2 Kings 19:1–20

Isaiah Assures Deliverance

19 And aso it was, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, covered himself with bsackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord. 2 Then he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz. 3 And they said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah: ‘This day is a day of trouble, and rebuke, and blasphemy; for the children have come to birth, but there is no strength to 1bring them forth. 4 cIt may be that the Lord your God will hear all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to dreproach the living God, and will erebuke the words which the Lord your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.’ ”

5 So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. 6 fAnd Isaiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Do not be gafraid of the words which you have heard, with which the hservants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. 7 Surely I will send ia spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.” ’ ”

Sennacherib’s Threat and Hezekiah’s Prayer

8 Then the Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he heard that he had departed jfrom Lachish. 9 And kthe king heard concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, “Look, he has come out to make war with you.” So he again sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, 10 “Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: ‘Do not let your God lin whom you trust deceive you, saying, “Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 11 Look! You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by utterly destroying them; and shall you be delivered? 12 mHave the gods of the nations delivered those whom my fathers have destroyed, Gozan and Haran and Rezeph, and the people of nEden who were in Telassar? 13 oWhere is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?’ ”

14 pAnd Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. 15 Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said: “O Lord God of Israel, the One qwho dwells between the cherubim, rYou are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16 sIncline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; topen Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, uwhich he has sent to reproach the living God. 17 Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, 18 and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were vnot gods, but wthe work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. 19 Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, xthat all the kingdoms of the earth may yknow that You are the Lord God, You alone.”

The Word of the Lord Concerning Sennacherib

20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: z‘Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, aI have heard.’