<p class="poetry">says our protector &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies is his name,p> <p class="poetry">the Holy One of Israel.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">There will be no prosperity for the wicked,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;Zion said, &#8216;The <sc>Lordsc> has abandoned me,p> <p class="poetry">the sovereign master<n id="1" /> has forgotten me.&#8217;p>

<p class="poetry">Seek the <sc>Lordsc> while he makes himself available;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">call to him while he is nearby!p>

<p class="poetry">Look, I and the sons whom the <sc>Lordsc> has given me<n id="1" /> are reminders and object lessons<n id="2" /> in Israel, sent from the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies, who lives on Mount Zion.p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s spirit will rest on him<n id="1" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">a spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">a spirit that provides the ability to execute plans,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">a spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="4" />p>

It<n id="1" /> will become a visual reminder in the land of Egypt of<n id="2" /> the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies. When they cry out to the <sc>Lordsc> because of oppressors, he will send them a deliverer and defender<n id="3" /> who will rescue them.

<t /><p class="poetry">For this reason the <sc>Lordsc> is ready to show you mercy;p> <p class="poetry">he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Indeed, the <sc>Lordsc> is a just God;p> <p class="poetry">all who wait for him in faith will be blessed.<n id="2" />p>

Furthermore it was by the command of the <sc>Lordsc> that I marched up against this land to destroy it. The <sc>Lordsc> told me, &#8216;March up against this land and destroy it!&#8217;&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

Don&#8217;t let Hezekiah talk you into trusting in the <sc>Lordsc> by saying, &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> will certainly rescue us; this city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">Hezekiah took the letter<n id="1" /> from the messengers and read it.<n id="2" /> Then Hezekiah went up to the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple and spread it out before the <sc>Lordsc>.

Pay attention, <sc>Lordsc>, and hear! Open your eyes, <sc>Lordsc>, and observe! Listen to this entire message Sennacherib sent and how he taunts the living God!<n id="1" />

Now, O <sc>Lordsc> our God, rescue us from his power, so all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

Isaiah replied,<n id="1" /> &#8220;This is your sign from the <sc>Lordsc> confirming that the <sc>Lordsc> will do what he has said:

<p class="poetry">One will say, &#8216;I belong to the <sc>Lordsc>,&#8217;p> <p class="poetry">and another will use<n id="1" /> the name &#8216;Jacob.&#8217;p> <p class="poetry">One will write on his hand, &#8216;The <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s,&#8217;p> <p class="poetry">and use the name &#8216;Israel.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">This is what the <sc>Lordsc>, Israel&#8217;s king, says,p> <p class="poetry">their protector,<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I am the first and I am the last,p> <p class="poetry">there is no God but me.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">This is what the <sc>Lordsc>, your protector,<n id="1" /> says,p> <p class="poetry">the one who formed you in the womb:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I am the <sc>Lordsc>, who made everything,p> <p class="poetry">who alone stretched out the sky,p> <p class="poetry">who fashioned the earth all by myself,<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">This is what the <sc>Lordsc>, your protector,<n id="1" /> says,p> <p class="poetry">the Holy One of Israel:<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I am the <sc>Lordsc> your God,p> <p class="poetry">who teaches you how to succeed,p> <p class="poetry">who leads you in the way you should go.p>

<p class="poetry">Who among you fears the <sc>Lordsc>?p> <p class="poetry">Who obeys<n id="1" /> his servant?p> <p class="poetry">Whoever walks in deep darkness,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">without light,p> <p class="poetry">should trust in the name of the <sc>Lordsc>p> <p class="poetry">and rely on his God.p>

<p class="poetry">Though the <sc>Lordsc> desired to crush him and make him ill,p> <p class="poetry">once restitution is made,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">he will see descendants and enjoy long life,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s purpose will be accomplished through him.p>