Behold: See verses 7 and 9.

The kings of Assyria: In some languages it may be misleading for a king of Assyria to speak in this way. It may be more natural to say “my predecessors and I” or possibly “I and previous rulers of Assyria.”

All lands: This is, of course, an overstatement, but in most languages such wording is quite natural in a boasting declaration like this.

Destroying them utterly translates a causative form of a Hebrew verb (charam) meaning “to ban,” “to devote,” or “to exterminate” in different contexts (see the comments on 1 Kgs 9.20-21). This Hebrew verb is rendered “devoting them to destruction” in New Jerusalem Bible. The Israelites had been commanded to completely destroy the original inhabitants of the land they captured (Deut 7.1-2). This practice, called the “ban,” consisted of dedicating something or someone to a god by destruction (Deut 13.16; Josh 10.28, 35, 37, 39-40; 11.11-12). Since non-biblical records suggest that the Assyrians did not practice the ban, some interpreters correct the Hebrew verb charam to read charab (“to devastate”), but the Masoretic Text should be kept as it is, despite historical difficulties. Here the idea is certainly that of extermination. It may be rendered “annihilated” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “completely defeated” (New Century Version).

And shall you be delivered?: The meaning of this rhetorical question may be rendered by a strong affirmation, such as “There is no way that you can be delivered.” Or in languages where the passive form may not be used, some may prefer to say “Certainly no one will be able to deliver you.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .