The Second Book Melakhim, starting at chapter 16
{16:1} In the seventeenth year of Pekach the son of Remalyahu Achaz
the son of Yotam king of Yehudah began to reign. {16:2} Twenty years
old was Achaz when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in
Yerushalayim: and he didn't do that which was right in the eyes of the
LORD his God, like David his father. {16:3} But he walked in the way
of the kings of Yisra'el, yes, and made his son to pass through the
fire, according to the abominations of the nations, whom the LORD cast
out from before the children of Yisra'el. {16:4} He sacrificed and
burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every
green tree. {16:5} Then Retzin king of Aram and Pekach son of
Remalyahu king of Yisra'el came up to Yerushalayim to war: and they
besieged Achaz, but could not overcome him. {16:6} At that time Retzin
king of Aram recovered Elat to Aram, and drove the Yehudim from Elat;
and the Aram came to Elat, and lived there, to this day. {16:7} So
Achaz sent messengers to Tiglat-Pil'eser king of Ashshur, saying, I am
your servant and your son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the
king of Aram, and out of the hand of the king of Yisra'el, who rise up
against me. {16:8} Achaz took the silver and gold that was found in
the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and
sent it for a present to the king of Ashshur. {16:9} The king of
Ashshur listened to him; and the king of Ashshur went up against
Dammesek, and took it, and carried [the people of] it captive to Kir,
and killed Retzin. {16:10} King Achaz went to Dammesek to meet
Tiglat-Pil'eser king of Ashshur, and saw the altar that was at
Dammesek; and king Achaz sent to Uriyahu the [1>]Kohen[<1] the fashion
of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship
of it. {16:11} Uriyahu the [2>]Kohen[<2] built an altar: according to
all that king Achaz had sent from Dammesek, so did Uriyahu the
[3>]Kohen[<3] make it against the coming of king Achaz from Dammesek.
{16:12} When the king was come from Dammesek, the king saw the altar:
and the king drew near to the altar, and offered thereon. {16:13} He
burnt his burnt offering and his meal-offering, and poured his
drink-offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace-offerings, on the
altar. {16:14} The brazen altar, which was before the LORD, he brought
from the forefront of the house, from between his altar and the house
of the LORD, and put it on the north side of his altar. {16:15} King
Achaz commanded Uriyahu the [4>]Kohen[<4], saying, On the great altar
burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meal-offering, and
the king's burnt offering, and his meal-offering, with the burnt
offering of all the people of the land, and their meal-offering, and
their drink-offerings; and sprinkle on it all the blood of the burnt
offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: but the brazen altar
shall be for me to inquire by. {16:16} Thus did Uriyahu the
[5>]Kohen[<5], according to all that king Achaz commanded. {16:17}
King Achaz cut off the panels of the bases, and removed the basin from
off them, and took down the sea from off the brazen oxen that were
under it, and put it on a pavement of stone. {16:18} The covered way
for the Shabbat that they had built in the house, and the king's entry
outside, turned he to the house of the LORD, because of the king of
Ashshur. {16:19} Now the rest of the acts of Achaz which he did,
aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Yehudah? {16:20} Achaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his
fathers in the city of David: and Hizkiyahu his son reigned in his
place.
{17:1} In the twelfth year of Achaz king of Yehudah began Hoshea the
son of Elah to reign in Shomron over Yisra'el, [and reigned] nine
years. {17:2} He did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, yet
not as the kings of Yisra'el who were before him. {17:3} Against him
came up Shalman'eser king of Ashshur; and Hoshea became his servant,
and brought him tribute. {17:4} The king of Ashshur found conspiracy
in Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So king of Mitzrayim, and
offered no tribute to the king of Ashshur, as he had done year by
year: therefore the king of Ashshur shut him up, and bound him in
prison. {17:5} Then the king of Ashshur came up throughout all the
land, and went up to Shomron, and besieged it three years. {17:6} In
the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Ashshur took Shomron, and carried
Yisra'el away to Ashshur, and placed them in Halach, and on the Havor,
the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Madai. {17:7} It was so,
because the children of Yisra'el had sinned against the LORD their
God, who brought them up out of the land of Mitzrayim from under the
hand of Par`oh king of Mitzrayim, and had feared other gods, {17:8}
and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom the LORD cast out from
before the children of Yisra'el, and of the kings of Yisra'el, which
they made. {17:9} The children of Yisra'el did secretly things that
were not right against the LORD their God: and they built them high
places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the
fortified city; {17:10} and they set them up pillars and Asherim on
every high hill, and under every green tree; {17:11} and there they
burnt incense in all the high places, as did the nations whom the LORD
carried away before them; and they worked wicked things to provoke the
LORD to anger; {17:12} and they served idols, whereof the LORD had
said to them, You shall not do this thing. {17:13} Yet the LORD
testified to Yisra'el, and to Yehudah, by every prophet, and every
seer, saying, Turn you from your evil ways, and keep my
[1>]mitzvot[<1] and my statutes, according to all the law which I
commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the
prophets. {17:14} Notwithstanding, they would not hear, but hardened
their neck, like the neck of their fathers, who didn't believe in the
LORD their God. {17:15} They rejected his statutes, and his covenant
that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he
testified to them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and
[went] after the nations that were round about them, concerning whom
the LORD had charged those who they should not do like them. {17:16}
They forsook all the [2>]mitzvot[<2] of the LORD their God, and made
them molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and
worshiped all the host of the sky, and served Ba`al. {17:17} They
caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and
used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do that which
was evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. {17:18}
Therefore the LORD was very angry with Yisra'el, and removed them out
of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Yehudah only.
{17:19} Also Yehudah didn't keep the [3>]mitzvot[<3] of the LORD their
God, but walked in the statutes of Yisra'el which they made. {17:20}
The LORD rejected all the seed of Yisra'el, and afflicted them, and
delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out
of his sight. {17:21} For he tore Yisra'el from the house of David;
and they made Yarov`am the son of Nevat king: and Yarov`am drove
Yisra'el from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin.
{17:22} The children of Yisra'el walked in all the sins of Yarov`am
which he did; they didn't depart from them; {17:23} until the LORD
removed Yisra'el out of his sight, as he spoke by all his servants the
prophets. So Yisra'el was carried away out of their own land to
Ashshur to this day. {17:24} The king of Ashshur brought men from
Bavel, and from Kutah, and from Avva, and from Hamat and Sefarvayim,
and placed them in the cities of Shomron instead of the children of
Yisra'el; and they possessed Shomron, and lived in the cities of it.
{17:25} So it was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they
didn't fear the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which
killed some of them. {17:26} Therefore they spoke to the king of
Ashshur, saying, The nations which you have carried away, and placed
in the cities of Shomron, don't know the law of the god of the land:
therefore he has sent lions among them, and, behold, they kill them,
because they don't know the law of the god of the land. {17:27} Then
the king of Ashshur commanded, saying, Carry there one of the
[4>]Kohanim[<4] whom you brought from there; and let them go and dwell
there, and let him teach them the law of the god of the land. {17:28}
So one of the [5>]Kohanim[<5] whom they had carried away from Shomron
came and lived in Beit-El, and taught them how they should fear the
LORD. {17:29} However every nation made gods of their own, and put
them in the houses of the high places which the Shomroni had made,
every nation in their cities in which they lived. {17:30} The men of
Bavel made Sukkot-Benot, and the men of Kut made Nergal, and the men
of Hamat made Ashima, {17:31} and the `Avvim made Niv'chaz and Tartak;
and the Sefarvayim burnt their children in the fire to Adrammelekh and
`Anammelekh, the gods of Sefarvayim. {17:32} So they feared the LORD,
and made to them from among themselves [6>]Kohanim[<6] of the high
places, who sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.
{17:33} They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the
manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.
{17:34} To this day they do after the former manner: they don't fear
the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after their
ordinances, or after the law or after the [7>]mitzvah[<7] which the
LORD commanded the children of Ya`akov, whom he named Yisra'el;
{17:35} with whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them,
saying, You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor
serve them, nor sacrifice to them: {17:36} but the LORD, who brought
you up out of the land of Mitzrayim with great power and with an
outstretched arm, him shall you fear, and to him shall you bow
yourselves, and to him shall you sacrifice: {17:37} and the statutes
and the ordinances, and the law and the [8>]mitzvah[<8], which he
wrote for you, you shall observe to do forevermore; and you shall not
fear other gods: {17:38} and the covenant that I have made with you
you shall not forget; neither shall you fear other gods: {17:39} but
the LORD your God shall you fear; and he will deliver you out of the
hand of all your enemies. {17:40} However they did not listen, but
they did after their former manner. {17:41} So these nations feared
the LORD, and served their engraved images; their children likewise,
and their children's children, as did their fathers, so do they to
this day.
{18:1} Now it happened in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king
of Yisra'el, that Hizkiyahu the son of Achaz king of Yehudah began to
reign. {18:2} He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and
he reigned twenty-nine years in Yerushalayim: and his mother's name
was Avi the daughter of Zekharyah. {18:3} He did that which was right
in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that David his father had
done. {18:4} He removed the high places, and broke the pillars, and
cut down the Asherah: and he broke in pieces the brazen serpent that
Moshe had made; for to those days the children of Yisra'el did burn
incense to it; and he called it Nechushtan. {18:5} He trusted in the
LORD, the God of Yisra'el; so that after him was none like him among
all the kings of Yehudah, nor [among them] that were before him.
{18:6} For he joined with the LORD; he didn't depart from following
him, but kept his [1>]mitzvot[<1], which the LORD commanded Moshe.
{18:7} The LORD was with him; wherever he went forth he prospered: and
he rebelled against the king of Ashshur, and didn't serve him. {18:8}
He struck the Pelishtim to `Aza and the borders of it, from the tower
of the watchmen to the fortified city. {18:9} It happened in the
fourth year of king Hizkiyahu, which was the seventh year of Hoshea
son of Elah king of Yisra'el, that Shalman'eser king of Ashshur came
up against Shomron, and besieged it. {18:10} At the end of three years
they took it: in the sixth year of Hizkiyahu, which was the ninth year
of Hoshea king of Yisra'el, Shomron was taken. {18:11} The king of
Ashshur carried Yisra'el away to Ashshur, and put them in Halach, and
on the Havor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Madai,
{18:12} because they didn't obey the voice of the LORD their God, but
transgressed his covenant, even all that Moshe the servant of the LORD
commanded, and would not hear it, nor do it. {18:13} Now in the
fourteenth year of king Hizkiyahu did Sancheriv king of Ashshur come
up against all the fortified cities of Yehudah, and took them. {18:14}
Hizkiyahu king of Yehudah sent to the king of Ashshur to Lakhish,
saying, I have offended; return from me: that which you put on me will
I bear. The king of Ashshur appointed to Hizkiyahu king of Yehudah
three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. {18:15}
Hizkiyahu gave [him] all the silver that was found in the house of the
LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house. {18:16} At that time
did Hizkiyahu cut off [the gold from] the doors of the temple of the
LORD, and [from] the pillars which Hizkiyahu king of Yehudah had
overlaid, and gave it to the king of Ashshur. {18:17} The king of
Ashshur sent Tartan and Rav-Saris and Ravshakeh from Lakhish to king
Hizkiyahu with a great army to Yerushalayim. They went up and came to
Yerushalayim. When they were come up, they came and stood by the
conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's
field. {18:18} When they had called to the king, there came out to
them Elyakim the son of Hilkiyah, who was over the household, and
Shebnah the [2>]Sofer[<2], and Yo'ach the son of Asaf the recorder.
{18:19} Ravshakeh said to them, Say you now to Hizkiyahu, Thus says
the great king, the king of Ashshur, What confidence is this in which
you trust? {18:20} You say (but they are but vain words), [There is]
counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom do you trust, that you
have rebelled against me? {18:21} Now, behold, you trust on the staff
of this bruised reed, even on Mitzrayim; whereon if a man lean, it
will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Par`oh king of Mitzrayim
to all who trust on him. {18:22} But if you tell me, We trust in the
LORD our God; isn't that he whose high places and whose altars
Hizkiyahu has taken away, and has said to Yehudah and to Yerushalayim,
You shall worship before this altar in Yerushalayim? {18:23} Now
therefore, Please give pledges to my master the king of Ashshur, and I
will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set
riders on them. {18:24} How then can you turn away the face of one
captain of the least of my master's servants, and put your trust on
Mitzrayim for chariots and for horsemen? {18:25} 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. {18:26} Then said Elyakim
the son of Hilkiyah, and Shebnah, and Yo'ach, to Ravshakeh, Please
speak to your servants in the Arammian language; for we understand it:
and don't speak with us in the Yehudim' language, in the ears of the
people who are on the wall. {18:27} But Ravshakeh said to them, Has my
master sent me to your master, and to you, to speak these words?
Hasn't he sent me to the men who sit on the wall, to eat their own
dung, and to drink their own water with you? {18:28} Then Ravshakeh
stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Yehudim' language, and
spoke, saying, Hear you the word of the great king, the king of
Ashshur. {18:29} Thus says the king, Don't let Hizkiyahu deceive you;
for he will not be able to deliver you out of his hand: {18:30}
neither let Hizkiyahu make you trust in the LORD, saying, the LORD
will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into the hand
of the king of Ashshur. {18:31} Don't listen to Hizkiyahu: for thus
says the king of Ashshur, Make your shalom with me, and come out to
me; and eat you everyone of his vine, and everyone of his fig tree,
and everyone drink the waters of his own cistern; {18:32} Until I come
and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and
new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and of
honey, that you may live, and not die: and don't listen to Hizkiyahu,
when he persuades you, saying, the LORD will deliver us. {18:33} Has
any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land out of the hand
of the king of Ashshur? {18:34} Where are the gods of Hamat, and of
Arpad? where are the gods of Sefarvayim, of Hena, and `Ivvah? have
they delivered Shomron out of my hand? {18:35} Who are they among all
the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of my
hand, that the LORD should deliver Yerushalayim out of my hand?
{18:36} But the people held their shalom, and answered him not a word;
for the king's [3>]mitzvah[<3] was, saying, Don't answer him. {18:37}
Then came Elyakim the son of Hilkiyah, who was over the household, and
Shevna the [4>]Sofer[<4], and Yo'ach the son of Asaf the recorder, to
Hizkiyahu with their clothes torn, and told him the words of Ravshakeh.
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Footnotes:
[1] {16:10} priest
[2] {16:11} priest
[3] {16:11} priest
[4] {16:15} priest
[5] {16:16} priest
[1] {17:13} commandments
[2] {17:16} commandments
[3] {17:19} commandments
[4] {17:27} priests
[5] {17:28} priests
[6] {17:32} priests
[7] {17:34} commandment
[8] {17:37} commandment
[1] {18:6} commandments
[2] {18:18} scribe
[3] {18:36} commandment
[4] {18:37} scribe
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