2 Kings 18:17–25

¹⁷Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, ^wthe Rab-saris, and the Rabshakeh, along with a massive army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. ^xThey advanced and came to Jerusalem, and ^ythey took their position by the aqueduct of the upper pool, which is by the highway to the Fuller’s Field. ^z18Then they called for the king, but Eliakim ^ason of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, Shebnah ^bthe court secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the court historian, came out to them. ^c

The Rabshakeh’s Speech

¹⁹Then ^dthe Rabshakeh said to them, “Tell Hezekiah this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: ‘What are you relying on? ^ef20You think mere words are strategy and strength for war. What are you now relying on so that you have rebelled against me? ^g21Look, you are now trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff ^hthat will enter and pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. ⁱThis is how Pharaoh king of Egypt is to all who trust in him. ²²Suppose you say to me: We trust in the Lord our God. Isn’t He the One whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, ^jsaying to Judah and to Jerusalem: You must worship at this altar in Jerusalem?’

²³“So now make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria. I’ll give you 2,000 horses if you’re able to supply riders for them! ²⁴How then can you drive back a single officer ^kamong the least of my master’s servants and trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? ²⁵Have I attacked this place to destroy it without the Lord’s approval? ^lThe Lord said to me, ‘Attack this land and destroy it.’ ”