2 Kings 18:1-21 ▼

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.