Behold calls Hezekiah’s attention to the following comment about Assyrian kings. Good News Translation omits this focusing particle, but it would be helpful to express it in some way. New International Version has “Surely,” while Revised English Bible begins with “You yourself must have heard…” (similarly New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Revised English Bible‘s rendering also expresses well the emphatic second person pronoun for you in Hebrew.

You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, destroying them utterly: Assyria’s reputation as a ruthless war machine was common knowledge (see also 10.5-11). So Sennacherib notes that he and his predecessors have defeated and destroyed all the surrounding nations. His boasting implies that Assyria has become the world power of the day. You have heard may be rendered “you know.” Since Sennacherib was the Assyrian king at that time, it may be better to translate the kings of Assyria as “we kings of Assyria” or “I and the previous kings of Assyria.” Good News Translation says “an Assyrian emperor,” which is a singular with a collective meaning. Sennacherib is exaggerating by referring to all lands. Lands may be rendered “countries” (New International Version) or “nations” (Contemporary English Version). Destroying them utterly describes more fully what the Assyrian kings did to other nations. In the Old Testament the Hebrew verb rendered destroying … utterly often refers to completely destroying something as an act of devotion to God (see the comments on this verb at 34.2, where it is rendered “has doomed”), so New Jerusalem Bible says “putting them under the curse of destruction.” Sennacherib uses this strong verb to continue his exaggeration. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh expresses it well here with “annihilated,” and so does New International Version with “destroying … completely.” Good News Translation loses some of the exaggeration in the first half of this verse by omitting the word all and simply saying “destroy.”

And shall you be delivered?: This rhetorical question is based on the reputation of the Assyrian army. It implies that Judah cannot escape the fate of the other nations. If the passive verb be delivered requires an active form in some languages, this question may be rendered “Can your god save you?” or simply “Can you escape?” This rhetorical question may also be rendered as a strong statement (see the second example below).

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• Look, you know what Assyrian kings have done to every other nation. They have destroyed them completely. Do you think your god can save you?

• Look, you have heard how Assyrian kings have utterly destroyed every other nation. You won’t escape!

• You yourself have heard what we kings of Assyria have done, destroying every other nation completely. Can your god save you?

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .