The Lord was watching for those who needed punishment, the cities of Israel and Judah as well as other cities the Assyrians had conquered. Compare Amos 9:8: “Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom.” Note also Assyria’s arrogant attitude expressed in 2 Kings 18:33–35. Calno and Carchemish, Hamath and Arpad, Samaria and Damascus are all neighboring kingdoms destroyed by the Assyrians between 740 and 720 b.c.