸς ἔνατος τῷ ῾Ωσηὲ βασιλεῖ ᾿Ισραήλ), καὶ συνελήφθη Σαμάρεια.

¹¹καὶ ἀπῴκισε βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων τὴν Σαμάρειαν εἰς ᾿Ασσυρίους καὶ ἔθηκεν αὐτοὺς ἐν ᾿Αλαὲ καὶ ἐν ᾿Αβὼρ ποταμῷ Γωζὰν καὶ ὄρη Μήδων,

¹²ἀνθ᾿ ὧν ὅτι οὐκ ἤκουσαν τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου Θεοῦ αὐτῶν καὶ παρέβησαν τὴν διαθήκην αὐτοῦ, πάντα ὅσα ἐνετείλατο Μωυσῆς ὁ δοῦλος Κυρίου, καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησαν.

¹³Καὶ τῷ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῳ ἔτει τοῦ βασιλέως ᾿Εζεκίου ἀνέβη Σενναχηρὶμ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων ἐπὶ τὰς πόλεις ᾿Ιούδα τὰς ὀχυρὰς καὶ συνέλαβεν αὐτάς.

¹⁴καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ᾿Εζεκίας βασιλεὺς ᾿Ιούδα ἀγγέλους πρὸς βασιλέα ᾿Ασσυρίων εἰς Λαχὶς λέγων· ἡμάρτηκα, ἀποστράφηθι ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ· ὃ ἐὰν ἐπιθῇς ἐπ᾿ ἐμέ, βαστάσω. καὶ ἐπέθηκεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων ἐπὶ ᾿Εζεκίαν βασιλέα ᾿Ιούδα τριακόσια τάλαντα ἀργυρίου καὶ τριάκοντα τάλαντα χρυσίου.

¹⁵καὶ ἔδωκεν ᾿Εζεκίας πᾶν τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ εὑρεθὲν ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου καὶ ἐν θησαυροῖς οἴκου τοῦ βασιλέως.

¹⁶ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ συνέκοψεν ᾿Εζεκίας τὰς θύρας ναοῦ καὶ τὰ ἐστηριγμένα, ἃ ἐχρύσωσεν ᾿Εζεκίας ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ιούδα, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὰ βασιλεῖ ᾿Ασσυρίων.

¹⁷καὶ ἀπέστειλε βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων τὸν Θαρθὰν καὶ τὸν Ῥαφὶς καὶ τὸν Ῥαψάκην ἐκ Λαχὶς πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ᾿Εζεκίαν ἐν δυνάμει βαρείᾳ ἐπὶ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ ἔστησαν ἐν τῷ ὑδραγωγῷ τῆς κολυμβήθρας τῆς ἄνω, ἥ ἐστιν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ τοῦ ἀγροῦ τοῦ γναφέως.

¹⁸καὶ ἐβόησαν πρὸς ᾿Εζεκίαν, καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν ῾Ελιακὶμ υἱὸς Χελκίου ὁ οἰκονόμος καὶ Σωμνὰς ὁ γραμματεὺς καὶ ᾿Ιωὰς ὁ υἱὸς Σαφὰτ ὁ ἀναμιμνῄσκων.

¹⁹καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς Ῥαψάκης· εἴπατε δὴ πρὸς ᾿Εζεκίαν· τάδε λέγει ὁ βασιλεὺς ὁ μέγας ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων· τί ἡ πεποίθησις αὕτη, ἣν πέποιθας;

²⁰εἶπας· πλὴν λόγοι χειλέων, βουλὴ καὶ δύναμις εἰς πόλεμον. νῦν οὖν τίνι πεποιθὼς ἠθέτησας ἐν ἐμοί;

²¹νῦν ἰδοὺ πέποιθας σαυτῷ ἐπὶ τὴν ῥάβδον τὴν καλαμίνην τὴν τεθλασμένην ταύτην, ἐπ᾿ Αἴγυπτον; ὃς ἂν στηριχθῇ ἀνὴρ ἐπ᾿ αὐτήν, καὶ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τρήσει αὐτήν· οὕτως Φαραὼ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου πᾶσι τοῖς πεποιθόσιν ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν.

²²καὶ ὅτι εἶπας πρός με· ἐπὶ Κύριον Θεὸν πεποίθαμεν· οὐχὶ αὐτὸς οὗτος, οὗ ἀπέστησεν ᾿Εζεκίας τὰ ὑψηλὰ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ θυσιαστήρια αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπε τῷ ᾿Ιούδᾳ καὶ τῇ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ· ἐνώπιον τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τούτου προσκυνήσετε ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ;

²³καὶ νῦν μίχθητε δὴ τῷ κυρίῳ μου βασιλεῖ ᾿Ασσυρίων, καὶ δώσω σοι δισχιλίους ἵππους, εἰ δυνήσῃ δοῦναι σεαυτῷ ἐπιβάτας ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς.

²⁴καὶ πῶς ἀποστρέψεις τὸ πρόσωπον τοπάρχου ἑνὸς τῶν δούλων τοῦ κυρίου μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων; καὶ ἤλπισας σαυτῷ ἐπ᾿ Αἴγυπτον εἰς ἅρματα καὶ ἱππεῖς.

²⁵καὶ νῦν μὴ ἄνευ Κυρίου ἀνέβημεν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον τοῦτον τοῦ διαφθεῖραι αὐτόν; Κύριος εἶπε πρός με· ἀνάβηθι ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ταύτην καὶ διάφθειρον αὐτήν.

²⁶καὶ εἶπεν ῾Ελιακὶμ υἱὸς Χελκίου καὶ Σωμνὰς καὶ ᾿Ιωὰς πρὸς Ῥαψάκην· λάλησον δὴ πρὸς τοὺς παῖδάς σου Συριστί, ὅτι ἀκούομεν ἡμεῖς, καὶ οὐ λαλήσεις μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν ᾿Ιουδαϊστί, καὶ ἱνατί λαλεῖς ἐν τοῖς ὠσὶ τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους;

²⁷καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς Ῥαψάκης· μὴ ἐπὶ τὸν κύριόν σου καὶ πρὸς σὲ ἀπέστειλέ με ὁ κύριός μου λαλῆσαι τοὺς λόγους τούτους; οὐχὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας τοὺς καθημένους ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους τοῦ φαγεῖν τὴν κόπρον αὐτῶν καὶ πιεῖν τὸ οὖρον αὐτῶν μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν ἅμα;

²⁸καὶ ἔστη Ῥαψάκης καὶ ἐβόησε φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ᾿Ιουδαϊστὶ καὶ ἐλάλησε καὶ εἶπεν· ἀκούσατε τοὺς λόγους τοῦ μεγάλου βασιλέως ᾿Ασσυρίων·

²⁹τάδε λέγει ὁ βασιλεύς· μὴ ἐπαιρέτω ὑμᾶς ᾿Εζεκίας λόγοις, ὅτι οὐ μὴ δύνηται ὑμᾶς ἐξελέσθαι ἐκ χειρός μου.

³⁰καὶ μὴ ἐλπιζέτω ὑμᾶς ᾿Εζεκίας πρὸς Κύριον λέγων· ἐξαιρούμενος ἐξελεῖται Κύριος, οὐ μὴ παραδοθῇ ἡ πόλις αὕτη ἐν χειρὶ βασιλέως ᾿Ασσυρίων.

³¹μὴ ἀκούετε ᾿Εζεκίου· ὅτι τάδε λέγει ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων· ποιήσατε μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ εὐλογίαν καὶ ἐξέλθατε πρός με, καὶ πίεται ἀνὴρ τὴν ἄμπελον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνὴρ τὴν συκῆν αὐτοῦ φάγεται καὶ πίεται ὕδωρ τοῦ λάκκου αὐτοῦ,

³²ἕως ἔλθω καὶ λάβω ὑμᾶς εἰς γῆν ὡς γῆ ὑμῶν, γῆ σίτου καὶ οἴνου καὶ ἄρτου καὶ ἀμπελώνων, γῆ ἐλαίας ἐλαίου καὶ μέλιτος, καὶ ζήσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνητε. καὶ μὴ ἀκούετε ᾿Εζεκίου, ὅτι ἀπατᾷ ὑμᾶς λέγων· Κύριος ρήσεται ὑμᾶς.

³³μὴ ρυόμενοι ἐρρύσαντο οἱ θεοὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ χώραν ἐκ χειρὸς βασιλέως ᾿Ασσυρίων;

³⁴ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς Αἰμὰθ καὶ ᾿Αρφάδ; ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς Σεπφαουραΐμ, ᾿Ανὰ καὶ ᾿Αβά, ὅτι ἐξείλαντο Σαμάρειαν ἐκ χειρός μου;

³⁵τίς ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς θεοῖς τῶν γαιῶν, οἳ ἐξείλαντο τὰς γᾶς αὐτῶν ἐκ χειρός μου, ὅτι ἐξελεῖται Κύριος τὴν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἐκ χειρός μου;

³⁶καὶ ἐκώφευσαν καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ λόγον, ὅτι ἐντολὴ τοῦ βασιλέως λέγων· οὐκ ἀποκριθήσεσθε αὐτῷ.

³⁷καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ῾Ελιακὶμ υἱὸς Χελκίου ὁ οἰκονόμος καὶ Σωμνὰς ὁ γραμματεὺς καὶ ᾿Ιωὰς υἱὸς Σαφὰτ ὁ ἀναμιμνήσκων πρὸς ᾿Εζεκίαν, διερρηχότες τὰ ἱμάτια καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν αὐτῷ τοὺς λόγους Ῥαψάκου.

¹And it came to pass in the third year of Osee son of Ela king of Israel [that] Ezekias son of Achaz king of Juda began to reign.

²Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name [was] Abu, daughter of Zacharias.

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

⁴He removed the high places, and broke in pieces the pillars, and utterly destroyed the groves, and the brazen serpent which Moses made: because until those days the children of Israel burnt incense to it: and he called it Neesthan.

⁵He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; and after him there was not any like him among the kings of Juda, nor among those that were before him.

⁶And he clave to the Lord, he departed not from following him; and he kept his commandments, as many as he commanded Moses.

⁷And the Lord was with him; and he was wise in all that he undertook: and he revolted from the king of the Assyrians, and served him not.

⁸He smote the Philistines [even] to Gaza, and to the border of it, from the tower of the watchmen even to the strong city.

⁹And it came to pass in the fourth year of King Ezekias (this is the seventh year of Osee son of Ela king of Israel,) [that] Salamanassar king of the Assyrians came up against Samaria, and besieged it.

¹⁰And he took it at the end of three years, in the sixth year of Ezekias, (this [is] the ninth year of Osee king of Israel, when Samaria was taken.)

¹¹And the king of the Assyrians carried away the Samaritans to Assyria, and put them in Alae and in Abor, [by] the river Gozan, and [in] the mountains of the Medes;

¹²because they hearkened not to the voice of the Lord their God, and transgressed his covenant, [even] in all things that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and hearkened not [to them], nor did [them].

¹³And in the fourteenth year of king Ezekias came up Sennacherim king of the Assyrians against the strong cities of Juda, and took them.

¹⁴And Ezekias king of Juda sent messengers to the king of the Assyrians to Lachis, saying, I have offended; depart from me: whatsoever thou shalt lay upon me, I will bear. And the king of Assyria laid upon Ezekias king of Juda [a tribute of] three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold.

¹⁵And Ezekias gave all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house.

¹⁶At that time Ezekias cut off [the gold from] the doors of the temple, and [from] the pillars which Ezekias king of Juda [had] overlaid with gold, and gave it to the king of the Assyrians.

¹⁷And the king of the Assyrians sent Tharthan and Raphis and Rapsakes from Lachis to king Ezekias with a strong force against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and stood by the aqueduct of the upper pool, which is by the way of the fuller’s field.

¹⁸And they cried to Ezekias: and there came to him Heliakim the son of Chelcias the steward, and Somnas the scribe, and Joas the son of Saphat the recorder.

¹⁹And Rapsakes said to them, Say now to Ezekias, Thus says the king, the great king of the Assyrians, What [is] this confidence wherein thou trustest?

²⁰Thou hast said, (but [they are] mere words,) [I have] counsel and strength for war. Now then in whom dost thou trust, that thou hast revolted from me?

²¹See now, art thou trusting for thyself on this broken staff of reed, [even] upon Egypt? whosoever shall stay himself upon it, it shall even go into his hand, and pierce it: so [is] Pharao king of Egypt to all that trust on him.

²²And whereas thou hast said to me, We trust on the Lord God: [is] not this he, whose high places and altars Ezekias has removed, and has said to Juda and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?

²³And now, I pray you, make an agreement with my lord the king of the Assyrians, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou shalt be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

²⁴How then wilt thou turn away the face of one petty governor, from among the least of my lord’s servants? whereas thou trustest for thyself on Egypt for chariots and horsemen.

²⁵And now have we come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

²⁶And Heliakim the son of Chelkias, and Somnas, and Joas, said to Rapsakes, Speak now to thy servants in the Syrian language, for we understand it; and speak not with us in the Jewish language: and why dost thou speak in the ears of the people that are on the wall?

²⁷And Rapsakes said to them, Has my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? [has he] not [sent me] to the men who sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own water together with you.

²⁸And Rapsakes stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jewish language, and spoke, and said, Hear the words of the great king of the Assyrians:

²⁹thus says the king, Let not Ezekias encourage you with words: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand.

³⁰And let not Ezekias cause you to trust on the Lord, saying, The Lord will certainly deliver us; this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of the Assyrians: hearken not to Ezekias:

³¹for thus says the king of the Assyrians, Gain my favour, and come forth to me, and every man shall drink [of the wine] of his own vine, and every ma shall eat of his own fig-tree, and shall drink water out of his own cistern;

³²until I come and remove you to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, and bread and vineyards, a land of olive oil, and honey, and ye shall live and not die: and do not ye hearken to Ezekias, for he deceives you, saying, The Lord shall deliver you.

³³Have the gods of the nations at all delivered each their own land out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians?

³⁴Where is the god of Haemath, and of Arphad? where is the god of Seppharvaim, Ana, and Aba? for have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?

³⁵Who [is there] among all the gods of the countries, who have delivered their countries out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?

³⁶But [the men] were silent, and answered him not a word: for [there was] a commandment of the king, saying, Ye shall not answer him.

³⁷And Heliakim the son of Chelcias, the steward, and Somnas the scribe, and Joas the son of Saphat the recorder came in to Ezekias, having rent their garments; and they reported to him the words of Rapsakes.