37 When King Hezkiyah heard the report, he torn his clothes too, and covered himself with sackcloth and went into Yahweh’s residence. 2 Then he sent Elyakim (the palace supervisor) and Shevna (the administrator) and the elders of the priests to go to Yeshayah (Isaiah), the son of Amots (Amos) the prophet, 3 and they told him, “King Hezkiyah says that today is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, like when children go to their mother who’s about to deliver her baby but she doesn’t have the strength to give birth. 4 Perhaps your god Yahweh heard the messages from the negotiator who was sent by his master, the Assyrian king, to defy the living god. Perhaps Yahweh will rebuke him for the words that Yahweh heard. So send up a prayer for the remnant of us here.”

5 When King Hezkiyah’s servants got to Yeshayah, 6 he told them to tell their master, “Yahweh says not to be afraid because of the words that you heard when the Assyrian king’s servants insulted me. 7 Listen, I’ll put a spirit in him and he’ll hear a report that he needs to return to his own country, and then I’ll cause him to be assassinated at home.”

19 When King Hizkiyah heard the threats from the Assyrian king, he tore his clothes and dressed in sackcloth, and went into Yahweh’s temple. 2 He sent his palace manager Elyakim and the scribe Shebna, along with the elders of the priests, all dressed in sackcloth, to Amots’s son Yeshayah (Isaiah) the prophet 3 to tell him, “Hizkiyah says: ‘Today is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as if the baby is right there ready to be delivered, but the mother has lost all her strength. 4 Perhaps your god Yahweh has heard everything that the chief commander said when his master the Assyrian king sent him: he defied the living God, and so maybe your god Yahweh will punish him for his words. Lift up a prayer on behalf of the people that are still left here.’ ”

5 When King Hizkiyah’s servants got to Yeshayah, 6 he told them, “This is what you all should tell your master: Yahweh says that you needn’t be afraid of what you heard when those young men from the Assyrian king insulted him. 7 Listen, Yahweh will cause him to hear a report and he’ll place a fearful spirit in him so he’ll decide to return to his own country where he’ll be assassinated.”