15. Hezekiah gave all the silver that was in the Lord’S Temple and in the king’s treasuries.
16. That is when Hezekiah cut off the gold that he had put on the doors and doorposts of the Lord’S Temple and gave it to the king of Assyria.
17. The king of Assyria sent his three most important officers with a large army to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. They left Lachish and went to Jerusalem. They stood near the aqueduct by the Upper Pool, on the street that leads up to Laundryman’s Field.
18. These men called for the king, but Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah son of Asaph went out to meet them. Eliakim was the palace manager, Joah was the record keeper, and Shebna was the royal secretary.
19. The commander said to them, “Tell Hezekiah this is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: ‘What are you trusting in to help you?
20. If you say, “I trust in power and great battle plans,” then that is useless. Now I ask you, who do you trust so much that you are willing to rebel against me?