16. He even stripped the gold that he had used to cover the doors and doorposts in the temple. He gave it all to Sennacherib.
17. The king of Assyria ordered his three highest military officers to leave Lachish and take a large army to Jerusalem. When they arrived, the officers stood on the road near the cloth makers' shops along the canal from the upper pool.
18. They called out to Hezekiah, and three of his highest officials came out to meet them. One of them was Hilkiah's son Eliakim, who was the prime minister. The other two were Shebna, assistant to the prime minister, and Joah son of Asaph, keeper of the government records.
19. One of the Assyrian commanders told them:I have a message for Hezekiah from the great king of Assyria. Ask Hezekiah why he feels so sure of himself.
20. Does he think he can plan and win a war with nothing but words? Who is going to help him, now that he has turned against the king of Assyria?
21. Is he depending on Egypt and its king? That's the same as leaning on a broken stick, and it will go right through his hand.