Notably absent is any reference to seeking divine guidance or aid. At this moment Hezekiah was like his father, giving in to the pagan power. 18:17–27. The Assyrians didn’t play by the rules. Rather than withdrawing, the king sent his military officers with a large army to negotiate with Hezekiah. Actually, he had no intention of settling for anything less than Judah’s surrender. Hezekiah was an unreliable vassal; Sennacherib could not allow him to survive, and his people would share his fate. The