Rab-shakeh's insulting speech.

8

19 And Rab-shakeh 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 10 vain words,) "I have counsel and strength for the Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

war.

21 Now, behold, thou 12 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 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 Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?

13

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 Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rab-shakeh, 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-shakeh 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 14 their own piss with you?

The people exhorted to revolt.

28 Then Rab-shakeh 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 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, 15 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 16 cistern:

b

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?

d

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?

e

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, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joab the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

thish sendeth to Isaiah to pray for deliverance, 6 Isaiah mforteth him. 8 Sennacherib sendeth a blasphemous letter to Jezik. 14 Hezekiah's prayer. 20 Isaiah foretelleth the Puction of Sennacherib, and the safety of Zion. 35 An ve stayeth the Assyrians. 36 Sennacherib is slain at Nineby his own sons. [B. c. 710.]

ND it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, I covered himself with sackcloth, and at into the house of the LORD.

And he sent Eliakim, which was over household, and Shebna the scribe, and elders of the priests, covered with sackh. to Isaiah the prophet the son of

YZ.

And they said unto him, Thus saith kiah, This day is a day of trouble, and i of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the Iren are come to the birth, and there is trength to bring forth.

d

It may be the LORD thy God will hear the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the g of Assyria his master hath sent to mach the living God; and will reprove words which the LORD thy God hath d: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the Lant that are 2 left.

So the servants of king Hezekiah came saiah.

And Isaiah said unto them, Thus ye say to your master, Thus saith the D. Be not afraid of the words which hast heard, with which the servants e king of Assyria have blasphemed me. Behold, I will send a blast upon him, he shall hear a rumour, and shall return is own land; and I will cause him to by the sword in his own land.

h

His prayer for deliverance.

10 Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God 'in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

11 Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered?

r

15 And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubim, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.

16 LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see and hear the words of Sennacherib, "which hath sent him to reproach the living God.

17 Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands,

18 And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.

19 Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.

40

C

22 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel. 23 By thy messengers thou hast reproached the LORD, and hast said, 'With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.

8

7

5

g

24 I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places. 25 Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.

h

26 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be

grown up.

k

27 But I know thy 10 abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.

28 Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore 'I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.

m

29 And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.

Lam. 2. 13. e Job 16. 4. Ps. 22. 7, 8. Lam. 2. 15. d Ps. 71. 22. Is. 5. 24. Jer. 51. 5. Heb. By the hand of e ch. 18. 17. f Ps. 20. 7.

Heb. the tallness, dr. Or, the forest and his fruitful field, Is. 10. 18. 1 Or, fenced. Or, Hast thou not heard how I have made it long ago, and formed it of uncient times? should I now bring it to be laid waste, and fenced cities to be ruinous heaps! g Is. 45. 7. Ps. 129. 6. k Ps. 139. 1, &c.

h Is. 10. 5. 10 Or, silling.

Heb, short of hand. 1 Job 41. 2. Ez. 29. 4.

11

destruction of Sennacherib.

30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.

31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and 12 they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.

32 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.

33 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.

34 For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.

IN those days was Hezekiah sick unto

death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, 'Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

& 38. 4. Am. 4. 2. m ver. 33, 36, 37. n 1 Sam. 2. 34. ch. 20, 8, 9. Is. 7. 11, 14. Luke 2. 12. o 2 Chr. 32. 22, 23. Heb. the escaping of the house of Judah that remaineth. 12 Heb. the escaping. p Is. 9. 7. q ch. 20. 6. r1 Kings 11. 12, 13. s 2 Chr. 32. 21. 18. 37. 36. t Gen. 10. 11. u 2 Chr. 32. 21. x ver. 7. 13 Heb. Ararat. y Ezra 4. 2. CHAP. XX.-a 2 Chr. 32. 24, &c. Is. 38. 1, &c. cerning thine house. 2 Sam. 17. 23.

1 Heb. Give charge com

kiah's life lengthened.

Judah's captivity foretold.

3 I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now w I have walked before thee in truth d with a perfect heart, and have done t chich is good in thy sight. And Hezeh wept sore.

3

And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was e out into the middle court, that the rl of the LORD came to him, saying, ¡ Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the tain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, God of David thy father, I have heard prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, ill heal thee: on the third day thou It go up unto the house of the LORD.

And I will add unto thy days fifteen ; and I will deliver thee and this city of the hand of the king of Assyria; and will defend this city for mine own sake, 1 for my servant David's sake.

" And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. d they took and laid it on the boil, and recovered.

And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, hat shall be the sign that the LORD will I me, and that I shall go up into the se of the LORD the third day?

k

And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou e of the LORD, that the LORD will do the that he hath spoken: shall the shago forward ten degrees, or go back ten rees?

◊ And Hezekiah answered, It is a light g for the shadow to go down ten de*: nay, but let the shadow return back d ten degrees.

1 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the D: and he brought the shadow ten debackward, by which it had gone down he dial of Ahaz.

7

cious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not.

14 ¶ Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.

15 And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, ° All the things that are in mine house have they seen there is nothing among my treasures that I have not showed them.

16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.

CHAPTER XXI.

heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

B

3 And Hezekiah hearkened unto them,

13. 22. e Gen. 17. 1. 1 Kings 3. 6. 2 Heb. with a great weeping. d1 Sam. 9. 16. & 10. 1. e ch. 19. 20. Ps. 65. 2. f Ps. 39. g ch. 19. 34. h Is. 38. 21. i See Judg. 6. 17, 37, 39. Is. 1 322 k See Is. 38. 7, 8. 1 See Josh. 10. 12, 14. Is. 38. 8. m 1s. 39. 1, &c. Or, Merodach-baladan. n 2 Chr.

upon Judah. 17 Amon succeedeth him.

19 His wicked reign.

23 He is slain by his servants; and Josiah is made king. [B. c 718.]

ANASSEH was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzi-bah.

Amon's wicked reign.

done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:

12 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.

13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem 'the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.

1

14 And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies;

15 Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.

16 Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem 2 from one end to another; besides his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD. 17 Now the rest of the acts of Manas seh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah ?

u

t

18 And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

L

20 And he did that which was evil in the H sight of the LORD, as his father Manassel the did.

21 And he walked in all the ways that e his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped her them:

22 And he "forsook the LORD God of his

m Prov. 29. 12. n ch. 23. 26, 27. & 24. 3, 4. Jer. 15. 4. p ver. 9.

o 1 Kings 21. q 1 Sam. 3. 11. Jer. 19. 3. r See Is. 34. 11. Lam. 2. 8. Am 7.7, 8. 1 Heb. he wipeth and turneth it upon the face thereof. 2 Heb. from mouth to mouth. t 2 Chr. 33. 11-19.

12 Sam. 7. 10.

x 2 Chr. 33. 21-23. y ver. 2, &c.

sch. 24.4

u 2 Chr. 33.

z 1 Kings 11. 33.

of