希西迦做犹大王

18 以拉的儿子以色列王何细亚执政第三年,犹大王亚哈斯的儿子希西迦登基。 他二十五岁登基,在耶路撒冷执政二十九年。他母亲叫亚比雅[a],是撒迦利雅的女儿。 希西迦效法他祖先大卫,做耶和华视为正的事。 他拆除丘坛,砸碎神柱,砍倒亚舍拉神像,打碎摩西造的铜蛇,因为当时以色列人仍向铜蛇烧香,称之为尼忽士旦[b] 希西迦信靠以色列的上帝耶和华,在他前后的犹大诸王没有一个可与他相比。 他对耶和华忠心不渝,遵守耶和华颁给摩西的诫命。 耶和华与他同在,他凡事顺利。他反抗亚述王的统治,不再臣服于他。 他击败非利士人,从他们的瞭望塔和坚城,一直打到迦萨及其四境。

希西迦执政第四年,即以拉的儿子以色列王何细亚执政第七年,亚述王撒缦以色起兵攻打撒玛利亚城,将城包围。 10 三年之后,就是希西迦执政第六年,以色列王何细亚执政第九年,撒玛利亚失陷。 11 亚述王把以色列人掳到亚述,将他们安置在哈腊、歌散的哈博河一带以及玛代人的城邑里。 12 这都是因为以色列人没有听从他们的上帝耶和华,违背了祂的约,不遵行祂仆人摩西所吩咐的一切。

亚述人攻打耶路撒冷

13 希西迦王执政第十四年,亚述王西拿基立起兵攻取了犹大所有的坚城。 14 希西迦王差遣使者去拉吉见亚述王说:“我知罪了,求你退兵!我愿意满足你的任何要求。”亚述王向希西迦索要十吨银子和一吨金子。 15 希西迦将耶和华殿里和王宫库房里的所有银子都给了他, 16 又刮下他包在耶和华殿门和门柱上的金子,一并送去。 17 但亚述王派他的元帅、都统和将军从拉吉率领大军到耶路撒冷见希西迦。到了耶路撒冷后,他们驻扎在上池的水沟旁、通往漂布场的路上。 18 他们要求见王。希勒迦的儿子宫廷总管以利亚敬、书记舍伯那和亚萨的儿子史官约亚出来见他们。 19 亚述的将军说:“你们去告诉希西迦,伟大的亚述王说,‘你凭什么这样自信呢? 20 你所谓的战略和军力不过是空话。你究竟倚靠谁,竟敢背叛我? 21 看啊,你所倚靠的埃及只不过是一根破裂的芦苇,谁倚靠它,谁的手就会被刺伤。倚靠埃及王法老的下场都是这样。’ 22 也许你会说,‘我们倚靠我们的上帝耶和华。’希西迦不是拆除了祂的庙宇和祭坛,又吩咐犹大和耶路撒冷的人要在耶路撒冷的祭坛前敬拜祂吗? 23 来,跟我主人亚述王打个赌,你若能找到两千骑士,我就给你两千匹马! 24 你们即使依靠埃及的战车和骑兵,又怎能打败我主人的一个最小的将领呢? 25 更何况我来攻打、毁灭这地方不正是耶和华的意思吗?耶和华吩咐我攻打、毁灭这地方。”

26 以利亚敬、舍伯那和约亚对亚述的将军说:“求你用亚兰语跟仆人们说话,我们都听得懂。求你不要用希伯来语跟我们说话,免得城墙上的人听见。” 27 亚述的将军却说:“难道我主人派我来只对你们和你们的王说这些话吗?不也是对城墙上的人说吗?他们和你们一样都要吃自己的粪,喝自己的尿。” 28 于是,他站着用希伯来语大喊:“你们要听伟大的亚述王的话。 29 王说,‘你们不要被希西迦欺骗,他不能从我手中救你们。 30 不要听希西迦的话去倚靠耶和华,说什么耶和华必拯救你们,这城必不会落在亚述王手中。’ 31 不要听希西迦的话。亚述王说,‘你们要跟我讲和,出来归顺我,你们就可以吃自己葡萄树和无花果树的果子,喝自己井里的水。 32 以后我会来领你们到一个地方,那里和这里一样有五谷和新酒、饼和葡萄园。你们就可以存活,不至于死。希西迦说耶和华会拯救你们,不要听信他的话。 33 有哪个国家的神明曾经从亚述王手中救他的国家吗? 34 哈马、亚珥拔的神明在哪里呢?西法瓦音、希拿和以瓦的神明又在哪里呢?他们从我手中救出撒玛利亚了吗? 35 这些国家的神明哪个从我手中救了自己的国家呢?难道耶和华能从我手中救耶路撒冷吗?’” 36 民众默不作声,因为希西迦曾吩咐他们不要答话。 37 总管以利亚敬、书记舍伯那和史官约亚都撕裂衣服,去向希西迦禀告亚述的将军说的话。

Footnotes

  1. 18:2 “亚比雅”此处的希伯来文为亚比,是亚比雅的变体。
  2. 18:4 尼忽士旦”可能是“蛇”和“铜”的组合词。

18 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea Ben Elah Melech Yisroel, that Chizkiyah Ben Achaz Melech Yehudah began to reign.

Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine shanah in Yerushalayim. Shem immo also was Avi Bat Zecharyah.

And he did that which was yashar in the sight of Hashem, according to all that Dovid Aviv did.

He removed the [idolatrous] high places and smashed the matzevot, and cut down the Asherah, and broke in pieces the nachash nechoshet that Moshe had made; for up to those yamim the Bnei Yisroel did burn ketoret to it; and it was called Nechushtan.

He trusted in Hashem Elohei Yisroel; so that after him was none like him among all the Melachim of Yehudah, nor any that were before him.

For his deveykus was to Hashem, he departed not from following Him, but was shomer over His mitzvot Hashem commanded Moshe.

And Hashem was with him; he prospered whithersoever he went forth; he rebelled against Melech Ashur, and served him not.

He struck down the Pelishtim, even unto Azah (Gaza), and the territories thereof, from the migdal notzrim to the fortified city.

And it came to pass in the fourth year of Melech Chizkiyah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea Ben Elah Melech Yisroel, that Shalmaneser Melech Ashur came up against Shomron, and besieged it.

10 And at the end of three years they captured it; even in the sixth year of Chizkiyah, that is, in the ninth year of Hoshea Melech Yisroel, Shomron was captured.

11 And Melech Ashur did carry away Yisroel into Golus in Assyria, and put them in Chalach and in Chavor by the of Gozan River, and in the cities of the Medes;

12 Because they obeyed not the voice of Hashem Eloheihem, but transgressed His Brit, and all that Moshe Eved Hashem commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.

13 Now in the fourteenth year of Melech Chizkiyah did Sanecheriv Melech Ashur come up against all the fortified cities of Yehudah, and captured them.

14 And Chizkiyah Melech Yehudah sent to Melech Ashur at Lachish, saying, I have offended; withdraw from me; that which thou demandest me will I bear. And Melech Ashur exacted from Chizkiyah Melech Yehudah three hundred talents of kesef and thirty talents of zahav.

15 And Chizkiyah gave him all the kesef that was found in the Beis Hashem, and in the otzarot of the Bais HaMelech.

16 At that time did Chizkiyah strip off the zahav from the daletot Heikhal Hashem, and from the omenot (doorposts) which Chizkiyah Melech Yehudah had overlaid, and gave it to Melech Ashur.

17 And Melech Ashur sent Tartan and Rav Saris and Rav Shakeh from Lachish to Melech Chizkiyah with a large army against Yerushalayim. And they went up and came to Yerushalayim. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the te’alat haberekhah haelyonah (aqueduct of the Upper Pool), on the highway of the Sadeh of the Launderer.

18 And when they had called to HaMelech, there came out to them Elyakim Ben Chilkiyah, which was over the Bais (palace), and Shevna the Sofer, and Yoach Ben Asaph the Mazkir (secretary).

19 And Rav Shakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Chizkiyah, Thus saith HaMelech Hagadol, Melech Ashur; What bitachon (confidence) is this wherein thou trustest?

20 Thou sayest—but they are mere davar sfatayim (words of lips, vain words)—I have etzah (counsel) and gevurah (strength) for the milchamah. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

21 Now, hinei, thou trustest upon the mishenet (staff) of this bruised reed, even upon Mitzrayim, on which if a man lean, it will go into his yad, and pierce it; so is Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim unto all that depend on him.

22 But if ye say unto me, We trust in Hashem Eloheinu; is not that He, whose high places and whose mizbechot Chizkiyah hath taken away, and hath said to Yehudah and Yerushalayim, Ye shall worship before this Mizbe’ach in Yerushalayim?

23 Therefore, now, give pledges to adoni Melech Ashur, and I will deliver thee two thousand susim, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

24 How then wilt thou turn away the face of one officer of the least of the avadim of adoni, and put thy trust in Mitzrayim for chariots and for parashim?

25 Am I now come up without Hashem against this makom to destroy it? Hashem said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

26 Then said Elyakim Ben Chilkiyah, and Shevna, and Yoach, unto Rav Shakeh, Speak, now, to thy avadim in Aramit (Aramaic); for we understand it; and speak not to us in Yehudit (Hebrew) in the ears of the people that are on the chomah.

27 But Rav Shakeh said unto them, Hath adoni sent me to adoneicha, and to thee, to speak these words? Hath he not sent me to the anashim which sit on the chomah, that may eat their own dung, and drink their own urine with you?

28 Then Rav Shakeh stood and cried with a kol gadol in Yehudit, and spoke, saying, Hear the word of HaMelech Hagadol, Melech Ashur.

29 Thus saith HaMelech, Let not Chizkiyah deceive you; for he shall not be able to save you out of his yad;

30 Neither let Chizkiyah make you trust in Hashem, saying, Hashem will surely save us, and this city shall not be given into the yad Melech Ashur.

31 Pay heed not to Chizkiyah; for thus saith HaMelech Ashur, Make a brocha with me, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own gefen, every one of his te’enah, and drink ye every one the waters of his bor;

32 Until I come and take you away to an eretz like your own eretz, an eretz dagan and tirosh, an eretz lechem and kramim, a land of zayit yitzhar and of devash, that ye may live, and not die; and pay heed not unto Chizkiyah, when he persuadeth you, saying, Hashem will save us.

33 Hath any of the elohei HaGoyim delivered at all his land out of the yad Melech Ashur?

34 Where are elohei Chamat, and of Arpad? Where are elohei Sapharvayim, Hena, and Ivah? Have they saved Shomron out of mine yad?

35 Who are they among all the elohim of the lands, that have saved their land out of mine yad, that Hashem should save Yerushalayim out of mine yad?

36 But the people held their peace, and answered him not a davar; for the mitzvat HaMelech was, saying, Answer him not.

37 Then came Elyakim Ben Chilkiyah, which was over the Bais (palace), and Shevna the Sofer, and Yoach Ben Asaph the Mazkir (secretary), to Chizkiyah with their begadim torn, and told him the words of Rav Shakeh.