Isaiah 37:10-13

Sennacherib knows that he must return home. But he makes a final effort to force Hezekiah to give in to the *Assyrians.

• The cities that Sennacherib mentions are all in the area between the rivers called Tigris and Euphrates. These rivers are in the modern country called Iraq.

Hezekiah prays for God’s help

v14 King Hezekiah received the letter from the *messengers. He read it. Then he went to the *Temple where he placed the letter in front of the *Lord. v15 Then Hezekiah prayed. v16 ‘*Lord (commander of heaven’s armies), you are the God whom the people in Israel serve. You sit upon a throne (royal seat) above the *cherubim. You alone are God. You rule all the nations of the world. You are the God who created the heavens and the earth.

v17 *Lord, listen to my prayer. See what is happening to us your people. Hear all the words that Sennacherib has spoken. He has sent this letter to laugh at you, the living God. v18 It is true, *Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed every nation. They have made each country into waste (empty) land. v19 They have thrown the gods of those countries into the fire to destroy them. But those gods were not real gods. They had no life in them. Human hands had made them from pieces of wood or stone. v20 And now, *Lord our God, save us from the *Assyrian army. Then all nations will know that you alone are the *Lord God.’