26. " ' "But I, the Lord, say, 'Haven't you heard what I have done? Long ago I arranged for you to do all of that. In days of old I planned it. Now I have made it happen. You have turned cities with high walls into piles of stone.
27. Their people do not have any power left. They are troubled and put to shame. They are like plants in the field. They are like new green plants. They are like grass that grows on a roof. It dries up before it is completely grown.
28. " ' " 'But I know where you live. I know when you come and go. I know how very angry you are with me.
29. You roar against me and brag. And I have heard your bragging. So I will put my hook in your nose. I will put my bit in your mouth. And I will make you go home by the same way you came.' " ' "
30. The Lord said, "Hezekiah, here is a miraculous sign for you. "This year you will eat what grows by itself. Next year you will eat what grows from that. But in the third year you will plant your crops and gather them in. You will plant your grapevines and eat their fruit.
31. The people of Judah who are still alive will be like plants. Once more they will put down roots and produce fruit.
32. Out of Jerusalem will come those who remain. Out of Mount Zion will come those who are still left alive. My great love will make sure that happens. I rule over all.
33. "Here is a message from me about the king of Assyria. It says, " 'He will not enter this city. He will not even shoot an arrow at it. He will not come near it with a shield. He will not build a ramp in order to climb over its walls.
34. By the way that he came he will go home. He will not enter this city,' announces the Lord.
35. "I will guard this city and save it. I will do it for myself. And I will do it for my servant David."
36. Then the angel of the Lord went into the camp of the Assyrians. He put to death 185,000 soldiers there. The people of Jerusalem got up the next morning. They looked out and saw all of the dead bodies.
37. So Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, took the army tents down. Then he left. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.