II Kings 19

וַיְהִ֗י כִּשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ וַיִּקְרַ֖ע אֶת־בְּגָדָ֑יו וַיִּתְכַּ֣ס בַּשָּׂ֔ק וַיָּבֹ֖א בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה׃

When King Hezekiah heard this, he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the House of G OD .

וַ֠יִּשְׁלַ֠ח אֶת־אֶלְיָקִ֨ים אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַבַּ֜יִת וְשֶׁבְנָ֣א הַסֹּפֵ֗ר וְאֵת֙ זִקְנֵ֣י הַכֹּהֲנִ֔ים מִתְכַּסִּ֖ים בַּשַּׂקִּ֑ים אֶל־יְשַׁעְיָ֥הוּ הַנָּבִ֖יא בֶּן־אָמֽוֹץ׃

He also sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the scribe, and the senior priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ יוֹם־צָרָ֧ה וְתוֹכֵחָ֛ה וּנְאָצָ֖ה הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֣י בָ֤אוּ בָנִים֙ עַד־מַשְׁבֵּ֔ר וְכֹ֥חַ אַ֖יִן לְלֵדָֽה׃

They said to him, “Thus said Hezekiah: This day is a day of distress, of chastisement, and of disgrace. The babes have reached the birthstool, but the strength to give birth is lacking.

אוּלַ֡י יִשְׁמַע֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ אֵ֣ת׀ כׇּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י רַבְשָׁקֵ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֩ שְׁלָח֨וֹ מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֤וּר׀אֲדֹנָיו֙ לְחָרֵף֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים חַ֔י וְהוֹכִ֙יחַ֙ בַּדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖ע יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְנָשָׂ֣אתָ תְפִלָּ֔ה בְּעַ֥ד הַשְּׁאֵרִ֖ית הַנִּמְצָאָֽה׃

Perhaps the E TERNAL your God will take note of all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to blaspheme the living God, and will mete out judgment for the words that the E TERNAL your God has heard—if you will offer up prayer for the surviving remnant.”

וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ עַבְדֵ֛י הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ אֶֽל־יְשַׁעְיָֽהוּ׃

When King Hezekiah’s ministers came to Isaiah,

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ יְשַֽׁעְיָ֔הוּ כֹּ֥ה תֹאמְר֖וּן אֶל־אֲדֹנֵיכֶ֑ם כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה אַל־תִּירָא֙ מִפְּנֵ֤י הַדְּבָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁמַ֔עְתָּ אֲשֶׁ֧ר גִּדְּפ֛וּ נַעֲרֵ֥י מֶלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֖וּר אֹתִֽי׃

Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master as follows: Thus said G OD : Do not be frightened by the words of blasphemy against Me that you have heard from the minions of the king of Assyria.

הִנְנִ֨י נֹתֵ֥ן בּוֹ֙ ר֔וּחַ וְשָׁמַ֥ע שְׁמוּעָ֖ה וְשָׁ֣ב לְאַרְצ֑וֹ וְהִפַּלְתִּ֥יו בַּחֶ֖רֶב בְּאַרְצֽוֹ׃

I will delude him; he will hear a rumor and return to his land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his land.”

וַיָּ֙שׇׁב֙ רַבְשָׁקֵ֔ה וַיִּמְצָא֙ אֶת־מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר נִלְחָ֖ם עַל־לִבְנָ֑ה כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֔ע כִּ֥י נָסַ֖ע מִלָּכִֽישׁ׃

The Rabshakeh, meanwhile, heard that [the king] had left Lachish; he turned back and found the king of Assyria attacking Libnah.

וַיִּשְׁמַ֗ע אֶל־תִּרְהָ֤קָה מֶֽלֶךְ־כּוּשׁ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִנֵּ֥ה יָצָ֖א לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם אִתָּ֑ךְ וַיָּ֙שׇׁב֙ וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ לֵאמֹֽר׃

But [the king of Assyria] learned that King Tirhakah of Cush had come out to fight him; so he again sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,

כֹּ֣ה תֹאמְר֗וּן אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֤הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַל־יַשִּׁאֲךָ֣ אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֛ה בֹּטֵ֥חַ בּ֖וֹ לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹ֤א תִנָּתֵן֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם בְּיַ֖ד מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃

“Tell this to King Hezekiah of Judah: Do not let your God, on whom you are relying, mislead you into thinking that Jerusalem will not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assyria.

הִנֵּ֣ה׀ אַתָּ֣ה שָׁמַ֗עְתָּ אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשׂ֜וּ מַלְכֵ֥י אַשּׁ֛וּר לְכׇל־הָאֲרָצ֖וֹת לְהַחֲרִימָ֑ם וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּנָּצֵֽל׃

You yourself have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands, how they have annihilated them; and can you escape?

הַהִצִּ֨ילוּ אֹתָ֜ם אֱלֹהֵ֤י הַגּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שִׁחֲת֣וּ אֲבוֹתַ֔י אֶת־גּוֹזָ֖ן וְאֶת־חָרָ֑ן וְרֶ֥צֶף וּבְנֵי־עֶ֖דֶן אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּתְלַאשָּֽׂר׃

Were the nations that my predecessors destroyed—Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the Beth-edenites in Telassar—saved by their gods?

אַיּ֤וֹ מֶֽלֶךְ־חֲמָת֙ וּמֶ֣לֶךְ אַרְפָּ֔ד וּמֶ֖לֶךְ לָעִ֣יר סְפַרְוָ֑יִם הֵנַ֖ע וְעִוָּֽה׃

Where is the king of Hamath? And the king of Arpad? And the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?”

וַיִּקַּ֨ח חִזְקִיָּ֧הוּ אֶת־הַסְּפָרִ֛ים מִיַּ֥ד הַמַּלְאָכִ֖ים וַיִּקְרָאֵ֑ם וַיַּ֙עַל֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיִּפְרְשֵׂ֥הוּ חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}

Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers and read it. Hezekiah then went up to the House of G OD and spread it out before G OD .

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל חִזְקִיָּ֜הוּ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָה֮ וַיֹּאמַר֒ יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב הַכְּרֻבִ֔ים אַתָּה־ה֤וּא הָאֱלֹהִים֙ לְבַדְּךָ֔ לְכֹ֖ל מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הָאָ֑רֶץ אַתָּ֣ה עָשִׂ֔יתָ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

And Hezekiah prayed to the E TERNAL and said, “O G OD of Hosts, Enthroned on the Cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth.

הַטֵּ֨ה יְהֹוָ֤ה׀אׇזְנְךָ֙ וּֽשְׁמָ֔ע פְּקַ֧ח יְהֹוָ֛ה עֵינֶ֖יךָ וּרְאֵ֑ה וּשְׁמַ֗ע אֵ֚ת דִּבְרֵ֣י סַנְחֵרִ֔יב אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁלָח֔וֹ לְחָרֵ֖ף אֱלֹהִ֥ים חָֽי׃

O E TERNAL One, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see. Hear the words that Sennacherib has sent to blaspheme the living God!

אׇמְנָ֖ם יְהֹוָ֑ה הֶחֱרִ֜יבוּ מַלְכֵ֥י אַשּׁ֛וּר אֶת־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם וְאֶת־אַרְצָֽם׃

True, O E TERNAL One, the kings of Assyria have annihilated the nations and their lands,

וְנָתְנ֥וּ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם בָּאֵ֑שׁ כִּי֩ לֹ֨א אֱלֹהִ֜ים הֵ֗מָּה כִּ֣י אִם־מַעֲשֵׂ֧ה יְדֵי־אָדָ֛ם עֵ֥ץ וָאֶ֖בֶן וַֽיְאַבְּדֽוּם׃

and have committed their gods to the flames and have destroyed them; for they are not gods, but the handiwork of mere mortals, wood and stone.

וְעַתָּה֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נוּ נָ֖א מִיָּד֑וֹ וְיֵֽדְעוּ֙ כׇּל־מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֥י אַתָּ֛ה יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים לְבַדֶּֽךָ׃ {ס}

But now, O E TERNAL One our God, deliver us from his hands, and let all the kingdoms of the earth know that You alone, O E TERNAL One, are God.”

וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ יְשַׁעְיָ֣הוּ בֶן־אָמ֔וֹץ אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ לֵאמֹ֑ר כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִתְפַּלַּ֧לְתָּ אֵלַ֛י אֶל־סַנְחֵרִ֥ב מֶלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֖וּר שָׁמָֽעְתִּי׃

Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah: “Thus said the E TERNAL , the God of Israel: I have heard the prayer you have offered to Me concerning King Sennacherib of Assyria.

זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה עָלָ֑יו בָּזָ֨ה לְךָ֜ לָעֲגָ֣ה לְךָ֗ בְּתוּלַת֙ בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן אַחֲרֶ֙יךָ֙ רֹ֣אשׁ הֵנִ֔יעָה בַּ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

This is the word that G OD has spoken concerning him: “Fair Maiden Zion despises you, She mocks at you; Fair Jerusalem shakes Her head at you.

אֶת־מִ֤י חֵרַ֙פְתָּ֙ וְגִדַּ֔פְתָּ וְעַל־מִ֖י הֲרִימ֣וֹתָ קּ֑וֹל וַתִּשָּׂ֥א מָר֛וֹם עֵינֶ֖יךָ עַל־קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Whom have you blasphemed and reviled? Against whom made loud your voice And haughtily raised your eyes? Against the Holy One of Israel!

בְּיַ֣ד מַלְאָכֶ֘יךָ֮ חֵרַ֣פְתָּ׀אֲדֹנָי֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר (ברכב) [בְּרֹ֥ב] רִכְבִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י עָלִ֛יתִי מְר֥וֹם הָרִ֖ים יַרְכְּתֵ֣י לְבָנ֑וֹן וְאֶכְרֹ֞ת קוֹמַ֤ת אֲרָזָיו֙ מִבְח֣וֹר בְּרֹשָׁ֔יו וְאָב֙וֹאָה֙ מְל֣וֹן קִצֹּ֔ה יַ֖עַר כַּרְמִלּֽוֹ׃

Through your envoys you have blasphemed my Sovereign. Because you thought, ‘Thanks to my vast chariotry, It is I who have climbed the highest mountains, To the remotest parts of the Lebanon, And have cut down its loftiest cedars, Its choicest cypresses, And have reached its remotest lodge, Its densest forest.

אֲנִ֣י קַ֔רְתִּי וְשָׁתִ֖יתִי מַ֣יִם זָרִ֑ים וְאַחְרִב֙ בְּכַף־פְּעָמַ֔י כֹּ֖ל יְאֹרֵ֥י מָצֽוֹר׃

It is I who have drawn and drunk the waters of strangers; I have dried up with the soles of my feet All the streams of Egypt.’

הֲלֹֽא־שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ לְמֵֽרָחוֹק֙ אֹתָ֣הּ עָשִׂ֔יתִי לְמִ֥ימֵי קֶ֖דֶם וִיצַרְתִּ֑יהָ עַתָּ֣ה הֲבֵיאתִ֔יהָ וּתְהִ֗י לַהְשׁ֛וֹת גַּלִּ֥ים נִצִּ֖ים עָרִ֥ים בְּצֻרֽוֹת׃

Have you not heard? Of old I planned that very thing, I designed it long ago, And now have fulfilled it. And it has come to pass, Laying waste fortified towns In desolate heaps.

וְיֹֽשְׁבֵיהֶן֙ קִצְרֵי־יָ֔ד חַ֖תּוּ וַיֵּבֹ֑שׁוּ הָי֞וּ עֵ֤שֶׂב שָׂדֶה֙ וִ֣ירַק דֶּ֔שֶׁא חֲצִ֣יר גַּגּ֔וֹת וּשְׁדֵפָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י קָמָֽה׃

Their inhabitants are helpless, Dismayed and shamed. They were but grass of the field And green herbage, Grass of the roofs that is blasted Before the standing grain.

וְשִׁבְתְּךָ֛ וְצֵאתְךָ֥ וּבֹאֲךָ֖ יָדָ֑עְתִּי וְאֵ֖ת הִֽתְרַגֶּזְךָ֥ אֵלָֽי׃

I know your stayings And your goings and comings, And how you have raged against Me.

יַ֚עַן הִתְרַגֶּזְךָ֣ אֵלַ֔י וְשַׁאֲנַנְךָ֖ עָלָ֣ה בְאׇזְנָ֑י וְשַׂמְתִּ֨י חַחִ֜י בְּאַפֶּ֗ךָ וּמִתְגִּי֙ בִּשְׂפָתֶ֔יךָ וַהֲשִׁ֣בֹתִ֔יךָ בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥אתָ בָּֽהּ׃

Because you have raged against Me, And your tumult has reached My ears, I will place My hook in your nose And My bit between your jaws; And I will make you go back by the road By which you came.

וְזֶה־לְּךָ֣ הָא֔וֹת אָכ֤וֹל הַשָּׁנָה֙ סָפִ֔יחַ וּבַשָּׁנָ֥ה הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית סָחִ֑ישׁ וּבַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗ית זִרְע֧וּ וְקִצְר֛וּ וְנִטְע֥וּ כְרָמִ֖ים וְאִכְל֥וּ פִרְיָֽם׃

“And this is the sign for you: This year you eat what grows of itself, and the next year what springs from that; and in the third year, sow and reap, and plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

וְיָ֨סְפָ֜ה פְּלֵיטַ֧ת בֵּית־יְהוּדָ֛ה הַנִּשְׁאָרָ֖ה שֹׁ֣רֶשׁ לְמָ֑טָּה וְעָשָׂ֥ה פְרִ֖י לְמָֽעְלָה׃

And the survivors of the House of Judah that have escaped shall regenerate its stock below and produce boughs above.

כִּ֤י מִירוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ תֵּצֵ֣א שְׁאֵרִ֔ית וּפְלֵיטָ֖ה מֵהַ֣ר צִיּ֑וֹן קִנְאַ֛ת יְהֹוָ֥ה [צְבָא֖וֹת] תַּעֲשֶׂה־זֹּֽאת׃ {ס}

For a remnant shall come forth from Jerusalem, Survivors from Mount Zion. The zeal of G OD of Hosts Shall bring this to pass.

לָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר לֹ֤א יָבֹא֙ אֶל־הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את וְלֹא־יוֹרֶ֥ה שָׁ֖ם חֵ֑ץ וְלֹא־יְקַדְּמֶ֣נָּה מָגֵ֔ן וְלֹא־יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ עָלֶ֖יהָ סֹלְלָֽה׃

Assuredly, thus said G OD concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not enter this city: He shall not shoot an arrow at it, Or advance upon it with a shield, Or pile up a siege mound against it.

בַּדֶּ֥רֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־יָבֹ֖א בָּ֣הּ יָשׁ֑וּב וְאֶל־הָעִ֥יר הַזֹּ֛את לֹ֥א יָבֹ֖א נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃

He shall go back By the way he came; He shall not enter this city —declares G OD .

וְגַנּוֹתִ֛י אֶל־הָעִ֥יר הַזֹּ֖את לְהוֹשִׁיעָ֑הּ לְמַֽעֲנִ֔י וּלְמַ֖עַן דָּוִ֥ד עַבְדִּֽי׃

I will protect and save this city for My sake, And for the sake of My servant David.”

וַיְהִי֮ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַהוּא֒ וַיֵּצֵ֣א׀ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֗ה וַיַּךְ֙ בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה אַשּׁ֔וּר מֵאָ֛ה שְׁמוֹנִ֥ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אָ֑לֶף וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְהִנֵּ֥ה כֻלָּ֖ם פְּגָרִ֥ים מֵתִֽים׃

That night an angel of G OD went out and struck down one hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp, and the following morning they were all dead corpses.

וַיִּסַּ֣ע וַיֵּ֔לֶךְ וַיָּ֖שׇׁב סַנְחֵרִ֣יב מֶלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֑וּר וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בְּנִֽינְוֵֽה׃

So King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and retreated, and stayed in Nineveh.

וַיְהִי֩ ה֨וּא מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֜ה בֵּ֣ית׀ נִסְרֹ֣ךְ אֱלֹהָ֗יו וְֽאַדְרַמֶּ֨לֶךְ וְשַׂרְאֶ֤צֶר [בָּנָיו֙] הִכֻּ֣הוּ בַחֶ֔רֶב וְהֵ֥מָּה נִמְלְט֖וּ אֶ֣רֶץ אֲרָרָ֑ט וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֵסַר־חַדֹּ֥ן בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ {פ}

While he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sarezer struck him down with the sword. They fled to the land of Ararat, and his son Esarhaddon succeeded him as king.