6 Then he set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the open square of the city gate, and ^agave them encouragement, saying,  ‡

7 ^a“Be strong and courageous; ^bdo not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for ^cthere are more with us than with him.  ‡

9 ^aAfter this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem (but he and all the forces with him laid siege against Lachish), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying,  ‡

10 ^a“Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: ‘In what do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem?  ‡