希西迦加强防御

32 在希西迦忠心地办好这些事以后,亚述王西拿基立起兵入侵犹大,围攻各坚城,企图攻占这些城。 希西迦见西拿基立定意要攻打耶路撒冷, 就与众官员和将领商议,决定截断城外的水源,众人也都赞成。 于是,他们召集大批民众,截断所有的水源和过境的溪流,不让亚述王得到充足的水。 希西迦发愤图强,修筑所有被毁坏的城墙,在上面建造城楼,在城外加建一道墙,并在大卫城的米罗加强防御,制造许多兵器和盾牌。 他委任将领管理民众,将他们全部召集在城门的广场上,训勉他们说: “你们要刚强勇敢,不要在亚述王和他的大军面前恐惧惊慌,因为与我们同在的比与他同在的更有能力。 那与他同在的只是血肉之躯,与我们同在的却是我们的上帝耶和华,祂必帮助我们,为我们作战。”众人因犹大王希西迦的这番话而得到鼓舞。

亚述恐吓耶路撒冷

之后,亚述王西拿基立率领全军围攻拉吉,同时派遣使者到耶路撒冷城,对犹大王希西迦和城中所有的犹大人说: 10 “亚述王西拿基立这样说,‘你们仍然留在被困的耶路撒冷,究竟倚仗什么呢? 11 希西迦说你们的上帝耶和华会从亚述王手中拯救你们,难道你们不知道这是哄骗你们的话,是要叫你们留在这里饥渴至死吗? 12 这希西迦不是曾经废掉耶和华的丘坛和祭坛,吩咐犹大人和耶路撒冷人只在一个祭坛前敬拜,在祭坛上烧香吗? 13 难道你们不知道我和我的祖先怎样对付列国吗?列国的神明哪个能从我手中救自己的国家呢? 14 我祖先所灭的列国中,有哪国的神明能从我手中救自己的国民呢?难道你们的上帝能从我手中救你们吗? 15 所以,不要让希西迦欺骗、迷惑你们,也不要相信他!任何民族或国家的神明都不能从我和我祖先手中救他的人民,何况你们的上帝呢?’”

16 亚述王的使者还用别的话毁谤耶和华上帝和祂的仆人希西迦。 17 西拿基立还写信侮辱以色列的上帝耶和华说:“既然列邦的神明都不能从我手中救自己的人民,希西迦的上帝也不例外。” 18 亚述王的使者用希伯来语大声向城墙上的耶路撒冷人喊话,威吓他们,使他们惧怕,以便攻取城。 19 他把耶路撒冷的上帝与世间人手所造的神像相提并论。

耶和华拯救耶路撒冷

20 于是,希西迦王和亚摩斯的儿子以赛亚先知向天上的上帝呼求祷告。 21 耶和华就差遣一个天使进入亚述王营中,毁灭了所有的勇士、官长和将领。西拿基立只好满脸羞愧地返回自己的国家。趁他去他神明的庙里时,他的几个亲生儿子用刀杀了他。 22 这样,耶和华从亚述王西拿基立及一切仇敌手中拯救了希西迦和耶路撒冷的居民,使他们四境平安。 23 许多人带着祭物到耶路撒冷献给耶和华,也带许多名贵的礼物送给犹大王希西迦。此后,希西迦受到各国的敬重。

希西迦的疾病和骄傲

24 那时,希西迦病危,他向耶和华祈求。耶和华应允了他,赐给他一个征兆。 25 希西迦却没有为他所蒙的恩典而感谢上帝,因为他心中骄傲。因此,上帝的烈怒临到他、犹大和耶路撒冷。 26 后来希西迦和耶路撒冷的居民发觉自己心里骄傲,就谦卑下来。因此,在希西迦有生之年,耶和华的烈怒没有临到他们。

希西迦的财富和尊荣

27 希西迦极有财富和尊荣。他建造库房来存放他的金、银、宝石、香料、盾牌和各种珍宝, 28 又建造仓库来贮藏谷物、新酒和新油,并为各类牲畜盖棚立圏。 29 他为自己建造城邑,并且拥有大批的牛羊,因为上帝赐他极多的财富。 30 他截断基训的上泉,将水引到大卫城的西边。希西迦凡事亨通。 31 然而,当巴比伦的使者来见他,询问他有关这地方发生的奇迹时,上帝就让希西迦自行处理,为要试验他,好知道他内心如何。

希西迦逝世

32 希西迦其他的事迹和他对耶和华的忠诚都记在亚摩斯的儿子以赛亚先知的《启示书》上,以及《犹大和以色列的列王史》上。 33 希西迦与祖先同眠后,葬在大卫子孙墓地的高处。所有犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民都向他致哀。他儿子玛拿西继位。

Senakeribu Aopseza Yerusalemu

32 Zitatha zonse zimene Hezekiya anachita mokhulupirika, Senakeribu mfumu ya ku Asiriya anabwera ndi kuthira nkhondo dziko la Yuda. Iye anazinga mizinda yotetezedwa ya Yuda, kuganiza kuti ayigonjetsa. Pamene Hezekiya anaona kuti Senakeribu wabwera ndipo wakonzeka kuchita nkhondo ndi Yerusalemu, iye anakambirana ndi akuluakulu ake pamodzi ndi atsogoleri a gulu lankhondo za kutseka akasupe ochoka ku kasupe amene anali kunja kwa mzinda, ndipo iwo anamuthandiza. Gulu lalikulu la anthu linasonkhana, ndipo anatseka akasupe onse pamodzi ndi mtsinje umene umayenda mʼkati mwa nthakamo. Iwo ankanena kuti, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani mafumu a Asiriya akabwera kuno adzapeze madzi ambiri?” Kenaka iye anagwira ntchito molimbika kukonza madera ogumuka a khoma ndi kumangapo msanja. Anamanganso mpanda wina kunja kwa mpanda winawo ndipo anamanga zolimbitsa Milo ku mzinda wa Davide.

Iye anasankha atsogoleri a ankhondo olamulira anthu ndipo anawasonkhanitsa pamaso pake pa bwalo la chipata cha mzinda ndi kuwalimbikitsa ndi mawu awa: “Khalani amphamvu ndi olimba mtima. Musachite mantha kapena kutaya mtima chifukwa cha mfumu ya ku Asiriya ndi gulu lalikulu lankhondo limene ali nalo, pakuti ife tili ndi mphamvu yayikulu kuposa imene ili ndi iye. Iye ali ndi mphamvu ya anthu basi, koma ife tili ndi Yehova Mulungu wathu kutithandiza ndi kuchita nkhondo zathu.” Ndipo anthu anapeza chilimbikitso kuchokera pa zimene Hezekiya mfumu ya Yuda ananena.

Nthawi ina, pamene Senakeribu mfumu ya ku Asiriya ndi gulu lake lonse lankhondo anali atazinga Lakisi, iye anatumiza atsogoleri ake ankhondo ku Yerusalemu ndi uthenga uwu kwa Hezekiya mfumu ya Yuda ndi anthu onse a ku Yuda amene anali kumeneko:

10 “Senakeribu mfumu ya ku Asiriya akuti: Kodi inu mukukhulupirira chiyani, kuti mukukhalabe mu Yerusalemu mutazingidwa? 11 Pamene Hezekiya akunena kuti ‘Yehova Mulungu wathu adzatipulumutsa kuchoka mʼdzanja la mfumu ya ku Asiriya,’ iye akukusocheretsani, kuti mufe ndi njala ndi ludzu. 12 Kodi si Hezekiya amene anachotsa malo opembedzerapo Mulungu ameneyu ndi maguwa ansembe ndi kunena kwa anthu a ku Yuda ndi Yerusalemu kuti, ‘Muzipembedza pa guwa lansembe limodzi ndi kupserezapo nsembe?’

13 “Kodi inu simukudziwa zimene ine ndi makolo anga tachita kwa anthu a mitundu ina? Kodi milungu ya mitundu imeneyi inatha kupulumutsa dziko lawo kuchoka mʼdzanja langa? 14 Kodi ndi milungu iti mwa milungu ya mitundu ina ya anthuwo, imene makolo anga anayiwononga kotheratu, inatha kupulumutsa anthu ake mʼdzanja langa? Nanga tsono Mulungu wanuyo adzakupulumutsani mʼdzanja langa motani? 15 Choncho inu musalole kuti Hezekiya akunamizeni ndi kukusocheretsani motere. Musamukhulupirire, pakuti palibe mulungu wa mtundu wina uliwonse kapena ufumu wina uliwonse umene unatha kupulumutsa anthu ake kuchoka mʼdzanja langa kapena mʼdzanja la makolo anga. Nanga bwanji Mulungu wanuyo, sadzatha kukupulumutsani kuchoka mʼdzanja langa!”

16 Atsogoleri a ankhondo a Senakeribu anapitiriza kuyankhula zotsutsana ndi Yehova Mulungu ndi mtumiki wake Hezekiya. 17 Mfumunso inalemba makalata onyoza Yehova, Mulungu wa Israeli, ndipo inanena zotsutsana naye izi: “Monga momwe milungu ya anthu a mayiko ena sinathe kuwapulumutsa kuchoka mʼdzanja langa, chonchonso Mulungu wa Hezekiya sadzapulumutsa anthu ake kuchoka mʼdzanja langa.” 18 Kenaka iwo anafuwula mu Chihebri kwa anthu a mu Yerusalemu amene anali pa khoma, kuwaopseza ndi kuwachititsa mantha ndi cholinga choti alande mzindawo. 19 Iwo anayankhula za Mulungu wa Yerusalemu monga anayankhulira za milungu ya anthu ena a pa dziko lapansi, ntchito ya manja a anthu.

20 Mfumu Hezekiya ndi mneneri Yesaya mwana wa Amozi anafuwulira kumwamba mʼpemphero chifukwa cha zimenezi. 21 Ndipo Yehova anatumiza mngelo amene anadzapha anthu onse odziwa nkhondo ndi atsogoleri ndiponso oyangʼanira misasa ya mfumu ya ku Asiriya. Choncho Senakeribu anabwerera kwawo wamanyazi. Ndipo atalowa mʼnyumba ya mulungu wake, ena mwa ana ake anamupha ndi lupanga.

22 Kotero Yehova anapulumutsa Hezekiya ndi anthu a ku Yerusalemu kuchoka mʼdzanja la Senakeribu mfumu ya ku Asiriya ndi mʼdzanja la anthu ena. Yehova anawateteza ku mbali zonse. 23 Anthu ambiri anabweretsa zopereka kwa Yehova ku Yerusalemu ndi mphatso zamtengowapatali kwa Hezekiya mfumu ya Yuda. Kuyambira nthawi imeneyo Hezekiya ankalemekezedwa kwambiri ndi mitundu ina yonse.

Kunyada, Kupambana ndi Imfa ya Hezekiya

24 Pa nthawi imeneyo Hezekiya anadwala ndipo anali pafupi kufa. Iye anapemphera kwa Yehova, amene anamuyankha ndi kumupatsa chizindikiro chodabwitsa. 25 Koma Hezekiya anali ndi mtima wonyada ndipo sanachite molingana ndi kukoma mtima kumene Mulungu anamuonetsera. Choncho mkwiyo wa Yehova unali pa iye ndi pa Yuda ndi Yerusalemu. 26 Koma kenaka Hezekiya analapa za kunyada kwakeko, monga anachitanso anthu a mu Yerusalemu. Choncho mkwiyo wa Yehova sunafike pa iwo pa nthawi ya Hezekiya.

27 Hezekiya anali ndi chuma ndi ulemu wambiri ndipo anamanga nyumba zosungiramo chuma cha siliva wake ndi golide ndi za miyala yokongola, zokometsera zakudya, zishango ndi mtundu uliwonse wa zinthu zamtengowapatali. 28 Iye anamanganso nyumba zosungiramo tirigu, vinyo watsopano ndi mafuta a olivi, ndiponso anamanga nyumba zodyeramo ngʼombe zosiyanasiyana, ndi makola a nkhosa. 29 Iyeyo anamanga midzi ndipo anali ndi nkhosa ndi ngʼombe zambiri, pakuti Mulungu anamupatsa chuma chambiri.

30 Ndi Hezekiya amene anatseka ku mtunda kwa kasupe wa Gihoni, ndi kumuwongolera kuti madzi ake apite mbali ya kumadzulo kwa Mzinda wa Davide. Iye ankachita bwino pa ntchito iliyonse imene ankagwira. 31 Koma pamene nthumwi zotumizidwa ndi atsogoleri a ku Babuloni zinabwera kudzamufunsa za chizindikiro chozizwitsa chimene chinachitika mʼdzikomo, Mulungu anamusiya yekha, kumuyesa kuti adziwe zonse zimene zinali mu mtima mwake.

32 Zina ndi zina zokhudza ulamuliro wa Hezekiya ndi ntchito za kudzipereka kwake zalembedwa mʼmasomphenya a Yesaya mwana wa Amozi, mʼbuku la mafumu a Yuda ndi Israeli. 33 Hezekiya anamwalira ndipo anayikidwa mʼmanda pa phiri pamene pali manda a zidzukulu za Davide. Ayuda onse ndi anthu a mu Yerusalemu anamulemekeza atamwalira. Ndipo Manase mwana wake analowa ufumu mʼmalo mwake.

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem(A)(B)

32 After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib(C) king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to wage war against Jerusalem,(D) he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him. They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs(E) and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings[a] of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said. Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall(F) and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces[b](G) of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons(H) and shields.

He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: “Be strong and courageous.(I) Do not be afraid or discouraged(J) because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.(K) With him is only the arm of flesh,(L) but with us(M) is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.”(N) And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

Later, when Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces were laying siege to Lachish,(O) he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah king of Judah and for all the people of Judah who were there:

10 “This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you basing your confidence,(P) that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? 11 When Hezekiah says, ‘The Lord our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria,’ he is misleading(Q) you, to let you die of hunger and thirst. 12 Did not Hezekiah himself remove this god’s high places and altars, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar(R) and burn sacrifices on it’?

13 “Do you not know what I and my predecessors have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of those nations ever able to deliver their land from my hand?(S) 14 Who of all the gods of these nations that my predecessors destroyed has been able to save his people from me? How then can your god deliver you from my hand? 15 Now do not let Hezekiah deceive(T) you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver(U) his people from my hand or the hand of my predecessors.(V) How much less will your god deliver you from my hand!”

16 Sennacherib’s officers spoke further against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah. 17 The king also wrote letters(W) ridiculing(X) the Lord, the God of Israel, and saying this against him: “Just as the gods(Y) of the peoples of the other lands did not rescue their people from my hand, so the god of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand.” 18 Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city. 19 They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world—the work of human hands.(Z)

20 King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer(AA) to heaven about this. 21 And the Lord sent an angel,(AB) who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword.(AC)

22 So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them[c] on every side. 23 Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the Lord and valuable gifts(AD) for Hezekiah king of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded by all the nations.

Hezekiah’s Pride, Success and Death(AE)

24 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign.(AF) 25 But Hezekiah’s heart was proud(AG) and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath(AH) was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Then Hezekiah repented(AI) of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.(AJ)

27 Hezekiah had very great wealth and honor,(AK) and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables. 28 He also made buildings to store the harvest of grain, new wine and olive oil; and he made stalls for various kinds of cattle, and pens for the flocks. 29 He built villages and acquired great numbers of flocks and herds, for God had given him very great riches.(AL)

30 It was Hezekiah who blocked(AM) the upper outlet of the Gihon(AN) spring and channeled(AO) the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook. 31 But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon(AP) to ask him about the miraculous sign(AQ) that had occurred in the land, God left him to test(AR) him and to know everything that was in his heart.

32 The other events of Hezekiah’s reign and his acts of devotion are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33 Hezekiah rested with his ancestors and was buried on the hill where the tombs of David’s descendants are. All Judah and the people of Jerusalem honored him when he died. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 32:4 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac king
  2. 2 Chronicles 32:5 Or the Millo
  3. 2 Chronicles 32:22 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate He gave them rest