In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, King Sennacherib of Assyria marched up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.

I dug wells and drank water in foreign lands. ¹  With the soles of my feet I dried up all the rivers of Egypt.’

He made upper Beth Horon and lower Beth Horon fortified cities with walls and barred gates, ¹ 

He built fortified cities throughout Judah, for the land was at rest and there was no war during those years; the Lord gave him peace.

He placed troops in all of Judah’s fortified cities and posted garrisons ¹  throughout the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had seized.

Their father gave them many presents, including silver, gold, and other precious items, along with fortified cities in Judah. But he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.

After these faithful deeds were accomplished, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah. He besieged the fortified cities, intending to seize them. ¹ 

Accomplish awesome, faithful deeds, ¹  you who powerfully deliver those who look to you for protection from their enemies. ² 

Your navel ¹  is a round mixing bowl ²  – may it never lack ³  mixed wine! ⁴  Your belly ⁵  is a mound of wheat, encircled ⁶  by lilies.

He will become a sanctuary, ¹  but a stone that makes a person trip, and a rock that makes one stumble – to the two houses of Israel. ²  He will become ³  a trap and a snare to the residents of Jerusalem. ⁴ 

I dug wells and drank water. ¹  With the soles of my feet I dried up all the rivers of Egypt.’

‘Call on me in prayer and I will answer you. I will show you great and mysterious ¹  things which you still do not know about.’

They will say, “This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; the ruined, desolate, and destroyed cities are now fortified and inhabited.”

As for the outer wall by the side of the chambers, toward the outer court facing the chambers, it was 87½ feet ¹  long.

In that day,’ says the Lord who rules over all, ‘everyone will invite his friend to fellowship under his vine and under his fig tree.’” ¹ 

“I tell you the solemn truth, ¹  the one who does not enter the sheepfold ²  by the door, ³  but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.

but we will maintain ourselves in armed readiness ¹  and go before the Israelites until whenever we have brought them to their place. Our descendants will be living in fortified towns as a protection against ²  the inhabitants of the land.

Listen, Israel: Today you are about to cross the Jordan so you can dispossess the nations there, people greater and stronger than you who live in large cities with extremely high fortifications. ¹ 

The shaft ¹  of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed six hundred shekels. ²  His shield bearer was walking before him.

Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? ¹  If the Lord is the true God, ²  then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word.