¶ Ierusalē is assieged by Sennacherib in the tyme of kynge Ezechias.
CAPI. XXXVI.
[ A] IN the fourtenth yere of kynge Ezechias, came Sennacherib kyng▪ of the Assirians downe, to laye siege vnto all the strong ci∣tyes of Iuba. And the kynge of the Assiri∣ans sent Rabsakeh from Lac••is towarde Ie∣rusalem agaynst kynge Ez••chi••s, with a gre∣uous hoste, whiche set hym by the condyte of the ouerpole, in the waye that goeth thorow the fullers lande. And so there came forth vn¦to him Eliakim Helkiahs son, the President, Sobna the Scribe, and Ioah Asaphs sonne ye Secretary.
And Rabsakeh sayd vnto them: Tell Eze¦chias that the greate kynge of Assiria saythe thus vnto him: What presumpcion is this that thou trustest vnto? Thou thynkest per∣aduenture, thou haste counsell and power y∣nough to maynteyn this warre: or els wher to trustest thou, that thou castest thy selfe of fro me? lo, thou puttest thy trust in a broken staffe of ••eed (I meane Egypte) whiche he that leaneth vpon, it goeth in to his hande, & shoteth him thorow.
[ B] Euen so is Pharao the kynge of Egypte, vnto all them that truste in hym. But yf thou woldest saye to me: we trust in the Lorde our God: A ••oodly God in dede: whose hye pla¦ces and aulters Ezechias toke downe, and cō¦maunded Iuda and Ierusalem to worshyp onely before the aulter. Abyde the, thou hast made a condicion with my Lorde the kynge of the Assyrians, that he shoulde gyue the two thousande horsses: arte thou hable to let men vpon them? Seynge nowe that thou canste not resyste the power of the smallest prynce that my Lorde hath, how darest thou truste in the charettes and horse men of E∣gypte? Moreouer, thynkest thou I am come downe hyther to destroye this land without the Lordes wyll? The Lorde sayd vnto me, go downe in to ye land, that thou mayste de∣stroye it.
Then sayd Eliakim, Sobna and Ioah vn∣to Rabsakeh: Speake to vs thy seruauntes (we praye the) in the Sirians language, for we vnderstande it well: And speake not ••o vs in the Iewes tonge, leest the folke heare, whiche lyeth vpon the wall. Then answe∣red Rabsakeh: Thyncke ye that the kynge sent me to speake this onely vnto you? Hath he not sent me to them also that lye vpō the wall: that they be not cōpelled to eate theyr owne donge, and drynke theyr owne stale with you?
And Rabsakeh stode styffe, and cryed with a loude voyce in t••e Iewes tonge, and sayd. [ C] Nowe take hede howe the greate kynge of the Assirians gyueth you warnynge. Thus saythe the kynge: Lette not Ezechias dis∣ceyue you▪ for he shall not be hable to delyuer you. Moreouer let not Ezechias comfort you in the Lorde, when he saythe: The Lorde withoute doubte shall defende vs, and shall not gyue ouer this citye in to the hande of the kynge of the Assirians, byleue hym not. But thus saythe the kynge of Assiria: Ob∣teyne my fauoure, enclyne vnto me: so may euery man enioye his vyneyarde and fygge-trees, and drynke the water of his cesterne: vnto the tyme that I come my selfe, and brynge you in to a lande that is lyke youre owne: wherin is wheate and wyne, whiche is bothe sowen with sede, and planted with vyneyardes. Let not Ezechias disceyue you, when he sayth vnto you: the Lorde shall de∣lyuer vs.
Myght the goddes of the Gentyles kepe [ D] euerye mannes lande frome the power of the kynge of the Assirians? Where is the God of Hemath and Arphad? Where is the God of Sepharuaim? And who was hable to de∣fende Samaria out of my hande? Or whiche of all the Goddes of the landes, hath delyue∣red their countrey out of my power, so that ye Lorde shold deliuer Ierusalem fro my hande? Vnto this Ezechias messengers helde theyr tonges, and answered not one worde: for the kyng had charged them that they sholde giue him none answere. So came Eliakim Helki∣ahs sonne the President. Sobna the Scribe, & Ioah Asaphs sonne the Secretary, vnto Eze∣chias with rēt clothes, and told him the wor∣des of Rabsakeh.