“‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence^(A) of yours? ²⁰ You say you have the counsel and the might for war—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me? ²¹ Look, I know you are depending on Egypt,^(B) that splintered reed of a staff,^(C) which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. ²² But if you say to me, “We are depending on the Lord our God”—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem”?

²³ “‘Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses—if you can put riders on them! ²⁴ How can you repulse one officer^(D) of the least of my master’s officials, even though you are depending on Egypt for chariots and horsemen^[a]? ²⁵ Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this place without word from the Lord?^(E) The Lord himself told me to march against this country and destroy it.’”