2 Raja-raja 19:9-11

19:9 The king ¹  heard that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was marching out to fight him. ²  He again sent messengers to Hezekiah, ordering them: 19:10 “Tell King Hezekiah of Judah this: ‘Don’t let your God in whom you trust mislead you when he says, “Jerusalem will not be handed over ³  to the king of Assyria.” 19:11 Certainly you have heard how the kings of Assyria have annihilated all lands. ⁴  Do you really think you will be rescued? ⁵ 

2 Raja-raja 19:14-16

19:14 Hezekiah took the letter ⁶  from the messengers and read it. ⁷  Then Hezekiah went up to the Lord’s temple and spread it out before the Lord. 19:15 Hezekiah prayed before the Lord: “Lord God of Israel, who is enthroned on the cherubs! ⁸  You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the sky ⁹  and the earth. 19:16 Pay attention, Lord, and hear! Open your eyes, Lord, and observe! Listen to the message Sennacherib sent and how he taunts the living God! ¹⁰ 

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Heb “heard concerning Tirhakah king of Cush, ‘Look, he has come out to fight with you.’”

³ tn Heb “will not be given.”

⁴ tn Heb “Look, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands, annihilating them.”

⁵ tn Heb “and will you be rescued?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “No, of course not!”

⁶ tc The MT has the plural, “letters,” but the final mem is probably dittographic (note the initial mem on the form that immediately follows). Some Greek and Aramaic witnesses have the singular.

⁷ tc The MT has the plural suffix, “them,” but this probably reflects a later harmonization to the preceding textual corruption (of “letter” to “letters”). The parallel passage in Isa 37:14 has the singular suffix.

⁸ sn This refers to the cherub images that were above the ark of the covenant.

⁹ tn Or “the heavens.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “Hear the words of Sennacherib which he sent to taunt the living God.”