Study Desk

In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah,^(a) Ahaz^(b) son of Jotham became king of Judah.

Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king and reigned 16 years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord his God like his ancestor David^(c)

but walked in the way of the kings of Israel.^(d) He even made his son pass through the fire,^[a] imitating the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites.^(e)

He sacrificed and burned incense^(f) on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.^(g)

Then^(h) Aram's King Rezin and Israel's King Pekah son of Remaliah came to wage war against Jerusalem. They besieged Ahaz but were not able to conquer him.⁽ⁱ⁾

At that time Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath for Aram and expelled the Judahites from Elath.^(j) Then the Arameans came to Elath, and they live there until today.^(k)

So Ahaz sent messengers^(l) to Tiglath-pileser^(m) king of Assyria, saying, "I am your servant and your son. March up and save me from the power of the king of Aram and of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me."

Ahaz also took the silver and gold found in the Lord 's temple and in the treasuries of the king's palace and sent them to the king of Assyria as a gift.⁽ⁿ⁾

So the king of Assyria listened to him^(o) and marched up to Damascus and captured it.^(p) He deported its people to Kir^(q) but put Rezin to death.

King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser^(r) king of Assyria. When he saw the altar that was in Damascus, King Ahaz sent a model of the altar and complete plans for its construction to Uriah the priest.^(s)

Uriah built the altar according to all the instructions King Ahaz sent from Damascus. Therefore, by the time King Ahaz came back from Damascus, Uriah the priest had completed it.

When the king came back from Damascus, he saw the altar. Then he approached the altar^(t) and ascended it.

He offered his burnt offering^(u) and his grain offering, poured out his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his fellowship offerings^(v) on the altar.

He took the bronze altar^(w) that was before the Lord in front of the temple between his altar and the Lord 's temple, and put it on the north side of his altar.

Then King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest, "Offer on the great altar the morning burnt offering, the evening grain offering, and the king's burnt offering and his grain offering. Also offer the burnt offering of all the people of the land, their grain offering, and their drink offerings. Sprinkle on the altar all the blood of the burnt offering and all the blood of sacrifice. The bronze altar will be for me to seek guidance."^[b]

Uriah the priest did everything King Ahaz commanded.

Then King Ahaz cut off the frames of the water carts^[c](x) and removed the bronze basin from each of them. He took the reservoir^[d](y) from the bronze oxen that were under it and put it on a stone pavement.

To satisfy the king of Assyria, he removed from the Lord 's temple the Sabbath canopy they had built in the palace, and he closed the outer entrance for the king.

The rest^(z) of the events of Ahaz's reign, along with his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Judah's Kings.^(aa)

Ahaz rested with his fathers^(ab) and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and his son Hezekiah became king in his place.

In the twelfth year of Judah's King Ahaz, Hoshea^(a) son of Elah became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned nine years.

He did what was evil in the Lord 's sight, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him.^(b)

Shalmaneser^(c) king of Assyria attacked him,^(d) and Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute money.

But the king of Assyria discovered Hoshea's conspiracy. He had sent envoys to So king of Egypt^(e) and had not paid tribute money to the king of Assyria as in previous years.^[a] Therefore the king of Assyria arrested him and put him in prison.

Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land, marched up to Samaria, and besieged it for three years.^(f)

In the ninth year of Hoshea,^(g) the king of Assyria captured Samaria. He deported^(h) the Israelites to Assyria and settled them in Halah and by the Habor, Gozan's river, and in the cities of the Medes.⁽ⁱ⁾

This disaster happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt^(j) and because they had worshiped^[b] other gods.^(k)

They had lived according to the customs of the nations that the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites^(l) and the customs the kings of Israel had introduced.^(m)

The Israelites secretly did what was not right^[c] against the Lord their God. They built high places in all their towns from watchtower⁽ⁿ⁾ to fortified city.

They set up for themselves sacred pillars^(o) and Asherah poles^(p) on every high hill and under every green tree.^(q)

They burned incense on all the high places just like those nations that the Lord had driven out before them. They did evil things, provoking the Lord .

They served idols, although the Lord had told them, "You must not do this."^(r)

Still, the Lord warned^(s) Israel and Judah through every prophet and every seer, saying, "Turn from your evil ways and keep My commands and statutes according to all the law I commanded your ancestors and sent to you through My servants the prophets."^(t)

But they would not listen. Instead they became obstinate like^[d] their ancestors who did not believe the Lord their God.^(u)

They rejected His statutes and His covenant He had made with their ancestors^(v) and the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves,^(w) following the surrounding nations the Lord had commanded them not to imitate.^(x)

They abandoned all the commands of the Lord their God. They made cast images^(y) for themselves, two calves, and an Asherah pole.^(z) They worshiped the whole heavenly host^(aa) and served Baal.^(ab)

They made their sons and daughters pass through the fire^(ac) and practiced divination and interpreted omens.^(ad) They devoted themselves to do what was evil in the Lord 's sight and provoked Him.^(ae)

Therefore, the Lord was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence.^(af) Only the tribe of Judah remained.^(ag)

Even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God^(ah) but lived according to the customs Israel had introduced.^(ai)

So the Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel, afflicted them, and handed them over to plunderers until He had banished them from His presence.^(aj)

When the Lord tore^(ak) Israel from the house of David, Israel made Jeroboam son of Nebat king.^(al) Then Jeroboam led Israel away from following the Lord and caused them to commit great sin.

The Israelites persisted in all the sins that Jeroboam committed and did not turn away from them.^(am)

Finally, the Lord removed Israel from His presence just as He had declared through all His servants the prophets. So Israel has been exiled to Assyria from their homeland until today.^(an)

Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in place of the Israelites in the cities of Samaria. The settlers took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities.^(ao)

When they first lived there, they did not fear Yahweh. So the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them.^(ap)

The settlers spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, "The nations that you have deported and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land. Therefore He has sent lions among them that are killing them because the people don't know the requirements of the God of the land."

Then the king of Assyria issued a command: "Send back one of the priests you deported.^(aq) Have him go and live there so he can teach them the requirements of the God of the land."

So one of the priests they had deported came and lived in Bethel,^(ar) and he began to teach them how they should fear Yahweh.

But the people of each nation were still making their own gods in the cities where they lived and putting them in the shrines of the high places that the people of Samaria had made.^(as)

The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima,

the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire^(at) to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of the Sepharvaim.

They feared the Lord , but they also appointed from their number priests to serve them in the shrines of the high places.^(au)

They feared the Lord , but they also worshiped their own gods^(av) according to the custom of the nations where they had been deported from.

They are still practicing the former customs to this day. None of them fear the Lord or observe their statutes and ordinances, the law and commandments the Lord commanded the descendants of Jacob. He had renamed him Israel.^(aw)

The Lord made a covenant with them and commanded them, "Do not fear other gods; do not bow down to them;^(ax) do not serve them; do not sacrifice to them.^(ay)

Instead fear the Lord , who brought you from the land of Egypt with great power^(az) and an outstretched arm.^(ba) You are to bow down to Him, and you are to sacrifice to Him.

You are to be careful always^(bb) to observe the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandments He wrote for you; do not fear other gods.

Do not forget the covenant that I have made with you.^(bc) Do not fear other gods,

but fear the Lord your God, and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies."^(bd)

However, they would not listen but continued practicing their former customs.

These nations feared the Lord but also served their idols. Their children and grandchildren continue doing as their fathers did until today.^(be)

In the third year of Israel's King Hoshea^(a) son of Elah, Hezekiah^(b) son of Ahaz became king of Judah.

He was 25 years old when he became king and reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abi^[a] daughter of Zechariah.

He did what was right in the Lord 's sight just as his ancestor David had done.^(c)

He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles.^(d) He broke into pieces the bronze snake that Moses made,^(e) for the Israelites burned incense to it up to that time. He called it Nehushtan.^[b]

Hezekiah trusted in the Lord God of Israel;^(f) not one of the kings of Judah was like him, either before him or after him.^(g)

He remained faithful to Yahweh^(h) and did not turn from following Him but kept the commands the Lord had commanded Moses.

The Lord was with him, and wherever he went he prospered.⁽ⁱ⁾ He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.^(j)

He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its borders,^(k) from watchtower^(l) to fortified city.

In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Israel's King Hoshea son of Elah, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and besieged it.^(m)

The Assyrians captured it at the end of three years. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Israel's King Hoshea, Samaria was captured.

The king of Assyria deported the Israelites to Assyria and put them in Halah and by the Habor, Gozan's river, and in the cities of the Medes,⁽ⁿ⁾

because they did not listen to the voice of the Lord their God but violated His covenant—all He had commanded Moses the servant of the Lord . They did not listen, and they did not obey.^(o)

In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.^(p)

So Hezekiah king of Judah sent word to the king of Assyria at Lachish,^(q) saying, "I have done wrong;^(r) withdraw from me. Whatever you demand from me, I will pay." The king of Assyria demanded 11 tons^[c] of silver and one ton^[d] of gold from King Hezekiah of Judah.

So Hezekiah gave him all the silver found in the Lord 's temple and in the treasuries of the king's palace.

At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the Lord 's sanctuary and from the doorposts he had overlaid and gave it to the king of Assyria.^(s)

Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan,^(t) the Rab-saris, and the Rabshakeh, along with a massive army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem.^(u) They advanced and came to Jerusalem, and^[e] they took their position by the aqueduct of the upper pool, which is by the highway to the Fuller's Field.^(v)

Then they called for the king, but Eliakim^(w) son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, Shebnah^(x) the court secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the court historian, came out to them.^(y)

Then^(z) the Rabshakeh said to them, "Tell Hezekiah this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: ‘What are you relying on?^[f](aa)

You think mere words are strategy and strength for war. What are you now relying on so that you have rebelled against me?^(ab)

Look, you are now trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff^(ac) that will enter and pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it.^(ad) This is how Pharaoh king of Egypt is to all who trust in him.

Suppose you say to me: We trust in the Lord our God. Isn't He the One whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed,^(ae) saying to Judah and to Jerusalem: You must worship at this altar in Jerusalem?'

"So now make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria. I'll give you 2,000 horses if you're able to supply riders for them!

How then can you drive back a single officer^(af) among the least of my master's servants and trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

Have I attacked this place to destroy it without the Lord 's approval?^(ag) The Lord said to me, ‘Attack this land and destroy it.'"

Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebnah, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic,^(ah) since we understand it. Don't speak with us in Hebrew^[g] within earshot of the people on the wall."

But the Rabshakeh said to them, "Has my master sent me only to your master and to you to speak these words? Hasn't he also sent me to the men who sit on the wall, destined with you to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine?"^(ai)

The Rabshakeh stood and called out loudly in Hebrew.^[h] Then he spoke: "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria.

This is what the king says: ‘Don't let Hezekiah deceive^(aj) you; he can't deliver you from my hand.^(ak)

Don't let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord by saying: Certainly the Lord will deliver us! This city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.'^(al)

"Don't listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: ‘Make peace^[i] with me and surrender to me. Then every one of you may eat from his own vine and his own fig tree,^(am) and every one may drink water from his own cistern

until I come and take you away to 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^(an)—so that you may live^(ao) and not die. But don't listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you, saying: The Lord will deliver us.

Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered^(ap) his land from the power of the king of Assyria?

Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?^[j] Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?^(aq)

Who among all the gods of the lands has delivered his land from my power? So will the Lord deliver Jerusalem?'"^(ar)

But the people kept silent; they didn't say anything, for the king's command was, "Don't answer him."

Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the court secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the court historian,^(as) came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn^(at) and reported to him the words of the Rabshakeh.

When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth,^(a) and went into the Lord 's temple.^(b)

Then he sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the court secretary,^(c) and the leading priests, who were wearing sackcloth,^(d) to the prophet Isaiah^(e) son of Amoz.

They said to him, "This is what Hezekiah says: ‘Today is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace, for children have come to the point of birth,^(f) but there is no strength to deliver them.

Perhaps Yahweh your God^(g) will hear^(h) all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke⁽ⁱ⁾ him for the words that Yahweh your God has heard. Therefore, offer a prayer for the surviving remnant.'"^(j)

So the servants of King Hezekiah went to Isaiah,

who said to them, "Tell your master this, ‘The Lord says: Don't be afraid^(k) because of the words you have heard, that the king of Assyria's attendants^(l) have blasphemed^(m) Me with.

I am about to put a spirit in him, and he will hear a rumor and return to his own land⁽ⁿ⁾ where I will cause him to fall by the sword.'"^(o)

When^(p) the Rabshakeh heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish,^(q) he returned and found him fighting against Libnah.^(r)

The king had heard this about Tirhakah king of Cush: "Look, he has set out to fight against you." So he again sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,

"Say this to Hezekiah king of Judah: ‘Don't let your God, whom you trust,^(s) deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.^(t)

Look, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries: they completely destroyed them. Will you be rescued?

Did the gods of the nations^(u) that my predecessors destroyed rescue them—nations such as Gozan,^(v) Haran,^(w) Rezeph, and the Edenites^(x) in Telassar?

Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, or Ivvah?'"^(y)

Hezekiah took^(z) the letter^(aa) from the hand of the messengers, read it, then went up to the Lord 's temple, and spread it out before the Lord .^(ab)

Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord : Lord God of Israel who is enthroned above the cherubim,^(ac) You are God—You alone—of all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth.^(ad)

Listen closely, Lord , and hear; open Your eyes, Lord , and see.^(ae) Hear the words that Sennacherib has sent to mock the living God.^(af)

Lord , it is true that the kings of Assyria have devastated the nations and their lands.^(ag)

They have thrown their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but made by human hands—wood and stone.^(ah) So they have destroyed them.

Now, Lord our God, please save us from his hand so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God—You alone.^(ai)

Then^(aj) Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: "The Lord , the God of Israel says: ‘I have heard your prayer^(ak) to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria.'^(al)

This is the word the Lord has spoken against him: Virgin Daughter Zion^(am) despises you and scorns you: Daughter Jerusalem shakes her head behind your back.^[a](an)

Who is it you mocked and blasphemed?^(ao) Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!^(ap)

You have mocked the Lord^[b] through^[c] your messengers.^(aq) You have said: With my many chariots^(ar) I have gone up to the heights of the mountains, to the far recesses of Lebanon. I cut down its tallest cedars, its choice cypress trees. I came to its farthest outpost, its densest forest.

I dug wells, and I drank foreign waters. I dried up all the streams of Egypt^(as) with the soles of my feet.

Have you not heard?^(at) I designed it long ago; I planned it in days gone by. I have now brought it to pass,^(au) and you have crushed fortified cities into piles of rubble.

Their inhabitants have become powerless, dismayed, and ashamed. They are plants of the field, tender grass, grass on the rooftops,^(av) blasted by the east wind.^[d]

But I know your sitting down,^[e](aw) your going out and your coming in, and your raging against Me.

Because your raging against Me and your arrogance have reached My ears, I will put My hook in your nose^(ax) and My bit in your mouth; I will make you go back the way you came.

"This will be the sign^(ay) for you: This year you will eat what grows on its own, and in the second year what grows from that. But in the third year sow and reap, plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

The surviving remnant^(az) of the house of Israel will again take root downward and bear fruit upward.

For a remnant will go out from Jerusalem and survivors, from Mount Zion.^(ba) The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.^(bb)

Therefore, this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria: He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow there or come before it with a shield or build up an assault ramp against it.^(bc)

He will go back on the road that he came and he will not enter this city. This is the Lord 's declaration.

I will defend this city and rescue it for My sake and for the sake of My servant David."^(bd)

That night the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies!^(be)

So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and left. He returned home and lived in Nineveh.^(bf)

One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech^(bg) and Sharezer struck him down with the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat.^(bh) Then his son Esar-haddon^(bi) became king in his place.

In those days^(a) Hezekiah became terminally ill.^(b) The prophet Isaiah^(c) son of Amoz came and said to him, "This is what the Lord says: ‘Put your affairs in order,^[a] for you are about to die; you will not recover.'"^(d)

Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall^(e) and prayed to the Lord ,

"Please Lord , remember^(f) how I have walked before You faithfully and wholeheartedly and have done what pleases You."^[b](g) And Hezekiah wept bitterly.^(h)

Isaiah had not yet gone out of the inner courtyard when the word of the Lord came to him:

"Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader⁽ⁱ⁾ of My people, ‘This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: I have heard your prayer;^(j) I have seen your tears. Look, I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the Lord 's temple.

I will add 15 years to your life. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for My sake and for the sake of My servant David.'"^(k)

Then Isaiah said, "Bring a lump of pressed figs." So they brought it and applied it to his infected skin, and he recovered.^(l)

Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, "What is the sign^(m) that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the Lord 's temple on the third day?"

Isaiah said, "This is the sign⁽ⁿ⁾ to you from the Lord that He will do what He has promised: Should the shadow go ahead 10 steps or go back 10 steps?"

Then Hezekiah answered, "It's easy for the shadow to lengthen 10 steps. No, let the shadow go back 10 steps."

So Isaiah the prophet called out to the Lord , and He brought the shadow^[c] back the 10 steps it had descended on Ahaz's stairway.^[d](o)

At that time^(p) Merodach-baladan^[e] son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah since he heard that he had been sick.

Hezekiah gave them a hearing and showed them his whole treasure house—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil—and his armory, and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his palace and in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.^(q)

Then the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and asked him, "Where did these men come from and what did they say to you?" Hezekiah replied, "They came from a distant country, from Babylon."

Isaiah asked, "What have they seen in your palace?" Hezekiah answered, "They have seen everything in my palace. There isn't anything in my treasuries that I didn't show them."

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the Lord :

‘The time will certainly come when everything in your palace and all that your fathers have stored up until this day will be carried off to Babylon; nothing will be left,'^(r) says the Lord .

‘Some of your descendants who come from you will be taken away,^(s) and they will become eunuchs^[f] in the palace of the king of Babylon.'"^(t)

Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good,"^(u) for he thought: Why not, if there will be peace and security during my lifetime?

The rest of the events of Hezekiah's reign, along with all his might and how he made the pool^(v) and the tunnel and brought water into the city,^(w) are written in the Historical Record of Judah's Kings.^(x)

Hezekiah rested with his fathers, and his son Manasseh became king in his place.^(y)