Study Desk

They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves cast images of two calves; and they made an Asherah [idol] and worshiped all the [starry] host of heaven and served Baal.

For the Israelites walked in all the [idolatrous] sins which Jeroboam committed; they did not turn from them

They also feared the LORD and appointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.

"The statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you [by the hand of Moses], you shall observe and do forever. You shall not fear (worship, serve) other gods.

He removed the high places [of pagan worship], broke down the images (memorial stones) and cut down the Asherim. He also crushed to pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the Israelites had burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan [a bronze sculpture].

For he clung to the LORD; he did not turn away from [faithfully] following Him, but he kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.

When they called for the king, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the [king's] household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the secretary went out to [meet] them.

Then the Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, "What is [the reason for] this confidence that you have?

"You say (but they are only empty words) 'I have counsel and strength for the war.' Now on whom do you rely, that you have rebelled against me?

"How then can you drive back even one official of the least of my master's servants, when you rely on Egypt for chariots and horsemen?

"Thus says the king, 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to rescue you from my hand;

'Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria: "Surrender to me and come out to [meet] me, and every man may eat from his own vine and fig tree, and every man may drink the waters of his own well,

But the people kept silent and did not answer him, for the king had commanded, "Do not answer him."

They said to him, "Thus says Hezekiah, 'This is a day of distress and anxiety, of punishment and humiliation; for children have come to [the time of their] birth and there is no strength to rescue them.

'It may be that the LORD your God will hear all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to taunt and defy the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard. So offer a prayer for the remnant [of His people] that is left [in Judah].'"

So the Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah [a fortified city of Judah]; for he had heard that the king had left Lachish.

and have thrown their gods into the fire, for they were not [real] gods but [only] the work of men's hands, wood and stone. So they [could destroy them and] have destroyed them.

'For a remnant will go forth from Jerusalem, and [a band of] survivors from Mount Zion. The zeal of the LORD of hosts shall perform this.

'For I will protect this city to save it, for My own sake and for My servant David's sake.'"

In those days [when Sennacherib first invaded Judah] Hezekiah became deathly ill. The prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, 'Set your house in order, for you shall die and not recover.'"