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¹ In the xiiij. yeare of kinge Ezechias, came Sennacherib kinge of the Assirians downe, to laye sege vnto all the stronge cities of Iuda² And the kinge of the Assirias sent Rabsaches from Lachis toward Ierusalem, agaynst kinge Ezechias, with a greuous hooste, which set him by the condite of the ouerpole, in the waye that goeth thorow ye fullers lode.³ And so there came forth vnto him Eliachim Helchias sonne the presydent, Sobna the scribe, and Ioah Asaphs sonne the Secretary.⁴ And Rabsaches sayde vnto them: Tel Ezechias, that the greate kinge of Assiria sayeth thus vnto him: What presumpcion is this, that thou trustest vnto?⁵ Thou thinkest (peradueture) that thou hast councel & power ynough, to mayntene this warre: or els wher to trustest thou, that thou castest thi self of fro me?⁶ lo, Thou puttest thy trust in a broken staff of rede (I meane Egipte) which he that leaneth vpon, it goeth in to his honde & shuteth him thorow. Euen so is Pharao the kinge of Egipte, vnto all the that trust in him.⁷ But yf thou woldest saye to me: We trust in ye LORDE oure God: A goodly god, in dede: whose hie places & aulteres Ezechias toke downe, and commaunded Iuda and Ierusalem, to worshipe only before the aulter.⁸ Abyde the, thou hast made a condicion with my lorde the kinge of the Assirias, that he shulde geue the two thousande horses: Art thou able to set me there vp?⁹ Seinge now that thou canst not resist the power of the smallest prynce that my LORDE hath, how darrest thou trust in yt charettes and horse men of Egipte?¹⁰ Morouer, thinkest thou yt I am come downe hither, to destroye this londe with out the LORDES will? The LORDE sayde vnto me: go downe in to that londe, that thou mayest destroye it.

¹¹ Then sayde Eliachim, Sobna & Iohah vnto Rabsaches: Speake to vs thy seruauntes (we praye the) in the Sirians language, for we vnderstonde it well: And speake not to vs in the Iewes tunge, lest the folcke heare, which lieth vpon the wall.¹² Then answered Rabsaches: Thinke ye, yt the kinge sent me to speake this only vnto you? Hath he not sent me to the also, that lie vpo the wall? that they be not copelled to eate their owne donge, and drinke their owne stale with you?¹³ And Rabsaches stode stiff, & cried with a loude voyce in the Iewes tuge, and sayde: Now take hede, how the greate kinge of the Assirias geueth you warnynge.¹⁴ Thus saieth the kinge: Let not Ezechias disceaue you, for he shal not be able to delyuer you.¹⁵ Morouer, let not Ezechias comforte you in the LORDE, when he saieth: The LORDE with out doute shal defende vs, & shal not geue ouer this cite in to the hondes of the kinge of the Assirias, beleue him not.¹⁶ But thus saieth the kinge of Assiria: opteyne my fauoure, enclyne to me: So maye euery ma enioye his vynyardes and fygetrees, and drinke the water of his cisterne:¹⁷ vnto the tyme that I come myself, & bringe you in to a londe, yt is like youre owne: wher in is wheat and wyne, which is both sowen with sede, and planted with vynyardes.¹⁸ Let not Ezechias disceaue you, when he sayeth vnto you: the LORDE shal delyuer us. Might the goddes of the Gentiles kepe euerymans londe, from the power of the kinge of the Assirians?¹⁹ Wher is the God of hemath & Arphad? Where is the God of Sepharnaim? And who was able to defende Samaria out of my honde?²⁰ Or which of all the goddes of the lodes, hath deliuered their countre out of my power, so that the LORDE shulde delyuer Ierusalem fro my honde?²¹ Vnto this, Ezechias messaungers helde their tunges, and answered not one worde: for the kinge had charged them, that they shulde geue him none answere.²² So came Eliachim Elchias sonne the presidet, Sobna the scrybe, and Ioah Asaphs sonne the Secretary, vnto Ezechias with rente clothes, & tolde him the wordes of Rabsaches.