Y aconteció que en el año tercero de Oseas, hijo de Ela, rey de Israel^a, comenzó a reinar Ezequías, hijo de Acaz, rey de Judá^b. 2 ^aTenía veinticinco años cuando comenzó a reinar, y reinó veintinueve años en Jerusalén. El nombre de su madre era Abi¹, hija de Zacarías. 3 Él hizo lo recto ante los ojos del SEÑOR^a, conforme a todo lo que su padre David había hecho. 4 Quitó los lugares altos^a, derribó los pilares sagrados y cortó la Asera¹. También hizo pedazos la serpiente de bronce que Moisés había hecho^b, porque hasta aquellos días los hijos de Israel le quemaban incienso; y la llamaban Nehustán². 5 Confió en el SEÑOR, Dios de Israel^a; y después de él, no hubo ninguno como él entre todos los reyes de Judá, ni entre los que fueron antes de él^b, 6 porque se apegó al SEÑOR; no se apartó de¹ Él^a, sino que guardó los mandamientos que el SEÑOR había ordenado a Moisés. 7 Y el SEÑOR estaba con él; adondequiera que iba prosperaba^a. Se rebeló contra el rey de Asiria y no le sirvió^b. 8 Derrotó¹ a los filisteos hasta Gaza^a y su territorio, desde las torres de atalaya hasta las ciudades fortificadas^b.

9 Y aconteció que en el año cuarto del rey Ezequías, que era el año séptimo de Oseas, hijo de Ela, rey de Israel, Salmanasar, rey de Asiria, subió contra Samaria y la sitió^a, 10 y al cabo de tres años la tomaron. En el año sexto de Ezequías, que era el año noveno de Oseas, rey de Israel, Samaria fue tomada^a. 11 Y el rey de Asiria llevó a Israel al destierro en Asiria, y los puso en Halah y en el Habor, río de Gozán, y en las ciudades de los medos^a, 12 porque no obedecieron la voz del SEÑOR su Dios, sino que quebrantaron su pacto, es decir, todo lo que Moisés, siervo del SEÑOR, había ordenado; no escucharon, ni lo cumplieron^a.

13 ^aY en el año catorce del rey Ezequías, subió Senaquerib, rey de Asiria, contra todas las ciudades fortificadas de Judá, y las tomó. 14 Entonces Ezequías, rey de Judá, envió a decir al rey de Asiria en Laquis: He hecho lo malo^a. Retírate¹ de mí; lo que me impongas², aceptaré. Y el rey de Asiria impuso a³ Ezequías, rey de Judá, trescientos talentos⁴ de plata y treinta talentos de oro. 15 Y Ezequías le dio toda la plata que se hallaba en la casa del SEÑOR y en los tesoros de la casa del rey^a. 16 En aquel tiempo Ezequías quitó el oro de las puertas del templo del SEÑOR, y de los postes de las puertas que el mismo Ezequías, rey de Judá, había revestido de oro, y lo entregó al rey de Asiria.

17 Entonces el rey de Asiria envió, desde Laquis a Jerusalén, al Tartán^a, al Rabsaris y al Rabsaces con un gran ejército contra el rey Ezequías. Y subieron y llegaron a Jerusalén. Y cuando subieron, llegaron y se colocaron junto al acueducto del estanque superior que está en la calzada del campo del Batanero^1b. 18 Llamaron al rey, y salió a ellos Eliaquim, hijo de Hilcías^a, que era mayordomo, con el escriba Sebna^b y el cronista Joa, hijo de Asaf. 19 Y el Rabsaces les dijo: Decid ahora a Ezequías: «Así dice el gran rey, el rey de Asiria: “¿Qué confianza esesta que tú tienes^1a? 20 Tú dices (perosolo son palabras vanas¹): ‘Tengo consejo y poder para la guerra’. Mas ahora, ¿en quién confías que te has rebelado contra mí^a? 21 He aquí, tú confías en el báculo de esta caña quebrada, es decir, en Egipto^a, en el cual, si un hombre se apoya, penetrará en su mano¹ y la traspasará. Así es Faraón, rey de Egipto, para todos los que confían en él. 22 Pero si me decís: ‘Nosotros confiamos en el SEÑOR nuestro Dios’, ¿no es Él aquel cuyos lugares altos y cuyos altares Ezequías ha quitado^a y ha dicho a Judá y a Jerusalén: ‘Adoraréis delante de este altar en Jerusalén’? 23 Ahora pues, te ruego que llegues a un acuerdo¹ con mi señor el rey de Asiria, y yo te daré dos mil caballos, si por tu parte puedes poner jinetes sobre ellos. 24 ¿Cómo, pues, puedes rechazar a¹ un oficial² de los menores de los siervos de mi señor, y confiar³ en Egipto para tener carros y hombres de a caballo? 25 ¿He subido ahora sin el consentimiento del SEÑOR contra este lugar para destruirlo? El SEÑOR me dijo: ‘Sube contra esta tierra y destrúyela’”».

26 Entonces Eliaquim, hijo de Hilcías, Sebna y Joa dijeron al Rabsaces: Te rogamos que hables a tus siervos en arameo^a, porque nosotros lo entendemos¹, y no nos hables en la lengua de Judá² a oídos del pueblo que está sobre la muralla. 27 Pero el Rabsaces les dijo: ¿Acaso me ha enviado mi señor para hablar estas palabrassolo a tu señor y a ti, y no a los hombres que están sentados en la muralla, condenados a comer sus propios excrementos y beber su propia orina con vosotros? 28 El Rabsaces se puso en pie, gritó a gran voz en la lengua de Judá, y dijo¹: Escuchad la palabra del gran rey, el rey de Asiria. 29 Así dice el rey: «Que no os engañe Ezequías, porque él no os podrá librar de mi¹ mano^a; 30 ni que Ezequías os haga confiar en el SEÑOR, diciendo: “Ciertamente el SEÑOR nos librará, y esta ciudad no será entregada en manos del rey de Asiria”. 31 No escuchéis a Ezequías, porque así dice el rey de Asiria: “Haced la paz conmigo¹ y salid a mí, y coma cada uno de su vid y cada uno de su higuera, y beba^a cada cual de las aguas de su cisterna, 32 hasta que yo venga y os lleve a una tierra como vuestra tierra, tierra de grano y de mosto, tierra de pan y de viñas, tierra de olivos y de miel, para que viváis y no muráis^a”. Pero no escuchéis a Ezequías porque os engaña, diciendo: “El SEÑOR nos librará”. 33 ¿Acaso alguno de los dioses de las naciones ha librado su tierra de la mano del rey de Asiria^a? 34 ¿Dónde están los dioses de Hamat y de Arfad^a? ¿Dónde están los dioses de Sefarvaim, de Hena y de Iva^b? ¿Cuándo han librado ellos a Samaria de mi mano^c? 35 ¿Quiénes de entre todos los dioses de estas¹ tierras han² librado su tierra de mi mano^a, para que el SEÑOR libre a Jerusalén de mi mano?». 36 Pero el pueblo se quedó callado y no le respondió palabra alguna, porque la orden del rey era: No le respondáis. 37 Entonces Eliaquim, hijo de Hilcías^a, mayordomo de la casa real, el escriba Sebna y el cronista Joa, hijo de Asaf, fueron a Ezequías con sus vestidos rasgados^b, y le relataron las palabras del Rabsaces.

Now it came about ^ain the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that ^bHezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. 2 He was ^atwenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. 3 ^aHe did what was right in the sight of the LORD, in accordance with everything that his father David had done. 4 ^aHe removed the high places and smashed the memorial stones to pieces, and cut down the ¹Asherah. He also crushed to pieces ^bthe bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel had been burning incense to it; and it was called ²Nehushtan. 5 ^aHe trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; and ^bafter him there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who came before him. 6 For he ^aclung to the LORD; he did not desist from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.

7 ^aAnd the LORD was with him; wherever he went he was successful. And ^bhe revolted against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. 8 ^aHe ¹defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from ^bwatchtower to fortified city.

9 Now in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, ^aShalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and besieged it. 10 And at the end of three years they captured it; in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was ^athe ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was captured. 11 Then the king of Assyria led Israel into exile to Assyria, and put them in ^aHalah and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. 12 This happened because they ^adid not obey the voice of the LORD their God, but violated His covenant, all that Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded; they would neither listen nor do it.

13 ^aNow in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria marched against all the fortified cities of Judah and seized them. 14 Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent messengers to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “^aI have done wrong. ¹Withdraw from me; whatever you impose on me I will endure.” So the king of Assyria imposed on Hezekiah king of Judah the payment of three hundred ²talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15 ^aHezekiah then gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king’s house. 16 At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the doorposts, which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and he gave it to the king of Assyria.

17 Then the king of Assyria sent ^aTartan, Rab-saris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a large army to Jerusalem. So they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they went up, they came and stood by the ^bconduit of the upper pool, which is on the road of the ¹fuller’s field. 18 Then they called to the king, and ^aEliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the household, ^bShebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the secretary, went out to them.

19 And Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: “^aWhat is this confidence that you ¹have? 20 You say—but they are only ¹empty words—‘I have a plan and strength for the war.’ Now on whom have you relied, ^athat you have revolted against me? 21 Now behold, you have ^1arelied on the ²support of this broken reed, on Egypt; on which if a man leans, it will go into his ³hand and pierce it. That is how Pharaoh king of Egypt is to all who rely on him. 22 However, if you say to me, ‘We have trusted in the LORD our God,’ is it not He whose high places and ^awhose altars Hezekiah has removed, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem’? 23 Now then, ¹come make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to put riders on them! 24 How then can you drive back even ¹one ²official of the least of my master’s servants, and ³rely on Egypt for chariots and horsemen? 25 Have I now come up without ¹the LORD’S approval against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”’”

26 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebnah, and Joah, said to Rabshakeh, “Speak now to your servants in Aramaic, because we ¹understand it; and do not speak with us in ^2aJudean ³so that the people who are on the wall hear you.” 27 But Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you to speak these words? Has he not also sent me to the men who sit on the wall, doomed to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?”

28 Then Rabshakeh stood up and shouted with a loud voice in Judean, ¹saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! 29 This is what the king says: ‘^aDo not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to save you from ¹my hand. 30 And do not let Hezekiah lead you to trust in the LORD by saying, “The LORD will certainly save us, and this city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” 31 Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: “Make ¹your peace with me and come out to me, and eat, ^aeach one, from his vine and each from his fig tree, and drink, each one, the waters of his own cistern, 32 until I come and take you ^ato a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees producing oil, and of honey, so that you will live and not die.” But do not listen to Hezekiah, because he misleads you by saying, “The LORD will save us.” 33 ^aHas any of the gods of the nations actually saved his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 34 ^aWhere are the gods of Hamath and ^bArpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and ^1cIvvah? Have they saved Samaria from my hand? 35 Who among all the gods of the lands are there who have saved their land from my hand, ^athat the LORD would save Jerusalem from my hand?’”

36 But the people were silent and did not answer him with even a word, because it was the king’s ¹command: “Do not answer him.” 37 Then ^aEliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the household, and Shebna the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph, the secretary, came to Hezekiah ^bwith their clothes torn, and they reported to him the words of Rabshakeh.

Now it came about ^ain the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that ^bHezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. 2 He was ^atwenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. 3 ^aHe did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done. 4 ^aHe removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the ¹Asherah. He also broke in pieces ^bthe bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called ²Nehushtan. 5 ^aHe trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; ^bso that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. 6 For he ^aclung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.

7 ^aAnd the LORD was with him; wherever he went he prospered. And ^bhe rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. 8 ^aHe ¹defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from ^bwatchtower to fortified city.

9 Now in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, ^aShalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it. 10 At the end of three years they captured it; in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was ^athe ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was captured. 11 Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and put them in ^aHalah and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, 12 because they ^adid not obey the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed His covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded; they would neither listen nor do it.

13 ^aNow in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and seized them. 14 Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “^aI have done wrong. ¹Withdraw from me; whatever you ²impose on me I will bear.” So the king of Assyria ³required of Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15 ^aHezekiah gave him all the silver which was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king’s house. 16 At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the doorposts which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.

17 Then the king of Assyria sent ^aTartan and Rab-saris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a large army to Jerusalem. So they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they went up, they came and stood by the ^bconduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway of the ¹fuller’s field. 18 When they called to the king, ^aEliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and ^bShebnah the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, came out to them.

19 Then Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, “^aWhat is this confidence that you ¹have? 20 You say (but they are ¹only empty words), ‘I have counsel and strength for the war.’ Now on whom do you rely, ^athat you have rebelled against me? 21 Now behold, you ^1arely on the staff of this crushed reed, even on Egypt; on which if a man leans, it will go into his ²hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him. 22 But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’ is it not He whose high places and ^awhose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem’? 23 Now therefore, ¹come, make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. 24 How then can you ¹repulse one ²official of the least of my master’s servants, and ³rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 25 Have I now come up ¹without the LORD’S approval against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”’”

26 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah and Joah, said to Rabshakeh, “Speak now to your servants in Aramaic, for we ¹understand it; and do not speak with us in ^2aJudean in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” 27 But Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, doomed to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?”

28 Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in Judean, ¹saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. 29 Thus says the king, ‘^aDo not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you from ¹my hand; 30 nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, “The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 31 Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, “¹Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat ^aeach of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern, 32 until I come and take you away ^ato 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 honey, that you may live and not die.” But do not listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you, saying, “The LORD will deliver us.” 33 ^aHas any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 34 ^aWhere are the gods of Hamath and ^bArpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and ^1cIvvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand? 35 Who among all the gods of the lands ¹have delivered their land from my hand, ^athat the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’”

36 But the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king’s commandment was, “Do not answer him.” 37 Then ^aEliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah ^bwith their clothes torn and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

^aNow it came about in the third year of Hoshea the son of Elah king of Israel, ^bHezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. 2 He was ^atwenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. 3 ^aHezekiah did right in the sight of the LORD, in accordance with everything that David his father (ancestor) had done. 4 ^aHe removed the high places of pagan worship, broke down the images (memorial stones) and cut down the Asherim. He also crushed to pieces ^bthe bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the Israelites had burned incense to it; and it was called ¹Nehushtan a bronze sculpture. Num 21:8 5 ^aHezekiah trusted in and relied confidently on the LORD, the God of Israel; ^bso that after him there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. 6 For he ^aclung to the LORD; he did not turn away from faithfully following Him, but he kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.

7 ^aAnd the LORD was with Hezekiah; he was successful wherever he went. And ^bhe rebelled against the king of Assyria and refused to serve him. 8 ^aHe defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza the most distant city and its borders, from the isolated ^blookout tower to the populous fortified city.

9 Now in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh of Hoshea the son of Elah king of Israel, ^aShalmaneser the king of Assyria went up against Samaria and besieged it. 10 At the end of three years they captured it; in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was ^athe ninth year of Hoshea the king of Israel, Samaria was taken. 11 Then the king of Assyria sent Israel into exile to Assyria, and put them in ^aHalah, and on the Habor, the river of the city of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, 12 because they ^adid not obey the voice of the LORD their God, but broke His covenant, everything that Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded; and they would not listen nor do it.

13 ^aIn the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria went up against all the fortified cities of Judah except Jerusalem and captured them. 14 Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent word to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “^aI have done wrong. Withdraw from me; whatever you impose on me I will bear.” So the king of Assyria imposed on Hezekiah king of Judah a tribute tax of three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15 ^aHezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house (temple) of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king’s house (palace) . 16 At that time Hezekiah cut away the gold framework from the doors of the temple of the LORD and from the doorposts which ¹he had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.

17 Then the king of Assyria sent ¹the ^aTartan and the Rab-saris and the Rabshakeh his highest officials with a large army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem, and when they went up and arrived, they stood by the ^baqueduct of the upper pool, which is on the road of the Fuller’s Field. 2+@Chr 32:9-19; Is 36:1-22 18 When they called for the king, ^aEliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the king’s household, and ^bShebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the secretary went out to meet them.

19 Then the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, “^aWhat is the reason for this confidence that you have? 20 You say (but they are only empty words) ‘I have counsel and strength for the war.’ Now on whom do you rely, ^athat you have rebelled against me? 21 Now pay attention: you are ^arelying on Egypt, on that staff of crushed reed; if a man leans on it, it will only go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust and rely on him. 22 But if you tell me, ‘We trust in and rely on the LORD our God,’ is it not He whose high places and ^aaltars Hezekiah has removed, and has said to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship only before this altar in Jerusalem’? 23 Now then, make a bargain with my lord the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if on your part you can put riders on them. 24 How then can you drive back even one official of the least of my master’s servants, when you rely on Egypt for chariots and horsemen? 25 Now have I come up against this place to destroy it without the LORD’S approval? The LORD said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”’”

26 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna and Joah, said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in the Aramaic (Syrian) language, because we understand it; and do not speak with us in the ^aJudean (Hebrew) language in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” 27 But the Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you to say these things? Has he not sent me to the men who sit on the wall, who are doomed by the siege to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine along with you?”

28 Then the Rabshakeh stood and shouted out with a loud voice in Judean (Hebrew) , “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. 29 Thus says the king, ‘^aDo not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to rescue you from my hand; 30 nor let Hezekiah make you trust in and rely on the LORD, saying, “The LORD will certainly rescue us, and this city of Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 31 Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria: “Surrender to me and come out to meet me, and ^aevery man may eat from his own vine and fig tree, and every man may drink the waters of his own well, 32 until I come and take you away ^ato 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 honey, so that you may live and not die.” Do not listen to Hezekiah when he misleads and incites you, saying, “The LORD will rescue us!” 33 ^aHas any one of the gods of the nations ever rescued his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 34 ^aWhere are the gods of Hamath and ^bArpad in Aram? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and ^cIvvah in the valley of the Euphrates? Have they rescued Samaria (Israel’s capital) from my hand? 35 Who among all the gods of the lands have rescued their lands from my hand, ^athat the LORD would rescue Jerusalem from my hand?’”

36 But the people kept silent and did not answer him, for the king had commanded, “Do not answer him.” 37 Then ^aEliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the royal household, and Shebna the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph the secretary, came to Hezekiah ^bwith their clothes torn in grief and despair and told him what the Rabshakeh had said.