A prophet went to King Ahab and said, "This is what the LORD says: 'Because the Syrians say that I am a god of the hills and not of the plains, I will give you victory over their huge army, and you and your people will know that I am the LORD.' "

They built places of worship for false gods and put up stone pillars and symbols of Asherah to worship on the hills and under shady trees.

Who can save us from those powerful gods? They are the gods who slaughtered the Egyptians in the desert!

My ancestors destroyed the cities of Gozan, Haran, and Rezeph, and killed the people of Betheden who lived in Telassar, and none of their gods could save them.

Don't you know what my ancestors and I have done to the people of other nations? Did the gods of any other nation save their people from the emperor of Assyria?

Now don't let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like that. Don't believe him! No god of any nation has ever been able to save his people from any Assyrian emperor. So certainly this god of yours can't save you!"

The letter that the emperor wrote defied the LORD, the God of Israel. It said, "The gods of the nations have not saved their people from my power, and neither will Hezekiah's god save his people from me."

They talked about the God of Jerusalem in the same way that they talked about the gods of the other peoples, idols made by human hands.

You have done all this, and I have said nothing, so you thought that I am like you. But now I reprimand you and make the matter plain to you.

"Listen to this, you that ignore me, or I will destroy you, and there will be no one to save you.

I look to the mountains; where will my help come from?

My help will come from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

"I alone am the LORD your God. No other god may share my glory; I will not let idols share my praise.