וְעַתָּה֙ הִתְעָ֣רֶב נָ֔א אֶת־אֲדֹנִ֖י אֶת־מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֑וּר וְאֶתְּנָ֤ה לְךָ֙ אַלְפַּ֣יִם סוּסִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֕ל לָ֥תֶת לְךָ֖ רֹכְבִ֥ים עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃
Итак, теперь я прошу вас заключить пари с моим господином, царем Ассирийским, и я дам вам две тысячи лошадей, если вы сможете со своей стороны посадить на них всадников.
From David to Destruction
Another approach may be developed based on the fact that, from a purely secular-pragmatic perspective, Ravshakeh is entirely correct. The Assyrians were masters of war and masters of breaking sieges. Their quality and quantity of soldiers were unmatched. As Ravshakeh notes in Melachim II 18:23-24, the Jewish army cannot compete even with a small subdivision of the Assyrian military.