26. “‘King of Assyria, surely you have heard.Long ago I, the Lord, planned these things.Long ago I planned them.Now I have made them happen.I allowed you to turn those strong, walled citiesinto piles of rocks.
27. The people living in those cities were weak.They were frightened and put to shame.They were like grass in the field.They were like tender, young grass.They were like grass that grows on the housetop.It is burned by the wind before it can grow.
28. “‘I know when you rest and when you come and go.I know how you speak against me.
29. You speak strongly against me.And I have heard your proud words.So I will put my hook in your nose.And I will put my bit in your mouth.Then I will force you to leave my countrythe same way that you came.’
30. “Then the Lord said, ‘Hezekiah, I will give you this sign:This year you will eat the grain that grows wild.And the second year you will eat what grows wild from that.But in the third year, plant grain and harvest it.Plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
31. The people left alive in the family of Judahwill be saved.Like plants that take root,they will grow strong and have many children.
32. A few people will come out of Jerusalem alive.There will be a few from Mount Zion who will live.The strong love of the Lord of heaven’s armieswill cause this to happen.’
33. “So this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria:‘He will not enter this city.He will not even shoot an arrow here.He will not fight against it with shields.He will not build a ramp to attack the city walls.