and say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this man in prison and feed him sparingly with bread and water until I return safely.”’”

he decided with his officers and his warriors to cut off the supply of water from the springs which were outside the city, and they helped him.

So many people assembled and stopped up all the springs and the stream which flowed through the region, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?”

Now after this he built the outer wall of the city of David on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance of the Fish Gate; and he encircled the Ophel with it and made it very high. Then he put army commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah.