A    ^noteIn the xiiij. yeare of kinge Ezechias, came Sennacherib kinge of the Assirians downe, to laye sege vnto all the stronge cities of Iuda And the kinge of the Assiri&abar;s sent Rabsaches from Lachis toward Ierusalem, agaynst kinge Ezechias, with a greuous hooste, which set him by the condite of the ouerpole, in the waye that goeth thorow þe; fullers l&obar;de. ^noteAnd so there came forth vnto him Eliachim Helchias sonne the presydent, Sobna the scribe, and Ioah Asaphs sonne the Secretary.

And Rabsaches sayde vnto them: Tel Ezechias, that the greate kinge of Assiria sayeth thus vnto him: What presumpcion is this, that thou trustest vnto? Thou thinkest (peradu&ebar;ture) that thou hast councel ∧ power ynough, to mayntene this warre: or els wher to trustest thou, that thou castest thi self of fro me? lo, ^note Thou puttest thy trust in a broken staff of rede (I meane Egipte) which he that leaneth vpon, it goeth in to his honde ∧ shuteth him thorow. Euen so is Pharao the kinge of Egipte, vnto all th&ebar; that trust in him. B   But yf thou woldest saye to me: We trust in þe; LORDE oure God: A goodly god, in dede: whose hie places ∧ aulteres Ezechias toke downe, and commaunded Iuda and Ierusalem, to worshipe only before the aulter. Abyde the, thou hast made a condicion with my lorde the kinge of the Assiri&abar;s, that he shulde geue the two thousande

horses: Art thou able to set m&ebar; there vp? Seinge now that thou canst not resist the power of the smallest prynce that my LORDE hath, how darrest thou trust in þt; charettes and horse men of Egipte? Morouer, thinkest thou þt; I am come downe hither, to destroye this londe with out the LORDES will? The LORDE sayde vnto me: go downe in to that londe, that thou mayest destroye it.

Then sayde Eliachim, Sobna ∧ Iohah vnto Rabsaches: Speake to vs thy seruauntes (we praye the) in the Sirians language, for we vnderstonde it well: And speake not to vs in the Iewes tunge, lest the folcke heare, which lieth vpon the wall. C   Then answered Rabsaches: Thinke ye, þt; the kinge sent me to speake this only vnto you? Hath he not sent me to th&ebar; also, that lie vp&obar; the wall? that they be not c&obar;pelled to eate their owne donge, and drinke their owne stale with you?

And Rabsaches stode stiff, ∧ cried with a loude voyce in the Iewes t&ubar;ge, and sayde: Now take hede, how the greate kinge of the Assiri&abar;s geueth you warnynge. Thus saieth the kinge: Let not Ezechias disceaue you, for he shal not be able to delyuer you. Morouer, let not Ezechias comforte you in the LORDE, when he saieth: The LORDE with out doute shal defende vs, ∧ shal not geue ouer this cite in to the hondes of the kinge of the Assiri&abar;s, beleue him not. But thus saieth the kinge of Assiria: opteyne my fauoure, enclyne to me: So maye euery m&abar; enioye his vynyardes and fygetrees, and drinke the water of his cisterne: vnto the tyme that I come myself, ∧ bringe you in to a londe, þt; is like youre owne: wher in is wheat and wyne, which is both sowen with sede, and planted with vynyardes. Let not Ezechias disceaue you, when he sayeth vnto you: the LORDE shal delyuer us.

D    ^noteMight the goddes of the Gentiles kepe euerymans londe, from the power of the kinge of the Assirians? Wher is the God of hemath ∧ Arphad? Where is the God of Sepharnaim? And who was able to defende Samaria out of my honde? Or which of all the goddes of the l&obar;des, hath deliuered their countre out of my power, so that the LORDE shulde delyuer Ierusalem fro my honde? Vnto this, Ezechias messaungers helde their tunges, and answered not one worde: for the kinge had charged them, that they shulde geue him none answere. So came Eliachim Elchias sonne the presid&ebar;t, Sobna the scrybe, and Ioah Asaphs sonne the Secretary, vnto Ezechias with rente clothes, ∧ tolde him the wordes of Rabsaches.

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