2 Kings 18 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Hezekiah Reigns over Judah

1 Now it came ^H1961 about ^H1961 in the third ^H7969 year ^H8141 of Hoshea ^H1954, the son ^H1121 of Elah ^H425 king ^H4428 of Israel ^H3478, that Hezekiah ^H2396 the son ^H1121 of Ahaz ^H271 king ^H4428 of Judah ^H3063 became ^H4427 king ^H4427.

2 He was twenty-five ^H6242 H2568 years ^H8141 old ^H1121 when he became ^H4427 king ^H4427, and he reigned ^H4427 for twenty-nine ^H6242 H8672 years ^H8141 in Jerusalem ^H3389; and his mother’s ^H517 name ^H8034 was Abi ^H21 the daughter ^H1323 of Zechariah ^H2148. 3 He did ^H6213 what ^H3477 was ^H3477 right ^H3477 in the sight ^H5869 of the LORD ^H3068, in accordance with everything ^H3605 that his father ^H1 David ^H1732 had done ^H6213. 4 He removed ^H5493 the high ^H1116 places ^H1116 and smashed ^H7665 the memorial ^H4676 stones ^H4676 to ^H7665 pieces ^H7665, and cut ^H3772 down ^H3772 the [fn]Asherah ^H842. He also crushed ^H3807 to ^H3807 pieces ^H3807 the bronze ^H5178 serpent ^H5175 that Moses ^H4872 had made ^H6213, for until ^H5704 those ^H1992 days ^H3117 the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 had been burning ^H6999 incense ^H6999 to it; and it was called ^H7121 [fn]Nehushtan ^H5180. 5 He trusted ^H982 in the LORD ^H3068, the God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478; and after ^H310 him there was no ^H3808 one like ^H3644 him among all ^H3605 the kings ^H4428 of Judah ^H3063, nor ^H3808 among those who ^H834 came ^H1961 before ^H6440 him. 6 For he clung ^H1692 to the LORD ^H3068; he did not desist ^H5493 from following ^H310 Him, but kept ^H8104 His commandments ^H4687, which ^H834 the LORD ^H3068 had commanded ^H6680 Moses ^H4872.

Hezekiah Victorious

7 And the LORD ^H3068 was with him; wherever ^H3605 H834 he went ^H3318 he was ^H7919 successful ^H7919. And he revolted ^H4775 against the king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804 and did not serve ^H5647 him. 8 He [fn]defeated ^H5221 the Philistines ^H6430 as far ^H5704 as Gaza ^H5804 and its territory ^H1366, from watchtower ^H5341 H4026 to fortified ^H4013 city ^H5892.

9 Now in the fourth ^H7243 year ^H8141 of King ^H4428 Hezekiah ^H2396, which ^H1931 was the seventh ^H7637 year ^H8141 of Hoshea ^H1954 son ^H1121 of Elah ^H425 king ^H4428 of Israel ^H3478, Shalmaneser ^H8022 king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804 marched ^H5927 against ^H5921 Samaria ^H8111 and besieged ^H6696 H5921 it. 10 And at the end ^H7097 of three ^H7969 years ^H8141 they captured ^H3920 it; in the sixth ^H8337 year ^H8141 of Hezekiah ^H2396, which ^H1931 was the ninth ^H8672 year ^H8141 of Hoshea ^H1954 king ^H4428 of Israel ^H3478, Samaria ^H8111 was captured ^H3920. 11 Then the king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804 led ^H1540 Israel ^H3478 into ^H1540 exile ^H1540 to Assyria ^H804, and put ^H5148 them in Halah ^H2477 and on the Habor ^H2249, the river ^H5104 of Gozan ^H1470, and in the cities ^H5892 of the Medes ^H4074. 12 This happened because ^H5921 H834 they did not obey ^H8085 the voice ^H6963 of the LORD ^H3068 their God ^H430, but violated ^H5674 His covenant ^H1285, all ^H3605 that Moses ^H4872 the servant ^H5650 of the LORD ^H3068 had commanded ^H6680; they would neither ^H3808 listen ^H8085 nor ^H3808 do ^H6213 it.

Invasion of Judah

13 Now in the fourteenth ^H702 H6240 year ^H8141 of King ^H4428 Hezekiah ^H2396, Sennacherib ^H5576 king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804 marched ^H5927 against ^H5921 all ^H3605 the fortified ^H1219 cities ^H5892 of Judah ^H3063 and seized ^H8610 them.

14 Then Hezekiah ^H2396 king ^H4428 of Judah ^H3063 sent ^H7971 messengers to the king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804 at Lachish ^H3923, saying ^H559, “I have done ^H2398 wrong ^H2398. [fn]Withdraw ^H7725 from me; whatever ^H834 you impose ^H5414 on me I will endure ^H5375.” So the king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804 imposed ^H7760 on Hezekiah ^H2396 king ^H4428 of Judah ^H3063 the payment of three ^H7969 hundred ^H3967 [fn]talents ^H3603 of silver ^H3701 and thirty ^H7970 talents ^H3603 of gold ^H2091. 15 Hezekiah ^H2396 then gave ^H5414 him all ^H3605 the silver ^H3701 that was found ^H4672 in the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068, and in the treasuries ^H214 of the king’s ^H4428 house ^H1004. 16 At that time ^H6256 Hezekiah ^H2396 cut ^H7112 off ^H7112 the gold from the doors ^H1817 of the temple ^H1964 of the LORD ^H3068, and from the doorposts ^H539, which ^H834 Hezekiah ^H2396 king ^H4428 of Judah ^H3063 had overlaid ^H6823, and he gave ^H5414 it to the king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804.

17 Then the king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804 sent ^H7971 Tartan ^H8661, Rab-saris ^H7249, and Rabshakeh ^H7262 from Lachish ^H3923 to King ^H4428 Hezekiah ^H2396 with a large ^H3515 army ^H2428 to Jerusalem ^H3389. So they went ^H5927 up ^H5927 and came ^H935 to Jerusalem ^H3389. And when they went ^H5927 up ^H5927, they came ^H935 and stood ^H5975 by the conduit ^H8585 of the upper ^H5945 pool ^H1295, which ^H834 is on the road ^H4546 of the [fn]fuller’s ^H3526 field ^H7704. 18 Then they called ^H7121 to the king ^H4428, and Eliakim ^H471 the son ^H1121 of Hilkiah ^H2518, who ^H834 was in ^H5921 charge ^H5921 of ^H5921 the household ^H1004, Shebnah ^H7644 the scribe ^H5608, and Joah ^H3098 the son ^H1121 of Asaph ^H623 the secretary ^H4206, went ^H3318 out ^H3318 to them.

19 And Rabshakeh ^H7262 said ^H559 to them, “Say ^H559 now ^H4994 to Hezekiah ^H2396, ‘This ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 the great ^H1419 king ^H4428, the king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804 says ^H559: “What ^H4100 is this ^H2088 confidence ^H986 that you [fn]have ^H982? 20 You say ^H559—but they are only ^H389 [fn]empty ^H8193 words ^H1697—‘I have a plan ^H6098 and strength ^H1369 for the war ^H4421.’ Now ^H6258 on whom ^H4310 have you relied ^H982, that you have revolted ^H4775 against me? 21 Now ^H6258 behold ^H2009, you have [fn]relied ^H982 on the [fn]support ^H4938 of this ^H2088 broken ^H7533 reed ^H7070, on Egypt ^H4714; on which ^H834 if a man ^H376 leans ^H5564, it will go ^H935 into his [fn]hand ^H3709 and pierce ^H5344 it. That ^H3651 is ^H3651 how ^H3651 Pharaoh ^H6547 king ^H4428 of Egypt ^H4714 is to all ^H3605 who rely ^H982 on him. 22 However, if ^H3588 you say ^H559 to me, ‘We have trusted ^H982 in the LORD ^H3068 our God ^H430,’ is it not He whose ^H834 high ^H1116 places ^H1116 and whose altars ^H4196 Hezekiah ^H2396 has removed ^H5493, and has said ^H559 to Judah ^H3063 and to Jerusalem ^H3389, ‘You shall worship ^H2331 before ^H6440 this ^H2088 altar ^H4196 in Jerusalem ^H3389’? 23 Now ^H6258 then, [fn]come ^H4994 make ^H6148 a ^H6148 wager ^H6148 with my master ^H113 the king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804: I will give ^H5414 you two thousand ^H505 horses ^H5483, if ^H518 you are ^H3201 able ^H3201 on your part to put ^H5414 riders ^H7392 on them! 24 How ^H349 then can you drive ^H7725 back ^H7725 even [fn]one ^H259 [fn]official ^H6346 of the least ^H6996 of my master’s ^H113 servants ^H5650, and [fn]rely ^H982 on Egypt ^H4714 for chariots ^H7393 and horsemen ^H6571? 25 Have I now ^H6258 come ^H5927 up ^H5927 without ^H1107 [fn]the LORD’S ^H3068 approval against ^H5921 this ^H2088 place ^H4725 to destroy ^H7843 it? The LORD ^H3068 said ^H559 to me, ‘Go ^H5927 up ^H5927 against ^H5921 this ^H2088 land ^H776 and destroy ^H7843 it.’”’”

26 Then Eliakim ^H471 the son ^H1121 of Hilkiah ^H2518, Shebnah ^H7644, and Joah ^H3098, said ^H559 to Rabshakeh ^H7262, “Speak ^H1696 now ^H4994 to your servants ^H5650 in Aramaic ^H762, because ^H3588 we [fn]understand ^H8085 it; and do not speak ^H1696 with us in [fn]Judean ^H3066 [fn]so that the people ^H5971 who ^H834 are on the wall ^H2346 hear ^H241 you.” 27 But Rabshakeh ^H7262 said ^H559 to them, “Has my master ^H113 sent ^H7971 me only to your master ^H113 and to you to speak ^H1696 these ^H428 words ^H1697? Has he not also sent me to the men ^H376 who sit ^H3427 on the wall ^H2346, doomed to eat ^H398 their own dung ^H2716 and drink ^H8354 their own urine ^H7890 with you?”

28 Then Rabshakeh ^H7262 stood ^H5975 up and shouted ^H7121 with a loud ^H1419 voice ^H6963 in Judean ^H3066, [fn]saying ^H1696 H559, “Hear ^H8085 the word ^H1697 of the great ^H1419 king ^H4428, the king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804! 29 This ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 the king ^H4428 says ^H559: ‘Do not let Hezekiah ^H2396 deceive ^H5378 you, for he will not be ^H3201 able ^H3201 to save ^H5337 you from [fn]my hand ^H3027. 30 And do not let Hezekiah ^H2396 lead you to trust ^H982 in the LORD ^H3068 by saying ^H559, “The LORD ^H3068 will certainly ^H5337 save ^H5337 us, and this ^H2088 city ^H5892 will not be handed ^H5414 H3027 over ^H5414 to the king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804.” 31 Do not listen ^H8085 to Hezekiah ^H2396, for this ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 the king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804 says ^H559: “Make ^H6213 [fn]your peace ^H1293 with me and come ^H3318 out ^H3318 to me, and eat ^H398, each ^H376 one, from his vine ^H1612 and each ^H376 from his fig ^H8384 tree ^H8384, and drink ^H8354, each ^H376 one, the waters ^H4325 of his own cistern ^H953, 32 until ^H5704 I come ^H935 and take ^H3947 you to a land ^H776 like your own land ^H776, a land ^H776 of grain ^H1715 and new ^H8492 wine ^H8492, a land ^H776 of bread ^H3899 and vineyards ^H3754, a land ^H776 of olive ^H2132 trees ^H2132 producing oil ^H3323, and of honey ^H1706, so that you will live ^H2421 and not die ^H4191.” But do not listen ^H8085 to Hezekiah ^H2396, because ^H3588 he misleads ^H5496 you by saying ^H559, “The LORD ^H3068 will save ^H5337 us.” 33 Has any ^H376 of the gods ^H430 of the nations ^H1471 actually ^H5337 saved ^H5337 his land ^H776 from the hand ^H3027 of the king ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804? 34 Where ^H346 are the gods ^H430 of Hamath ^H2574 and Arpad ^H774? Where ^H346 are the gods ^H430 of Sepharvaim ^H5617, Hena ^H2012, and [fn]Ivvah ^H5755? Have they saved ^H5337 Samaria ^H8111 from my hand ^H3027? 35 Who ^H4310 among all ^H3605 the gods ^H430 of the lands ^H776 are there who ^H834 have saved ^H5337 their land ^H776 from my hand ^H3027, that the LORD ^H3068 would save ^H5337 Jerusalem ^H3389 from my hand ^H3027?’”

36 But the people ^H5971 were ^H2790 silent ^H2790 and did not answer ^H6030 him with even a word ^H1697, because ^H3588 it was the king’s ^H4428 [fn]command ^H4687: “Do not answer ^H6030 him.” 37 Then Eliakim ^H471 the son ^H1121 of Hilkiah ^H2518, who ^H834 was in ^H5921 charge ^H5921 of ^H5921 the household ^H1004, and Shebna ^H7644 the scribe ^H5608 and Joah ^H3098 the son ^H1121 of Asaph ^H623, the secretary ^H4206, came ^H935 to Hezekiah ^H2396 with their clothes ^H899 torn ^H7167, and they reported ^H5046 to him the words ^H1697 of Rabshakeh ^H7262.