12. Did the gods of those nations save their people? No, my ancestors destroyed them all. They destroyed Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden living in Tel Assar.
13. Where is the king of Hamath? The king of Arpad? The king of the city of Sepharvaim? The kings of Hena and Ivvah?’”
14. Hezekiah received the letters from the messengers and read them. Then he went up to the Lord’S Temple and laid the letters out in front of the Lord.
15. Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said, “Lord, God of Israel, you sit as King above the Cherub angels. You alone are the God who rules all the kingdoms on earth. You made heaven and earth.
16. Lord, please listen to me. Lord, open your eyes and look at this message. Hear the words that Sennacherib sent to insult the living God.
17. It is true, Lord. The kings of Assyria did destroy all those nations.
18. They did throw the gods of those nations into the fire. But they were not real gods. They were only wood and stone—statues that people made. That is why the kings of Assyria could destroy them.
19. But you are the Lord our God, so please save us from the king of Assyria. Then all the other nations will know that you, Lord, are the only God.”
20. Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah. Isaiah said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, says this: You prayed to me about the message that came from King Sennacherib of Assyria. I have heard you.
21. “This is the Lord’S message against Sennacherib: ‘The virgin daughter Zion does not think you are important. She makes fun of you. Daughter Jerusalem shakes her head at you and laughs behind your back.
22. But who did you insult and make fun of? Who did you speak against? You were against the Holy One of Israel. You acted like you were better than he was!
23. You sent your messengers to insult the Lord. You said, “I came with my many chariots to the high mountains deep inside Lebanon. I cut down the tallest cedar trees and the best fir trees of Lebanon. I went to its highest mountains, its thickest forests.
24. I dug wells, and drank water from new places. I dried up the rivers of Egypt and walked on the land there.”