When the king heard the woman’s words he tore his clothes. Then, as he was passing by on the wall, the people saw that there was sackcloth under his clothes next to his skin.
When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, ‘Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a man of his skin disease? Recognise that he is only picking a fight with me.’
Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the court secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the court historian, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and reported to him the words of the royal spokesman.