Sennacherib in the Bible

Meaning: bramble of destruction

Exact Match

Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.

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.

Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.


‘But I [the Lord] know your sitting down [O Sennacherib],
Your going out, your coming in,
And your raging against Me.

So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.

Later on, as he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with a sword and fled into the territory of Ararat. Then Sennacherib's son Esarhaddon became king in his place.

After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself.

And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,

After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,

Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?

King Sennacherib's spokesmen said even worse things against the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah.

Sennacherib also wrote letters like this that insulted and slandered the LORD God of Israel: "Just as the gods of the nations in other lands haven't delivered their people from my control, so also the god of Hezekiah won't deliver his people from me!"

The Lord sent a messenger and he wiped out all the soldiers, princes, and officers in the army of the king of Assyria. So Sennacherib returned home humiliated. When he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons struck him down with the sword.

Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side.

Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them.

And Sennacherib king of Assyria, heard them say concerning Tirhakah king of Cush (Ethiopia), “He has come out to fight against you.” And when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,

Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God.

Deliver us then, O LORD our God, from the hands of Sennacherib, that all kingdoms of the earth may know, that thou only art the LORD."

Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria:

But thou Sennacherib, whom hast thou defied and blasphemed? And against whom hast thou lifted up thy voice, and exalted thy proud looks? Even against the holy one of Israel.

So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.

Later, while he was worshiping in the house of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer cut him down with swords and escaped to the land of Ararat. Then Sennacherib's son Esar-haddon reigned in his place.

For the Lord God says this, “My people went down at the first into Egypt to live there; and [many years later Sennacherib] the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.


Before Him goes the pestilence [of judgment as in Egypt],
And [the burning] plague [of condemnation] follows at His feet [as in Sennacherib’s army].

Thematic Bible



So Yahweh sent a messenger, who cut off every hero of valour, and chief ruler and captain, in the camp of the king of Assyria, - and he returned with shame of face to his own land, and, when he entered the house of his god, then, the issue of his own body - there, caused him to fall by the sword.


Through thy messengers, thou hast reproached My Lord, and hast said - With my multitude of chariots, have I ascended the height of the mountains, the recesses of Lebanon, - and have cut down its tallest cedars, its choicest firs, and have entered the shelter of its summit, its thick garden forests.


Through thy messengers, thou hast reproached My Lord, and hast said - With my multitude of chariots, have I ascended the height of the mountains, the recesses of Lebanon, - and have cut down its tallest cedars, its choicest firs, and have entered the shelter of its summit, its thick garden forests.


And it came to pass, as he was bowing down in the house of Nisroch his god, that, Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons , smote him with the sword, howbeit, they, escaped into the land of Ararat, - and Esarhaddon his son, reigned, in his stead.

And it came to pass, during that night, that the messenger of Yahweh went forth, and smote, in the camp of the Assyrians, a hundred and eighty-five thousand. And, when men arose early in the morning, lo! they were all, dead bodies!

Because, thy raging against me, and thy contempt, have come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my ring in thy nose, and my bit in thy lips, and will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.


And, in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, came up Sennacherib king of Assyria, against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them. Then sent Hezekiah king of Judah unto the king of Assyria, to Lachish, saying - I have sinned, Return from me, What thou shalt lay upon me, I will bear. So the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah, three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold. And Hezekiah delivered up all the silver that was found in the house of Yahweh, and in the treasuries of the house of the king. read more.
At that time, Hezekiah cut off the doors of the temple of Yahweh, and the columns, which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, - and gave them unto the king of Assyria. And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rab-shakeh, from Lachish unto King Hezekiah, with a heavy force to Jerusalem, - so they came up and drew near to Jerusalem, and took their stand by the upper channel of the pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field. Then called they for the king, and there went out unto them Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, - and Shebnah, the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder. And Rab-shakeh said unto them - Pray you, say unto Hezekiah, - Thus, saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What trust is this wherewith thou dost trust? Thou hast said - they are only words of the lips! - Counsel and might have I for the war. Now, in whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me? Now, lo! thou dost trust thyself on the support of this bruised cane, on Egypt, whereon, if a man lean, it will enter his hand and lay it open, - so, is Pharaoh king of Egypt, to all who trust upon him. But, if ye should say unto me, In Yahweh our God, do we trust, Then is that not he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath removed, and said unto Judah, and unto Jerusalem - Before this altar, shall ye bow down, in Jerusalem? Now, therefore, pledge thyself, I pray thee, with my lord, the king of Assyria, - that I supply thee with two thousand horses, if thou, on thy part, be able to set riders upon them. How then wilt thou turn back the face of one pasha of the least of my lord's servants? Or hast thou, on thy part, trusted to Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? Now, is it, without Yahweh, that I have come up against this place, to destroy it? Yahweh himself, said unto me, Go thou up against this land, and destroy it. Then said Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, unto Rab-shakeh: Speak, we pray thee, unto thy servants in the, Syrian, language, for, we, can, understand, it, - and do not speak with us in, the Jews', language, in the ears of the people who are upon the wall. But Rab-shakeh said unto them - Is it, concerning thy lord, and concerning thee, that my lord hath sent me to speak these things? Is it not concerning the men who are tarrying upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung and drink their own water with you? So then Rab-shakeh took his stand, and cried out with a loud voice, in, the Jews', language, - and spake, and said, Hear ye the message of the great king, the king of Assyria: - Thus, saith the king: Let not Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not he able to deliver you out of his hand; Neither let Hezekiah cause you to trust in Yahweh, saying, Yahweh, will, certainly deliver, us, - this city, therefore, shall not be given over into the hand of the king of Assyria. Do not hearken unto Hezekiah, - for, thus, saith the king of Assyria, Deal with me thankfully, and come out unto me, then shall ye eat - every one of his own vine, and every one of his own fig-tree, and drink every one the waters of his own cistern; Until I come and take you, into a land like your own land - A land of corn and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and honey, so shall ye live, and not die, - But do not hearken unto Hezekiah, for he would persuade you, saying, Yahweh, will deliver us! Have, the gods of the nations, at all delivered, any one of them, his country, out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath, and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Yea, did they deliver Samaria out of my hand? Who are they, among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country, out of my hand, - that, Yahweh, should deliver, Jerusalem, out of my hand? But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word, - for, the command of the king, it was, saying - Ye must not answer him. Then came in Eliakim son of Hilkiah who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder, unto Hezekiah, with rent clothes, - and they told him the words of Rab-shakeh.


It may be that Yahweh thy God will hear all the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the king of Assyria his lord hath sent, to reproach a Living God, and will rebuke the words, which Yahweh thy God hath heard, - Wherefore lift thou up a prayer, for the remnant that remaineth.

Thus, shall ye, speak, unto Hezekiah king of Judah, saying - Let not thy God in whom thou art trusting beguile thee, saying, - Jerusalem shall not be given over, into the hand of the king of Assyria.

Whom, hast thou reproached, and insulted? and, against whom, hast thou lifted high thy voice? yea thou hast proudly raised thine eyes, against the Holy One of Israel.


And Rab-shakeh said unto them - Pray you, say unto Hezekiah, - Thus, saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What trust is this wherewith thou dost trust?

For he saith: - Are not, my generals, all alike, kings? Is not, Calno, like Carchemish? Is not, Hamath, like Arpad? Is not, Samaria, like Damascus? As my hand hath reached unto the kingdoms of idols, - whose images did excel them of Jerusalem and Samaria, read more.
Shall I not as I have done to Samaria and her idols, so, do to Jerusalem and her images? Wherefore it shall come to pass - When My Lord shall finish his whole work upon Mount Zion and upon Jerusalem, I will bring punishment - Upon the fruit of the greatness of heart of the king of Assyria. And upon the vainglory of his uplifted eyes, For he hath said - By the strength of mine own hand, have I effectually wrought, And by my wisdom - for I have discernment, - That I might remove the bounds of peoples, Yea their treasures, have I plundered That I might lay prostrate as a mighty one the inhabitants; And my hand hath found as a nest the wealth of the peoples, And as the gathering of eggs that are forsaken, all the earth, have, I, gathered, - And there was none to flap a wing, or open a mouth or chirp. Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Or, the saw, magnify itself, against him that wieldeth it? As if a rod, could wield, them who lift it up! As if a staff, could raise, what is, not wood!


Through thy messengers, thou hast reproached My Lord, and hast said - With my multitude of chariots, have I ascended the height of the mountains, the recesses of Lebanon, - and have cut down its tallest cedars, its choicest firs, and have entered the shelter of its summit, its thick garden forests.


And it came to pass, as he was bowing down in the house of Nisroch his god, that, Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons , smote him with the sword, howbeit, they, escaped into the land of Ararat, - and Esarhaddon his son, reigned, in his stead.


And it came to pass, as he was bowing down in the house of Nisroch his god, that, Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons , smote him with the sword, howbeit, they, escaped into the land of Ararat, - and Esarhaddon his son, reigned, in his stead.


And, in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, came up Sennacherib king of Assyria, against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them. Then sent Hezekiah king of Judah unto the king of Assyria, to Lachish, saying - I have sinned, Return from me, What thou shalt lay upon me, I will bear. So the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah, three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold. And Hezekiah delivered up all the silver that was found in the house of Yahweh, and in the treasuries of the house of the king. read more.
At that time, Hezekiah cut off the doors of the temple of Yahweh, and the columns, which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, - and gave them unto the king of Assyria. And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rab-shakeh, from Lachish unto King Hezekiah, with a heavy force to Jerusalem, - so they came up and drew near to Jerusalem, and took their stand by the upper channel of the pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field. Then called they for the king, and there went out unto them Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, - and Shebnah, the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder. And Rab-shakeh said unto them - Pray you, say unto Hezekiah, - Thus, saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What trust is this wherewith thou dost trust? Thou hast said - they are only words of the lips! - Counsel and might have I for the war. Now, in whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me? Now, lo! thou dost trust thyself on the support of this bruised cane, on Egypt, whereon, if a man lean, it will enter his hand and lay it open, - so, is Pharaoh king of Egypt, to all who trust upon him. But, if ye should say unto me, In Yahweh our God, do we trust, Then is that not he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath removed, and said unto Judah, and unto Jerusalem - Before this altar, shall ye bow down, in Jerusalem? Now, therefore, pledge thyself, I pray thee, with my lord, the king of Assyria, - that I supply thee with two thousand horses, if thou, on thy part, be able to set riders upon them. How then wilt thou turn back the face of one pasha of the least of my lord's servants? Or hast thou, on thy part, trusted to Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? Now, is it, without Yahweh, that I have come up against this place, to destroy it? Yahweh himself, said unto me, Go thou up against this land, and destroy it. Then said Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, unto Rab-shakeh: Speak, we pray thee, unto thy servants in the, Syrian, language, for, we, can, understand, it, - and do not speak with us in, the Jews', language, in the ears of the people who are upon the wall. But Rab-shakeh said unto them - Is it, concerning thy lord, and concerning thee, that my lord hath sent me to speak these things? Is it not concerning the men who are tarrying upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung and drink their own water with you? So then Rab-shakeh took his stand, and cried out with a loud voice, in, the Jews', language, - and spake, and said, Hear ye the message of the great king, the king of Assyria: - Thus, saith the king: Let not Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not he able to deliver you out of his hand; Neither let Hezekiah cause you to trust in Yahweh, saying, Yahweh, will, certainly deliver, us, - this city, therefore, shall not be given over into the hand of the king of Assyria. Do not hearken unto Hezekiah, - for, thus, saith the king of Assyria, Deal with me thankfully, and come out unto me, then shall ye eat - every one of his own vine, and every one of his own fig-tree, and drink every one the waters of his own cistern; Until I come and take you, into a land like your own land - A land of corn and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and honey, so shall ye live, and not die, - But do not hearken unto Hezekiah, for he would persuade you, saying, Yahweh, will deliver us! Have, the gods of the nations, at all delivered, any one of them, his country, out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath, and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Yea, did they deliver Samaria out of my hand? Who are they, among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country, out of my hand, - that, Yahweh, should deliver, Jerusalem, out of my hand? But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word, - for, the command of the king, it was, saying - Ye must not answer him. Then came in Eliakim son of Hilkiah who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder, unto Hezekiah, with rent clothes, - and they told him the words of Rab-shakeh.

Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, - Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, What thou hast prayed unto me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard. This, is the word that Yahweh hath spoken concerning him, - The virgin daughter of Zion, laugheth thee to scorn, mocketh thee, The daughter of Jerusalem, after thee, doth wag her head. Whom, hast thou reproached, and insulted? and, against whom, hast thou lifted high thy voice? yea thou hast proudly raised thine eyes, against the Holy One of Israel. read more.
Through thy messengers, thou hast reproached My Lord, and hast said - With my multitude of chariots, have I ascended the height of the mountains, the recesses of Lebanon, - and have cut down its tallest cedars, its choicest firs, and have entered the shelter of its summit, its thick garden forests. I, have digged, and have drunk foreign waters, - and have dried up, with the soles of my feet, all the streams of besieged places. Hast thou not heard - that, long ago, that, is what I appointed, and, from days of old, devised it? Now, have I brought it to pass, that thou mightest serve to lay waste, in desolate ruins, fortified cities; And, their inhabitants, being powerless, were overthrown and put to shame, - they became grass of the field, and young herbage, grass on housetops, and seed withered before it came up. Howbeit, thine abode, and thy coming out and thy going in, I know, - and thy raging against me. Because, thy raging against me, and thy contempt, have come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my ring in thy nose, and my bit in thy lips, and will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest. And, this unto thee, is the sign - Eating, this year, the growth of scattered seeds, and, in the second year, that which groweth after, - then, in the third year, sow ye and reap, plant ye vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof; Then shall the escaped of the house of Judah that remain, again - take root downward, and bear fruit upward; For, out of Jerusalem, shall go forth a remnant, and that which hath escaped - out of Mount Zion, - the jealousy of Yahweh of hosts, will perform this. Therefore - Thus, saith Yahweh, concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not enter this city, nor shoot there, an arrow, - nor attack it with shield, nor cast up against it, a mound; By the way that he cometh in, by the same, shall he return, - and, into this city, shall he not enter, declareth Yahweh! Thus will I throw a covering over this city, to save it, - for mine own sake, and for the sake of David my servant. And it came to pass, during that night, that the messenger of Yahweh went forth, and smote, in the camp of the Assyrians, a hundred and eighty-five thousand. And, when men arose early in the morning, lo! they were all, dead bodies! So Sennacherib king of Assyria brake up, and went his way, and returned, - and remained in Nineveh. And it came to pass, as he was bowing down in the house of Nisroch his god, that, Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons , smote him with the sword, howbeit, they, escaped into the land of Ararat, - and Esarhaddon his son, reigned, in his stead.


And it came to pass, during that night, that the messenger of Yahweh went forth, and smote, in the camp of the Assyrians, a hundred and eighty-five thousand. And, when men arose early in the morning, lo! they were all, dead bodies! So Sennacherib king of Assyria brake up, and went his way, and returned, - and remained in Nineveh. And it came to pass, as he was bowing down in the house of Nisroch his god, that, Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons , smote him with the sword, howbeit, they, escaped into the land of Ararat, - and Esarhaddon his son, reigned, in his stead.


Will ye not take note, what I have done, I and my fathers, to all the peoples of the countries? Have the gods of the nations of the countries been, at all able, to deliver their country, out of my hand? Who, among all the gods of these nations whom my fathers devoted to destruction, hath ever been able to deliver his people out of my hand, - that your god should be able to deliver you out of my hand?


Will ye not take note, what I have done, I and my fathers, to all the peoples of the countries? Have the gods of the nations of the countries been, at all able, to deliver their country, out of my hand? Who, among all the gods of these nations whom my fathers devoted to destruction, hath ever been able to deliver his people out of my hand, - that your god should be able to deliver you out of my hand?


It may be that Yahweh thy God will hear all the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the king of Assyria his lord hath sent, to reproach a Living God, and will rebuke the words, which Yahweh thy God hath heard, - Wherefore lift thou up a prayer, for the remnant that remaineth.

So Rab-shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, - for he had heard that he had broken up from Lachish.

And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rab-shakeh, from Lachish unto King Hezekiah, with a heavy force to Jerusalem, - so they came up and drew near to Jerusalem, and took their stand by the upper channel of the pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field. Then called they for the king, and there went out unto them Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, - and Shebnah, the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder. And Rab-shakeh said unto them - Pray you, say unto Hezekiah, - Thus, saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What trust is this wherewith thou dost trust? read more.
Thou hast said - they are only words of the lips! - Counsel and might have I for the war. Now, in whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me? Now, lo! thou dost trust thyself on the support of this bruised cane, on Egypt, whereon, if a man lean, it will enter his hand and lay it open, - so, is Pharaoh king of Egypt, to all who trust upon him. But, if ye should say unto me, In Yahweh our God, do we trust, Then is that not he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath removed, and said unto Judah, and unto Jerusalem - Before this altar, shall ye bow down, in Jerusalem? Now, therefore, pledge thyself, I pray thee, with my lord, the king of Assyria, - that I supply thee with two thousand horses, if thou, on thy part, be able to set riders upon them. How then wilt thou turn back the face of one pasha of the least of my lord's servants? Or hast thou, on thy part, trusted to Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? Now, is it, without Yahweh, that I have come up against this place, to destroy it? Yahweh himself, said unto me, Go thou up against this land, and destroy it. Then said Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, unto Rab-shakeh: Speak, we pray thee, unto thy servants in the, Syrian, language, for, we, can, understand, it, - and do not speak with us in, the Jews', language, in the ears of the people who are upon the wall. But Rab-shakeh said unto them - Is it, concerning thy lord, and concerning thee, that my lord hath sent me to speak these things? Is it not concerning the men who are tarrying upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung and drink their own water with you? So then Rab-shakeh took his stand, and cried out with a loud voice, in, the Jews', language, - and spake, and said, Hear ye the message of the great king, the king of Assyria: - Thus, saith the king: Let not Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not he able to deliver you out of his hand; Neither let Hezekiah cause you to trust in Yahweh, saying, Yahweh, will, certainly deliver, us, - this city, therefore, shall not be given over into the hand of the king of Assyria. Do not hearken unto Hezekiah, - for, thus, saith the king of Assyria, Deal with me thankfully, and come out unto me, then shall ye eat - every one of his own vine, and every one of his own fig-tree, and drink every one the waters of his own cistern; Until I come and take you, into a land like your own land - A land of corn and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and honey, so shall ye live, and not die, - But do not hearken unto Hezekiah, for he would persuade you, saying, Yahweh, will deliver us! Have, the gods of the nations, at all delivered, any one of them, his country, out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath, and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Yea, did they deliver Samaria out of my hand? Who are they, among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country, out of my hand, - that, Yahweh, should deliver, Jerusalem, out of my hand? But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word, - for, the command of the king, it was, saying - Ye must not answer him.


After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants towards Jerusalem, himself, being near Lachish, and all his imperial might with him, - unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that was in Jerusalem, saying: Thus, saith Sennacherib, king of Assyria,-Upon what, are, ye, trusting, that ye are awaiting the siege in Jerusalem? Is not, Hezekiah, persuading you, so as to deliver you up to die with hunger and with thirst, saying, - Yahweh our God, will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria? read more.
Is it not, the same Hezekiah, who hath removed his high places, and his altars, - and hath given word to Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Before one altar, shall ye bow yourselves down, and, thereupon, shall ye burn incense? Will ye not take note, what I have done, I and my fathers, to all the peoples of the countries? Have the gods of the nations of the countries been, at all able, to deliver their country, out of my hand? Who, among all the gods of these nations whom my fathers devoted to destruction, hath ever been able to deliver his people out of my hand, - that your god should be able to deliver you out of my hand? Now, therefore, do not let Hezekiah beguile you nor persuade you thus, neither do ye believe him. For no, god, of any nation or kingdom hath ever been able to deliver his people out of my hand, or out of the hand of my fathers,-how much less shall, your gods, deliver you, out of my hand? And, yet more, spake his servants, against Yahweh, God, - and against Hezekiah his servant. Letters, also wrote he, to scoff at Yahweh God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, Like the gods of the nations of the countries, who delivered not their people out of my hand, so, shall the god of Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand. Then cried they out, with a loud voice, in the Jews' language, unto the people of Jerusalem who were upon the wall, to affright them, and to terrify them, - to the end they might capture the city. And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, - as against the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of the hands of men.


And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rab-shakeh, from Lachish unto King Hezekiah, with a heavy force to Jerusalem, - so they came up and drew near to Jerusalem, and took their stand by the upper channel of the pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field. Then called they for the king, and there went out unto them Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, - and Shebnah, the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder. And Rab-shakeh said unto them - Pray you, say unto Hezekiah, - Thus, saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What trust is this wherewith thou dost trust? read more.
Thou hast said - they are only words of the lips! - Counsel and might have I for the war. Now, in whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me? Now, lo! thou dost trust thyself on the support of this bruised cane, on Egypt, whereon, if a man lean, it will enter his hand and lay it open, - so, is Pharaoh king of Egypt, to all who trust upon him. But, if ye should say unto me, In Yahweh our God, do we trust, Then is that not he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath removed, and said unto Judah, and unto Jerusalem - Before this altar, shall ye bow down, in Jerusalem? Now, therefore, pledge thyself, I pray thee, with my lord, the king of Assyria, - that I supply thee with two thousand horses, if thou, on thy part, be able to set riders upon them. How then wilt thou turn back the face of one pasha of the least of my lord's servants? Or hast thou, on thy part, trusted to Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? Now, is it, without Yahweh, that I have come up against this place, to destroy it? Yahweh himself, said unto me, Go thou up against this land, and destroy it. Then said Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, unto Rab-shakeh: Speak, we pray thee, unto thy servants in the, Syrian, language, for, we, can, understand, it, - and do not speak with us in, the Jews', language, in the ears of the people who are upon the wall. But Rab-shakeh said unto them - Is it, concerning thy lord, and concerning thee, that my lord hath sent me to speak these things? Is it not concerning the men who are tarrying upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung and drink their own water with you? So then Rab-shakeh took his stand, and cried out with a loud voice, in, the Jews', language, - and spake, and said, Hear ye the message of the great king, the king of Assyria: - Thus, saith the king: Let not Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not he able to deliver you out of his hand; Neither let Hezekiah cause you to trust in Yahweh, saying, Yahweh, will, certainly deliver, us, - this city, therefore, shall not be given over into the hand of the king of Assyria. Do not hearken unto Hezekiah, - for, thus, saith the king of Assyria, Deal with me thankfully, and come out unto me, then shall ye eat - every one of his own vine, and every one of his own fig-tree, and drink every one the waters of his own cistern; Until I come and take you, into a land like your own land - A land of corn and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and honey, so shall ye live, and not die, - But do not hearken unto Hezekiah, for he would persuade you, saying, Yahweh, will deliver us! Have, the gods of the nations, at all delivered, any one of them, his country, out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath, and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Yea, did they deliver Samaria out of my hand? Who are they, among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country, out of my hand, - that, Yahweh, should deliver, Jerusalem, out of my hand? But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word, - for, the command of the king, it was, saying - Ye must not answer him. Then came in Eliakim son of Hilkiah who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder, unto Hezekiah, with rent clothes, - and they told him the words of Rab-shakeh.

So Rab-shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, - for he had heard that he had broken up from Lachish.

After these things done in faithfulness, came Sennacherib king of Assyria, - and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to break into them for himself. And, when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, - and that, his face, was - to war, against Jerusalem, he took counsel with his captains and his heroes, to stop the waters of the fountains, which were outside the city, - -and they helped him. read more.
And there were gathered together much people, so they stopped all the fountains, and the torrent that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, - Wherefore should the kings of Assyria come, and find many waters? And he took courage, and built all the wall that was broken down and carried up thereon towers, and, on the outside, another wall, and strengthened Millo, the city of David,-and made weapons in abundance, and bucklers, and set captains of war over the people, - and gathered them together unto him in the broadway of the gate of the city, and spake unto their heart, saying, - Be strong and bold, do not fear neither be dismayed, because of the king of Assyria, nor because of all the multitude that is with him, - for, with us, is One greater than with him: with him, is an arm of flesh, but, with us, is Yahweh our God, to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people leaned upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants towards Jerusalem, himself, being near Lachish, and all his imperial might with him, - unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that was in Jerusalem, saying: Thus, saith Sennacherib, king of Assyria,-Upon what, are, ye, trusting, that ye are awaiting the siege in Jerusalem? Is not, Hezekiah, persuading you, so as to deliver you up to die with hunger and with thirst, saying, - Yahweh our God, will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Is it not, the same Hezekiah, who hath removed his high places, and his altars, - and hath given word to Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Before one altar, shall ye bow yourselves down, and, thereupon, shall ye burn incense? Will ye not take note, what I have done, I and my fathers, to all the peoples of the countries? Have the gods of the nations of the countries been, at all able, to deliver their country, out of my hand? Who, among all the gods of these nations whom my fathers devoted to destruction, hath ever been able to deliver his people out of my hand, - that your god should be able to deliver you out of my hand? Now, therefore, do not let Hezekiah beguile you nor persuade you thus, neither do ye believe him. For no, god, of any nation or kingdom hath ever been able to deliver his people out of my hand, or out of the hand of my fathers,-how much less shall, your gods, deliver you, out of my hand? And, yet more, spake his servants, against Yahweh, God, - and against Hezekiah his servant. Letters, also wrote he, to scoff at Yahweh God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, Like the gods of the nations of the countries, who delivered not their people out of my hand, so, shall the god of Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand. Then cried they out, with a loud voice, in the Jews' language, unto the people of Jerusalem who were upon the wall, to affright them, and to terrify them, - to the end they might capture the city. And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, - as against the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of the hands of men. And Hezekiah the king and Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, prayed concerning this,-and made outcry unto the heavens, So Yahweh sent a messenger, who cut off every hero of valour, and chief ruler and captain, in the camp of the king of Assyria, - and he returned with shame of face to his own land, and, when he entered the house of his god, then, the issue of his own body - there, caused him to fall by the sword. Thus did Yahweh save Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem out of the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria, and out of the hand of every one, - and gave them rest on every side. And, many, were bringing in a present unto Yahweh, to Jerusalem, and precious things, unto Hezekiah king of Judah, - so that he was exalted in the eyes of all the nations, from thenceforth.


And it came to pass, during that night, that the messenger of Yahweh went forth, and smote, in the camp of the Assyrians, a hundred and eighty-five thousand. And, when men arose early in the morning, lo! they were all, dead bodies! So Sennacherib king of Assyria brake up, and went his way, and returned, - and remained in Nineveh. And it came to pass, as he was bowing down in the house of Nisroch his god, that, Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons , smote him with the sword, howbeit, they, escaped into the land of Ararat, - and Esarhaddon his son, reigned, in his stead.

Then went forth the messenger of Yahweh, and smote - in the camp of the Assyrians - a hundred and eighty-five thousand, - and when men arose early in the morning, lo! they were all, dead bodies! So Sennacherib the king of Assyria brake up, and went his way, and returned, - and remained in Nineveh. And it came to pass, as he was bowing down in the house of Nisroch his god, that, Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons, smote him with the sword, howbeit, they, escaped into the land of Ararat, - and, Esarhaddon his son, reigned, in his stead.


with him, is an arm of flesh, but, with us, is Yahweh our God, to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people leaned upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.


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