Holy Bible
(King James Version)
Second Kings:
Chapter 18
1. NOW it came to pass in the
third year of Ho-she-a son of Elah king of Israel, that Hez-e-ki-ah the
son of Ahaz king of Judah 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. His mother's name also
was Abi, the daughter of Zach-a-ri-ah.
3. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according
to all that David his father did.
4. He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the
groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for
unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense on it: and he
called it Ne-hush-tan.
5. He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like
him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
6. For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but
kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.
7. And the LORD was with him; and he prospered withersoever he went
forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.
8. He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, 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 Hez-e-ki-ah, which was
the seventh year of Ho-she-a son of Elah king of Israel, that Shal-man-e-ser
king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
10. And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year
of Hez-e-ki-ah, that is the ninth year of Ho-she-a king of Israel,
Samaria was taken.
11. And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, 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 the LORD their God, but
transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD
commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
13. Now in the fourteenth year of king Hez-e-ki-ah did Sen-nach-er-ib
king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took
them.
14. And Hez-e-ki-ah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to La-chish,
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.
15. And Hez-e-ki-ah gave him all the silver that was found in the house
of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house.
16. At that time did Hez-e-ki-ah cut off the gold from the doors of the
temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah
had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
17. And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-sa-ris and Rab-sha-keh
from La-chish to king Hez-e-ki-ah with a great host against Jerusalem.
And they went 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.
18. And when they had called to the king, there came out to them E-li-a-kim
the son of Hil-ki-ah, which was over the household, and Shebna the
scribe, and Jo-ah the son of A-saph the recorder.
19. And Rab-sha-keh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hes-e-ki-ah, Thus
saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this
wherein thou trustest?
20. Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words), I have counsel and
strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou
rebellest against me?
21. Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even
upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce
it: so is Phar-aoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.
22. But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he,
whose high places and whose altars Hez-e-ki-ah hath taken away, and hath
said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in
Jerusalem?
23. Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of
Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on
thy part to set riders upon them.
24. 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?
25. Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it?
The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
26. Then said E-li-a-kim the son of Hil-ki-ah, and Shebna, and Jo-ah,
unto Rab-sha-keh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian
language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews'
language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.
27. But Rab-sha-keh 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 which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink
their own piss with you?
28. Then Rab-sha-keh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews'
language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king
of Assyria:
29. Thus saith the king, Let not Hez-e-ki-ah deceive you: for he shall
not be able to deliver you out of his hand:
30. Neither let Hez-e-ki-ah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD
will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the
hand of the king of Assyria.
31. Hearken not to Hez-e-ki-ah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make
an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye
every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye
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 ye may live, and not die; and hearken not unto
Hez-e-ki-ah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.
33. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of
the hand of the king of Assyria?
34. Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of
Se-phar-va-im, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine
hand?
35. Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have
delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver
Jerusalem 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 E-li-a-kim the son of Hil-ki-ah, which was over the
household, and Shebna the scribe, and Jo-ah the son of A-saph the
recorder, to Hez-e-ki-ah with their clothes rent, and told him the
words of Rab-sha-keh.
May 13 Daily reading schedule..
No NT reading today.
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