1 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
2 Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.
3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father did.
4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
5 He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
6 For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses.
7 And the Lord was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.
8 He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
9 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
10 And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is in the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.
11 And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:
12 Because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
13 Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.
14 And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; 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.
16 At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the Lord, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
17 And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great 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 pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field.
18 And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.
19 And Rabshakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
20 Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
21 Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.
22 But if ye say unto me, We trust in the Lord our God: is not that he, whose high places 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 pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
24 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?
25 Am I now 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 Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; 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 Rabshakeh 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 eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
28 Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:
29 Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:
30 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city 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 me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:
32 Until I come and take you away to a land like your own 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 persuadeth you, saying, The Lord will deliver us.
33 Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
34 Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?
35 Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?
36 But the people held their peace, 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 rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
[17] Isaiah 36:2-3 [18] Isaiah 36:2-3
[17] Backed by the god Ashur, the Assyrian king overpowered rebels and subdued Judah (Israel had already become part of the Assyrian provincial system under Sargon in 720 BCE); kings who refused to bow before them were ousted, and replaced with vassal kings. Rebellious leaders were punished horribly. On the Judahite king:
“[Hezekiah] I made a prisoner in Jerusalem, his royal residence, like a bird in a cage” (Translated from the annals of Sennacherib by Mordechai Cogan, The Raging Torrent 125, 2nd edition, Jerusalem 2018). Assyrian warship (probably built by Phoenicians) with two rows of oars, relief from Nineveh, c. 700 BC. This ship was by Sennacherib. It is a bireme with two levels of oars. Shields are fastened around the superstructure, as on the fortifications of some city walls. The pointed bow is a ram, for holding enemy ships. From Nineveh, South-West Palace, Room VII, panel 11. Assyrian warship (probably built by Phoenicians) with two rows of oars, relief from Nineveh, c. 700 BC.Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The Assyrians portrayed King Hezekiah of Jerusalem, a principal enemy, as a coward quailing before the Assyrian might, as toothless as his god Yahweh, who failed to prevent the Assyrians from capturing 46 of his strongholds. Sennacherib sneered that Yahweh would prove to be as impotent as the gods of other lands that had already fallen (2 Kings 18:17-35, Isaiah 36:2-3).
<html><b>In the third year.</b> Of Hoshei'a's rebellion.1<i class=“footnote”>See above, 17:1, and Rashi there.</i> 2<i class=“footnote”>I.e., in the third year of Hoshei'a's rebellion against Ashur and declaring his independence, Chizkiyoh became king.—Metzudas Dovid</i></html>
<html><b>And he called it Nechushton.</b> A derogatory expression,3<i class=“footnote”>The additional “nun” to the word נחשת serves to belittle and mock the subject. See II Shmuel 13:20.</i> as though to say, “Why is this necessary?4<i class=“footnote”>The copper serpent was not destroyed before now because it was incorrectly believed that one may not destroy any object that was made as a result of a Divine command. The serpent was originally made to encourage the Bnei Yisroel to pray to God after they were bitten by poisonous snakes. See Bamidbar 21:4-10 and Tosfos in Maseches Chulin 7a. It is also possible that they kept the copper serpent as a remembrance of the great miracle that occurred, just as they kept the jar of manna, in Shemos 16:33-35.</i> It is nothing but a copper serpent.”5<i class=“footnote”>Alternatively, the Bnei Yisroel who were worshiping it called it the Nechushton.—Targum</i></html>
<html><b>He succeeded.</b> He succeeded.6<i class=“footnote”>ישכיל stems from שכל [=intelligence]. Adonoy successful person is conceived by others as one who acts with intelligence.—Metzudas Dovid</i> 7<i class=“footnote”>As in, “Dovid was successful [=משכיל] in all his ways,” in I Shmuel 18:14.</i></html>
<html><b>Removed.</b> The doors, which were gold [plated]. <b>And the thresholds.</b> [Targum] Yonoson rendered the סקופיא, [i.e.,] the thresholds.8<i class=“footnote”>Alternately, אמנות are pillars, or it is a term used to include both the threshold and the lintel.—Ralbag</i></html>
<html><b>Tarton [and] Rav Soris.</b> We learned in Seder Olam that the three of them did not come together,9<i class=“footnote”>The king of Ashur dealt falsely with Chizkiyoh because he sent his officers to attack Yerusholayim even though Chizkiyoh paid the tribute that was imposed upon him.—Metzudas Dovid Or, Sancheiriv took the tribute and left. However, in the ensuing years Chizkiyohu failed to meet his demands and he therefore attacked again.—Radak</i> rather but Ravshokei [came] alone, as it is written in the Book of Yeshayohu,10<i class=“footnote”>36:2.</i> and Tarton and Rav Soris came on a second mission, when he received word concerning Tirhokoh king of Cush, ”and he heard and sent emissaries to Chizkiyohu … ”11<i class=“footnote”>Yeshayohu 37:9.</i> <b>Near the channel.</b> <i>Fosed</i>, in O.F., [i.e.,] a moat made for schools of fish. <b>The washer's field.</b> A field in which the launderers spread out garments, And so did [Targum] Yonoson render, ”a field where the launderers spread out.”12<i class=“footnote”>I.e., where the launderers spread out the clothing.</i></html>
<html><b>The recorder.</b> [Who determines] which judgment came first before the king, that it be adjudicated first.13<i class=“footnote”>Rashi in Yeshayohu 36:3 defines מזכיר, as “the writer of the records in the annals.”</i></html>
<html><b>You have said but words of the lips, etc.</b> Until now you have said, ”I will (not) pay tribute to the king of Ashur.” It was but words of the lips, as long as he did not leave his place to march upon you, you did not require counsel and might. But now, that he has left [his place] and marched [upon you], you require counsel and might for this war. Now, tell [me] upon whom you have depended?</html>
<html><b>It will go into his palm.</b> When a person supports himself on a support of a splintered reed, which has broken in his hand, the splintered edges come and puncture his palm.14<i class=“footnote”>Similarly, his reliance on Paroh for support will turn out to be bad for him.</i></html>
<html><b>Is He not the one Whose high places and altars Chizkiyohu has removed, etc.</b> It can be deduced from here that Ravshokei was an apostate Jew, for he admitted that the Holy One, Blessed Is He, is God, but his desire is to worship idols.15<i class=“footnote”>See Maseches Sanhedrin 60a.</i></html>
<html><b>Provide a security.</b> Glorify yourself over him; enter a wager on the condition that if you are able to supply riders for two thousand horses.16<i class=“footnote”>Ravshokei implied that Chizkiyohu did not even have enough riders for the two thousand horses, so surely he is unable to mount a rebellion.—Ralbag</i> <b>Wager.</b> <i>Gajer</i>, in O.F.</html>
<html><b>How can you turn away one captain of my master's servants.</b> For the smallest of them is captain over two thousand men, and you cannot obtain two thousand men. We deduce from here concerning the heads of the armies, who totaled one hundred and eighty-five thousand and fell with Sancheiriv, that the smallest of them was captain over two thousand men who were with him.</html>
<html><b>Is it with other than Adonoy.</b> Did I come without permission? Yeshayohu already prophesied in the days of Achaz your father, ”Adonoy shall bring upon you and upon your people, etc., the king of Ashur.”17<i class=“footnote”>Yeshayohu 7:17. Radak cites another verse from Yeshayohu's prophecy, “and therefore the LRD is bringing upon them the mighty and abundant waters of the river, the king of Ashur, etc.,” in Yeshayohu 8:7. Sancheiriv therefore believed that he was acting with Divine approval.</i> <b>And to destroy it.</b> This he added of his own accord.</html>
<html><b>For we understand it.</b> We are residents of the palace, and understand Aramaic and other languages. But do not speak Hebrew to us, which all the people understand,18<i class=“footnote”>They were concerned about the morale of the people and therefore wanted to keep the conversation private.</i> and we do not want them to hear.19<i class=“footnote”>It is not proper to reveal matters of war to the general public.—Metzudas Dovid</i></html>
<html><b>To eat their own excrement.</b> In the hunger [caused] by the siege.20<i class=“footnote”>If they continue guarding the wall to prevent Ashur's army from entering, they will lay a prolonged siege to the city that will be so severe that the people will starve during the siege, causing them to “eat their own, etc.”—Ralbag</i> <b>Their dung.</b> Dung that is excreted through the orifice of the anus. Our Rabbis explained to euphemize and read, “צואתם” [instead of חריהם].21<i class=“footnote”>See Maseches Megillah 25b.</i> <b>Their own urine.</b> Loose excrement, the glands of the rectum, which is held by three glands. Alternatively, an expression of excrement which comes about through the chewing of the teeth [=שניהם].</html>
<html><b>”Make peace with me.”</b> A greeting, as in, “And Yaakov greeted [=ויברך] Paroh.”22<i class=“footnote”>Bereishis 47:7.</i> 23<i class=“footnote”>See Rashi in Bereishis 33:10 and above, in II Melochim 5:15.</i></html>
<html><b>To a land like you land.</b> This is my custom to move the nations from province to province. He should have said, “to a land better than yours,” because he came to persuade them, but he knew that they would recognize that his statement was false.24<i class=“footnote”>This custom was practiced in order to prevent any future attempts to regain independence. He realized that as long as a conquered nation remained in its own land, the people would ultimately rise up and rebel against their conquerors.</i> 25<i class=“footnote”>See Rashi, in Yeshayohu 36:17. The Gemara in Maseches Sanhedrin 94a, states that Sancheiriv did not say “to a land better than yours,” because he did not want to denigrate Eretz Yisroel. As a result he was rewarded with the title “the great and noble Osenapar [=Sancheiriv],” in Ezra 4:10.</i> <b>A land of grain and wine.</b> This is Africa.</html>
<html><b>He exiled them and twisted them.</b> The King of Ashur, destroyed them and exiled them.26<i class=“footnote”>Alternatively, “Heina and Iva” were provinces or deities.—Radak</i> <b>Did they save Shomron.</b> And the inhabitants of Shomron worshiped the gods of the Aromeans, who were their neighbors.</html>
<html><b>With torn garments.</b> Because they heard blasphemies of the Name [of God].27<i class=“footnote”>See Maseches Sanhedrin 60a. One who hears another Jew blaspheme God must rend his clothing. Ravshokei's blasphemy was in comparing God to the pagan deities.—Radak Alternatively, they rend their clothing on account of the terrible news and threats that they just heard, an event similar to II Shmuel 13:31 and II Melochim 5:7.</i></html>