them, and delivered them into slay them, because they know the hand of spoilers, until he not the manner of the God of had cast them out of his sight. the land,

21 For he rent Israel from the 27 Then the king of Assyria house of David; and they made commanded, saying, Carry thiJeroboam the son of Nebat ther one of the priests whom ye. . king : and Jeroboam drave Is- brought from thence; and let rael from following the Lord, them go and dwell there, and and made them sin a great sin ; let him teach them the manner

22 For the children of Israel of the God of the land. walked in all the sins of Jerobo- 28 Then one of the priests am which he did; they de- whom they had carried away parted not from them ;

from Samaria came and dwelt 23 Until the Lord removed in Beth-el, and taught them Israel out of his sight, as he had how they should fear the LORD. said by all his servants the pro- 29 Howbeit, every nation phets. So was Israel carried made gods of their own, and away out of their own land to put them in the houses of the Assyria unto this day.

high places which the Samari24 And the king of Assyria tans had made, every nation brought men from Babylon, and in their cities wherein they from Cuthah, and from Ava, dwelt. and from Hamath, and from 30 And the men of Babylon Sepharvaim, and placed them in made Succoth-benoth, and the the cities of Samaria instead of men of Cuth made Nergal, and the children of Israel i and they the men of Hamath made Ashipossessed Samaria, and dweltma, in the cities thereof.

31 And the Avites made Nib. 25 And so it was at the begin- || haz and Tartak, and the Sening of their dwelling there, pharvites burnt their children that they feared not the LORD ; | in the fire to Adrammelech and therefore the LORD sent lions | Anammelech, the gods of Seamong them, which slew some pharvaim. of them.

32 So they feared the LORD, 26 Wherefore they spake to and made unto themselves of the king of Assyria, saying, the lowest of them priests of the The nations which thou hast re- || high places, which sacrificed for moved, and placed in the cities | them in the houses of the high of Samaria, know not the man- places. ner of the God of the land : 33 They feared the LORD, therefore he hath sent lions and served their own gods, afamong them, and, behold, they ter the manner of the nations

whom they carried away from | images, both their children, and thence.

their children's children: as 34 Unto this day they do af- did their fathers, so do they ter the former manners : they unto this day. fear not the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after

CHAP. XVIII. their ordinances, or after the

RAB-SHAKEH'S BLASPHEMY. law and commandment which the LORD commanded the chil- NOW it came to pass in the dren of Jacob, whom he named third year of Hoshea son of Elah Israel;

king of Israel, that Hezekiah 35 With whom the Lord had the son of Ahazi king of Judah made a covenant, and charged began to reign. them, saying, Ye shall not fear 2 Twenty and five years old other gods, nor bow yourselves was he when he began to reign; to them, nor serve them, nor and he reigned twenty and nine sacrifice to them :

years) in Jerusalem. His mo36 But the LORD, who brought ther's name also was Abi, the you up out of the land of Egypt daughter of Zachariah. with great power and a stretch- 3 And he did that which was ed-out arm, him shall ye fear, right in the sight of the LORD. and him shall ye worship, and according to all that David his to him shall ye do sacrifice. father did.

37 And the statutes, and the 4. He removed the high plaordinances, and the law, and the || ces, and brake the images, and commandment which he wrote cut down the groves, and brake for you, ye shall observe to do in pieces the brazen serpent that for evermore ;

and
ye
shall not

Moses had made for unto fear other gods.

those days the children of Isra38 And the covenant that I el did burn incense to it: and have made with you ye shall he called it Nehushtan. nor forget; neither shall

ye

fear 5 He trusted in the LORD God other gods.

of Israel; so that after him was 39 But the LORD your God none like him among all the ye shall fear; and he shall deli- kings of Judah, nor any that ver you out of the hand of all were before him.

him ; and he prospered whi- which thou puttest on me I will thersoever he went forth : and bear. And the king of Ashe rebelled against the king of syria appointed unto Hezekiah Assyria, and served him not. king of Judah I three hundred

8 He smote the Philistines, talents of silver, and thirty taeven unto Gaza, and the borders lents of gold. I thereof from the tower of the 15 And Hezekiah gave him watchmen to the fenced city. all the silver that was found in

9 And it came to pass in the the house of the LORD, and in fourth year of king Hezekiah, the treasures of the king's which was the seventh year of house. Hoshea son of Elah king of Is- 16 At that time did Hezekiah rael, that Shalmaneser king of cut off the gold from the doors Assyria came up against Sama- of the temple of the LORD, and ria, and besieged it.

from the pillars which Hezeki. 10 And at the end of three | ah king of Judah had overlaid, years they took it: even in the and gave it to the king of Assixth year of Hezekiah, that is syria. the ninth year of Hoshea king 17 And the king of Assyria of Israel, Samaria was taken. sent Tartan, and Rabsaris, and

11 And the king of Assyria Rab-shakeh, from Lachish to did carry away Israel unto Asking Hezekiah, with a great host syria, and put them in Halah, against Jerusalem. And they and in Habor by the river of went up and came to Jerusalem. Gozan, and in the cities of the And when they were come up, Medes :

they came and stood by the con12 Because they obeyed not || duit of the upper pool, which is in the voice of the LORD their the highway of the fuller's field. God, but transgressed his co- 18 And when they had called venant, and all that Moses the to the king, there came out to servant of the LORD command-them Eliakim the son of Hiled, and would not hear them, kiah, which was over the housenor do them.

hold, and Shebna the scribe, 13 Now in the fourteenth year and Joah the son of Asaph the of king Hezekiah did Senna- recorder. cherib king of Assyria come up

19 And Rab-shakeh said unto against all the fenced cities of them, Speak ye now to Hezeki. Judah, and took them.

ah, Thus saith the great king, 14 And Hezekiah king of Ju- the king of Assyria, What condah sent to the king of Assyria | fidence is this wherein thou to Lachish, saying, I have of trustest? fended; return from me : that 20 Thou sayest, (but they are

Dd

VOL. II.

but vain words,) I have coun- with us in the Jews' language sel and strength for the war. | in the ears of the people that Now on whom dost thou trust,

are on the wall. that thou rebellest against me ? 27 But Rab-shakeh said unto

21 Now, behold, thou trustest them, Hath my master sent me upon the staff of this bruised to thy master, and to thee, to reed, even

upon Egypt, on speak these words ? hath he not which if a man lean, it will go sent me to the men which sit on into his hand, and pierce it : so the wall, that they may eat their is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto own dung, and drink their own all that trust on him.

piss with you? 22 But if ye say unto me, '28 Then Rab-shakeh stood, We trust in the LORD our and cried with a loud voice in God: is not that he, whose the Jews' language, and spake, high places and whose altars saying, Hear the word of the Hezekiah hath taken away ; and great king, the king of Assyria : hath said to Judah and Jerusa- 29 Thus saith the king, Let lem, Ye shall worship before not Hezekiah deceive you : for this altar in Jerusalem ?

he shall not be able to deliver 23 Now therefore I pray thee, you out of his hand : give pledges to my lord the king 30 Neither let Hezekiah make of Assyria, and I will deliver you trust in the Lord, saying, thee two thousand horses, if The LORD will surely deliver thou be able on thy part to set us, and this city shall not be deriders upon them.

livered into the hand of the king 24 How then wilt thou turn of Assyria. away the face of one captain of 31 Hearken not unto Hezeki. the least of my master's ser- | ah : for thus saith the king of vants, and put thy trust on || Assyria, Make an agreement Egypt for chariots and for horse- | with me by a present, and come men ?

out to me, and then eat ye eve25 Am I now come up with- ry man of his own vine, and out the Lord against this place every one of his fig-tree, and to destroy it? The LORD said to drink ye every one the waters me, Go up against this land, of his cistern: and destroy it.

32 Until I come and take you 26 Then said Eliakim the son away to a land like your own of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and land, a land of corn and wine, a Joah, unto Rab-shakeh, Speak, land of bread and vineyards, a I pray thee, to thy servants in land of oil-olive and of honey, the Syrian language ; for we that ye may live and not die : understand it ; and talk not and hearken not unto Hezeki.

ah, when he persuadeth you, say- ders of the priests, covered with ing, The LORD will deliver us. sackloth, to Isaiah the prophet,

33 Hath any of the gods of the the son of Amoz. nations delivered at all his land 3 And they said unto him, out of the hand of the king of | Thus saith Hezekiah, This day Assyria ?

is a day of trouble, and of re34 Where are the gods of Ha- || buke, and blasphemy: for the math, and of Arpad ? where are children are come to the birth, the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and there is not strength to and Ivah? have they delivered bring forth. Samaria out of mine hand? 4 It may be the LORD thy God

35 Who are they among all the will hear all the words of Rabgods of the countries, that have shakeh whom the king of Assydelivered their country out of ria his master hath sent to remine hand, that the Lord proach the living God; and will should deliver Jerusalem out of reprove the words which the mine hand?

LORD thy God hath heard : 36 But the people held their wherefore lift up thy prayer for peace, and answered him not a the remnant that are left. word: for the king's command- 5 So the servants of king Hement was, saying, Answer him zekiah came to Isaiah, not.

6 And Isaiah said unto them, 37 Then came Eliakim the son Thus shall ye say to your masof Hilkiah, which was over the ter, Thus saith the LORD, Be household, and Shebna the not afraid of the words which scribe, and Joah the son of thou hast heard, with which the Asaph the recorder, to Hezeki. servants of the king of Assyria ah with their clothes rent, and have blasphemed me. told him the words of Rab-sha- 7 Behold, I will send a blast keh.

upon him, and he shall hear a

rumour, and shall return to his CHAP. XIX.

own land; and I will cause him

to fall by the sword in his own HEZEKIAH'S PRAYER.

land. AND it came to pass, when 8 So Rab-shakeh returned, and king Hezekiah heard it, that he found the king of Assyria warrent his clothes, and covered | ring against Libnah: for he had himself with sackcloth, and heard that he was departed from went into the house of the LORD. Lachish.

2 And he sent Eliakim, which 9 And when he heard say of was over the household, and Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, BeShebna the scribe, and the el. hold, he is come out to fight

a