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19 And Rabshakeh said unto them, “Speak ye now to Hezekiah, ‘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 Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all who trust in 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 Hezekiah 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 Have 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 Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, “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 who are on the wall.”

27 But 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 who sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?”

28 Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language and spoke, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria!

29 Thus saith the king: ‘Let not Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand.

30 Neither let Hezekiah 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 Hezekiah, 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 Hezekiah 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 Sepharvaim, 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 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.

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19 And 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? 20 Thou sayest (but they are but [a]vain words), There is counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me? 21 Now, 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. 22 But 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? 23 Now therefore, I pray thee, [b]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. 24 How 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? 25 Am I now come up without Jehovah against this place to destroy it? Jehovah said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

26 Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the [c]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. 27 But 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? 28 Then 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. 29 Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you out of his hand: 30 neither 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. 31 Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, [d]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; 32 until 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. 33 Hath any of the gods of the nations ever delivered 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 Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah? have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? 35 Who 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?

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 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 18:20 Hebrew a word of the lips.
  2. 2 Kings 18:23 Or, make a wager with
  3. 2 Kings 18:26 Hebrew Aramean.
  4. 2 Kings 18:31 Hebrew Make with me a blessing.