The prophetic discourse outlines the pathway and victory of the Assyrian king as he returns from Egypt to Jerusalem, detailing how he will approach it to lay siege. Initially, he intends to reach Aioth (or Aiath according to other texts), and due to his great urgency, he will skip directly to Magron, so confident in his imminent victory that he will stockpile supplies in Mahmas, intending to return promptly after laying waste to that city. Upon securing his provisions, he will pass swiftly through and pause at Gava; during this brief interlude, the neighboring Ramah will tremble in fear, and Gava, once the city of Saul, will be in retreat. The daughter of Gallim—known in Hebrew as Beth Gallim—will mourn so profoundly that her lamentations will resemble the sounds of neighing horses. Therefore, O Laisa, and thou humble Anathoth, heed well; resist if possible the assault of the one approaching, for Medemen has already shifted from its place. And you who reside in the hill country, meaning Gevim, under the protection of elevation, fortify yourselves and ready your weapons. Just one more day remains for him to raise his hand over Zion, either with scorn or with wrath and astonishment, for while the entire east has submitted to him, such a small city dares to defy his might. This summary is drawn from the Hebrew as it has been passed down. Now let us incorporate what ecclesiastical scholars assert regarding this passage from the LXX. Once the burden of the Assyrian king, or wrongly interpreted by some as that of Babylon, is lifted from your shoulders or deteriorates, the fleeing Sennacherib will arrive at Aggai, which lacks mention in the Hebrew. Thus, he will be so consumed by fear that he will hesitate to pause there and will instead proceed to Mageddo, which is also absent from the Scriptures. Unable to escape quickly due to his heavy load, he will stash his supplies at Mahmas and hastily traverse the valley, which is also not found in the Hebrew and will return once more to Aggai, mentioned again in this context. The clamor of his retreat will instill fear in Ramah, the city of Saul, which is evidently a misnomer, for Saul's city is recognized as Gaba in Hebrew. Then he will advance to Galdim; Laisa will hear of his coming, Anathoth will learn of it, and Medemen will be afraid. Yet the residents of Gevim and the surrounding hills of Jerusalem—representing the dignitaries—are called to comfort Jerusalem, not long from now but right on the day the Assyrian arrives—to reassure them so they may stand firm and not flee in terror. This follows a literal interpretation. However, someone struggling to find meanings for these dubious names in the LXX refers to an outsider, stating that when the plagues descend in the last days, at the end of the age, the thoughts of the Assyrian prince will turn to flight, seeking to evade God's wrath in various locations and manners. As he flees, the inhabitants of Gevim are urged by prophetic words to comfort the one who is running and to counsel him against fleeing but to remain steadfast and await the mercy of God. They are called not only to comfort him but also through good works to divert the daughter of Zion from her weeping and to invite repentance towards salvation—a reminder of the hills in Jerusalem mentioned in the concluding part of this prophecy: comfort my people; speak tenderly to the heart of Jerusalem (Isaiah 40:1). This is stated because he, bound by the truth, had nothing further to express.
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