Isaiah · Chapter 36

[ edit] And don it is in þe fourtenþe ȝer of king Ezechie, ſteȝede vp Senacherib, king of Aſſiries, vp on alle þe ſtrengþid cites of Juda, and toc hem. And þe king of Aſſiries ſente Rapſacen fro Laches in to Jeruſalem, to king Ezechie, in an heuy hond; and ſtod in þe water kundute of þe ouere pond, in þe weie of þe fulleris feeld. And wente oute to hym Elyachym, ſone of Elchie, þat was vpon þe hous, and Sobna, ſcribe, and Joae, þe ſone of Aſaf, chaunceler.

And Rapſaces ſeide to þem, Seiþ to Ezechie, Þeſe þingus ſeiþ þe grete king, king of Aſſiries, What is þis triſt, þat þou troſteſt? or of counſeil or ſtrengþe to rebellen þou diſpoſiſt? vp on whom haſt þou troſt, for þou haſt gon awei fro me? Lo! þou troſtiſt vp on þis ſtaf of reed to-broken, vp on Egipt, to whom if a man ſhul lene, it ſhal go in to his hond, and þerlen it; ſo Farao, king of Egipt, to alle men þat troſten in hym. Þat if þou anſwere to me, In þe Lord oure God wee troſten; wheþer not he is, whos heȝe þyngus and auteres toc awei Ezechie, and ſeyde to Jude and to Jeruſalem, Beforn þis auter ȝee ſhul honoure?

And now tac þee to my lord, þe king of Aſſiries, and I ſhal ȝyue to þee two þouſend hors, and þou ſhalt not moun ȝyuen of þee ſteȝeres vp of hem. And what maner ſuſtene ſhal þe face of a domes man of o place of þe laſſe ſeruauns of my lord? Þat if þou troſte in Egipt, and in þe foure horſid carre, and in þe horſe men; and now wheþer wiþoute þe Lord I ſteȝede vp to þis lond, þat I ſhulde deſtroȝe it? Þe Lord ſeide to me, Steȝe vp vp on þis lond, and deſtroȝe it. And Eleachym ſeide, and Sobna, and Joae, to Rapſacen, Spec to þi ſeruauntis in Sirie tunge, wee vnderſtonden forſoþe; ne ſpeke þou to vs Jewly, in þe eres of þe puple, þat is vp on þe wal.

And ſeide to þem Rapſaces, Wheþer to þi lord and to þee ſente me my lord, þat I ſchuld ſpeke alle þeſe wrdys, and not more to þe men þat ſytten in þe wal, þat þei ete þer toordes, and drinke þer vryne of þeir feet wiþ ȝou? And Rapſaces ſtod, and criede wiþ a gret vois Jeuly, and ſeide, Hereþ þe wrdes of þe grete king, king of Aſſiries. Þeſe þyngus ſeiþ þe king, Bigile not ȝou Eſechie, for he ſhal not moun delyueren ȝou out; and not to ȝou troſt ȝyue Ezechie vp on þe Lord, ſeiende, Delyuerende þe Lord ſhal delyueren vs; ſhal not be ȝoue þis cite in þe hond of þe king of Aſſiries. Wileþ not heren Ezechie.

Þeſe þingus forſoþe ſeiþ þe king of Aſſiries, Doþ wiþ me bleſſyng, and goþ out to me; and eteþ eche his vyne, and eche his fige tree, and drinkeþ eche þe water of his ciſterne, to þe tyme þat I come, and take ȝou awei to þe lond þat is as ȝoure lond; lond of whete and of wyn, lond of loefes and of vynes. Ne diſturbe ȝou Ezechie, ſeiende, Þe Lord ſhal delyuere vs. Wheþer delyuereden þe godes of Jentiles eche his lond fro þe hond of þe king of Aſſiries? Wher is þe god of Emaþ, and of Arfaþ? Wher is þe god of Sefaruaym? Wheþer þei deliuereden Samarie fro myn hond? Who is of alle þe godes of þeſe londis þat delyuerede his lond fro myn hond, þat þe Lord delyuere Jeruſalem fro myn hond?

And þei heelden þer pes, and anſwerden not to hym a wrd. Forſoþe þe king hadde comaundid to þem, ſeiende, Ne anſwere ȝee to hym. And wente in Elyachym, þe ſone of Elchie, þat was vp on þe hous, and Sobna, ſcribe, and Joae, ſone of Aſaf, chaunceler, to Eſechie, kut þe cloþis, and tolden to hym þe wrdes of Rapſaes.