NOW it came to pass in the third year of Husha son of Elah king of Yashar'el, that Yechizqiyahu the son of Achaz king of Yahudah began to reign.
Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Yerushalayim. His mother's name also was Aviy, the daughter of Zakaryahu.
And he did that which was right in the sight of Yahuah, according to all that David his father did.
He removed the high places, and broke the images, and cut down the Asherah poles, and broke in pieces the brasen serpent that Mosheh had made: for unto those days the children of Yashar'el did burn incense to it: and he called it Nechushtan.
He trusted in Yahuah Elohai of Yashar'el; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Yahudah, nor any that were before him.
For he clave to Yahuah, and departed not from following him, but guarded his commandments, which Yahuah commanded Mosheh.
And Yahuah was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Ashshur, and served him not.
He smote the Pelishtiym, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the Natsariym to the fenced city.
And it came to pass in the fourth year of King Yechizqiyahu, which was the seventh year of Husha son of Elah king of Yashar'el, that Shalman'ecer king of Ashshur came up against Shomeron, and besieged it.
And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Yechizqiyahu, that is the ninth year of Husha king of Yashar'el, Shomeron was taken.
And the king of Ashshur did carry away Yashar'el unto Ashshurah, and put them in Chalach and in Chavor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Madai:
Because they obeyed not the voice of Yahuah Elohayhem, but transgressed his covenant, and את all that Mosheh the servant of Yahuah commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
Now in the fourteenth year of King Yechizqiyahu did Cancheriyv king of Ashshur come up against all the fenced cities of Yahudah, and took them.
And Yechizqiyahu king of Yahudah sent to the king of Ashshur to Lakiysh, saying, I have offended; return from me: את that which you put on me will I bear. And the king of Ashshur appointed unto Yechizqiyahu king of Yahudah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
And Yechizqiyahu gave him all the silver that was found in the house of Yahuah, and in the treasures of the king's house.
At that time did Yechizqiyahu cut off the gold from the doors of the Temple of Yahuah, and from the pillars which Yechizqiyahu king of Yahudah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Ashshur.
And the king of Ashshur sent Tartan and Rav-Cariyc and Rav-Shaqeh from Lakiysh to King Yechizqiyahu with a great host against Yerushalayim. And they went up and came to Yerushalayim. And 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.
And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Elyaqiym the son of Chilqiyahu, which was over the household, and Shevnah the scribe, and Yo'ach the son of Acaph the recorder.
And Rav-Shaqeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Yechizqiyahu, Thus says the great king, the king of Ashshur, What confidence is this wherein you trust?
You say, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom do you trust, that you rebel against me?
Now, behold, you trust upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Mitsrayim, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Phar'oh king of Mitsrayim unto all that trust on him.
But if ye say unto me, We trust in EL-Yahuah Elohaynu: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Yechizqiyahu has taken away, and has said to Yahudah and Yerushalayim, Ye shall worship before this altar in Yerushalayim?
Now therefore, I pray you, give pledges to my adoniy the king of Ashshur, and I will deliver you two thousand horses, if you be able on your part to set riders upon them.
How then will you turn away את the face of one captain of the least of my adoniy's servants, and put your trust on Mitsrayim for chariots and for horsemen?
Am I now come up without Yahuah against this place to destroy it? Yahuah said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
Then said Elyaqiym the son of Chilqiyahu, and Shevnah, and Yo'ach, unto Rav-Shaqeh, Speak, I pray you, to your servants in the Aramiyth language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Yahudiyth's language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.
But Rav-Shaqeh said unto them, Has my adoniy sent me to your adoniy, and to you, to speak these words? has he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
Then Rav-Shaqeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Yahudiyth's language, and spoke, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Ashshur:
Thus says the king, Let not Yechizqiyahu deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:
Neither let Yechizqiyahu make you trust in El-Yahuah, saying, Yahuah will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Ashshur.
Hearken not to Yechizqiyahu: for thus says the king of Ashshur, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and everyone of his fig tree, and drink ye everyone the waters of his cistern:
Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Yechizqiyahu, when he persuades you, saying, Yahuah will deliver us.
Has any of the elohai of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Ashshur?
Where are the Elohai of Chamath, and of Arpad? where are the elohai of Cepharvayim, Hena, and Avva? have they delivered Shomeron out of my hand?
Who are they among all the elohai of the countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Yahuah should deliver Yerushalayim out of my hand?
But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
Then came Elyaqiym the son of Chilqiyahu, which was over the household, and Shevnah the scribe, and Yo'ach the son of Acaph the recorder, to Yechizqiyahu with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rav-Shaqeh.