Definition: And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this Bible verse together. It’s a pretty serious statement about a conflict and a promise! Here's what it means in simpler terms: The Basic Idea: This verse is about a big problem that Hezekiah, King of Judah, created for the king of Assyria (a powerful empire in the region). Hezekiah was making mistakes and behaving badly, and the Assyrian king saw this as a challenge. Let’s unpack it piece by piece: “And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria…” – This tells us who is involved. It's about a disagreement between two powerful kings. “…to Lachish.” - Lachish was a place in Assyria where the King of Assyria held his court and military base. So, Hezekiah was sending a message to the king of Assyria. “saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear.” – This is the core of the verse. Hezekiah was admitting he had done something wrong and asking for forgiveness. He’s saying, "I messed up! Please, just let me off the hook." “And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.” – This is a very significant part of the punishment. The Assyrian king wasn’t just letting him go; he was rewarding Hezekiah with HUGE amounts of money! It's like saying, "You messed up badly, so you get a huge gift as compensation." What does this all mean? This verse is often interpreted as a warning to the Israelites. It’s suggesting that even though they were in a position of power, they needed to be careful and avoid making mistakes that could provoke a powerful enemy like Assyria. It's a reminder that even seemingly small wrongdoings can have serious consequences when dealing with giants. Important Context (Briefly): The Book of Kings tells us this was a long-standing conflict between the Israelites and Assyria. It’s often seen as a precursor to the Babylonian exile – when the Assyrians conquered Judah, leading to the Israelites being exiled from their land. Do you want me to: Explain another part of this verse? Discuss what this verse might symbolize in a larger context of biblical history?