And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?

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?

Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.

But if thou say to me, We trust in the Lord our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?

Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

10 And am I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? the Lord said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

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The field commander said to them, “Tell Hezekiah:

“‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? You say you have counsel and might for war—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel(A) against me? Look, I know you are depending(B) on Egypt,(C) that splintered reed(D) of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. But if you say to me, “We are depending(E) on the Lord our God”—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed,(F) saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar”?(G)

“‘Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses(H)—if you can put riders on them! How then can you repulse one officer of the least of my master’s officials, even though you are depending on Egypt(I) for chariots(J) and horsemen[a]?(K) 10 Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the Lord? The Lord himself told(L) me to march against this country and destroy it.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 36:9 Or charioteers