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



And the LORD sent an angel and destroyed all the men of war and the lords and captains of the host of the king of Assyria, that he turned his face, with shame, towards his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, he was there overthrown with the sword - even by them that issued out of his bowels.


By the hand of thy messengers thou hast railed on the Lord and said, 'With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, even along by the sides of Lebanon, and have cut off the high Cedar trees, and the lusty fir trees thereof, even to the wood of Carmel that belongeth thereto!


By the hand of thy messengers thou hast railed on the Lord and said, 'With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, even along by the sides of Lebanon, and have cut off the high Cedar trees, and the lusty fir trees thereof, even to the wood of Carmel that belongeth thereto!


And as he was in his devotion kneeling in the house of Nisroch his God, Adrammelech and Sharezer smote him with the sword. And they escaped into the land of Ararat, and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.

And the selfsame night the Angel of the LORD went out and smote, in the host of the Assyrians, a hundred and four score and five thousand. And when they were up early in the morning: behold, they were all dead corpses.

And because thou settest up thy bristles against me, and that thy raging is come up to mine ears: therefore I will put a ring in thy nose and a bit in thy lips, and will bring thee back again the same way thou camest.


The fourteenth year of king Hezekiah came Sennacherib king of Assyria against all the strong cities of Judah and took them. Whereupon Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, "I have offended. But depart from me, and what thou puttest on me that I will bear." And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD and also in the treasure of the king's house. read more.
And the said season Hezekiah rent off the doors of the temple of the LORD and the pillars, which the said Hezekiah king of Judah covered over, and gave them to the king of Assyria. And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh, from Lachish, to king Hezekiah with a great Host to Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and went and stood by the conduit of the uppermost pool, which is in the way to the fuller's field, and called to the king. And there came out to them, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah steward of household, and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder. And then Rabshakeh said unto them, "Tell ye Hezekiah, I pray you, 'Thus sayeth the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this that thou hast? Thou wilt haply speak a light word, that thou hast counsel and power to make war. On whom then dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? Dost thou trust to the staff of this broken reed Egypt, on which if a man lean it will run into his hand and pierce it? For even so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. If ye say unto me, 'We trust in the LORD our God' - Is not that he whose hill altars and other altars too, Hezekiah hath put down, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, 'Bow yourselves before this altar here in Jerusalem'? And now join thyself to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able to set riders upon them: and, if thou be not, how then art thou able to resist one of the least dukes of my master's servants? Or trustest thou to Egypt for chariots and horsemen? Moreover, thinkest thou that I am come without the bidding of the LORD to this place to destroy it? Nay: the LORD said to me, 'Go up to this land, and destroy it.''" Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah and Shebnah and Joah, to Rabshakeh, "Speak, we pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrians' language, for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' tongue, in the ears of the people that are on the walls." And Rabshakeh said unto them, "Hath my master sent me only to thy master and to thee, to speak these words? Or rather to the men that keep on the walls, that they shall eat their own dirt, and drink their own piss with you?" And so Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake saying, "Hear the saying of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus sayeth the king, 'Let not Hezekiah beguile you, for he is not able to deliver you out of mine hand: neither let Hezekiah make you trust to the LORD, saying: the LORD will surely rid us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assyria.' Hearken not unto Hezekiah, for thus sayeth the king of Assyria, 'Deal kindly with me, and come out to me. And then eat every man of his own vine, and of his own fig tree, and drink every man of the water of his own well, till I come and fetch you to as good a land as yours is: a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees, of oil and of honey. And ye shall live and not die. And hearken not unto Hezekiah for he will beguile you, saying: the LORD shall deliver us.' For have the Gods of the nations delivered any God his land, out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the Gods of Hamath and of Arpad? Where are the Gods of Sepharvaim, of Hena and Ivvah? Did they deliver Samaria out of mine hands? What God of any land hath delivered his land out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?" But the people held their peace and answered him not a word: for the king had commanded, saying, "Answer him not." Then Eliakim the steward of household, and Shebnah the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes rent and told him the words of Rabshakeh.


O that the LORD thy God would hear all the words of Rabshakeh whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to rail on the living God, and to rebuke him with words which the LORD thy God hath heard. Wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left."

"Thus say to Hezekiah king of Juda, 'Let not thy God carry thee out of the way, in whom thou so trustest, saying: Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

Whom hast thou railed on, and whom hast thou reviled? Against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and hast lift up thine eyes so high? Even against the holy one of Israel!


And then Rabshakeh said unto them, "Tell ye Hezekiah, I pray you, 'Thus sayeth the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this that thou hast?

for he sayeth, "Are not my princes all kings? Is not Calno as easy to win as Carchemish? Is it harder to conquer Hamath than Arpad? Or is it lighter to overcome Damascus than Samaria?" As who say, "I were able to win the kingdom of the Idolaters and their gods, but not Jerusalem and Samaria. read more.
Shall I not do unto Jerusalem and their Images, as I did unto Samaria and their Images?" Wherefore the LORD sayeth: As soon as I have performed my whole work upon the hill of Zion and Jerusalem, then will I also visit the noble and stout king of Assyria, with his wisdom and pride." For he standeth thus in his own conceit: "This do I, through the power of my own hand, and through my wisdom: For I am wise, I am he that removes the lands of the people, I rob their princes: and like one of the worthies I drive them from their high seats. My hand hath found out the Hosts of the people, as it were a nest. And like as eggs, that were laid here and there, are gathered together: So do I gather all countries. And there is no man, that dare be so bold as to touch a feather, that dare open his mouth, or once whisper." But doth the axe boost itself, against him that heweth therewith? Or doth the saw make any bragging, against him that ruleth it? That were even like as if the rod did exalt itself against him that beareth it: or as though the staff should magnify itself, as who say it were not wood.


By the hand of thy messengers thou hast railed on the Lord and said, 'With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, even along by the sides of Lebanon, and have cut off the high Cedar trees, and the lusty fir trees thereof, even to the wood of Carmel that belongeth thereto!


And as he was in his devotion kneeling in the house of Nisroch his God, Adrammelech and Sharezer smote him with the sword. And they escaped into the land of Ararat, and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.


And as he was in his devotion kneeling in the house of Nisroch his God, Adrammelech and Sharezer smote him with the sword. And they escaped into the land of Ararat, and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.


The fourteenth year of king Hezekiah came Sennacherib king of Assyria against all the strong cities of Judah and took them. Whereupon Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, "I have offended. But depart from me, and what thou puttest on me that I will bear." And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD and also in the treasure of the king's house. read more.
And the said season Hezekiah rent off the doors of the temple of the LORD and the pillars, which the said Hezekiah king of Judah covered over, and gave them to the king of Assyria. And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh, from Lachish, to king Hezekiah with a great Host to Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and went and stood by the conduit of the uppermost pool, which is in the way to the fuller's field, and called to the king. And there came out to them, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah steward of household, and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder. And then Rabshakeh said unto them, "Tell ye Hezekiah, I pray you, 'Thus sayeth the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this that thou hast? Thou wilt haply speak a light word, that thou hast counsel and power to make war. On whom then dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? Dost thou trust to the staff of this broken reed Egypt, on which if a man lean it will run into his hand and pierce it? For even so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. If ye say unto me, 'We trust in the LORD our God' - Is not that he whose hill altars and other altars too, Hezekiah hath put down, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, 'Bow yourselves before this altar here in Jerusalem'? And now join thyself to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able to set riders upon them: and, if thou be not, how then art thou able to resist one of the least dukes of my master's servants? Or trustest thou to Egypt for chariots and horsemen? Moreover, thinkest thou that I am come without the bidding of the LORD to this place to destroy it? Nay: the LORD said to me, 'Go up to this land, and destroy it.''" Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah and Shebnah and Joah, to Rabshakeh, "Speak, we pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrians' language, for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' tongue, in the ears of the people that are on the walls." And Rabshakeh said unto them, "Hath my master sent me only to thy master and to thee, to speak these words? Or rather to the men that keep on the walls, that they shall eat their own dirt, and drink their own piss with you?" And so Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake saying, "Hear the saying of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus sayeth the king, 'Let not Hezekiah beguile you, for he is not able to deliver you out of mine hand: neither let Hezekiah make you trust to the LORD, saying: the LORD will surely rid us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assyria.' Hearken not unto Hezekiah, for thus sayeth the king of Assyria, 'Deal kindly with me, and come out to me. And then eat every man of his own vine, and of his own fig tree, and drink every man of the water of his own well, till I come and fetch you to as good a land as yours is: a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees, of oil and of honey. And ye shall live and not die. And hearken not unto Hezekiah for he will beguile you, saying: the LORD shall deliver us.' For have the Gods of the nations delivered any God his land, out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the Gods of Hamath and of Arpad? Where are the Gods of Sepharvaim, of Hena and Ivvah? Did they deliver Samaria out of mine hands? What God of any land hath delivered his land out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?" But the people held their peace and answered him not a word: for the king had commanded, saying, "Answer him not." Then Eliakim the steward of household, and Shebnah the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes rent and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

And Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, that thou hast prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria: I have heard it. This is the thing that the LORD sayeth of him: He hath despised thee, O virgin daughter of Zion; he hath shaken his head at thee, thou daughter of Jerusalem. Whom hast thou railed on, and whom hast thou reviled? Against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and hast lift up thine eyes so high? Even against the holy one of Israel! read more.
By the hand of thy messengers thou hast railed on the Lord and said, 'With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, even along by the sides of Lebanon, and have cut off the high Cedar trees, and the lusty fir trees thereof, even to the wood of Carmel that belongeth thereto! I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the soles of my feet have I dried up the sea!' But hast thou not heard how I have ordained such a thing a great while ago, and have prepared it from the beginning? And now I bring it forth and it shall be to destroy and to bring strong cities into rude heaps of stones. And the inhabiters of them shall be of little power, and faint-hearted and confounded. They shall be like the grass of the field and green herbs, and as the hay on the tops of the houses which withereth afore it come to any height. I know where thou dwellest, and thy coming out and going in know I too; and how thou settest up thy bristles against me. And because thou settest up thy bristles against me, and that thy raging is come up to mine ears: therefore I will put a ring in thy nose and a bit in thy lips, and will bring thee back again the same way thou camest. And this shall be a sign unto thee: In this year, eat that which is fallen. In the second year, such as groweth of itself. In the third year, sow and reap and plant vineyards; and eat the fruit thereof. For the daughter of Judah that is escaped and left, shall yet again take rooting downward and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and a number that shall escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of Hosts shall bring this thing to pass. Wherefore thus sayeth the LORD, of the king of Assyria: He shall not come to this city, nor shoot arrow into it, nor come before with shield nor cast any bank against it - but shall go back again the way he came, and shall not come at this city, sayeth the LORD. For I will defend this city and save it, for mine own sake and for David my servant's sake." And the selfsame night the Angel of the LORD went out and smote, in the host of the Assyrians, a hundred and four score and five thousand. And when they were up early in the morning: behold, they were all dead corpses. And so Sennacherib king of Assyria avoided and departed and went again, and dwelt at Nineveh. And as he was in his devotion kneeling in the house of Nisroch his God, Adrammelech and Sharezer smote him with the sword. And they escaped into the land of Ararat, and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.


And the selfsame night the Angel of the LORD went out and smote, in the host of the Assyrians, a hundred and four score and five thousand. And when they were up early in the morning: behold, they were all dead corpses. And so Sennacherib king of Assyria avoided and departed and went again, and dwelt at Nineveh. And as he was in his devotion kneeling in the house of Nisroch his God, Adrammelech and Sharezer smote him with the sword. And they escaped into the land of Ararat, and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.


Moreover, have ye not heard what I and my fathers have done unto the people of all lands? Were the gods of the people of other lands able to save their lands out of my hand? Which of all the gods was it, of those nations that my fathers destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?


Moreover, have ye not heard what I and my fathers have done unto the people of all lands? Were the gods of the people of other lands able to save their lands out of my hand? Which of all the gods was it, of those nations that my fathers destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?


O that the LORD thy God would hear all the words of Rabshakeh whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to rail on the living God, and to rebuke him with words which the LORD thy God hath heard. Wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left."

And Rabshakeh went back again and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah: for he had heard how that he was departed from Lachish.

And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh, from Lachish, to king Hezekiah with a great Host to Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and went and stood by the conduit of the uppermost pool, which is in the way to the fuller's field, and called to the king. And there came out to them, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah steward of household, and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder. And then Rabshakeh said unto them, "Tell ye Hezekiah, I pray you, 'Thus sayeth the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this that thou hast? read more.
Thou wilt haply speak a light word, that thou hast counsel and power to make war. On whom then dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? Dost thou trust to the staff of this broken reed Egypt, on which if a man lean it will run into his hand and pierce it? For even so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. If ye say unto me, 'We trust in the LORD our God' - Is not that he whose hill altars and other altars too, Hezekiah hath put down, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, 'Bow yourselves before this altar here in Jerusalem'? And now join thyself to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able to set riders upon them: and, if thou be not, how then art thou able to resist one of the least dukes of my master's servants? Or trustest thou to Egypt for chariots and horsemen? Moreover, thinkest thou that I am come without the bidding of the LORD to this place to destroy it? Nay: the LORD said to me, 'Go up to this land, and destroy it.''" Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah and Shebnah and Joah, to Rabshakeh, "Speak, we pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrians' language, for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' tongue, in the ears of the people that are on the walls." And Rabshakeh said unto them, "Hath my master sent me only to thy master and to thee, to speak these words? Or rather to the men that keep on the walls, that they shall eat their own dirt, and drink their own piss with you?" And so Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake saying, "Hear the saying of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus sayeth the king, 'Let not Hezekiah beguile you, for he is not able to deliver you out of mine hand: neither let Hezekiah make you trust to the LORD, saying: the LORD will surely rid us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assyria.' Hearken not unto Hezekiah, for thus sayeth the king of Assyria, 'Deal kindly with me, and come out to me. And then eat every man of his own vine, and of his own fig tree, and drink every man of the water of his own well, till I come and fetch you to as good a land as yours is: a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees, of oil and of honey. And ye shall live and not die. And hearken not unto Hezekiah for he will beguile you, saying: the LORD shall deliver us.' For have the Gods of the nations delivered any God his land, out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the Gods of Hamath and of Arpad? Where are the Gods of Sepharvaim, of Hena and Ivvah? Did they deliver Samaria out of mine hands? What God of any land hath delivered his land out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?" But the people held their peace and answered him not a word: for the king had commanded, saying, "Answer him not."


After that Sennacherib king of Assyria sent of his servants to Jerusalem - he himself lying before Lachish, and all his kingdom with him - unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, "Thus sayeth Sennacherib king of Assyria: Wherein do ye trust, O ye that are besieged in Jerusalem? Hezekiah deceiveth you, to deliver you to death, hunger and thirst, saying, 'The LORD our God shall rid us out of the hand of the king of Assyria!' read more.
Is it not that Hezekiah that put down his hill altars and his other altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, 'Before one altar ye shall bow yourselves and upon that offer also?' Moreover, have ye not heard what I and my fathers have done unto the people of all lands? Were the gods of the people of other lands able to save their lands out of my hand? Which of all the gods was it, of those nations that my fathers destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand? Wherefore now let not Hezekiah deceive you, either persuade you of this fashion, nor yet believe him. For as no god among so many nations and kingdoms, was able to rid his people out of mine hand and the hands of my fathers: even so much less shall your God keep you out of mine hand!" And yet more did his servants speak against the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah. And thereto he wrote a letter to rail on the LORD God of Israel and spake therein, saying, "As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, no more shall the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand." And they cried with a loud voice in the Jewish language, unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the walls, to fear them and to dismay them, that they might have taken the city. And they spake against the God of Jerusalem; as against the gods of the nations of the earth, which are the work of the hands of men.


And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh, from Lachish, to king Hezekiah with a great Host to Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and went and stood by the conduit of the uppermost pool, which is in the way to the fuller's field, and called to the king. And there came out to them, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah steward of household, and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder. And then Rabshakeh said unto them, "Tell ye Hezekiah, I pray you, 'Thus sayeth the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this that thou hast? read more.
Thou wilt haply speak a light word, that thou hast counsel and power to make war. On whom then dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? Dost thou trust to the staff of this broken reed Egypt, on which if a man lean it will run into his hand and pierce it? For even so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. If ye say unto me, 'We trust in the LORD our God' - Is not that he whose hill altars and other altars too, Hezekiah hath put down, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, 'Bow yourselves before this altar here in Jerusalem'? And now join thyself to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able to set riders upon them: and, if thou be not, how then art thou able to resist one of the least dukes of my master's servants? Or trustest thou to Egypt for chariots and horsemen? Moreover, thinkest thou that I am come without the bidding of the LORD to this place to destroy it? Nay: the LORD said to me, 'Go up to this land, and destroy it.''" Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah and Shebnah and Joah, to Rabshakeh, "Speak, we pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrians' language, for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' tongue, in the ears of the people that are on the walls." And Rabshakeh said unto them, "Hath my master sent me only to thy master and to thee, to speak these words? Or rather to the men that keep on the walls, that they shall eat their own dirt, and drink their own piss with you?" And so Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake saying, "Hear the saying of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus sayeth the king, 'Let not Hezekiah beguile you, for he is not able to deliver you out of mine hand: neither let Hezekiah make you trust to the LORD, saying: the LORD will surely rid us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assyria.' Hearken not unto Hezekiah, for thus sayeth the king of Assyria, 'Deal kindly with me, and come out to me. And then eat every man of his own vine, and of his own fig tree, and drink every man of the water of his own well, till I come and fetch you to as good a land as yours is: a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees, of oil and of honey. And ye shall live and not die. And hearken not unto Hezekiah for he will beguile you, saying: the LORD shall deliver us.' For have the Gods of the nations delivered any God his land, out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the Gods of Hamath and of Arpad? Where are the Gods of Sepharvaim, of Hena and Ivvah? Did they deliver Samaria out of mine hands? What God of any land hath delivered his land out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?" But the people held their peace and answered him not a word: for the king had commanded, saying, "Answer him not." Then Eliakim the steward of household, and Shebnah the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes rent and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

And Rabshakeh went back again and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah: for he had heard how that he was departed from Lachish.

After these deeds and truth, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered into Judah, and pitched against the strong cities, and thought to draw them to him. And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, he took counsel with his captains and men of might, to stop the water of the fountains that were without the city - and they were content to help him. read more.
And so there gathered much people together and stopped all the wells, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land; intending that the kings of Assyria should not find much water when they came. And he went to lustily and built up the wall where it was broken, and made towers above upon, and yet another wall without, and repaired Millo the city of David, and made many darts and shields. And he set Captains of war over the people and gathered them together unto the large street of the gate of the city and spake gently to them, saying, "Pluck up your hearts and be strong: Be not afraid or in any wise discouraged for dread of the king of Assyria, and of the great multitude that is with him: for there is one greater with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh: But with us is the LORD our God for to help us and to fight our battles!" And the people were well couraged with the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. After that Sennacherib king of Assyria sent of his servants to Jerusalem - he himself lying before Lachish, and all his kingdom with him - unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, "Thus sayeth Sennacherib king of Assyria: Wherein do ye trust, O ye that are besieged in Jerusalem? Hezekiah deceiveth you, to deliver you to death, hunger and thirst, saying, 'The LORD our God shall rid us out of the hand of the king of Assyria!' Is it not that Hezekiah that put down his hill altars and his other altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, 'Before one altar ye shall bow yourselves and upon that offer also?' Moreover, have ye not heard what I and my fathers have done unto the people of all lands? Were the gods of the people of other lands able to save their lands out of my hand? Which of all the gods was it, of those nations that my fathers destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand? Wherefore now let not Hezekiah deceive you, either persuade you of this fashion, nor yet believe him. For as no god among so many nations and kingdoms, was able to rid his people out of mine hand and the hands of my fathers: even so much less shall your God keep you out of mine hand!" And yet more did his servants speak against the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah. And thereto he wrote a letter to rail on the LORD God of Israel and spake therein, saying, "As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, no more shall the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand." And they cried with a loud voice in the Jewish language, unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the walls, to fear them and to dismay them, that they might have taken the city. And they spake against the God of Jerusalem; as against the gods of the nations of the earth, which are the work of the hands of men. But Hezekiah the king and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed concerning the thing and cried up to heaven. And the LORD sent an angel and destroyed all the men of war and the lords and captains of the host of the king of Assyria, that he turned his face, with shame, towards his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, he was there overthrown with the sword - even by them that issued out of his bowels. And so the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabiters at Jerusalem out of the hands of Sennacherib king of Assyria and of all others, and maintained them on all sides - Insomuch that many brought presents unto the LORD to Jerusalem and precious gifts to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.


And the selfsame night the Angel of the LORD went out and smote, in the host of the Assyrians, a hundred and four score and five thousand. And when they were up early in the morning: behold, they were all dead corpses. And so Sennacherib king of Assyria avoided and departed and went again, and dwelt at Nineveh. And as he was in his devotion kneeling in the house of Nisroch his God, Adrammelech and Sharezer smote him with the sword. And they escaped into the land of Ararat, and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.

Thus the angel went forth, and slew of the Assyrians host, a hundred and eighty five thousand. And when men arose up early, at Jerusalem: Behold, all lay full of dead bodies. So Sennacherib the king of the Assyrians brake up, and dwelt at Nineveh. Afterward it chanced, as he prayed in the temple of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer, his own sons, slew him with the sword, and fled into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son reigned after him.


With him is an arm of flesh: But with us is the LORD our God for to help us and to fight our battles!" And the people were well couraged with the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.


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