7. Be brave and confident! There's no reason to be afraid of King Sennacherib and his powerful army. We are much more powerful,
8. because the Lord our God fights on our side. The Assyrians must rely on human power alone.These words encouraged the army of Judah.
9. When Sennacherib and his troops were camped at the town of Lachish, he sent a message to Hezekiah and the people in Jerusalem. It said:
10. I am King Sennacherib of Assyria, and I have Jerusalem surrounded. Do you think you can survive my attack?
11. Hezekiah your king is telling you that the Lord your God will save you from me. But he is lying, and you'll die of hunger and thirst.
12. Didn't Hezekiah tear down all except one of the Lord's altars and places of worship? And didn't he tell you people of Jerusalem and Judah to worship at that one place?
13. You've heard what my ancestors and I have done to other nations. Were the gods of those nations able to defend their land against us?
14. None of those gods kept their people safe from the kings of Assyria. Do you really think your God can do any better?
15. Don't be fooled by Hezekiah! No god of any nation has ever been able to stand up to Assyria. Believe me, your God cannot keep you safe!
16. The Assyrian officials said terrible things about the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah.
17. Sennacherib's letter even made fun of the Lord. It said, “The gods of other nations could not save their people from Assyria's army, and neither will the God that Hezekiah worships.”
18. The officials said all these things in Hebrew, so that everyone listening from the city wall would understand and be terrified and surrender.
19. The officials talked about the Lord God as if he were nothing but an ordinary god or an idol that someone had made.
20. Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz asked the Lord for help,