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Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

36 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. The king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem, with a great army. He stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller’s Field. And there came out to him Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder.

The Rabshakeh said to them, ‘Say to Hezekiah: Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you base this confidence of yours? Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? On whom do you now rely, that you have rebelled against me? See, you are relying on Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him. But if you say to me, “We rely on the Lord our God”, is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, “You shall worship before this altar”? Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master’s servants, when you rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 10 Moreover, is it without the Lord that I have come up against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.’

11 Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, ‘Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall.’ 12 But the Rabshakeh said, ‘Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the people sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and drink their own urine?’

13 Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah, ‘Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! 14 Thus says the king: “Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you. 15 Do not let Hezekiah make you rely on the Lord by saying, The Lord will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 16 Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: “Make your peace with me and come out to me; then every one of you will eat from your own vine and your own fig tree and drink water from your own cistern, 17 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 18 Do not let Hezekiah mislead you by saying, The Lord will save us. Has any of the gods of the nations saved their land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? 20 Who among all the gods of these countries have saved their countries out of my hand, that the Lord should save Jerusalem out of my hand?”’

21 But they were silent and answered him not a word, for the king’s command was, ‘Do not answer him.’ 22 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.

36 It was in the fourteenth year of King Hizkiyahu that Sancheriv king of Ashur advanced against all the fortified cities of Y’hudah and captured them. From Lakhish the king of Ashur sent Rav-Shakeh to Hizkiyahu in Yerushalayim with a large army. He positioned himself by the aqueduct from the Upper Pool, which is by the road to the Launderers’ Field. Elyakim the son of Hilkiyahu, who was in charge of the household, Shevnah the general secretary and Yo’ach the son of Asaf the foreign minister went out to meet him.

Rav-Shakeh addressed them: “Tell Hizkiyahu: ‘Here is what the great king, the king of Ashur, says: “What makes you so confident? I say: do mere words constitute strategy and strength for battle? In whom, then, are you trusting when you rebel against me like this? Look! Relying on Egypt is like using a broken stick as a staff — when you lean on it, it punctures your hand. That’s what Pharaoh king of Egypt is like for anyone who puts his trust in him. But if you tell me, ‘We trust in Adonai our God,’ then isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hizkiyahu has removed, telling Y’hudah and Yerushalayim, ‘You must worship before this altar’? All right, then, make a wager with my lord the king of Ashur: I will give you two thousand horses if you can find enough riders for them. How then can you repulse even one of my master’s lowest-ranked army officers? Yet you are relying on Egypt for chariots and riders! 10 Do you think I have come up to this land to destroy it without Adonai’s approval? Adonai said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it!’ ” ’ ”

11 Elyakim, Shevnah and Yo’ach said to Rav-Shakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it; don’t speak to us in Hebrew while the people on the wall are listening.” 12 But Rav-Shakeh answered, “Did my master send me to deliver my message just to your master and yourselves? Didn’t he send me to address the men sitting on the wall, who, like you, are going to eat their own dung and drink their own urine?” 13 Then Rav-Shakeh stood up and, speaking loudly in Hebrew, said: “Hear what the great king, the king of Ashur, says! 14 This is what the king says: ‘Don’t let Hizkiyahu deceive you, because he won’t be able to save you. 15 And don’t let Hizkiyahu make you trust in Adonai by saying, “Adonai will surely save us; this city will not be given over to the king of Ashur.” 16 Don’t listen to Hizkiyahu.’ For this is what the king says: ‘Make peace with me, surrender to me. Then every one of you can eat from his vine and fig tree and drink the water in his own cistern, 17 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land with grain and wine, a land with bread and vineyards. 18 Beware of Hizkiyahu; he is only deluding you when he says, “Adonai will save us.” Has any god of any nation ever saved his land from the power of the king of Ashur? 19 Where are the gods of Hamat and Arpad? Where are the gods of S’farvayim? Did they save Shomron from my power? 20 Where is the god of any of these countries that has saved its country from my power, so that Adonai might be able to save Yerushalayim from my power?’” 21 But they kept still and didn’t answer him so much as a word, for the king’s order was, “Don’t answer him.”

22 Then Elyakim the son of Hilkiyahu, who was in charge of the household, Shevnah the general secretary and Yo’ach the son of Asaf the foreign minister went to Hizkiyahu with their clothes torn and reported to him what Rav-Shakeh had said.

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem(A)

36 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s(B) reign, Sennacherib(C) king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.(D) Then the king of Assyria sent his field commander with a large army from Lachish(E) to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. When the commander stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field,(F) Eliakim(G) son of Hilkiah the palace administrator,(H) Shebna(I) the secretary,(J) and Joah(K) son of Asaph the recorder(L) went out to him.

The field commander said to them, “Tell Hezekiah:

“‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? You say you have counsel and might for war—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel(M) against me? Look, I know you are depending(N) on Egypt,(O) that splintered reed(P) of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. But if you say to me, “We are depending(Q) on the Lord our God”—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed,(R) saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar”?(S)

“‘Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses(T)—if you can put riders on them! How then can you repulse one officer of the least of my master’s officials, even though you are depending on Egypt(U) for chariots(V) and horsemen[a]?(W) 10 Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the Lord? The Lord himself told(X) me to march against this country and destroy it.’”

11 Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah(Y) said to the field commander, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic,(Z) since we understand it. Don’t speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.”

12 But the commander replied, “Was it only to your master and you that my master sent me to say these things, and not to the people sitting on the wall—who, like you, will have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine?(AA)

13 Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew,(AB) “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!(AC) 14 This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive(AD) you. He cannot deliver you! 15 Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, ‘The Lord will surely deliver(AE) us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’(AF)

16 “Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree(AG) and drink water from your own cistern,(AH) 17 until I come and take you to a land like your own(AI)—a land of grain and new wine,(AJ) a land of bread and vineyards.

18 “Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, ‘The Lord will deliver us.’ Have the gods of any nations ever delivered their lands from the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad?(AK) Where are the gods of Sepharvaim?(AL) Have they rescued Samaria(AM) from my hand? 20 Who of all the gods(AN) of these countries have been able to save their lands from me? How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”(AO)

21 But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, “Do not answer him.”(AP)

22 Then Eliakim(AQ) son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and Joah son of Asaph the recorder(AR) went to Hezekiah, with their clothes torn,(AS) and told him what the field commander had said.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 36:9 Or charioteers

Senakeribu Awopseza Yerusalemu

36 Chaka cha khumi ndi chinayi cha ulamuliro wa Mfumu Hezekiya, Senakeribu mfumu ya ku Asiriya anathira nkhondo mizinda yonse yotetezedwa ya ku Yuda, nayilanda. Kenaka mfumu ya ku Asiriya inatuma kazembe wake wankhondo pamodzi ndi gulu lalikulu lankhondo kuchokera ku Lakisi kupita kwa mfumu Hezekiya ku Yerusalemu. Tsono kazembeyo anayima pafupi ndi ngalande yamadzi yochokera ku Dziwe lakumtunda pa msewu wopita ku malo a munda wa mmisiri wochapa zovala. Panali anthu atatu. Woyamba anali Eliyakimu mwana wa Hilikiya komanso ndiye woyangʼanira nyumba ya mfumu. Wachiwiri anali Sebina amene anali mlembi wa bwalo; ndipo wachitatu anali Yowa mwana wa Asafu komanso anali wolemba zochitika. Anthu awa anatuluka kukakumana ndi kazembe wa ankhondo uja.

Kazembe wa ankhondo anawawuza kuti, “Kamuwuzeni Hezekiya kuti,

“Mfumu yayikulu, mfumu ya ku Asiriya ikunena kuti, Kodi chikukulimbitsa mtima ndi chiyani? Iwe ukuti uli ndi luso ndiponso mphamvu pa nkhondo, komatu ukuyankhula mawu opanda pake. Kodi tsono iwe ukudalira yani kuti undiwukire ine? Taona tsono, iwe ukudalira Igupto, bango lothyokalo, limene limalasa mʼmanja mwa munthu ngati waliyesa ndodo yoyendera! Umo ndi mmene Farao mfumu ya ku Igupto imachitira aliyense amene akuyidalira. Ndipo ngati ukunena kwa ine kuti, ‘Ife tikudalira Yehova Mulungu wathu,’ kodi si Mulungu yemweyo amene nyumba zake ndi maguwa ake, Hezekiya anachotsa, nawuza anthu a ku Yuda ndi a ku Yerusalemu kuti, ‘Muzipembedza pa guwa lansembe ili?’

“Ndipo tsopano bwera udzakambirane ndi mbuye wanga, mfumu ya ku Asiriya: Ine ndidzakupatsa akavalo 2,000 ngati ungathe kupeza okwerapo! Iwe ungathe bwanji kugonjetsa ngakhale mmodzi mwa akazembe angʼonoangʼono a mbuye wanga, pamene ukudalira Igupto kuti akupatse magaleta ndi anthu okwera pa akavalo. 10 Kuwonjezera pamenepa, kodi ine ndabwera kudzathira nkhondo ndi kuwononga dziko lino popanda chilolezo cha Yehova? Yehova mwini ndiye anandiwuza kuti ndidzathire nkhondo ndi kuwononga dziko lino.”

11 Pamenepo Eliyakimu, Sebina ndi Yowa anawuza kazembeyo kuti, “Chonde yankhulani kwa atumiki anufe mʼChiaramu, popeza timachimva. Musayankhule nafe mu Chihebri kuopa kuti anthu onse amene ali pa khomapa angamve.”

12 Koma kazembeyo anayankha kuti, “Kodi mbuye wanga wandituma kuti ndidzanene zinthu izi kwa mbuye wanu yekha ndi inu nokha basi? Ayi, komanso kwa anthu amene akhala pa khomawa. Iwowa adzadya chimbudzi chawo chomwe ndi kumwa mkodzo wawo womwe monga momwe mudzachitire inuyonso.”

13 Tsono kazembeyo anayimirira nafuwula mu Chihebri kuti, “Imvani mawu a mfumu yayikulu, mfumu ya ku Asiriya! 14 Zimene mfumu ikunena ndi izi: Musalole kuti Hezekiya akunamizeni. Iye sangakupulumutseni! 15 Hezekiya asakukakamizeni kudalira Yehova ndi mawu akuti, ‘Ndithu, Yehova adzatipulumutsa; ndipo sadzapereka mzindawu mʼdzanja la mfumu ya ku Asiriya.’

16 “Musamumvere Hezekiya. Zimene mfumu ya ku Asiriya ikunena ndi izi: Pangani mtendere ndi ine ndipo mutuluke mu mzinda. Mukatero aliyense wa inu adzadya mphesa ndi nkhuyu za mʼmunda mwake ndiponso adzamwa madzi a mʼchitsime chake, 17 mpaka mfumuyo itabwera kudzakutengani kupita ku dziko lofanana ndi lanulo, dziko limene lili ndi tirigu ndi vinyo watsopano, dziko loyenda mkaka ndi uchi.

18 “Inu musalole kuti Hezekiya akusocheretseni pamene iye akuti, ‘Yehova adzatipulumutsa.’ Kodi alipo mulungu wa anthu a mtundu wina amene anapulumutsa dziko lake mʼdzanja la mfumu ya ku Asiriya? 19 Kodi ili kuti milungu ya Hamati ndi Aripadi? Ili kuti milungu ya Sefaravaimu? Kodi inapulumutsa Samariya mʼdzanja langa? 20 Kodi ndi milungu iti mwa milungu yonse ya mayiko awa amene anapulumutsa dziko lake mʼdzanja? Nanga tsono Yehova adzapulumutsa Yerusalemu mʼdzanja langa motani?”

21 Koma anthu anakhala chete ndipo sanayankhepo kanthu, chifukwa mfumu inawalamula kuti, “Musayankhe.”

22 Pamenepo anthu atatu aja Eliyakimu, mwana wa Hilikiya amene ankayangʼanira nyumba ya mfumu; Sebina mlembi wa bwalo; ndi Yowa, mwana wa Asafu mlembi wa zochitika anapita kwa Hezekiya atangʼamba zovala zawo ndipo anamuwuza zonse zimene anayankhula kazembe uja.