4. Please pray for those of us who are left alive. The king of Assyria sent his army commander to insult the living God. Perhaps the Lord heard what he said and will do something, if you will pray.
5. When these leaders came to me,
6. I told them that the Lord had this message for Hezekiah:I am the Lord. Don't worry about the insulting things that have been said about me by these messengers from the king of Assyria.
7. I will upset him with rumours about what's happening in his own country. He will go back, and there I will make him die a violent death.
8. Meanwhile the commander of the Assyrian forces heard that his king had left the town of Lachish and was now attacking Libnah. So he went there.
9. About this same time, the king of Assyria learnt that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was on his way to attack him. Then the king of Assyria sent some messengers with this note for Hezekiah:
10. Don't trust your God or be fooled by his promise to defend Jerusalem against me.
11. You have heard how we Assyrian kings have completely wiped out other nations. What makes you feel so safe?
12. The Assyrian kings before me destroyed the towns of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and everyone from Eden who lived in Telassar. What good did their gods do them?
13. The kings of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah have all disappeared.
14. After Hezekiah had read the note from the king of Assyria, he took it to the temple and spread it out for the Lord to see.
15. Then he prayed:
16. Lord God All-Powerful of Israel, your throne is above the winged creatures. You created the heavens and the earth, and you alone rule the kingdoms of this world.