(KJV) 2 Kings 181

<< 2 Kings 17 2 Kings 19 >>

⥃Hezekiah Destroys Idolatry in Judah [ 2 Chronicles 29:1–2 ]

[1] Now it came to pass in the third2 year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, [that] Hezekiah3 the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.4 [2] Twenty and five years old5 was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also [was] Abi6, the daughter of Zachariah. [3] And he did [that which was] right in the sight7 of the Lord, according8 to all that David his father did.

[4] [¶]He removed9 the high places, and brake10 the images11, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent12 that Moses had made: for unto those days13 the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan14. [5] He trusted15 in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him16 was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor [any] that were before him. [6] For he clave17 to the Lord, [and] departed not from following him18, but kept19 his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses. [7] And the Lord20 was with him; [and] he prospered21 whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled22 against the king of Assyria, and served him not. [8] He smote the Philistines23, [even] unto Gaza24, and the borders thereof, from the tower25 of the watchmen to the fenced city.

[9] And it came to pass in the fourth year26 of king Hezekiah, which [was] the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, [that] Shalmaneser27 king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.28 [10] And at the end of three years they took it29: [even] in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that [is] the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.30 [11] And the king31 of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah32 and in Habor [by] the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes: [12] Because they obeyed not33 the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant, [and] all that Moses34 the servant of the Lord commanded, and would not hear [them], nor do [them].

⥃Sennacherib Invades Judah [ 2 Chronicles 32:1–8 † Psalms 46:1–11 ]

[13] [¶]Now in the fourteenth35 year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib36 king of Assyria come up37 against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.38 [14] And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended39; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. [15] And Hezekiah gave [him] all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house.40 [16] At that time did Hezekiah cut off [the gold41 from] the doors of the temple of the Lord, and [from] the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it42 to the king of Assyria.

⥃Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem [ 2 Chronicles 32:9–19 † Isaiah 36:1–22 ]

[17] And the king43 of Assyria sent Tartan44 and Rabsaris and Rab–shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great45 host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool46, which [is] in the highway of the fuller’s field.47 [18] And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim48 the son of Hilkiah, which [was] over the household, and Shebna49 the scribe50, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder51. [19] And Rab–shakeh52 said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith53 the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence54 [is] this wherein thou trustest? [20] Thou sayest55, (but [they are but] vain words56,) [I have] counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest57 against me? [21] Now, behold, thou trustest58 upon the staff59 of this bruised reed, [even] upon Egypt60, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so [is] Pharaoh61 king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. [22] But if ye say unto me, We trust62 in the Lord our God: [is] not that he, whose high places63 and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? [23] Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges64 to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver65 thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them. [24] How then66 wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put thy trust67 on Egypt for chariots68 and for horsemen? [25] Am I now69 come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it. [26] Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rab–shakeh, Speak70, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language71; for we understand [it]: and talk not with us in the Jews’ language in the ears of the people that [are] on the wall. [27] But Rab–shakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? [hath he] not [sent me] to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat72 their own dung, and drink their own piss73 with you? [28] Then Rab–shakeh74 stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria75: [29] Thus saith76 the king, Let not77 Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand: [30] Neither let Hezekiah make you78 trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city79 shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. [31] Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make [an agreement] with me80 by a present, and come out to me, and [then] eat ye81 every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern82: [32] Until I come83 and take you away to a land like your own84 land, a land of corn 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 Hezekiah, when he persuadeth85 you, saying, The Lord will deliver us. [33] Hath any86 of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? [34] Where [are] the gods87 of Hamath88, and of Arpad89? where [are] the gods90 of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered91 Samaria out of mine hand? [35] Who [are92] they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the Lord93 should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand? [36] But the people held their peace94, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not. [37] Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which [was] over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with [their] clothes rent95, and told him the words of Rab–shakeh.

<< 2 Kings 17 2 Kings 19 >>

  1. 2Kgs 18:1, Hezekiah’s good reign; 2Kgs 18:4, He destroys idolatry, and prospers; 2Kgs 18:9, The inhabitants of Samaria are carried captive for their sins; 2Kgs 18:13, Sennacherib invading Judah, is pacified by a tribute; 2Kgs 18:17, Rab–shakeh, by blasphemous persuasions, solicits the people to revolt. ↩

  2. 2Kgs 18:9, 2Kgs 15:30, 2Kgs 17:1 ↩

  3. 2Kgs 16:20; 1Chr 3:13; 2Chr 28:27, 2Chr 29:1; Matt 1:9-10, Ezekias ↩

  4. am 3278, bc 726 ↩

  5. As Ahaz was 20 years old when he began to reign, and died when he had reigned 16 years, his whole age only amounted to 36 years; and as Hezekiah was, at least, entering on his 25th year when he began to reign, then Ahaz must have been under 12 years of age when his son was born! This is not at all impossible, and there are well-attested facts of men having children at as early a period, especially in eastern countries., am 3278-3306, bc 726-698 ↩

  6. 2Chr 29:1, Abijah ↩

  7. 2Kgs 20:3; Exod 15:26; Deut 6:18; 2Chr 31:20-21; Job 33:27; Ps 119:128; Rom 7:12; Eph 6:1 ↩

  8. 2Kgs 22:2; 1Kgs 3:14, 1Kgs 11:4, 1Kgs 11:38, 1Kgs 15:5, 1Kgs 15:11; 2Chr 29:2 ↩

  9. 2Kgs 12:3, 2Kgs 14:4, 2Kgs 15:4, 2Kgs 15:35; Lev 26:30; 1Kgs 3:2-3, 1Kgs 15:14, 1Kgs 22:43; Ps 78:58; Ezek 20:28-29 ↩

  10. 2Kgs 23:4; Deut 7:5, Deut 12:2-3; Judg 6:25, Judg 6:28; 1Kgs 15:12-13; 2Chr 19:3, 2Chr 31:1; 2Chr 33:3 ↩

  11. Heb. statues ↩

  12. Num 21:8-9; John 3:14-15 ↩

  13. 2Kgs 16:15 ↩

  14. That is, a piece of brass. ↩

  15. 2Kgs 19:10; 2Chr 32:7-8; Job 13:15; Ps 13:5, Ps 27:1-2, Ps 46:1-2, Ps 84:12; Ps 146:5-6; Jer 17:7-8; Matt 27:43; Eph 1:12 ↩

  16. 2Kgs 19:15-19, 2Kgs 23:25; 2Chr 14:11, 2Chr 16:7-9, 2Chr 20:20, 2Chr 20:35 ↩

  17. None of the kings of Judah, from the time of the division of the kingdom, equalled Hezekiah in the stedfastness and simplicity of his dependence upon the Lord; in which he aspired to an equality with his progenitor David, who had reigned over the whole land. Even Asa, through weakness of faith, sought the assistance of an heathen prince; and Jehoshaphat formed an alliance with idolatrous Ahab; but Hezekiah clave to the Lord, in entire confidence and unreserved obedience, to the end of his life. Deut 10:20; Josh 23:8; Acts 11:23 ↩

  18. Heb. from after him ↩

  19. 2Kgs 17:13, 2Kgs 17:16, 2Kgs 17:19; Jer 11:4; John 14:15, John 14:21, John 15:10, John 15:14; 1John 5:3 ↩

  20. Gen 21:22, Gen 39:2-3; 1Sam 18:14; 2Chr 15:2; Ps 46:11, Ps 60:12; Matt 1:23; Matt 28:20; Acts 7:9-10 ↩

  21. Gen 39:2; 1Sam 18:5, 1Sam 18:14 *marg. 2Sam 8:6, 2Sam 8:14; 2Chr 31:21, 2Chr 32:30; Ps 1:3, Ps 60:12; Rom 8:31 ↩

  22. 2Kgs 18:20, 2Kgs 16:7 ↩

  23. 1Chr 4:41; 2Chr 28:18; Isa 14:29 ↩

  24. Heb. Azzah ↩

  25. 2Kgs 17:9; 2Chr 26:10; Isa 5:2 ↩

  26. 2Kgs 18:1, 2Kgs 17:4-6 ↩

  27. 2Kgs 17:3-23; Hos 10:14, Shalman ↩

  28. am 3281, bc 723 ↩

  29. Hos 13:16; Amos 3:11-15, Amos 4:1-3, Amos 6:7, Amos 9:1-4; Mic 1:6-9, Mic 6:16, Mic 7:13 ↩

  30. am 3283, bc 721 ↩

  31. 2Kgs 17:6, 2Kgs 19:11; 1Chr 5:26; Isa 7:8, Isa 8:4, Isa 9:9-21, Isa 10:5, Isa 10:11, Isa 37:12; Hos 8:8-9; Hos 9:3; Amos 5:1-3, Amos 5:6, Amos 5:25-27; Acts 7:43 ↩

  32. It is thought, with much probability, that Halah, or Chalach, is Ptolemy's Calachene, the northern part of Assyria; that Habor, or Chabor, is the mountain or mountainous country, between Media and Assyria, called by Ptolemy, Χαβωρας, Chaboras; and that Gozan is Gauzanitis of Ptolemy, situated between that mountain and the Caspian sea, and between the two channels of the river Cyrus. ↩

  33. 2Kgs 17:7-23; Deut 8:20, Deut 11:28, Deut 29:24-28, Deut 31:17; Neh 9:17, Neh 9:26-27; Ps 107:17; Isa 1:19; Jer 3:8, Jer 7:23; Dan 9:6-11; Mic 3:4; 2Thess 1:8; 1Pet 2:8, 1Pet 4:17 ↩

  34. Num 12:7; Deut 34:5; Josh 1:1; 2Tim 2:24; Heb 3:5-6 ↩

  35. 2Chr 32:1-23; Isa 36:1-22 ↩

  36. Heb. Sanherib ↩

  37. Isa 7:17-25, Isa 8:7-8, Isa 10:5; Hos 12:1-2 ↩

  38. am 3291, bc 713 ↩

  39. 2Kgs 18:7; 1Kgs 20:4; Prov 29:25; Luke 14:32 ↩

  40. 2Kgs 12:18, 2Kgs 16:8; 1Kgs 15:15, 1Kgs 15:18-19; 2Chr 16:2 ↩

  41. 1Kgs 6:31-35; 2Chr 29:3 ↩

  42. Heb. them ↩

  43. 2Chr 32:9; Isa 20:1, Isa 36:2 ↩

  44. Calmet remarks, that these are not the names of persons, but of offices: Tartan signifies "he who presides over gifts or tribute;" Rab–saris, "the chief of the eunuchs;" and Rab–shakeh, "the chief cup-bearer." ↩

  45. Heb. heavy ↩

  46. If the Fuller's field were near En-Rogel, or the Fuller's fountain, east of Jerusalem, as is generally supposed, then the conduit of the upper pool may been an aqueduct that brought the water from the upper or eastern reservoir of that fountain, which had been seized in order to distress the city. 2Kgs 20:20; Isa 7:3, Isa 22:9-11, Isa 36:2 ↩

  47. am 3294, bc 710 ↩

  48. 2Kgs 19:2; Isa 22:20-24, Isa 36:3, Isa 36:22, Isa 37:2 ↩

  49. Isa 22:15-19 ↩

  50. or, secretary, 2Sam 8:17 *marg. ↩

  51. 2Sam 8:16, 2Sam 20:24; 1Kgs 4:3; 2Chr 34:8 ↩

  52. He was the chief speaker, being a very eloquent man, and, according to the Hebrews, whom Procopius follows, an apostate Jew; which is not improbable, as he spoke Hebrew so fluently; and when he blasphemed the Divine Majesty, the king and nobles rent their clothes, which was usual unless the blasphemer were an Israelite. ↩

  53. 2Chr 32:10; Isa 10:8-14, Isa 36:4, Isa 37:13; Dan 4:30 ↩

  54. 2Kgs 18:22, 2Kgs 18:29-30, 2Kgs 19:10; 2Chr 32:7-8, 2Chr 32:10-11, 2Chr 32:14-16; Ps 4:2; Isa 36:4, Isa 36:7, Isa 37:10 ↩

  55. or, talkest ↩

  56. Heb. word of the lips, I have counsel and strength for the war. or, but counsel and strength are for the war. Prov 21:30-31 ↩

  57. 2Kgs 18:14 ↩

  58. Heb. trustest thee ↩

  59. Isa 36:6; Ezek 29:6-7 ↩

  60. Isa 30:2, Isa 30:7, Isa 31:1-3 ↩

  61. 2Kgs 17:4; Jer 46:17 ↩

  62. 2Kgs 18:5; Dan 3:15; Matt 27:43 ↩

  63. 2Kgs 18:4; 2Chr 31:1, 2Chr 32:12; Isa 36:7; 1Cor 2:15 ↩

  64. Heb. hostages ↩

  65. 1Sam 17:42, 1Sam 17:44; 1Kgs 20:10, 1Kgs 20:18; Neh 4:2-5; Ps 123:3-4; Isa 10:13-14; Isa 36:8-9 ↩

  66. Isa 10:8; Dan 2:37-38, Dan 4:22, Dan 4:37 ↩

  67. 2Kgs 18:21; Deut 17:16; Isa 31:1, Isa 31:3, Isa 36:6, Isa 36:9; Jer 37:7, Jer 42:14-18; Ezek 17:15, Ezek 17:17 ↩

  68. Ps 20:7-8 ↩

  69. 2Kgs 19:6, 2Kgs 19:22-37; 1Kgs 13:18; 2Chr 35:21; Isa 10:5-6; Amos 3:6; John 19:10-11 ↩

  70. Perceiving that the object of this blasphemous caitiff was to stir up the people to sedition, they mildly and reasonably required him to make his proposals in the Syrian language. ↩

  71. Ezra 4:7; Isa 36:11-12; Dan 2:4 ↩

  72. 2Kgs 6:25; Deut 28:53-57; Ps 73:8; Lam 4:5; Ezek 4:13, Ezek 4:15 ↩

  73. Heb. the water of their feet ↩

  74. 2Chr 32:18; Isa 36:13-18 ↩

  75. 2Kgs 18:19; Ezra 7:12; Ps 47:2; Isa 10:8-13; Ezek 29:3, Ezek 31:3-10; Rev 19:6 ↩

  76. Ps 73:8-9 ↩

  77. 2Chr 32:11, 2Chr 32:15; Dan 3:15-17, Dan 6:16; John 19:10-11; 2Thess 2:4, 2Thess 2:8 ↩

  78. 2Kgs 18:22; 2Kgs 19:10, 2Kgs 19:22; Ps 4:2, Ps 11:1, Ps 22:7-8, Ps 71:9, Ps 71:11, Ps 125:1-2; Matt 27:43; Luke 23:35 ↩

  79. 2Kgs 19:32-34 ↩

  80. or, Seek my favour, Heb. Make with me a blessing, Gen 32:20, Gen 33:11; Prov 18:16 ↩

  81. 1Kgs 4:20, 1Kgs 4:25; Zech 3:10 ↩

  82. or, pit ↩

  83. 2Kgs 18:11, 2Kgs 17:6, 2Kgs 17:23, 2Kgs 24:14-16, 2Kgs 25:11 ↩

  84. Exod 3:8; Num 13:26-27, Num 14:8; Deut 8:7-9, Deut 11:12, Deut 32:13-14 ↩

  85. or, deceiveth, 2Kgs 18:29 ↩

  86. 2Kgs 19:12-13, 2Kgs 19:17-18; 2Chr 32:14-17, 2Chr 32:19; Isa 10:10, Isa 36:18-20 ↩

  87. 2Kgs 19:13; Num 13:21; 2Sam 8:9; Jer 49:23 ↩

  88. Hamath, there is little doubt, was the Epiphania of the Greeks, as Josephus, Theodoret, and Jerome, expressly assert. It was a celebrated city of Syria, situated on the Orontes, and the present Hamah doubtless occupies its site; as Abulfeda, who was prince or emir of Hamah about ad 1345, expressly states, in his Description of Syria, that Hamah is an ancient city mentioned in the writings of the Israelites. It is still a considerable town, situated on both sides of the Orontes, about three days' journey and a half from Tripoli; and must contain, Burckhardt says, at least 30,000 inhabitants. ↩

  89. Arpad is probably the town of Arphas, mentioned by Josephus as limiting the province of Gamalitis, Gaulanitis, Batanea, and Trachonitis, to the ne; and the Raphan, or Raphanea, which Stephanus places near Epiphania. ↩

  90. 2Kgs 17:24-33, Ava, Isa 36:18-19, Isa 37:11-12, Isa 37:18-19 ↩

  91. 2Kgs 17:6, 2Kgs 17:23-24, 2Kgs 17:30-31, 2Kgs 19:12-13 ↩

  92. 2Kgs 19:17; Dan 3:15 ↩

  93. Exod 5:2; 2Chr 32:15; Job 15:25-26; Isa 10:15, Isa 37:23-29 ↩

  94. Ps 38:13-14, Ps 39:1; Prov 9:7, Prov 26:4; Amos 5:13; Matt 7:6 ↩

  95. 2Kgs 5:7, 2Kgs 22:11, 2Kgs 22:19; Gen 37:29, Gen 37:34; Job 1:20; Isa 33:7, Isa 36:21-22; Jer 36:24; Matt 26:65 ↩