Delphi Septuagint, page 81
[1] In the seventeenth year of Phakee son of Romelias began Achaz the son of Joatham king of Juda to reign. [2] Twenty years old was Achaz when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not that which was right in the eyes of the Lord his God faithfully, as David his father had done. [3] And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, he made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel. [4] And he sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places, and upon the hills, and under every shady tree.
[5] Then went up Raasson king of Syria and Phakee son of Romelias king of Israel against Jerusalem to war, and besieged Achaz, but could not prevail against him. [6] At that time Raasson king of Syria recovered Ælath to Syria, and drove out the Jews from Ælath, and the Idumeans came to Ælath, and dwelt there until this day. [7] And Achaz sent messengers to Thalgath-phellasar king of the Assyrians, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, deliver me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me. [8] And Achaz took the silver and the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king’s house, and sent gifts to the king. [9] And the king of the Assyrians hearkened to him: and the king of the Assyrians went up to Damascus and took it, and removed the inhabitants, and slew king Raasson.
[10] And king Achaz went to Damascus to meet Thalgath-phellasar king of the Assyrians at Damascus; and he saw an altar at Damascus. And king Achaz sent to Urias the priest the pattern of the altar, and its proportions, and all its workmanship. [11] And Urias the priest built the altar, according to all the directions which king Achaz sent from Damascus.
[12] And the king saw the altar, and went up to it, [13] and offered his whole-burnt-offering, and his meat-offering, and his drink-offering, and poured out the blood of his peace-offerings on the brazen altar that was before the Lord. [14] And he brought forward the one before the house of the Lord from between the altar and the house of the Lord, and he set it openly by the side of the altar northwards. [15] And king Achaz charged Urias the priest, saying, Offer upon the great altar the whole-burnt-offering in the morning and the meat-offering in the evening, and the whole-burnt-offering of the king, and his meat-offering, and the whole-burnt-offering of all the people, and their meat-offering, and their drink-offering; and thou shalt pour all the blood of the whole-burnt-offering, and all the blood of any other sacrifice upon it: and the brazen altar shall be for me in the morning. [16] And Urias the priest did according to all that king Achaz commanded him. [17] And king Achaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them, and took down the sea from the brazen oxen that were under it, and set it upon a base of stone. [18] And he made a base for the throne in the house of the Lord, and he turned the king’s entrance without in the house of the Lord because of the king of the Assyrians.
[19] And the rest of the acts of Achaz, even all that he did, are not these written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Juda? [20] And Achaz slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Ezekias his son reigned in his stead.
Chapter 17
[1] In the twelfth year of Achaz king of Juda began Osee the son of Ela to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years. [2] And he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, only not as the kings of Israel that were before him.
[3] Against him came up Salamanassar king of the Assyrians; and Osee became his servant, and rendered him tribute. [4] And the king of the Assyrians found iniquity in Osee, in that he sent messengers to Segor king of Egypt, and brought not a tribute to the king of the Assyrians in that year: and the king of the Assyrians besieged him, and bound him in the prison-house. [5] And the king of the Assyrians went up against all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it for three years.
[6] In the ninth year of Osee the king of the Assyrians took Samaria, and carried Israel away to the Assyrians, and settled them in Alae, and in Abor, near the rivers of Gozan, and in the mountains of the Medes. [7] For it came to pass that the children of Israel had transgressed against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharao king of Egypt, and they feared other gods, [8] and walked in the statutes of the nations which the Lord cast out before the face of the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel as many as did such things, [9] and in those of the children of Israel as many as secretly practised customs, not as they should have done, against the Lord their God: [10] and they built for themselves high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city. And they made for themselves pillars and groves on every high hill, and under every shady tree. [11] And burned incense there on all high places, as the nations did whom the Lord removed from before them, and dealt with familiar spirits, and they carved images to provoke the Lord to anger. [12] And they served the idols, of which the Lord said to them, Ye shall not do this thing against the Lord.
[13] And the Lord testified against Israel and against Juda, even by the hand of all his prophets, and of every seer, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my ordinances, and all the law which I commanded your fathers, and all that I sent to them by the hand of my servants the prophets. [14] But they hearkened not, and made their neck harder than the neck of their fathers. [15] And they kept not any of his testimonies which he charged them; and they walked after vanities, and became vain, and after the nations round about them, concerning which the Lord had charged them not to do accordingly. [16] They forsook the commandments of the Lord their God, and made themselves graven images, even two heifers, and they made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. [17] And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divinations and auspices, and sold themselves to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him.
[18] And the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight; and there was only left the tribe of Juda quite alone. [19] Nay even Juda kept not the commandments of the Lord their God, but they walked according to the customs of Israel which they practised, and rejected the Lord.
[20] And the Lord was angry with the whole seed of Israel, and troubled them, and gave them into the hand of them that spoiled them, until he cast them out of his presence. [21] Forasmuch as Israel revolted from the house of David, and they made Jeroboam the son of Nabat king: and Jeroboam drew off Israel from following the Lord, and led them to sin a great sin. [22] And the children of Israel walked in all the sin of Jeroboam which he committed; they departed not from it, [23] until the Lord removed Israel from his presence, as the Lord spoke by all his servants the prophets; and Israel was removed from off their land to the Assyrians until this day.
[24] And the king of Assyria brought from Babylon the men of Chutha, and men from Aia, and from Æmath, and Seppharvaim, and they were settled in the cities of Samaria in the place of the children of Israel: and they inherited Samaria, and were settled in its cities. [25] And it was so at the beginning of their establishment there that they feared not the Lord, and the Lord sent lions among them, and they slew some of them. [26] And they spoke to the king of the Assyrians, saying, The nations whom thou hast removed and substituted in the cities of Samaria for the Israelites, know not the manner of the God of the land: and he has sent the lions against them, and, behold, they are slaying them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land. [27] And the king of the Assyrians commanded, saying, Bring some Israelites thence, and let them go and dwell there, and they shall teach them the manner of the God of the land. [28] And they brought one of the priests whom they had removed from Samaria, and he settled in Baethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.
[29] But the nations made each their own gods, and put them in the house of the high places which the Samaritans had made, each nation in the cities in which they dwelt. [30] And the men of Babylon made Socchoth Benith, and the men of Chuth made Ergel, and the men of Haemath made Asimath. [31] And the Evites made Eblazer and Tharthac, and the inhabitant of Seppharvaim did evil when they burnt their sons in the fire to Adramelech and Anemelech, the gods of Seppharvaim. [32] And they feared the Lord, yet they established their abominations in the houses of the high places which they made in Samaria, each nation in the city in which they dwelt: and they feared the Lord, and they made for themselves priests of the high places, and sacrificed for themselves in the house of the high places. [33] And they feared the Lord, and served their gods according to the manner of the nations, whence their lords brought them.
[34] Until this day they did according to their manner: they fear the Lord, and they do according to their customs, and according to their manner, and according to the law, and according to the commandment which the Lord commanded the sons of Jacob, whose name he made Israel. [35] And the Lord made a covenant with them, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, neither shall ye worship them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them: [36] but only to the Lord, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great strength and with a high arm: him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship; to him shall ye sacrifice. [37] Ye shall observe continually the ordinances, and the judgments, and the law, and the commandments which he wrote for you to do; and ye shall not fear other gods. [38] Neither shall ye forget the covenant which he made with you: and ye shall not fear other gods. [39] But ye shall fear the Lord your God, and he shall deliver you from all your enemies.
[40] Neither shall ye comply with their practice, which they follow. [41] So these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images: yea, their sons and their son’s sons do until this day even as their fathers did.
Chapter 18
[1] And it came to pass in the third year of Osee son of Ela king of Israel that Ezekias son of Achaz king of Juda began to reign. [2] Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Abu, daughter of Zacharias. [3] And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David did. [4] He removed the high places, and broke in pieces the pillars, and utterly destroyed the groves, and the brazen serpent which Moses made: because until those days the children of Israel burnt incense to it: and he called it Neesthan. [5] He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; and after him there was not any like him among the kings of Juda, nor among those that were before him. [6] And he clave to the Lord, he departed not from following him; and he kept his commandments, as many as he commanded Moses.
[7] And the Lord was with him; and he was wise in all that he undertook: and he revolted from the king of the Assyrians, and served him not. [8] He smote the Philistines even to Gaza, and to the border of it, from the tower of the watchmen even to the strong city.
[9] And it came to pass in the fourth year of King Ezekias (this is the seventh year of Osee son of Ela king of Israel,)that Salamanassar king of the Assyrians came up against Samaria, and besieged it. [10] And he took it at the end of three years, in the sixth year of Ezekias, (this is the ninth year of Osee king of Israel, when Samaria was taken.) [11] And the king of the Assyrians carried away the Samaritans to Assyria, and put them in Alae and in Abor, by the river Gozan, and in the mountains of the Medes; [12] because they hearkened not to the voice of the Lord their God, and transgressed his covenant, even in all things that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and hearkened not to them, nor did them.
[13] And in the fourteenth year of king Ezekias came up Sennacherim king of the Assyrians against the strong cities of Juda, and took them. [14] And Ezekias king of Juda sent messengers to the king of the Assyrians to Lachis, saying, I have offended; depart from me: whatsoever thou shalt lay upon me, I will bear. And the king of Assyria laid upon Ezekias king of Juda a tribute of three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold. [15] And Ezekias gave all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house. [16] At that time Ezekias cut off the gold from the doors of the temple, and from the pillars which Ezekias king of Juda had overlaid with gold, and gave it to the king of the Assyrians.
[17] And the king of the Assyrians sent Tharthan and Raphis and Rapsakes from Lachis to king Ezekias with a strong force against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and stood by the aqueduct of the upper pool, which is by the way of the fuller’s field. [18] And they cried to Ezekias: and there came to him Heliakim the son of Chelcias the steward, and Somnas the scribe, and Joas the son of Saphat the recorder.
[19] And Rapsakes said to them, Say now to Ezekias, Thus says the king, the great king of the Assyrians, What is this confidence wherein thou trustest? [20] Thou hast said, (but they are mere words,)I have counsel and strength for war. Now then in whom dost thou trust, that thou hast revolted from me? [21] See now, art thou trusting for thyself on this broken staff of reed, even upon Egypt? whosoever shall stay himself upon it, it shall even go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharao king of Egypt to all that trust on him. [22] And whereas thou hast said to me, We trust on the Lord God: is not this he, whose high places and altars Ezekias has removed, and has said to Juda and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? [23] And now, I pray you, make and agreement with my lord the king of the Assyrians, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou shalt be able on thy part to set riders upon them. [24] How then wilt thou turn away the face of one petty governor, from among the least of my lord’s servants? whereas thou trustest for thyself on Egypt for chariots and horsemen. [25] And now have we come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
[26] And Heliakim the son of Chelkias, and Somnas, and Joas, said to Rapsakes, Speak now to thy servants in the Syrian language, for we understand it; and speak not with us in the Jewish language: and why dost thou speak in the ears of the people that are on the wall? [27] And Rapsakes said to them, Has my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? has he not sent me to the men who sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own water together with you.
[28] And Rapsakes stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jewish language, and spoke, and said, Hear the words of the great king of the Assyrians: [29] thus says the king, Let not Ezekias encourage you with words: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand. [30] And let not Ezekias cause you to trust on the Lord, saying, The Lord will certainly deliver us; this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of the Assyrians: hearken not to Ezekias: [31] for thus says the king of the Assyrians, Gain my favour, and come forth to me, and every man shall drink of the wine of his own vine, and every man shall eat of his own fig-tree, and shall drink water out of his own cistern; [32] until I come and remove you to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, and bread and vineyards, a land of olive oil, and honey, and ye shall live and not die: and do not ye hearken to Ezekias, for he deceives you, saying, The Lord shall deliver you. [33] Have the Gods of the nations at all delivered each their own land out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians? [34] Where is the god of Haemath, and of Arphad? where is the god of Seppharvaim, Ana, and Aba? for have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? [35] Who is there among all the gods of the countries, who have delivered their countries out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
[36] But the men were silent, and answered him not a word: for there was a commandment of the king, saying, Ye shall not answer him. [37] And Heliakim the son of Chelcias, the steward, and Somnas the scribe, and Joas the son of Saphat the recorder came in to Ezekias, having rent their garments; and they reported to him the words of Rapsakes.
Chapter 19
[1] And it came to pass when king Ezekias heard it, that he rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth, an went into the house of the Lord. [2] And he sent Heliakim the steward, and Somnas the scribe, and the elders of the priests, clothed with sackcloth, to Esaias the prophet the son of Amos. [3] And they said to him, Thus says Ezekias, This day is a day of tribulation, and rebuke, and provocation: for the children are come to the travail-pangs, but the mother has no strength. [4] Peradventure the Lord thy God will hear all the words of Rapsakes, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to reproach the living God and to revile him with the words which the Lord thy God has heard: and thou shalt offer thy prayer for the remnant that is found.
[5] So the servants of king Ezekias came to Esaias. [6] And Esaias said to them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of the Assyrians have blasphemed. [7] Behold, I send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a report, and shall return to his own land; and I will overthrow him with the sword in his own land.
[8] So Rapsakes returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Lobna: for he heard that he had departed from Lachis. [9] And he heard concerning Tharaca king of the Ethiopians, saying, Behold, he is come forth to fight with thee: and he returned, and sent messengers to Ezekias, saying, [10] Let not thy God on whom thou trustest encourage thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of the Assyrians. [11] Behold, thou hast heard all that the kings of the Assyrians have done in all the lands, to waste them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered? [12] Have the gods of the nations at all delivered them, whom my fathers destroyed; both Gozan, and Charran, and Raphis, and the sons of Edem who were in Thaesthen? [13] Where is the king of Haemath, and the king of Arphad? and where is the king of the city of Seppharvaim, of Ana, and Aba?
[14] And Ezekias took the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and he went up to the house of the Lord, an Ezekias spread it before the Lord, [15] and said, O Lord God of Israel that dwellest over the cherubs, thou art the only god in all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. [16] Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherim, which he has sent to reproach the living God. [17] For truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have wasted the nations, [18] and have cast their gods into the fire: because they are no gods, but the works of men’s hands, wood and stone; and they have destroyed them. [19] And now, O Lord our God, deliver us out of his hand, and all the kingdoms of the earth shall know that thou alone art the Lord God.
[5] Then went up Raasson king of Syria and Phakee son of Romelias king of Israel against Jerusalem to war, and besieged Achaz, but could not prevail against him. [6] At that time Raasson king of Syria recovered Ælath to Syria, and drove out the Jews from Ælath, and the Idumeans came to Ælath, and dwelt there until this day. [7] And Achaz sent messengers to Thalgath-phellasar king of the Assyrians, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, deliver me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me. [8] And Achaz took the silver and the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king’s house, and sent gifts to the king. [9] And the king of the Assyrians hearkened to him: and the king of the Assyrians went up to Damascus and took it, and removed the inhabitants, and slew king Raasson.
[10] And king Achaz went to Damascus to meet Thalgath-phellasar king of the Assyrians at Damascus; and he saw an altar at Damascus. And king Achaz sent to Urias the priest the pattern of the altar, and its proportions, and all its workmanship. [11] And Urias the priest built the altar, according to all the directions which king Achaz sent from Damascus.
[12] And the king saw the altar, and went up to it, [13] and offered his whole-burnt-offering, and his meat-offering, and his drink-offering, and poured out the blood of his peace-offerings on the brazen altar that was before the Lord. [14] And he brought forward the one before the house of the Lord from between the altar and the house of the Lord, and he set it openly by the side of the altar northwards. [15] And king Achaz charged Urias the priest, saying, Offer upon the great altar the whole-burnt-offering in the morning and the meat-offering in the evening, and the whole-burnt-offering of the king, and his meat-offering, and the whole-burnt-offering of all the people, and their meat-offering, and their drink-offering; and thou shalt pour all the blood of the whole-burnt-offering, and all the blood of any other sacrifice upon it: and the brazen altar shall be for me in the morning. [16] And Urias the priest did according to all that king Achaz commanded him. [17] And king Achaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them, and took down the sea from the brazen oxen that were under it, and set it upon a base of stone. [18] And he made a base for the throne in the house of the Lord, and he turned the king’s entrance without in the house of the Lord because of the king of the Assyrians.
[19] And the rest of the acts of Achaz, even all that he did, are not these written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Juda? [20] And Achaz slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Ezekias his son reigned in his stead.
Chapter 17
[1] In the twelfth year of Achaz king of Juda began Osee the son of Ela to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years. [2] And he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, only not as the kings of Israel that were before him.
[3] Against him came up Salamanassar king of the Assyrians; and Osee became his servant, and rendered him tribute. [4] And the king of the Assyrians found iniquity in Osee, in that he sent messengers to Segor king of Egypt, and brought not a tribute to the king of the Assyrians in that year: and the king of the Assyrians besieged him, and bound him in the prison-house. [5] And the king of the Assyrians went up against all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it for three years.
[6] In the ninth year of Osee the king of the Assyrians took Samaria, and carried Israel away to the Assyrians, and settled them in Alae, and in Abor, near the rivers of Gozan, and in the mountains of the Medes. [7] For it came to pass that the children of Israel had transgressed against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharao king of Egypt, and they feared other gods, [8] and walked in the statutes of the nations which the Lord cast out before the face of the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel as many as did such things, [9] and in those of the children of Israel as many as secretly practised customs, not as they should have done, against the Lord their God: [10] and they built for themselves high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city. And they made for themselves pillars and groves on every high hill, and under every shady tree. [11] And burned incense there on all high places, as the nations did whom the Lord removed from before them, and dealt with familiar spirits, and they carved images to provoke the Lord to anger. [12] And they served the idols, of which the Lord said to them, Ye shall not do this thing against the Lord.
[13] And the Lord testified against Israel and against Juda, even by the hand of all his prophets, and of every seer, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my ordinances, and all the law which I commanded your fathers, and all that I sent to them by the hand of my servants the prophets. [14] But they hearkened not, and made their neck harder than the neck of their fathers. [15] And they kept not any of his testimonies which he charged them; and they walked after vanities, and became vain, and after the nations round about them, concerning which the Lord had charged them not to do accordingly. [16] They forsook the commandments of the Lord their God, and made themselves graven images, even two heifers, and they made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. [17] And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divinations and auspices, and sold themselves to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him.
[18] And the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight; and there was only left the tribe of Juda quite alone. [19] Nay even Juda kept not the commandments of the Lord their God, but they walked according to the customs of Israel which they practised, and rejected the Lord.
[20] And the Lord was angry with the whole seed of Israel, and troubled them, and gave them into the hand of them that spoiled them, until he cast them out of his presence. [21] Forasmuch as Israel revolted from the house of David, and they made Jeroboam the son of Nabat king: and Jeroboam drew off Israel from following the Lord, and led them to sin a great sin. [22] And the children of Israel walked in all the sin of Jeroboam which he committed; they departed not from it, [23] until the Lord removed Israel from his presence, as the Lord spoke by all his servants the prophets; and Israel was removed from off their land to the Assyrians until this day.
[24] And the king of Assyria brought from Babylon the men of Chutha, and men from Aia, and from Æmath, and Seppharvaim, and they were settled in the cities of Samaria in the place of the children of Israel: and they inherited Samaria, and were settled in its cities. [25] And it was so at the beginning of their establishment there that they feared not the Lord, and the Lord sent lions among them, and they slew some of them. [26] And they spoke to the king of the Assyrians, saying, The nations whom thou hast removed and substituted in the cities of Samaria for the Israelites, know not the manner of the God of the land: and he has sent the lions against them, and, behold, they are slaying them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land. [27] And the king of the Assyrians commanded, saying, Bring some Israelites thence, and let them go and dwell there, and they shall teach them the manner of the God of the land. [28] And they brought one of the priests whom they had removed from Samaria, and he settled in Baethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.
[29] But the nations made each their own gods, and put them in the house of the high places which the Samaritans had made, each nation in the cities in which they dwelt. [30] And the men of Babylon made Socchoth Benith, and the men of Chuth made Ergel, and the men of Haemath made Asimath. [31] And the Evites made Eblazer and Tharthac, and the inhabitant of Seppharvaim did evil when they burnt their sons in the fire to Adramelech and Anemelech, the gods of Seppharvaim. [32] And they feared the Lord, yet they established their abominations in the houses of the high places which they made in Samaria, each nation in the city in which they dwelt: and they feared the Lord, and they made for themselves priests of the high places, and sacrificed for themselves in the house of the high places. [33] And they feared the Lord, and served their gods according to the manner of the nations, whence their lords brought them.
[34] Until this day they did according to their manner: they fear the Lord, and they do according to their customs, and according to their manner, and according to the law, and according to the commandment which the Lord commanded the sons of Jacob, whose name he made Israel. [35] And the Lord made a covenant with them, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, neither shall ye worship them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them: [36] but only to the Lord, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great strength and with a high arm: him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship; to him shall ye sacrifice. [37] Ye shall observe continually the ordinances, and the judgments, and the law, and the commandments which he wrote for you to do; and ye shall not fear other gods. [38] Neither shall ye forget the covenant which he made with you: and ye shall not fear other gods. [39] But ye shall fear the Lord your God, and he shall deliver you from all your enemies.
[40] Neither shall ye comply with their practice, which they follow. [41] So these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images: yea, their sons and their son’s sons do until this day even as their fathers did.
Chapter 18
[1] And it came to pass in the third year of Osee son of Ela king of Israel that Ezekias son of Achaz king of Juda began to reign. [2] Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Abu, daughter of Zacharias. [3] And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David did. [4] He removed the high places, and broke in pieces the pillars, and utterly destroyed the groves, and the brazen serpent which Moses made: because until those days the children of Israel burnt incense to it: and he called it Neesthan. [5] He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; and after him there was not any like him among the kings of Juda, nor among those that were before him. [6] And he clave to the Lord, he departed not from following him; and he kept his commandments, as many as he commanded Moses.
[7] And the Lord was with him; and he was wise in all that he undertook: and he revolted from the king of the Assyrians, and served him not. [8] He smote the Philistines even to Gaza, and to the border of it, from the tower of the watchmen even to the strong city.
[9] And it came to pass in the fourth year of King Ezekias (this is the seventh year of Osee son of Ela king of Israel,)that Salamanassar king of the Assyrians came up against Samaria, and besieged it. [10] And he took it at the end of three years, in the sixth year of Ezekias, (this is the ninth year of Osee king of Israel, when Samaria was taken.) [11] And the king of the Assyrians carried away the Samaritans to Assyria, and put them in Alae and in Abor, by the river Gozan, and in the mountains of the Medes; [12] because they hearkened not to the voice of the Lord their God, and transgressed his covenant, even in all things that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and hearkened not to them, nor did them.
[13] And in the fourteenth year of king Ezekias came up Sennacherim king of the Assyrians against the strong cities of Juda, and took them. [14] And Ezekias king of Juda sent messengers to the king of the Assyrians to Lachis, saying, I have offended; depart from me: whatsoever thou shalt lay upon me, I will bear. And the king of Assyria laid upon Ezekias king of Juda a tribute of three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold. [15] And Ezekias gave all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house. [16] At that time Ezekias cut off the gold from the doors of the temple, and from the pillars which Ezekias king of Juda had overlaid with gold, and gave it to the king of the Assyrians.
[17] And the king of the Assyrians sent Tharthan and Raphis and Rapsakes from Lachis to king Ezekias with a strong force against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and stood by the aqueduct of the upper pool, which is by the way of the fuller’s field. [18] And they cried to Ezekias: and there came to him Heliakim the son of Chelcias the steward, and Somnas the scribe, and Joas the son of Saphat the recorder.
[19] And Rapsakes said to them, Say now to Ezekias, Thus says the king, the great king of the Assyrians, What is this confidence wherein thou trustest? [20] Thou hast said, (but they are mere words,)I have counsel and strength for war. Now then in whom dost thou trust, that thou hast revolted from me? [21] See now, art thou trusting for thyself on this broken staff of reed, even upon Egypt? whosoever shall stay himself upon it, it shall even go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharao king of Egypt to all that trust on him. [22] And whereas thou hast said to me, We trust on the Lord God: is not this he, whose high places and altars Ezekias has removed, and has said to Juda and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? [23] And now, I pray you, make and agreement with my lord the king of the Assyrians, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou shalt be able on thy part to set riders upon them. [24] How then wilt thou turn away the face of one petty governor, from among the least of my lord’s servants? whereas thou trustest for thyself on Egypt for chariots and horsemen. [25] And now have we come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
[26] And Heliakim the son of Chelkias, and Somnas, and Joas, said to Rapsakes, Speak now to thy servants in the Syrian language, for we understand it; and speak not with us in the Jewish language: and why dost thou speak in the ears of the people that are on the wall? [27] And Rapsakes said to them, Has my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? has he not sent me to the men who sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own water together with you.
[28] And Rapsakes stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jewish language, and spoke, and said, Hear the words of the great king of the Assyrians: [29] thus says the king, Let not Ezekias encourage you with words: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand. [30] And let not Ezekias cause you to trust on the Lord, saying, The Lord will certainly deliver us; this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of the Assyrians: hearken not to Ezekias: [31] for thus says the king of the Assyrians, Gain my favour, and come forth to me, and every man shall drink of the wine of his own vine, and every man shall eat of his own fig-tree, and shall drink water out of his own cistern; [32] until I come and remove you to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, and bread and vineyards, a land of olive oil, and honey, and ye shall live and not die: and do not ye hearken to Ezekias, for he deceives you, saying, The Lord shall deliver you. [33] Have the Gods of the nations at all delivered each their own land out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians? [34] Where is the god of Haemath, and of Arphad? where is the god of Seppharvaim, Ana, and Aba? for have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? [35] Who is there among all the gods of the countries, who have delivered their countries out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
[36] But the men were silent, and answered him not a word: for there was a commandment of the king, saying, Ye shall not answer him. [37] And Heliakim the son of Chelcias, the steward, and Somnas the scribe, and Joas the son of Saphat the recorder came in to Ezekias, having rent their garments; and they reported to him the words of Rapsakes.
Chapter 19
[1] And it came to pass when king Ezekias heard it, that he rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth, an went into the house of the Lord. [2] And he sent Heliakim the steward, and Somnas the scribe, and the elders of the priests, clothed with sackcloth, to Esaias the prophet the son of Amos. [3] And they said to him, Thus says Ezekias, This day is a day of tribulation, and rebuke, and provocation: for the children are come to the travail-pangs, but the mother has no strength. [4] Peradventure the Lord thy God will hear all the words of Rapsakes, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to reproach the living God and to revile him with the words which the Lord thy God has heard: and thou shalt offer thy prayer for the remnant that is found.
[5] So the servants of king Ezekias came to Esaias. [6] And Esaias said to them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of the Assyrians have blasphemed. [7] Behold, I send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a report, and shall return to his own land; and I will overthrow him with the sword in his own land.
[8] So Rapsakes returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Lobna: for he heard that he had departed from Lachis. [9] And he heard concerning Tharaca king of the Ethiopians, saying, Behold, he is come forth to fight with thee: and he returned, and sent messengers to Ezekias, saying, [10] Let not thy God on whom thou trustest encourage thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of the Assyrians. [11] Behold, thou hast heard all that the kings of the Assyrians have done in all the lands, to waste them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered? [12] Have the gods of the nations at all delivered them, whom my fathers destroyed; both Gozan, and Charran, and Raphis, and the sons of Edem who were in Thaesthen? [13] Where is the king of Haemath, and the king of Arphad? and where is the king of the city of Seppharvaim, of Ana, and Aba?
[14] And Ezekias took the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and he went up to the house of the Lord, an Ezekias spread it before the Lord, [15] and said, O Lord God of Israel that dwellest over the cherubs, thou art the only god in all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. [16] Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherim, which he has sent to reproach the living God. [17] For truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have wasted the nations, [18] and have cast their gods into the fire: because they are no gods, but the works of men’s hands, wood and stone; and they have destroyed them. [19] And now, O Lord our God, deliver us out of his hand, and all the kingdoms of the earth shall know that thou alone art the Lord God.
