Sennacherib threatens Hezekinh
THE King of Assyria had conquered
Israel. For three years he had laid siege to Samaria and now it had fallen, and thousands of Israelites had been taken captive into Assyria.
Small wonder, therefore, that
Hezekiah, King of Judah. was afraid. True ' he had done that which was right in the sight of the Lord ' and had rebelled against the King of Assyria, but Israel's fate appalled him.
Consequently, when Sennacherib captured ' all the fenced cities of Judah ' Hezekiah's faith burned low, and he sent to the King of Assyria, offering to pay tribute to him again. Sennacherib demanded three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold, and Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and cut off the gold from the doors of the temple—thereby showing the people openly that ho no longer trusted in his God to deliver him. Sennacherib was not slow to take advantage of this, and laid siege to Jerusalem.
So certain was he that, having lost faith in their God, the Jews would surrender, that he offered them terms before striking a blow through the captain of his host Rab-shakeh.
First he taunted them with relying on help from Egypt-that broken reed. And then—waxing bold-he mocked at their God. Hark not unto Hezekiah when he persuadeth you saying, The Lord will deliver us-Hath any of the gods of the nation delivered at all his land out of the hand of the King of Assyria ? '
Next Sunday wo shall hear what happened to the host of Sennacherib.