ישעיהו, פרק ל״ז, פסוק י״א

The messengers of the Assyrian king confront Hezekiah with harsh threats and deep mockery. They base their intimidation on Assyria's ruthless military history, recalling the absolute destruction of every country that dared to stand in their way. Their goal is to make it clear that any resistance is completely pointless.

The concluding thought presented to Hezekiah is not a promise of safety or a statement of fact. Instead, commentators agree that it functions as a rhetorical question filled with disbelief. The messengers are asking a simple question: considering that the kings of Assyria have entirely wiped out all other lands, is it really possible to imagine that he alone will somehow manage to escape their grasp?