The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

And they made their sonnes and their daughters passe thorowe the fire, and vsed witchcraft and inchantments, yea, solde them selues to doe euill in the sight of the Lord, to anger him.

Therefore the Lord was exceeding wroth with Israel, and put them out of his sight, and none was left but the tribe of Iudah onely.

Yet Iudah kept not the commandements of the Lord their God, but walked according to the facion of Israel, which they vsed.

Therefore the Lord cast off all the seede of Israel, and afflicted them, and deliuered them into the handes of spoylers, vntill he had cast them out of his sight.

For he cut off Israel from the house of Dauid, and they made Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat King: and Ieroboam drewe Israel away from following the Lord, and made them sinne a great sinne.

For the children of Israel walked in all the sinnes of Ieroboam, which he did, and departed not therefrom,

Vntill the Lord put Israel away out of his sight, as he had said by all his seruants the Prophets, and caryed Israel away out of their land to Asshur vnto this day.

And the King of Asshur brought folke from Babel, and from Cuthah, and from Aua, and from Hamath, and from Sepharuaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria in steade of the children of Israel: so they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.

And at the beginning of their dwelling there, they feared not the Lord: therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which slewe them.

Wherefore they spake to the King of Asshur, saying, The nations which thou hast remoued, and placed in the cities of Samaria, knowe not the maner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and behold, they slay them, because they knowe not the maner of the God of the land.

Then the King of Asshur commanded, saying, Carie thither one of the Priestes whome ye brought thence, and let him goe and dwell there, and teache them the maner of the God of the countrey.

So one of the Priestes, which they had caryed from Samaria, came and dwelt in Beth-el, and taught them how they shoulde feare the Lord.

Howbeit euery nation made their gods, and put them in the houses of the hie places, which the Samaritanes had made, euery nation in their cities, wherein they dwelt.

For the men of Babel made Succoth-Benoth: and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,

And the Auims made Nibhaz, and Tartak: and the Sepharuims burnt their children in the fire to Adrammelech, and Anammelech the gods of Sepharuaim.

Thus they feared the Lord, and appoynted out Priestes out of them selues for the hie places, who prepared for them sacrifices in the houses of the hie places.

They feared the Lord, but serued their gods after the maner of the nations whome they caryed thence.

Vnto this day they doe after the olde maner: they neyther feare God, neyther doe after their ordinances, nor after their customes, nor after the Lawe, nor after the commandement, which the Lord commanded the children of Iaakob, whom he named Israel,

And with whom the Lord had made a couenant, and charged them, saying, Feare none other gods, nor bowe your selues to them, nor serue them, nor sacrifice to them:

But feare the Lord which brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power, and a stretched out arme: him feare ye, and worshippe him, and sacrifice to him.

Also keepe ye diligently the statutes and the ordinances, and the Lawe, and the commandement, which he wrote for you, that ye do them continually, and feare not other gods.

And forget not the couenant that I haue made with you, neither feare ye other gods,

But feare the Lord your God, and he will deliuer you out of the handes of all your enemies.

Howbeit they obeyed not, but did after their olde custome.

So these nations feared the Lord, and serued their images also: so did their children, and their childrens children: as did their fathers, so do they vnto this day.

Now in the third yeere of Hoshea, sonne of Elah King of Israel, Hezekiah the sonne of Ahaz king of Iudah began to reigne.

He was fiue and twentie yeere olde when he began to reigne, and reigned nine and twenty yeere in Ierusalem. His mothers name also was Abi the daughter of Zachariah,

And he did vprightly in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Dauid his father had done.

He tooke away the hie places, and brake the images, and cut downe the groues, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for vnto those dayes the children of Israel did burne incense to it, and hee called it Nehushtan.

He trusted in the Lord God of Israel: so that after him was none like him among all the Kings of Iudah, neither were there any such before him.

For he claue to the Lord, and departed not from him, but kept his commandements, which the Lord had commanded Moses.

So the Lord was with him, and he prospered in all thinges, which he tooke in hande: also he rebelled against the King of Asshur, and serued him not.

He smote the Philistims vnto Azzah, and the coastes thereof, from the watch towre vnto the defensed citie.

And in the fourth yere of King Hezekiah, (which was the seuenth yeere of Hoshea sonne of Elah King of Israel) Shalmaneser King of Asshur came vp against Samaria, and besieged it.

And after three yeeres they tooke it, euen in the sixt yeere of Hezekiah: that is, the ninth yeere of Hoshea King of Israel was Samaria taken.

Then the King of Asshur did carry away Israel vnto Asshur, and put them in Halah and in Habor, by the riuer of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes,

Because they woulde not obey the voyce of the Lord their God, but transgressed his couenant: that is, all that Moses the seruant of the Lord had commanded, and would neyther obey nor doe them.

Moreouer, in the fourteenth yeere of King Hezekiah, Saneherib King of Asshur came vp against all the strong cities of Iudah, and tooke them.

Then Hezekiah King of Iudah sent vnto the King of Asshur to Lachish, saying, I haue offended: depart from me, and what thou layest vpon me, I wil beare it. And the King of Asshur appoynted vnto Hezekiah King of Iudah three hudreth talents of siluer, and thirty talets of golde.

Therefore Hezekiah gaue all the siluer that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the Kings house.

At the same season did Hezekiah pul off the plates of the doores of the Temple of the Lord, and the pillars (which the sayd Hezekiah King of Iudah had couered ouer) and gaue them to the King of Asshur.

And the King of Asshur sent Tartan, and Rab-saris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a great hoste against Ierusalem. And they went vp, and came to Ierusalem, and when they were come vp, they stood by the conduite of the vpper poole, which is by the path of the fullers fielde,

And called to the King. Then came out to them Eliakim the sonne of Hilkiah, which was steward of the house, and Shebnah the chanceller, and Ioah the sonne of Asaph the recorder.

And Rabshakeh sayde vnto them, Tell ye Hezekiah, I pray you, Thus saith the great King, euen the great King of Asshur, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?

Thou thinkest, Surely I haue eloquence, but counsell and strength are for the warre. On whom then doest thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

Lo, thou trustest now in this broken staffe of reede, to wit, on Egypt, on which if a man leane, it will goe into his hand, and pearce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt vnto all that trust on him.

But if ye say vnto me, We trust in the Lord our God, is not that he whose hie places, and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath sayd to Iudah and Ierusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Ierusalem?

Now therefore giue hostages to my lord the King of Asshur, and I will giue thee two thousand horses, if thou be able to set riders vpon them.

For how canst thou despise any captaine of the least of my masters seruants, and put thy trust on Egypt for charets and horsemen?

Am I now come vp without the Lord to this place, to destroy it? the Lord sayd to me, Goe vp against this land, and destroy it.

Then Eliakim the sonne of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Ioah said vnto Rabshakeh, Speake I pray thee, to thy seruants in the Aramites language, for we vnderstand it, and talke not with vs in the Iewes tongue, in the audience of the people that are on the wall.

But Rabshakeh saide vnto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speake these words, and not to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eate their owne doung, and drinke their owne pisse with you?

So Rabshakeh stoode and cryed with a loude voyce in the Iewes language, and spake, saying, Heare the wordes of the great King, of the king of Asshur.

Thus sayth the King, Let not Hezekiah deceiue you: for he shall not be able to deliuer you out of mine hand.

Neither let Hezekiah make you to trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliuer vs, and this citie shall not be giuen ouer into the hand of the king of Asshur.

Hearken not vnto Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Asshur, Make appointment with me, and come out to me, that euery man may eate of his owne vine, and euery man of his owne figge tree, and drinke euery man of the water of his owne well,

Till I come, and bring you to a land like your owne land, euen a land of wheate and wine, a land of bread and vineyardes, a lande of oliues oyle, and hony, that ye may liue and not die: and obey not Hezekiah, for he deceiueth you, saying, The Lord will deliuer vs.

Hath any of the gods of the nations deliuered his lande out of the hand of the King of Asshur?

Where is the god of Hamah, and of Arpad? where is the god of Sepharuaim, Hena and Iuah? how haue they deliuered Samaria out of mine hand?

Who are they among all the gods of the nations, that haue deliuered their lande out of mine hand, that the Lord should deliuer Ierusalem out of mine hand?

But the people helde their peace, and answered not him a worde: for the Kings commandement was, saying, Answere ye him not.

Then Eliakim, the sonne of Hilkiah which was steward of the house, and Shebnah the chanceller, and Ioah the sonne of Asaph the recorder came to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and tolde him the wordes of Rabshakeh.

And when King Hezekiah heard it, he rent his clothes and put on sackecloth, and came into the house of the Lord,

And sent Eliakim which was the stewarde of the house, and Shebnah the chanceller, and the Elders of the Priestes clothed in sackecloth to Isaiah the Prophet the sonne of Amoz.

And they said vnto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of tribulation and of rebuke, and blasphemie: for the childre are come to the birth, and there is no strength to bring foorth.

If so be the Lord thy God hath heard all the wordes of Rabshakeh, whome the King of Asshur his master hath sent to raile on the liuing God, and to reproch him with wordes which the Lord thy God hath heard, then lift thou vp thy prayer for the remnant that are left.

So the seruants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah.

And Isaiah said vnto them, So shall ye say to your master, Thus sayeth the Lord, Be not afraide of the words which thou hast heard, wherewith the seruants of the king of Asshur haue blasphemed me.

Beholde, I will sende a blast vpon him, and he shall heare a noyse, and returne to his owne lande: and I will cause him to fall by the sworde in his owne lande.

So Rabshakeh returned, and founde the King of Asshur fighting against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.

He heard also men say of Tirhakah King of Ethiopia, Beholde, he is come out to fight against thee: he therefore departed and sent other messengers vnto Hezekiah, saying,

Thus shall ye speake to Hezekiah King of Iudah, and say, Let not thy God deceiue thee in whome thou trustest, saying, Ierusalem shall not be deliuered into the hande of the King of Asshur.

Beholde, thou hast heard what the Kings of Asshur haue done to all landes, how they haue destroyed them: and shalt thou be deliuered?

Haue the gods of the heathen deliuered them which my fathers haue destroyed? as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden, which were in Thelasar?

Where is the King of Hamath, and the King of Arpad, and the King of the citie of Shepharuaim, Hena and Iuah?

So Hezekiah receiued the letter of the hande of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went vp into the house of the Lord, and Hezekiah spread it before the Lord.

And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and saide, O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest betweene the Cherubims, thou art very God alone ouer all the kingdomes of the earth: thou hast made the heauen and the earth.

Lord, bow downe thine eare, and heare: Lord open thine eyes and behold, and heare the wordes of Saneherib, who hath sent to blaspheme the liuing God.

Trueth it is, Lord, that the Kings of Asshur haue destroyed the nations and their landes,

And haue set fire on their gods: for they were no gods, but the worke of mans hands, euen wood and stone: therefore they destroyed them.

Nowe therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, saue thou vs out of his hande, that all the kingdomes of the earth may knowe, that thou, O Lord, art onely God.

Then Isaiah the sonne of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I haue heard that which thou hast prayed me, concerning Saneherib King of Asshur.

This is the worde that the Lord hath spoken against him, O Virgine, daughter of Zion, he hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorne: O daughter of Ierusalem, he hath shaken his head at thee.

Whome hast thou railed on? and whome hast thou blasphemed? and against whome hast thou exalted thy voyce, and lifted vp thine eyes on hie? euen against the Holie one of Israel.

By thy messengers thou hast rayled on the Lord, and said, By the multitude of my charets I am come vp to the toppe of the mountaines, by the sides of Lebanon, and will cut downe the hie cedars thereof, and the faire firre trees thereof, and I will goe into the lodging of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.

I haue digged, and drunke the waters of others, and with the plant of my feete haue I dried all the floods closed in.

Hast thou not heard, howe I haue of olde time made it, and haue formed it long ago? and should I nowe bring it, that it should be destroyed, and laid on ruinous heapes, as cities defensed?

Whose inhabitants haue small power, and are afraid, and confounded: they are like the grasse of the field, and greene herbe, or grasse on ye house toppes, or as corne blasted before it be growen.

I knowe thy dwelling, yea, thy going out, and thy comming in, and thy furie against me.

And because thou ragest against me, and thy tumult is come vp to mine eares, I will put mine hooke in thy nostrels, and my bridle in thy lippes, and will bring thee backe againe the same way thou camest.

And this shalbe a signe vnto thee, O Hezekiah, Thou shalt eate this yeere such things as growe of them selues, and the next yeere such as growe without sowing, and the third yeere sowe ye and reape, and plant vineyardes, and eate the fruites thereof.

And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Iudah, shall againe take roote downewarde, and beare fruite vpwarde.

For out of Ierusalem shall goe a remnant, and some that shall escape out of mount Zion: the zeale of the Lord of hostes shall doe this.

Wherefore thus saith the Lord, concerning the King of Asshur, He shall not enter into this citie, nor shoote an arrowe there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a mount against it:

But he shall returne the way he came, and shall not come into this citie, saith the Lord.

For I will defende this citie to saue it for mine owne sake, and for Dauid my seruants sake.

And the same night the Angell of the Lord went out and smote in the campe of Asshur an hundreth foure score and fiue thousande: so when they rose earely in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

So Saneherib King of Asshur departed, and went his way, and returned, and dwelt in Nineueh.

And as he was in the Temple worshipping Nisroch his god, Adramelech and Sharezer his sonnes slewe him with the sworde: and they escaped into the land of Ararat, and Esarhaddon his sonne reigned in his steade.

About that time was Hezekiah sicke vnto death: and the Prophet Isaiah the sonne of Amoz came to him, and said vnto him, Thus saith the Lord, Put thine house in an order: for thou shalt die, and not liue.