⁸ When the field commander heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish,^(A) he withdrew and found the king fighting against Libnah.^(B)

⁹ Now Sennacherib^(C) received a report^(D) that Tirhakah, the king of Cush,^[a](E) was marching out to fight against him. When he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah with this word: ¹⁰ “Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive^(F) you when he says, ‘Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.’^{(G) 11} Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered?^{(H) 12} Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my predecessors^(I) deliver them—the gods of Gozan, Harran,^(J) Rezeph and the people of Eden^(K) who were in Tel Assar? ¹³ Where is the king of Hamath or the king of Arpad?^(L) Where are the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim,^(M) Hena and Ivvah?”^(N)

Hezekiah’s Prayer^(O)

¹⁴ Hezekiah received the letter^(P) from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple^(Q) of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. ¹⁵ And Hezekiah prayed^(R) to the Lord: ¹⁶ “Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned^(S) between the cherubim,^(T) you alone are God^(U) over all the kingdoms^(V) of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.^{(W) 17} Give ear, Lord, and hear;^(X) open your eyes, Lord, and see;^(Y) listen to all the words Sennacherib^(Z) has sent to ridicule^(AA) the living God.^(AB)

¹⁸ “It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands.^{(AC) 19} They have thrown their gods into the fire^(AD) and destroyed them,^(AE) for they were not gods^(AF) but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands.^{(AG) 20} Now, Lord our God, deliver^(AH) us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth^(AI) may know that you, Lord, are the only God.^[b](AJ)”