⁹ You saw that there were many breaches in the walls of the city of David.^(A) You collected water from the lower pool.^{(B) 10} You counted the houses of Jerusalem so that you could tear them down to fortify the wall. ¹¹ You made a reservoir between the walls^(C) for the waters of the ancient pool,^(D) but you did not look to the One who made it, or consider the One who created it long ago.

³ so he consulted with his officials and his warriors about stopping up the waters of the springs that were outside the city, and they helped him.

⁴ Many people gathered and stopped up all the springs^(A) and the stream that flowed through the land;^(B) they said, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?”