prophets and kings-第55节
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The officers were conferring outside the gates of the city； but within the hearing of the sentries on the wall； and as the representatives of the Assyrian king loudly urged their proposals upon the chief men of Judah； they were requested to speak in the Syrian rather than the Jewish language； in order that those upon the wall might not have knowledge of the proceedings of the conference。 Rabshakeh； scorning this suggestion； lifted his voice still higher； and； continuing to speak in the Jewish language； said：
〃Hear ye the words of the great king； the king of Assyria。 Thus saith the king； Let not Hezekiah deceive you： for he shall not be able to deliver you。 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord； saying； The Lord will surely deliver us： this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria。
〃Hearken not to Hezekiah： for thus saith the king of Assyria； Make an agreement with me by a present； and come out to me： and eat ye everyone of his vine； and everyone of his fig tree； and drink ye everyone the waters of his own cistern； until I come and take you away to a land like your own land； a land of corn and wine； a land of bread and vineyards。
〃Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you； saying； The Lord will deliver us。 Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria？ Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad？ where are the gods of Sepharvaim？ and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand？ Who are they among all the gods of these lands；
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that have delivered their land out of my hand； that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand？〃 Isaiah 36：13…20。
To these taunts the children of Judah 〃answered him not a word。〃 The conference was at an end。 The Jewish representatives returned to Hezekiah 〃with their clothes rent； and told him the words of Rabshakeh。〃 Verses 21； 22。 The king； upon learning of the blasphemous challenge； 〃rent his clothes； and covered himself with sackcloth； and went into the house of the Lord。〃 2 Kings 19：1。
A messenger was dispatched to Isaiah to inform him of the outcome of the conference。 〃This day is a day of trouble； and of rebuke； and blasphemy；〃 was the word the king sent。 〃It may be the Lord thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh； whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God； and will reprove the words which the Lord thy God hath heard： wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left。〃 Verses 3； 4。
〃For this cause Hezekiah the king； and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz； prayed and cried to Heaven。〃 2 Chronicles 32：20。
God answered the prayers of His servants。 To Isaiah was given the message for Hezekiah： 〃Thus saith the Lord； Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard； with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me。 Behold； I will send a blast upon him； and he shall hear a rumor； and shall return to his own land； and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land。〃 2 Kings 19：6； 7。
The Assyrian representatives； after taking leave of the chief men of Judah； communicated direct with their king；
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who was with the division of his army guarding the approach from Egypt。 Upon hearing the report； Sennacherib wrote 〃letters to rail on the Lord God of Israel； and to speak against Him； saying； As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand； so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver His people out of mine hand。〃 2 Chronicles 32：17。
The boastful threat was accompanied by the message： 〃Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee； saying； Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria。 Behold； thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands； by destroying them utterly： and shalt thou be delivered？ Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed； as Gozan； and Haran； and Rezeph； and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar？ Where is the king of Hamath； and the king of Arpad； and the king of the city of Sepharvaim； of Hena； and Ivah？〃 2 Kings 19：10…13。
When the king of Judah received the taunting letter； he took it into the temple and 〃spread it before the Lord〃 and prayed with strong faith for help from heaven； that the nations of earth might know that the God of the Hebrews still lived and reigned。 Verse 14。 The honor of Jehovah was at stake； He alone could bring deliverance。
〃O Lord God of Israel； which dwellest between the cherubims；〃 Hezekiah pleaded； 〃Thou art the God； even Thou alone； of all the kingdoms of the earth； Thou hast made heaven and earth。 Lord； bow down Thine ear； and hear： open； Lord； Thine eyes； and see： and hear the words
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of Sennacherib； which hath sent him to reproach the living God。 Of a truth； Lord； the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands； and have cast their gods into the fire： for they were no gods； but the work of men's hands； wood and stone： therefore they have destroyed them。 Now therefore； O Lord our God； I beseech Thee； save Thou us out of his hand； that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that Thou art the Lord God； even Thou only。〃 2 Kings 19：15…19。
〃Give ear； O Shepherd of Israel； Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock； Thou that dwellest between the cherubims； shine forth。 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up Thy strength； And come and save us。 Turn us again； O God； And cause Thy face to shine； and we shall be saved。
〃O Lord God of hosts； How long wilt Thou be angry against the prayer of Thy people？ Thou feedest them with the bread of tears； And givest them tears to drink in great measure。 Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbors： And our enemies laugh among themselves。 Turn us again； O God of hosts； And cause Thy face to shine； and we shall be saved。
〃Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt： Thou hast cast out the heathen； and planted it。 Thou preparedst room before it； And didst cause it to take deep root； and it filled the land。 The hills were covered with the shadow of it； And the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars。 She sent out her boughs unto the sea； And her branches unto the river。
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〃Why hast Thou then broken down her hedges； So that all they which pass by the way do pluck her？ The boar out of the wood doth waste it； And the wild beast of the field doth devour it。 Return； we beseech Thee； O God of hosts： Look down from heaven； and behold； and visit this vine； And the vineyard which Thy right hand hath planted； And the branch that Thou madest strong for Thyself。 。 。 。
〃Quicken us； and we will call upon Thy name。 Turn us again； O Lord God of hosts； Cause Thy face to shine； and we shall be saved。〃 Psalm 80。
Hezekiah's pleadings in behalf of Judah and of the honor of their Supreme Ruler were in harmony with the mind of God。 Solomon； in his benediction at the dedication of the temple； had prayed the Lord to maintain 〃the cause of His people Israel at all times； as the matter shall require： that all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God； and that there is none else。〃 1 Kings 8：59； 60。 Especially was the Lord to show favor when； in times of war or of oppression by an army； the chief men of Israel should enter the house of prayer and plead for deliverance。 Verses 33； 34。
Hezekiah was not left without hope。 Isaiah sent to him； saying； 〃Thus saith the Lord God of Israel； That which thou hast prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard。 This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning him：
〃The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee； and laughed thee to scorn； the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee。
〃Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed？ and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice； and lifted up thine eyes on high？ even against the Holy One of Israel。
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By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord； and hast said； With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains； to the sides of Lebanon； and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof； and the choice fir trees thereof： and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders； and into the forest of his Carmel。 I have digged and drunk strange waters； and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places。
〃Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it； and of ancient times that I have formed it？ now have I brought it to pass； that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps。 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power； they were dismayed and confounded； they were as the grass of the field； and as the green herb； as the grass on the housetops； and as corn blasted before it be grown up。
〃But I know thy abode； and thy going out； and thy coming in； and thy rage against Me。 Because thy rage against Me and thy tumult is come up into Mine ears； th
