1. And it came to pass when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord.
2. And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.
3. And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble and of rebuke and of blasphemy, for the sons are come to the breaking of the water, and there is no strength in her who is to bring them forth.
4. It may be the Lord thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to blaspheme the living God and to reprove with the words which the Lord thy God has heard; therefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is still left.
5. So the slaves of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
6. And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say unto your master, Thus saith the Lord, Do not be afraid of the words that thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
7. Behold, that I am sending a spirit in him, and he shall hear a rumour and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.
8. So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
9. And he heard say concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, He is come forth to make war with thee. And when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,