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Isaiah Tells Hezekiah Not to Be Afraid

19 (A)Now it happened that when King Hezekiah heard it, he (B)tore his clothes, (C)covered himself with sackcloth, and entered the house of Yahweh. Then he sent Eliakim who was over the household with Shebna the scribe and the elders of the priests, (D)covered with sackcloth, to (E)Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. And they said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, ‘This day is a day of distress, reproof, and rejection; for children have come to the point of breaking forth, but there is no strength to give birth. (F)Perhaps Yahweh your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent (G)to [a]reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which Yahweh your God has heard. Therefore, lift up a prayer for (H)the remnant that is left.’” So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. And Isaiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to your master, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the (I)young men of the king of Assyria (J)have blasphemed Me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that (K)he will hear a report and return to his own land. And (L)I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.”’”

Sennacherib Deceives Hezekiah

Then Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against (M)Libnah, for he had heard that [b]the king had set out from (N)Lachish. Then he heard them say concerning Tirhakah king of [c]Ethiopia, “Behold, he has come out to fight against you.” So he sent messengers again to Hezekiah saying, 10 “Thus you shall say to Hezekiah king of [d]Judah, ‘Do not (O)let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, “(P)Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 11 Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands, devoting them to destruction. So will you be delivered? 12 (Q)Did the gods of [e]those nations which my fathers brought to ruin deliver them, even (R)Gozan and (S)Haran and Rezeph and (T)the sons of Eden who were in Telassar? 13 (U)Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, and of Hena and Ivvah?’”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 19:4 Or defy, cf. 1 Sam 17:26
  2. 2 Kings 19:8 Lit he
  3. 2 Kings 19:9 Or Cush, cf. Gen 10:6
  4. 2 Kings 19:10 Lit Judah, saying,
  5. 2 Kings 19:12 Lit the

Hezekiah and Isaiah

19 When King Hezekiah heard this, he ripped his clothes, covered himself with mourning clothes, and went to the Lord’s temple. He sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests to the prophet Isaiah, Amoz’s son. They were all wearing mourning clothes. They said to him, “This is what Hezekiah says: Today is a day of distress, punishment, and humiliation. It’s as if children are ready to be born, but there’s no strength to see it through. Perhaps the Lord your God has heard all the words of the field commander who was sent by his master, Assyria’s king—how he insulted the living God—perhaps God will punish him for the words the Lord your God heard. Send up a prayer for those few people who still survive.”

When King Hezekiah’s servants got to Isaiah, Isaiah said to them, “Say this to your master: ‘This is what the Lord says: Don’t be afraid at the words you heard, which the officers of Assyria’s king have used to insult me. I’m about to put a spirit in him, so when he hears a rumor, he’ll go back to his own country. Then I’ll have him cut down by the sword in his own land.’”

The field commander heard that the Assyrian king had left Lachish. So he went back to the king and found him attacking Libnah. Then the Assyrian king learned that Cush’s King Tirhakah was on his way to fight against him. So he sent messengers to Hezekiah again, saying, 10 “Say this to Judah’s King Hezekiah: Don’t let the God you trust in persuade you by saying, ‘Jerusalem won’t be handed over to the Assyrian king.’ 11 You yourself have heard what Assyrian kings do to other countries, wiping them out. Is it likely that you will be saved? 12 Did the gods of the nations destroyed by my fathers—Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, or the people of Eden in Telassar—save them? 13 Where now is Hamath’s king, Arpad’s king, or the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena, or Ivvah?”[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 19:13 Or the king of the city of Sepharvaim or the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah