17Hoshea son of Elah began to rule over Israel in the twelfth year of King Ahaz's reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria nine years.H8147H6240H8141H271H4428H3063H1954H1121H425H4427H8111H3478H8672H81412He did what was evil in the LORD's sight, but not to the same extent as the kings of Israel who ruled before him.H6213H7451H5869H3068H4428H3478H64403King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked King Hoshea, so Hoshea was forced to pay heavy tribute to Assyria.H5927H8022H4428H804H1954H5650H7725H45034But Hoshea stopped paying the annual tribute and conspired against the king of Assyria by asking King So of Egypt to help him shake free of Assyria's power. When the king of Assyria discovered this treachery, he seized Hoshea and put him in prison.H4428H804H4672H7195H1954H7971H4397H5471H4428H4714H5927H4503H4428H804H8141H8141H4428H804H6113H631H1004H36085Then the king of Assyria invaded the entire land, and for three years he besieged the city of Samaria.H4428H804H5927H776H5927H8111H6696H7969H81416Finally, in the ninth year of King Hoshea's reign, Samaria fell, and the people of Israel were exiled to Assyria. They were settled in colonies in Halah, along the banks of the Habor River in Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.H8671H8141H1954H4428H804H3920H8111H1540H3478H1540H804H3427H2477H2249H5104H1470H5892H40747This disaster came upon the people of Israel because they worshiped other gods. They sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them safely out of Egypt and had rescued them from the power of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.H1121H3478H2398H3068H430H5927H776H4714H3027H6547H4428H4714H3372H312H4308They had followed the practices of the pagan nations the LORD had driven from the land ahead of them, as well as the practices the kings of Israel had introduced.H3212H2708H1471H3068H3423H6440H1121H3478H4428H3478H62139The people of Israel had also secretly done many things that were not pleasing to the LORD their God. They built pagan shrines for themselves in all their towns, from the smallest outpost to the largest walled city.H1121H3478H2644H1697H3068H430H1129H1116H5892H4026H5341H4013H589210They set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles at the top of every hill and under every green tree.H5324H4676H842H1364H1389H7488H608611They offered sacrifices on all the hilltops, just like the nations the LORD had driven from the land ahead of them. So the people of Israel had done many evil things, arousing the LORD's anger.H6999H1116H1471H3068H1540H6440H6213H7451H1697H3068H370712Yes, they worshiped idols, despite the LORD's specific and repeated warnings.H5647H1544H3068H559H6213H169713Again and again the LORD had sent his prophets and seers to warn both Israel and Judah: "Turn from all your evil ways. Obey my commands and decrees—the entire law that I commanded your ancestors to obey, and that I gave you through my servants the prophets."H3068H5749H3478H3063H3027H5030H2374H559H7725H7451H1870H8104H4687H2708H8451H6680H1H7971H3027H5650H503014But the Israelites would not listen. They were as stubborn as their ancestors who had refused to believe in the LORD their God.H8085H7185H6203H6203H1H539H3068H43015They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and they despised all his warnings. They worshiped worthless idols, so they became worthless themselves. They followed the example of the nations around them, disobeying the LORD's command not to imitate them.H3988H2706H1285H3772H1H5715H5749H3212H310H1892H1891H310H1471H5439H3068H6680H621316They rejected all the commands of the LORD their God and made two calves from metal. They set up an Asherah pole and worshiped Baal and all the forces of heaven.H5800H4687H3068H430H6213H4541H8147H5695H6213H842H7812H6635H8064H5647H116817They even sacrificed their own sons and daughters in the fire. They consulted fortune-tellers and practiced sorcery and sold themselves to evil, arousing the LORD's anger.H1121H1323H5674H784H7080H7081H5172H4376H6213H7451H5869H3068H370718Because the LORD was very angry with Israel, he swept them away from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained in the land.H3068H3966H599H3478H5493H6440H7604H7626H306319But even the people of Judah refused to obey the commands of the LORD their God, for they followed the evil practices that Israel had introduced.H3063H8104H4687H3068H430H3212H2708H3478H621320The LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel. He punished them by handing them over to their attackers until he had banished Israel from his presence.H3068H3988H2233H3478H6031H5414H3027H8154H7993H644021For when the LORD tore Israel away from the kingdom of David, they chose Jeroboam son of Nebat as their king. But Jeroboam drew Israel away from following the LORD and made them commit a great sin.H7167H3478H1004H1732H3379H1121H5028H4427H3379H5080H5077H3478H310H3068H2398H1419H240122And the people of Israel persisted in all the evil ways of Jeroboam. They did not turn from these sinsH1121H3478H3212H2403H3379H6213H549323until the LORD finally swept them away from his presence, just as all his prophets had warned. So Israel was exiled from their land to Assyria, where they remain to this day.H3068H5493H3478H6440H1696H3027H5650H5030H3478H1540H127H804H311724The king of Assyria transported groups of people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and resettled them in the towns of Samaria, replacing the people of Israel. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns.H4428H804H935H894H3575H5755H2574H5617H3427H5892H8111H1121H3478H3423H8111H3427H589225But since these foreign settlers did not worship the LORD when they first arrived, the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them.H8462H3427H3372H3068H3068H7971H738H202626So a message was sent to the king of Assyria: "The people you have sent to live in the towns of Samaria do not know the religious customs of the God of the land. He has sent lions among them to destroy them because they have not worshiped him correctly."H559H4428H804H559H1471H1540H3427H5892H8111H3045H4941H430H776H7971H738H4191H3045H4941H430H77627The king of Assyria then commanded, "Send one of the exiled priests back to Samaria. Let him live there and teach the new residents the religious customs of the God of the land."H4428H804H6680H559H3212H259H3548H1540H3212H3427H3384H4941H430H77628So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria returned to Bethel and taught the new residents how to worship the LORD.H259H3548H1540H8111H935H3427H1008H3384H3372H306829But these various groups of foreigners also continued to worship their own gods. In town after town where they lived, they placed their idols at the pagan shrines that the people of Samaria had built.H1471H6213H430H3240H1004H1116H8118H6213H1471H5892H342730Those from Babylon worshiped idols of their god Succoth-benoth. Those from Cuthah worshiped their god Nergal. And those from Hamath worshiped Ashima.H582H894H6213H5524H582H3575H6213H5370H582H2574H6213H80731The Avvites worshiped their gods Nibhaz and Tartak. And the people from Sepharvaim even burned their own children as sacrifices to their gods Adrammelech and Anammelech.H5757H6213H5026H8662H5616H8313H1121H784H152H6048H430H561732These new residents worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests to offer sacrifices at their places of worship.H3373H3068H6213H7098H3548H1116H6213H1004H111633And though they worshiped the LORD, they continued to follow their own gods according to the religious customs of the nations from which they came.H3373H3068H5647H430H4941H1471H154034And this is still going on today. They continue to follow their former practices instead of truly worshiping the LORD and obeying the decrees, regulations, instructions, and commands he gave the descendants of Jacob, whose name he changed to Israel.H3117H6213H7223H4941H3373H3068H6213H2708H4941H8451H4687H3068H6680H1121H3290H7760H8034H347835For the LORD had made a covenant with the descendants of Jacob and commanded them: "Do not worship any other gods or bow before them or serve them or offer sacrifices to them.H3068H3772H1285H6680H559H3372H312H430H7812H5647H207636But worship only the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt with great strength and a powerful arm. Bow down to him alone, and offer sacrifices only to him.H3068H5927H776H4714H1419H3581H5186H2220H3372H7812H207637Be careful at all times to obey the decrees, regulations, instructions, and commands that he wrote for you. You must not worship other gods.H2706H4941H8451H4687H3789H8104H6213H3117H3372H312H43038Do not forget the covenant I made with you, and do not worship other gods.H1285H3772H7911H3372H312H43039You must worship only the LORD your God. He is the one who will rescue you from all your enemies."H3068H430H3372H5337H3027H34140But the people would not listen and continued to follow their former practices.H8085H6213H7223H494141So while these new residents worshiped the LORD, they also worshiped their idols. And to this day their descendants do the same.H1471H3373H3068H5647H6456H1121H1121H1121H6213H1H6213H3117
18Hezekiah son of Ahaz began to rule over Judah in the third year of King Hoshea's reign in Israel.H7969H8141H1954H1121H425H4428H3478H2396H1121H271H4428H3063H4427 2He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.H6242H2568H8141H1121H4427H4427H6242H8672H8141H3389H517H8034H21H1323H2148 3He did what was pleasing in the LORD's sight, just as his ancestor David had done.H6213H3477H5869H3068H1732H1H6213 4He removed the pagan shrines, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of Israel had been offering sacrifices to it. The bronze serpent was called Nehushtan.H5493H1116H7665H4676H3772H842H3807H5178H5175H4872H6213H3117H1121H3478H6999H7121H5180 5Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time.H982H3068H430H3478H310H4428H3063H6440 6He remained faithful to the LORD in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the LORD had given Moses.H1692H3068H5493H310H8104H4687H3068H6680H4872 7So the LORD was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did. He revolted against the king of Assyria and refused to pay him tribute.H3068H7919H3318H4775H4428H804H5647 8He also conquered the Philistines as far distant as Gaza and its territory, from their smallest outpost to their largest walled city.H5221H6430H5804H1366H4026H5341H4013H5892 9During the fourth year of Hezekiah's reign, which was the seventh year of King Hoshea's reign in Israel, King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked the city of Samaria and began a siege against it.H7243H8141H4428H2396H7637H8141H1954H1121H425H4428H3478H8022H4428H804H5927H8111H6696 10Three years later, during the sixth year of King Hezekiah's reign and the ninth year of King Hoshea's reign in Israel, Samaria fell.H7097H7969H8141H3920H8337H8141H2396H8672H8141H1954H4428H3478H8111H3920 11At that time the king of Assyria exiled the Israelites to Assyria and placed them in colonies in Halah, along the banks of the Habor River in Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.H4428H804H1540H3478H804H5148H2477H2249H5104H1470H5892H4074 12For they refused to listen to the LORD their God and obey him. Instead, they violated his covenant—all the laws that Moses the LORD's servant had commanded them to obey.H8085H6963H3068H430H5674H1285H4872H5650H3068H6680H8085H6213 13In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah's reign, King Sennacherib of Assyria came to attack the fortified towns of Judah and conquered them.H702H6240H8141H4428H2396H5576H4428H804H5927H1219H5892H3063H8610 14King Hezekiah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: "I have done wrong. I will pay whatever tribute money you demand if you will only withdraw." The king of Assyria then demanded a settlement of more than eleven tons of silver and one ton of gold.H2396H4428H3063H7971H4428H804H3923H559H2398H7725H5414H5375H4428H804H7760H2396H4428H3063H7969H3967H3603H3701H7970H3603H2091 15To gather this amount, King Hezekiah used all the silver stored in the Temple of the LORD and in the palace treasury.H2396H5414H3701H4672H1004H3068H214H4428H1004 16Hezekiah even stripped the gold from the doors of the LORD's Temple and from the doorposts he had overlaid with gold, and he gave it all to the Assyrian king.H6256H2396H7112H1817H1964H3068H547H2396H4428H3063H6823H5414H4428H804 17Nevertheless, the king of Assyria sent his commander in chief, his field commander, and his chief of staff from Lachish with a huge army to confront King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. The Assyrians took up a position beside the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed.H4428H804H7971H8661H7249H7262H3923H4428H2396H3515H2426H3389H5927H935H3389H5927H935H5975H8585H5945H1295H4546H3526H7704 18They summoned King Hezekiah, but the king sent these officials to meet with them: Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator; Shebna the court secretary; and Joah son of Asaph, the royal historian.H7121H4428H3318H471H1121H2518H1004H7644H5608H3098H1121H623H2142 19Then the Assyrian king's chief of staff told them to give this message to Hezekiah: "This is what the great king of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you so confident?H7262H559H559H2396H559H1419H4428H4428H804H986H982 20Do you think that mere words can substitute for military skill and strength? Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me?H559H8193H1697H6098H1369H4421H982H4775 21On Egypt? If you lean on Egypt, it will be like a reed that splinters beneath your weight and pierces your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is completely unreliable!H982H4938H7533H7070H4714H376H5564H935H3709H5344H6547H4428H4714H982 22"But perhaps you will say to me, 'We are trusting in the LORD our God!' But isn't he the one who was insulted by Hezekiah? Didn't Hezekiah tear down his shrines and altars and make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem worship only at the altar here in Jerusalem?H559H982H3068H430H1116H4196H2396H5493H559H3063H3389H7812H6440H4196H3389 23"I'll tell you what! Strike a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2,000 horses if you can find that many men to ride on them!H6148H113H4428H804H5414H505H5483H3201H5414H7392 24With your tiny army, how can you think of challenging even the weakest contingent of my master's troops, even with the help of Egypt's chariots and charioteers?H7725H6440H259H6346H6996H113H5650H982H4714H7393H6571 25What's more, do you think we have invaded your land without the LORD's direction? The LORD himself told us, 'Attack this land and destroy it!'"H5927H1107H3068H4725H7843H3068H559H5927H776H7843 26Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the Assyrian chief of staff, "Please speak to us in Aramaic, for we understand it well. Don't speak in Hebrew, for the people on the wall will hear."H559H471H1121H2518H7644H3098H7262H1696H5650H762H8085H1696H3066H241H5971H2346 27But Sennacherib's chief of staff replied, "Do you think my master sent this message only to you and your master? He wants all the people to hear it, for when we put this city under siege, they will suffer along with you. They will be so hungry and thirsty that they will eat their own dung and drink their own urine."H7262H559H113H7971H113H1696H1697H582H3427H2346H398H6675H2755H8354H4325H7272H7890 28Then the chief of staff stood and shouted in Hebrew to the people on the wall, "Listen to this message from the great king of Assyria!H7262H5975H7121H1419H6963H3066H1696H559H8085H1697H1419H4428H4428H804 29This is what the king says: Don't let Hezekiah deceive you. He will never be able to rescue you from my power.H559H4428H2396H5377H3201H5337H3027 30Don't let him fool you into trusting in the LORD by saying, 'The LORD will surely rescue us. This city will never fall into the hands of the Assyrian king!'H2396H982H3068H559H3068H5337H5337H5892H5414H3027H4428H804 31"Don't listen to Hezekiah! These are the terms the king of Assyria is offering: Make peace with me—open the gates and come out. Then each of you can continue eating from your own grapevine and fig tree and drinking from your own well.H8085H2396H559H4428H804H6213H1293H3318H398H376H1612H376H8384H8354H376H4325H953 32Then I will arrange to take you to another land like this one—a land of grain and new wine, bread and vineyards, olive groves and honey. Choose life instead of death! "Don't listen to Hezekiah when he tries to mislead you by saying, 'The LORD will rescue us!'H935H3947H776H776H776H1715H8492H776H3899H3754H776H3323H2132H1706H2421H4191H8085H2396H5496H559H3068H5337 33Have the gods of any other nations ever saved their people from the king of Assyria?H376H430H1471H5337H5337H776H3027H4428H804 34What happened to the gods of Hamath and Arpad? And what about the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Did any god rescue Samaria from my power?H430H2574H774H430H5617H2012H5755H5337H8111H3027 35What god of any nation has ever been able to save its people from my power? So what makes you think that the LORD can rescue Jerusalem from me?"H430H776H5337H776H3027H3068H5337H3389H3027 36But the people were silent and did not utter a word because Hezekiah had commanded them, "Do not answer him."H5971H2790H6030H1697H4428H4687H559H6030 37Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator; Shebna the court secretary; and Joah son of Asaph, the royal historian, went back to Hezekiah. They tore their clothes in despair, and they went in to see the king and told him what the Assyrian chief of staff had said.H935H471H1121H2518H1004H7644H5608H3098H1121H623H2142H2396H899H7167H5046H1697H7262
Dublin, OH
to help him shake free of Assyria's power. When the king of Assyria discovered this treachery, he seized Hoshea and put him in prison.H4428
