“‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence^(G) of yours? ²⁰ You say you have the counsel and the might for war—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me? ²¹ Look, I know you are depending on Egypt,^(H) that splintered reed of a staff,^(I) which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. ²² But if you say to me, “We are depending on the Lord our God”—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem”?

“‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? ⁵ You say you have counsel and might for war—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel^(I) against me? ⁶ Look, I know you are depending^(J) on Egypt,^(K) that splintered reed^(L) of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. ⁷ But if you say to me, “We are depending^(M) on the Lord our God”—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed,^(N) saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar”?^(O)