NSB(i)
1 When King Hezekiah heard their report he tore his clothes in grief. He dressed in sackcloth and went to the Temple of Jehovah.
2 He sent Eliakim the official in charge of the palace, Shebna the court secretary, and the senior priests to the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz. They also were dressed in sackcloth.
3 They said to him: »This is what Hezekiah says: ‘Today is a day filled with misery, punishment, and disgrace. We are like a woman who is about to give birth but does not have the strength to do it.
4 »‘The Assyrian emperor sent his chief official to insult the living God. May Jehovah your God hear these insults and punish those who spoke them. So pray to God for those of our people who survive.’«
5 King Hezekiah's men went to Isaiah.
6 Isaiah responded to them: »Tell this to your master: ‘This is what Jehovah says: »Do not be afraid of the message you heard when the Assyrian king's assistants slandered me.
7 »I am going to put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own country. I will have him assassinated in his own country.«’«
8 The field commander returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah. He had heard that the king left Lachish.
9 Sennacherib heard that King Tirhakah of Sudan was coming to fight him. Sennacherib sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying:
10 »Tell King Hezekiah of Judah: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by saying that Jerusalem will not be put under the control of the king of Assyria.
11 »‘You heard what the kings of Assyria did to all countries. They totally destroyed them. Will you be rescued?
12 »‘Did the gods of the nations that my ancestors destroyed rescue Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar?
13 »‘Where is the king of Hamath? Where is the king of Arpad? And where is the king of the cities of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’«
14 Hezekiah read the letters from the messengers. Then he went to Jehovah’s Temple and shared them with Jehovah.
15 He prayed: »Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, you are enthroned above the angels. You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You made heaven and earth.
16 »Turn your ear (listen) (pay attention) to me, O Jehovah, and listen. Open your eyes, Jehovah, and see. Listen to the message Sennacherib sent to defy the living God.
17 »It is true Jehovah. The kings of Assyria have devastated nations.
18 »They threw the gods from these countries into fires because these gods are not real gods. They are only wooden and stone statues made by human hands. So the Assyrians have destroyed them.
19 »Rescue us from Assyria's control, O Jehovah our God, so that all the kingdoms on earth will know that you alone are Jehovah God.«