Isaiah 36:1

The ancient country called Assyria was in the north of modern Iraq. The powerful *Assyrian *empire lasted for 300 years. It finally ended when the *Babylonians (from the south of modern Iraq) *seized Nineveh, the *Assyrian capital, in 612 *BC.

• King Sennacherib ruled the *Assyrian *empire from 704 to 681 *BC.

• Sennacherib attacked the country called Judah in 701 *BC.

• Ancient records show that the *Assyrian army first *seized the port called Tyre. Then the army advanced down the coast. The records name 46 cities that Sennacherib *seized. He took away the inhabitants that remained alive. They became prisoners and slaves in the country called Assyria.

*Jerusalem will be next

v2 Then the king of Assyria ordered his personal official, called the *Rabshakeh, to go to *Jerusalem. So the *Rabshakeh went from the city called Lachish to Hezekiah in *Jerusalem. The *Rabshakeh took a large military force with him. He stopped at the *aqueduct that brings water from the Upper Pool. It was on the road that led to the Laundry Field. People washed their clothes there.