Ch 18 / 25~6 min
Melachim Bet

Chapter 18

Hezekiah Trusts in Yeshua's Deliverance

Hezekiah's trust in Elohim against Sennacherib's overwhelming army foreshadow Yeshua's unshakeable confidence in the Father — the enemy's boasts mean nothing before the King.

  1. Hezekiah's Faithful Reign

    Hezekiah emerges as one of Judah's greatest kings, trusting Elohim like no one before him. Revival is possible even in the darkest era.

  2. 1Now in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
  3. 2He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.
  4. 3He did that which was right in YHWH’s eyes, according to all that David his father had done.
  5. 4He removed the high places, broke the pillars, and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because in those days the children of Israel burnt incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan.
  6. 5He trusted in YHWH, the Elohim of Israel, so that after him was no one like him amongst all the kings of Judah, nor amongst them that were before him.
  7. 6For he joined with YHWH. He didn’t depart from following him, but kept his mitzvot, which YHWH commanded Moses.
  8. 7YHWH was with him. Wherever he went, he prospered. He rebelled against the king of Assyria, and didn’t serve him.
  9. 8He struck the Philistines to Gaza and its borders, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city.
  10. 9In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it.
  11. 10At the end of three years they took it. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.
  12. 11The king of Assyria carried Israel away to Assyria, and put them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes,
  13. 12because they didn’t obey YHWH their Elohim’s voice, but transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of YHWH commanded, and would not hear it or do it.
  14. Assyria Threatens Jerusalem

    Sennacherib's army surrounds Jerusalem. The most powerful empire on earth threatens to crush the people of Elohim.

  15. 13Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.
  16. 14Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have offended you. Withdraw from me. That which you put on me, I will bear.” The king of Assyria appointed to Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
  17. 15Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in YHWH’s house and in the treasures of the king’s house.
  18. 16At that time, Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of YHWH’s temple, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
  19. 17The king of Assyria sent Tartan, Rabsaris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a great army to Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem. When they had come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field.
  20. 18When they had called to the king, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder came out to them.
  21. 19Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘The great king, the king of Assyria, says, What confidence is this in which you trust?
  22. 20You say (but they are but vain words), ‘There is counsel and strength for war.’ Now on whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?
  23. 21Now, behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt. If a man leans on it, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust on him.
  24. 22But if you tell me, ‘We trust in YHWH our Elohim,’ isn’t that he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem’?
  25. 23Now therefore, please give pledges to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses if you are able on your part to set riders on them.
  26. 24How then can you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
  27. 25Have I now come up without YHWH against this place to destroy it? YHWH said to me, ‘Go up against this land, and destroy it.’”’
  28. 26Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebnah, and Joah, said to Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in the Syrian language, for we understand it. Don’t speak with us in the Yehudim’s language, in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.”
  29. 27But Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me to your master and to you, to speak these words? Hasn’t he sent me to the men who sit on the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own urine with you?”
  30. The Rabshakeh Mocks the Living Elohim

    The Rabshakeh mocks Elohim in Hebrew before Jerusalem's walls. Watch how the enemy uses fear and propaganda against faith.

  31. 28Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Yehudim’s language, and spoke, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria.
  32. 29The king says, ‘Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you out of his hand.
  33. 30Don’t let Hezekiah make you trust in YHWH, saying, YHWH will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.”
  34. 31Don’t listen to Hezekiah.’ For the king of Assyria says, ‘Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and everyone of you eat from his own vine, and everyone from his own fig tree, and everyone drink water from his own cistern;
  35. 32until 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 of honey, that you may live and not die. Don’t listen to Hezekiah when he persuades you, saying, “YHWH will deliver us.”
  36. 33Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
  37. 34Where are the gods of Hamath and of Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
  38. 35Who are they amongst all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that YHWH should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’
  39. 36But the people stayed quiet, and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, “Don’t answer him.”
  40. 37Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, came with Shebna the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him Rabshakeh’s words.
KWS v4.1.1CC0 · Public Domainkodeshway.org