In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria came up to attack all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.

The king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish and led a large army to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah. He stood next to the ditch in the upper pool, on the main road in the drift field.

So Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, the household ruler, and Shebna, the secretary, and Joah, the son of Asah, the historian, came out to Rabshakeh.

And Rabshakeh said to them, Go and tell Hezekiah, saying, Thus says the king of Assyria, What is there to rely on in whom you trust?

You said you have the strategy and ability to fight. I see it’s just empty talk. Who do you really rely on to betray me?

See, the Egypt in which you rely is the crushed reed rod; if a man relies on this rod, it will pierce through his hand. Pharaoh the king of Egypt did the same to all those who trusted in him.

If you say to me, ‘We trust in the Lord our God.’. Hast not Hezekiah taken away the high places and altars of God, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, Worship ye before this altar?

Now you give your pledge to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses to see if you have enough riders on your side.

If not, how can we defeat the smallest commander among my lord’s servants? Do you actually rely on Egypt’s chariots and cavalry?

Is it not the will of the Lord that I come up to attack and destroy this land now? The Lord commanded me, ‘Go up and attack and destroy this land.’.

Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to Rabshakeh, “Speak to your servants in Aramaic language, for we understand not to speak to the people of the city in Judean language.”.

Rabshakeh said, Did my lord send me to speak these words only to you and your lord? Isn’t it also for those who sit in the city and want to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?

So Rabshakeh stood and shouted loudly in the language of Judah, saying, Listen to the words of the great king of Assyria.

The king said, Do not be deceived by Hezekiah, for he cannot save you.

Do not listen to Hezekiah making you trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely save us, and this city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.

Do not listen to Hezekiah’s words, for the king of Assyria has said, ‘Make peace with me and come out to surrender to me. Everyone can eat the fruits of their own vine and fig tree, and drink from their own wells.’.

Wait for me to bring you to a place like your own land, where there is a land of grain and new wine, a land of food and vineyards.

Be careful, lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The Lord will save us. Which god of the nations has saved his country from the hand of the king of Assyria?

Where are the gods of Hamath and Arbad? Where is the god of Xifawain? Have they ever saved Samaria from my hands?

Who among the gods of these nations has saved their kingdom from my hands? Can the Lord save Jerusalem from my hands?

The people remained silent and did not answer a word, because the king had commanded them not to answer him.

At that moment, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, the household ruler, Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asah, the historian, all tore their clothes and came to Hezekiah, telling him the words of Rabshakeh.