Section 5

With the Assyrian army encamped at the gates of Jerusalem, Hezekiah initially attempted a diplomatic solution. He sent a message to Sennacherib, admitting his fault and offering to pay whatever was demanded of him. Sennacherib imposed a crippling tribute of 300 talents of silver and 30 talents of gold, forcing Hezekiah to strip the treasures from the Temple and the royal palace to meet the demand.

However, Sennacherib was not satisfied. He sent his top officials, including the high-ranking commander known as the Rabshakeh, to Jerusalem to demand an unconditional surrender. Standing before the city walls, the Rabshakeh engaged in powerful psychological warfare. He delivered a series of demoralizing speeches in Hebrew, so that all the people on the wall could understand. He mocked Hezekiah’s trust in God, pointing out that no other nation's gods had been able to save them from Assyria's power. He taunted the people, offering them a choice between surrender and a brutal death by siege. It was a moment of supreme crisis, a test of Hezekiah’s faith and leadership against seemingly insurmountable odds.