2 Kings 19:9

19:9 The king ¹  heard that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was marching out to fight him. ²  He again sent messengers to Hezekiah, ordering them:

2 Kings 19:14

19:14 Hezekiah took the letter ³  from the messengers and read it. ⁴  Then Hezekiah went up to the Lord’s temple and spread it out before the Lord.

Nehemiah 6:5

6:5 The fifth time that Sanballat sent his assistant to me in this way, he had an open letter in his hand.

Isaiah 37:14

37:14 Hezekiah took the letter ⁵  from the messengers and read it. ⁶  Then Hezekiah went up to the Lord’s temple and spread it out before the Lord.

[19:9]  ¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:9]  ² tn Heb “heard concerning Tirhakah king of Cush, ‘Look, he has come out to fight with you.’”

[19:14]  ³ tc The MT has the plural, “letters,” but the final mem is probably dittographic (note the initial mem on the form that immediately follows). Some Greek and Aramaic witnesses have the singular.

[19:14]  ⁴ tc The MT has the plural suffix, “them,” but this probably reflects a later harmonization to the preceding textual corruption (of “letter” to “letters”). The parallel passage in Isa 37:14 has the singular suffix.

[37:14]  ⁵ tc The Hebrew text has the plural, “letters.” The final mem (ם) may be dittographic (note the initial mem on the form that immediately follows). Some Greek and Aramaic witnesses have the singular. If so, one still has to deal with the yod that is part of the plural ending. J. N. Oswalt refers to various commentators who have suggested ways to understand the plural form (Isaiah [NICOT], 1:652).

[37:14]  ⁶ tn In the parallel text in 2 Kgs 19:14 the verb has the plural suffix, “them,” but this probably reflects a later harmonization to the preceding textual corruption (of “letter” to “letters”).