2 Kings 19:1-13

Modern English Version

Hezekiah Consults Isaiah^(A)

19 When King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and entered the house of the Lord. ² He sent Eliakim, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz. ³ They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah: This day is a day of distress, chastisement, and disgrace, for children have come to the mouth of the womb, but there is no strength to birth them. ⁴ Perhaps the Lord your God will hear all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria, his master, has sent to taunt the living God and will rebuke the words that the Lord your God has heard, and you might lift up a prayer for the remnant that are left.”

⁵ When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, ⁶ Isaiah said to them, “Thus shall you say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord: Do not be afraid of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. ⁷ I am putting a spirit in him, and he will hear a report and return to his own land. Then I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.’ ”

Sennacherib Defies the Lord

⁸ Then the Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he had heard that he had departed from Lachish.

⁹ When the king heard concerning Tirhakah king of Cush, “He has come out to fight against you,” he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, ¹⁰ “Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying: Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. ¹¹ You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by annihilating them. Will you be delivered? ¹² Have the gods of the nations delivered them, the nations that my fathers destroyed, Gozan, Harran, Rezeph, and the sons of Eden who were in Tel Assar? ¹³ Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah?”