1. Now it came to pass in the fourteenth shanah of Melech Chizkiyah, that Sancheriv Melech Ashur came up against all the fortified cities of Yehudah, and captured them.
2. And Melech Ashur sent Rav Shakeh from Lachish to Yerushalayim unto Melech Chizkiyah with a large army. And he stood by the te'alat haberekhah haelyonah (aqueduct of the Upper Pool) on the highway of the sadeh of the launderer.
3. Then came forth unto him Elyakim Ben Chilkiah, who was over the Bais (palace), and Shevna the Sofer, and Yoach Ben Asaph, the Mazkir (secretary).
4. And Rav Shakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Chizkiyah, Thus saith the HaMelech Hagadol, Melech Ashur, What bitachon (confidence) is this wherein thou trustest?
5. I say, Your etzah (counsel) and gevurah (strength) for milchamah (war) are only devar sefatayim [words of the lips, empty words]); now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
6. Hinei, thou trustest in the mishenet (staff) of this broken reed, on Mitzrayim; whereon if an ish lean, it will go into his palm, and pierce it; so is Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim to all that trust in him.
7. But if thou say to me, We trust in Hashem Eloheinu; is it not He, whose high places and whose mizbechot Chizkiyah hath taken away, and said to Yehudah and to Yerushalayim, Ye shall worship before this Mizbe'ach?
8. Therefore give pledges, now, to adoni HaMelech Ashur, and I will give thee two thousand susim, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
9. How then wilt thou turn away the face of one officer of the least of the avadim of adoni, and put thy trust on Mitzrayim for chariots and for parashim?
10. And am I now come up without Hashem against this land to destroy it? Hashem said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
11. Then said Elyakim and Shevna and Yoach unto Rav Shakeh, Speak now, thee, unto thy avadim in Aramit (Aramaic); for we understand it; and speak not to us in Yehudit (Hebrew), in the ears of the people that are on the chomah.