1. Sancheirev goes to war against Chizkiyah:
- The king of Ashur sends generals and an Army up to Jerusalem: The king of Ashur sent his generals Tartan and Ravsaris, and Ravshakeh [who was a Jewish apostate who believed in G-d[1]] from the city of Lachish to King Chizkiyah in Jerusalem, together with a great army. The generals and their army arrived at Jerusalem and stood by the upper pool area [where the people would launder their clothing[2]].
- The meeting with the king’s messengers and the message that Ravshakeh gave: The generals of Ashur summoned Chizkiyah the king, and Eliakim the son of Chilkiyah who was appointed over the palace came out to greet them together with Shevna the scribe and Yoach the son of Asaph the secretary. Ravshakeh told them to relay the following message to their king Chizkiyah, “So says the great king of Ashur: What were you thinking that you rebelled against me and decided to trust that you don’t need me to help you fight your enemies. You trusted in your G-d and prayed to Him and therefore rebelled against me but now you realize that in truth you need my help and military support. Why would you place your trust in Egypt who is similar to a splintered reed which will puncture one’s palm when one tries to support himself on it. Now, if you tell me that you trusted in G-d, this should be to you of no salvation as you have removed all the altars on which He was served from the land and said that people may only bow to Him in Jerusalem. Now, if you wish that my master the king of Ashur give you two thousand horses and supply you with riders, then give him some collateral in exchange that will show that you are subjugated to him. Now, you should know that it is G-d Himself who has sent me here to destroy this place.”
- Ravshakeh is asked to speak with them in Aramaic: Eliakim the son of Chilkiyah and Shevna and Yoach asked Ravshakeh to speak with them in Aramaic which they understand, and not speak with them in Hebrew in order so the people by the wall do not hear the conversation between them. Ravshakeh replied to them defiantly that he will continue to speak in Hebrew, as his master had sent him to speak not just to the king of Yehuda and his messengers but to all the Jewish people in the city, including the people who [will need to] sit by the wall and eat their dung and drink their urine [after we place siege over the city and starve the inhabitants[3]].
- Ravshakeh tries to convince the people in Jerusalem to capitulate to the king of Ashur: So, Ravshakeh stood up and called out in a loud voice in Hebrew towards the people by the wall, “Listen to the word of the great king, the king of Ashur. So has the king said, Don’t look up to Chizkiyah to help you as he will not be able to save you from my hand. Don’t let Chizkiyah convince you to have faith in G-d who will save you and the city of Jerusalem from being given over to the king of Ashur. Do not listen to Chizkiyah, for the king of Ashur is offering you to make peace with him and come out of the city. Each person will be able to eat from his vine and fig tree and drink water from his well until you will be brought by the king of Ashur to a land like your land [i.e. Africa[4]], a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil yielding olives and honey. You will live and not die. Do not listen to the words of Chizkiyah who will mislead you to believing that your G-d will save you. Have the G-ds of any of the other nations been successful in saving their nation from the hands of the king of Ashur? Where are the G-ds of Chamas and Arpad, where are the G-ds of Sepharvaim? They were not successful in battling against the king of Ashur and instead he exiled them and twisted them. Did these deities save the city of Shomron from my hand? There has been no G-d who has been successful in fighting him and saving their land from the hand of the king of Ashur and certainly the Lord will not be successful in saving Jerusalem from my hand?”
- The people remained silent and did not answer even a single word to Ravshakeh, as king Chizkiyah instructed them not to answer him one word.
- The king’s messengers relate to him the words of Ravshakeh: Eliakim the son of Chilkiyah who was appointed over the palace, and Shevna the scribe and Yoach the son of Asaph the secretary, came to Chizkiyah with torn garments, and told him the message of Ravshakeh.
[1] Rashi 18:22
[2] Rashi 18:17
[3] Metzudos Dovid 18:27
[4] Rashi 18:32
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