Anno tertio Osee filii Ela regis Israël, regnavit Ezechias filius Achaz regis Juda.

In the third year of Osee the son of Ela king of Israel, reigned Ezechias the son of Achaz king of Juda.

In the third year of Osee, son of Ela, king Achaz of Juda was succeeded by his son Ezechias.

Viginti quinque annorum erat cum regnare cœpisset, et viginti novem annis regnavit in Jerusalem: nomen matris ejus Abi filia Zachariæ.

He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign: and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Abi the daughter of Zacharias.

This king was twenty-five years old when he came to the throne, and his reign at Jerusalem lasted twenty-nine years.

Fecitque quod erat bonum coram Domino, juxta omnia quæ fecerat David pater ejus.

And he did that which was good before the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.

Here was one that obeyed the Lord’s will no less than his father David before him;

Ipse dissipavit excelsa, et contrivit statuas, et succidit lucos, confregitque serpentem æneum quem fecerat Moyses: siquidem usque ad illud tempus filii Israël adolebant ei incensum: vocavitque nomen ejus Nohestan.

He destroyed the high places, and broke the statues in pieces, and cut down the groves, and broke the brazen serpent, which Moses had made: for till that time the children of Israel burnt incense to it: and he called its name Nohestan.

scattered the hill-shrines, overthrew the images, cut down the sacred trees; broke in pieces, too, the brazen serpent Moses had made, because the Israelites, till his day, used to offer incense to it; the name given to it was Nohestan.

In Domino Deo Israël speravit: itaque post eum non fuit similis ei de cunctis regibus Juda, sed neque in his qui ante eum fuerunt:

He trusted in the Lord the God of Israel: so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Juda, nor any of them that were before him:

In the Lord God of Israel he put all his trust; never was a king of Juda to rival him before or after;

et adhæsit Domino, et non recessit a vestigiis ejus, fecitque mandata ejus, quæ præceperat Dominus Moysi.

And he stuck to the Lord, and departed not from his steps, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses.

in the paths the Lord had traced he followed still, holding ever close to him, keeping ever the commands he had given through Moses.

Unde et erat Dominus cum eo, et in cunctis ad quæ procedebat, sapienter se agebat. Rebellavit quoque contra regem Assyriorum, et non servivit ei.

Wherefore the Lord also was with him, and in all things, to which he went forth, he behaved himself wisely. And he rebelled against the king of the Assyrians, and served him not.

What wonder if the Lord was with him, if he was well advised in all he did? Against the king of Assyria he rose in rebellion, and denied him tribute;

Ipse percussit Philisthæos usque ad Gazam, et omnes terminos eorum, a turre custodum usque ad civitatem munitam.

He smote the Philistines as far as Gaza, and all their borders, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

and harried the Philistine townships as far as Gaza, from lonely hamlet to walled city.

Anno quarto regis Ezechiæ, qui erat annus septimus Osee filii Ela regis Israël, ascendit Salmanasar rex Assyriorum in Samariam, et oppugnavit eam,

In the fourth year of king Ezechias, which was the seventh year of Osee the son of Ela king of Israel, Salmanasar king of the Assyrians came up to Samaria, and besieged it,

It was in the fourth year of Ezechias, and the seventh year after Osee son of Ela came to the throne of Israel, that Salmanasar, king of Assyria, marched on Samaria and laid siege to it.

et cepit. Nam post annos tres, anno sexto Ezechiæ, id est nono anno Osee regis Israël, capta est Samaria:

And took it. For after three years, in the sixth year of Ezechias, that is, in the ninth year of Osee king of Israel, Samaria was taken:

And at the end of three years he took it; it was in the sixth year of Ezechias and the ninth of Osee that Samaria was captured,

et transtulit rex Assyriorum Israël in Assyrios, collocavitque eos in Hala et in Habor fluviis Gozan in civitatibus Medorum:

And the king of the Assyrians carried away Israel into Assyria, and placed them in Hala and in Habor by the rivers of Gozan in the cities of the Medes:

and all the Israelites carried off to Assyria, where they were settled in Hala and Habor by the streams of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

quia non audierunt vocem Domini Dei sui, sed prætergressi sunt pactum ejus: omnia quæ præceperat Moyses servus Domini non audierunt, neque fecerunt.

Because they hearkened not to the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant: all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, they would not hear nor do.

And this, because they paid no heed to the Lord’s bidding; false to his covenant, they left the commands he had given through his servant Moses unheard and unheeded.

Anno quartodecimo regis Ezechiæ, ascendit Sennacherib rex Assyriorum ad universas civitates Juda munitas, et cepit eas.

In the fourteenth year of king Ezechias, Sennacherib king of the Assyrians came up against the fenced cities of Juda: and took them.

Then, in the fourteenth year of Ezechias, the Assyrian king Sennacherib marched on the fortified cities of Juda and took them;

Tunc misit Ezechias rex Juda nuntios ad regem Assyriorum in Lachis, dicens: Peccavi: recede a me, et omne quod imposueris mihi, feram. Indixit itaque rex Assyriorum Ezechiæ regi Judæ trecenta talenta argenti, et triginta talenta auri.

Then Ezechias king of Juda sent messengers to the king of the Assyrians to Lachis, saying: I have offended, depart from me: and all that thou shalt put upon me, I will bear. And the king of the Assyrians put a tax upon Ezechias king of Juda, of three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold.

whereupon king Ezechias sent word to the king of Assyria, then at Lachis: I have been to blame; withdraw thy troops, and I will pay whatever ransom thou dost demand. So the king of Assyria imposed on Ezechias king of Juda a tribute of three hundred talents of silver, and three hundred of gold.

Deditque Ezechias omne argentum quod repertum fuerat in domo Domini et in thesauris regis.

And Ezechias gave all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the king’s treasures.

All the silver that was to be found in temple or treasury Ezechias gave him;

In tempore illo confregit Ezechias valvas templi Domini, et laminas auri quas ipse affixerat, et dedit eas regi Assyriorum.

At that time Ezechias broke the doors of the temple of the Lord, and the plates of gold which he had fastened on them, and gave them to the king of the Assyrians.

broke up, too, the temple doors, with the golden plates he himself had nailed to them, and gave these to the king of Assyria.

Misit autem rex Assyriorum Tharthan, et Rabsaris, et Rabsacen de Lachis ad regem Ezechiam cum manu valida Jerusalem: qui cum ascendissent, venerunt Jerusalem, et steterunt juxta aquæductum piscinæ superioris, quæ est in via Agrifullonis.

And the king of the Assyrians sent Tharthan and Rabsaris, and Rabsaces from Lachis to king Ezechias with a strong army to Jerusalem: and they went up and came to Jerusalem, and they stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the way of the fuller’s field.

After this the Assyrian king, who was still at Lachis, sent Tharthan, Rabsaris and Rabsaces at the head of a strong force to Jerusalem, where king Ezechias was. They marched up to the city, and halted by the aqueduct that fed the upper pool, on the way that brings you to the Fuller’s Field.

Vocaveruntque regem: egressus est autem ad eos Eliacim filius Helciæ præpositus domus, et Sobna scriba, et Joahe filius Asaph a commentariis.

And they called for the king: and there went out to them Eliacim the son of Helcias who was over the house, and Sobna the scribe, and Joahe the son of Asaph the recorder.

Their demand was to see the king, but they were met by Eliacim, son of Helcias, the controller of the royal household, and Sobna, the secretary, and Joahe, son of Asaph, the recorder.

Dixitque ad eos Rabsaces: Loquimini Ezechiæ: Hæc dicit rex magnus, rex Assyriorum: Quæ est ista fiducia, qua niteris?

And Rabsaces said to them: Speak to Ezechias: Thus saith the great king, the king of the Assyrians: What is this confidence, wherein thou trustest?

So Rabsaces bade them tell Ezechias, Here is a message to thee from the great king, the king of Assyria. What confidence is this that makes thee so bold?

forsitan inisti consilium, ut præpares te ad prælium. In quo confidis, ut audeas rebellare?

Perhaps thou hast taken counsel, to prepare thyself for battle. On whom dost thou trust, that thou darest to rebel?

Doubtless thou hast some design, in so committing thyself to the fortune of war. On whose help dost thou rely, that thou wouldst throw off my allegiance?

an speras in baculo arundineo atque confracto Ægypto, super quem, si incubuerit homo, comminutus ingredietur manum ejus, et perforabit eam? sic est Pharao rex Ægypti omnibus qui confidunt in se.

Dost thou trust in Egypt a staff of a broken reed, upon which if a man lean, it will break and go into his hand, and pierce it? so is Pharao king of Egypt, to all that trust in him.

What, wilt thou rely on Egypt? That is to support thyself on a broken staff of cane, that will splinter and run into a man’s hand, if he presses on it, and pierce him through; such does Pharao, king of Egypt, prove himself to all those who rely on him.

Quod si dixeritis mihi: In Domino Deo nostro habemus fiduciam: nonne iste est, cujus abstulit Ezechias excelsa et altaria, et præcepit Judæ et Jerusalem: Ante altare hoc adorabitis in Jerusalem?

But if you say to me: We trust in the Lord our God: is it not he, whose high places and altars Ezechias hath taken away: and hath commanded Juda and Jerusalem: You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?

Or wilt thou answer, We trust, I and my people, in the Lord our God? Tell me, who is he? Is he not the God whose hill-shrines and altars Ezechias has cleared away, bidding Juda and Jerusalem worship at one altar here?

Nunc igitur transite ad dominum meum regem Assyriorum, et dabo vobis duo millia equorum, et videte an habere valeatis ascensores eorum.

Now therefore come over to my master the king of the Assyrians, and I will give you two thousand horses, and see whether you be able to have riders for them.

Come now, if thou wert to make terms with my master, the king of Assyria, by which I must hand over to thee two thousand horses, wouldst thou be able to do thy part by putting riders on them?

Et quomodo potestis resistere ante unum satrapam de servis domini mei minimis? an fiduciam habes in Ægypto propter currus et equites?

And how can you stand against one lord of the least of my master’s servants? Dost thou trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

Why, thou art no match even for a city prefect, the least of my master’s servants. Trust, if thou wilt, in Egypt, its chariots and its horsemen;

Numquid sine Domini voluntate ascendi ad locum istum, ut demolirer eum? Dominus dixit mihi: Ascende ad terram hanc, et demolire eam.

Is it without the will of the Lord that I am come up to this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me: Go up to this land and destroy it.

but dost thou doubt that I have the Lord’s warrant to subdue this land? It was the Lord himself who sent word to me, Make war on this land, and subdue it.

Dixerunt autem Eliacim filius Helciæ, et Sobna, et Joahe Rabsaci: Precamur ut loquaris nobis servis tuis syriace: siquidem intelligimus hanc linguam: et non loquaris nobis judaice, audiente populo qui est super murum.

Then Eliacim the son of Helcias, and Sobna, and Joahe said to Rabsaces: We pray thee speak to us thy servants in Syriac: for we understand that tongue: and speak not to us in the Jews’ language, in the hearing of the people that are upon the wall.

At this, Eliacim and Sobna and Joahe said to Rabsaces, My lord, pray talk to us in Syriac; we know it well. Do not talk to us in the Hebrew language, while all these folk are standing on the walls within hearing.

Responditque eis Rabsaces, dicens: Numquid ad dominum tuum, et ad te misit me dominus meus, ut loquerer sermones hos, et non potius ad viros qui sedent super murum, ut comedant stercora sua, et bibant urinam suam vobiscum?

And Rabsaces answered them, saying: Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee, to speak these words, and not rather to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their urine with you?

What, said Rabsaces, dost thou think my master hath sent me with this message for thee only, and for that master of thine? It is for the folk who man the walls, these companions of yours that have nothing left to eat or drink but the ventings of their own bodies.

Stetit itaque Rabsaces, et exclamavit voce magna judaice, et ait: Audite verba regis magni, regis Assyriorum.

Then Rabsaces stood, and cried out with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and said: Hear the words of the great king, the king of the Assyrians.

Then Rabsaces stood up and cried aloud, in Hebrew, Here is a message to you from the great king, the king of Assyria!

Hæc dicit rex: Non vos seducat Ezechias: non enim poterit eruere vos de manu mea:

Thus saith the king: Let not Ezechias deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of my hand.

This is the king’s warning, Do not be deluded by Ezechias, he is powerless to save you;

neque fiduciam vobis tribuat super Dominum, dicens: Eruens liberabit nos Dominus, et non tradetur civitas hæc in manu regis Assyriorum.

Neither let him make you trust in the Lord, saying: The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of the Assyrians.

do not let Ezechias put you off by telling you to trust in the Lord; that the Lord is certain to bring you aid, he cannot allow the king of Assyria to become master of your city.

Nolite audire Ezechiam. Hæc enim dicit rex Assyriorum: Facite mecum quod vobis est utile, et egredimini ad me: et comedet unusquisque de vinea sua, et de ficu sua: et bibetis aquas de cisternis vestris,

Do not hearken to Ezechias. For thus saith the king of the Assyrians: Do with me that which is for your advantage, and come out to me: and every man of you shall eat of his own vineyard, and of his own fig tree: and you shall drink water of your own cisterns,

No, do not listen to Ezechias; here are the terms the king of Assyria offers you. Earn my good will by surrendering to me, and you shall live unmolested, to each the fruit of his own vine and fig-tree, to each the water from his own cistern.

donec veniam, et transferam vos in terram quæ similis est terræ vestræ, in terram fructiferam, et fertilem vini, terram panis et vinearum, terram olivarum et olei ac mellis: et vivetis, et non moriemini. Nolite audire Ezechiam, qui vos decipit, dicens: Dominus liberabit nos.

Till I come, and take you away to a land, like to your own land, a fruitful land, and plentiful in wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olives, and oil and honey, and you shall live, and not die. Hearken not to Ezechias, who deceiveth you, saying: The Lord will deliver us.

Then, when I come back, I will transplant you into a land like your own, which will grudge you neither wheat nor wine, so rich is it in corn-fields and vineyards, neither olives, nor oil, nor honey, and you will be spared from the destruction that threatens you. No, do not listen to Ezechias when he tells you that the Lord will deliver you.

Numquid liberaverunt dii gentium terram suam de manu regis Assyriorum?

Have any of the gods of the nations delivered their land from the hand of the king of Assyria?

What of other nations? Were their countries delivered, by this god or that, when the king of Assyria threatened them?

ubi est deus Emath, et Arphad? ubi est deus Sepharvaim, Ana, et Ava? numquid liberaverunt Samariam de manu mea?

Where is the god of Emath, and of Arphad? where is the god of Sepharvaim, of Ana, and of Ava? have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?

What gods had Emath and Arphad, what gods had Sepharvaim, Ana and Ava? Did any power rescue Samaria from my attack?

Quinam illi sunt in universis diis terrarum, qui eruerunt regionem suam de manu mea, ut possit eruere Dominus Jerusalem de manu mea?

Who are they among all the gods of the nations, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that the Lord may deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?

Which of all the gods in the world has delivered his country when I threatened it, that you should trust in the Lord’s deliverance, when I threaten Jerusalem?

Tacuit itaque populus, et non respondit ei quidquam: siquidem præceptum regis acceperant ut non responderent ei.

But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for they had received commandment from the king that they should not answer him.

But all kept silence, and gave him no word in answer; the king had given strict orders that they were not to answer him.

Venitque Eliacim filius Helciæ, præpositus domus, et Sobna scriba, et Joahe filius Asaph a commentariis ad Ezechiam scissis vestibus, et nuntiaverunt ei verba Rabsacis.

And Eliacim the son of Helcias, who was over the house, and Sobna the scribe, and Joahe the son of Asaph the recorder, came to Ezechias, with their garments rent, and told him the words of Rabsaces.

So Eliacim, son of Helcias, the controller of the royal household, and Sobna, the secretary, and Joahe, son of Asaph, the recorder, went back to Ezechias, with their garments torn about them, to let him know what Rabsaces had said.