911 - Sennacherib tries to convince the people of Jerusalem to surrender

Sennacherib tries to convince the people of Jerusalem to surrender 


The emissaries of Hezekiah,  Eliakim, the 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.” 


But, Sennacherib’s chief of staff replied, 


“Do you think, that 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.” 


Then, 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! 


This is what the king says: 


Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you. 


He will never be able, to rescue you, from my power. 


Don’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!’ 


“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. 


Then, 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!’ 


Have the gods, of any other nations, ever saved their people, from the king, of Assyria? 


What 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? 


What 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?” 


But, the people were silent, and did not utter a word, because Hezekiah had commanded them, 


“Do not answer him.” 


Then, 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. 


2 Kings 18:26–37 (NLT)


Praise be to God!



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