36:1 Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of melekh Chizkiyah, [that] Sancheriv Melekh Ashur came up against all the defenced cities of Yehudah, and took them.
36:2 And the melekh Ashshur sent Rav Shakeh from Lakish to Yerushalayim unto king Chizkiyah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field.
36:3 Then came forth unto him Elyakim Ben Chilkyah, which was over the house, and Shevna the scribe, and Yoach Ben Asaph, the recorder.
36:4 And Rav Shakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Chizkiyah, Thus saith the great melekh, the melekh Ashshur , What confidence [is] this wherein thou trustest?
36:5 I say, [sayest thou], (but [they are but] vain words) [I have] counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
36:6 Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Mitzrayim; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so [is] Paroh melekh Mitzrayim to all that trust in him.
36:7 But if thou say to me, We trust in YHWH (יהוה) Eloheinu: [is it] not he, whose high places and whose altars Chizkiyah hath taken away, and said to Yehudah and to Yerushalayim, Ye shall worship before this altar?
36:8 Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the melekh Ashshur , and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
36:9 How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Mitzrayim for chariots and for horsemen?
36:10 And am I now come up without YHWH (יהוה) against this land to destroy it? YHWH (יהוה) said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
36:11 Then said Elyakim and Shevna and Yoach unto Rav Shakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand [it]: and speak not to us in the Yehudim' language, in the ears of the people that [are] on the wall.
36:12 But Rav Shakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? [hath he] not [sent me] to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
36:13 Then Rav Shakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Yehudim' language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great melekh, ha melekh Ashshur .
36:14 Thus saith the king, Let not Chizkiyah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.
36:15 Neither let Chizkiyah make you trust in YHWH (יהוה), saying, YHWH (יהוה) will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the melekh Ashshur .
36:16 Hearken not to Chizkiyah: for thus saith the melekh Ashshur , Make [an agreement] with me [by] a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his te'enah (fig tree), and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;
36:17 Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a eretz corn and wine, a eretz bread and vineyards.
36:18 [Beware] lest Chizkiyah persuade you, saying, YHWH (יהוה) will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the melekh Ashshur ?
36:19 Where [are] the gods of Hamat and Arphad? where [are] the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Shomron out of my hand?
36:20 Who [are they] among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that YHWH (יהוה) should deliver Yerushalayim out of my hand?
36:21 But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
36:22 Then came Elyakim Ben Chilkiyah, that [was] over the household, and Shevna the scribe, and Yoach Ben Asaph, the recorder, to Chizkiyah with [their] clothes rent, and told him the words of Rav Shakeh.