So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
So many people came together and blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land, saying, 'Why should the kings of Assyria come here and find plenty of water?'
The people worked together to cut off the water supply so that when their enemies arrived, they wouldn't have access to fresh water.
📚 Historical Context
This occurred during King Hezekiah's reign when the Assyrian army under Sennacherib was threatening Jerusalem around 701 BC. Cutting off water sources was a common military strategy - if invading armies couldn't find water, they would struggle to maintain a prolonged siege. Hezekiah had already built the famous tunnel to redirect water into the city for his own people's survival.
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