Hesekia Hwehwɛ Awurade Mmoa
1Bere a ɔhene Hesekia tee eyinom no, osunsuan ne ntade mu, na ofuraa atweaatam, na ɔkɔɔ Awurade asɔredan mu. 2Na ɔsomaa Eliakim a ɔhwɛ ahemfi ntotoe so, Sebna, a ɔyɛ ɔkyerɛwfo ne asɔfo akunini a wɔn nyinaa furafura atweaatam, kɔɔ Amos babarima Odiyifo Yesaia nkyɛn. 3Wɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Sɛnea ɔhene Hesekia ka ni: Saa da yi yɛ ɔhaw, animka ne animguase da. Ayɛ te sɛ nea mmofra awo du so, na ahoɔden a wɔde bɛwo wɔn nni hɔ. 4Nanso ebia Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn ate sɛ Asiria nanmusini no regu Onyankopɔn teasefo no anim ase, na wɔbɛtwe nʼaso wɔ ne nsɛnkeka no ho. Enti bɔ mpae ma yɛn a yɛaka no!”
5Na ɔhene Hesekia mpanyimfo no kɔkaa ɔhene nkra no kyerɛɛ Yesaia, 6na Yesaia buae se, “Ka kyerɛ wo wura se, ‘Sɛnea Awurade se ni: Mma abususɛm a Asiriahene asomafo no ka tiaa me no nhaw wo. 7Muntie! Mede honhom bi rebɛhyɛ ne mu, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a sɛ ɔte asɛm bi a ɔbɛsan akɔ ne man mu na hɔ na mɛma wɔde afoa akum no.’ ”
8Bere a ɔsahene no tee sɛ Asiriahene afi Lakis no, ɔsan nʼakyi kohuu sɛ ɔhene no ne Libna reko.
9Ankyɛ, ɔhene Sanaherib nyaa nkra se, Etiopiahene Tirhaka adi asraafo anim, rebɛko atia no. Na ansa na ɔbɛsan akohyia asraafo no, ɔde saa nkra yi maa sɛ wɔmfa nkɔma Hesekia wɔ Yerusalem. 10“Monka nkyerɛ Yudahene Hesekia se: Mma onyame a wode wo ho ato no so no nnaadaa mo nka se, ‘Wɔremfa Yerusalem mma Asiriahene.’ 11Moate nea Asiria ahemfo ayɛ amanaman no nyinaa. Wɔasɛe wɔn pasaa. Na mo de, wobegye mo ana? 12Anyame a wɔwɔ aman a me nenanom sɛee wɔn no, aman te sɛ, Gosan, Haran, Resef ne Edenfo a na wɔwɔ Telasar no anyame gyee wɔn ana? 13Nsɛm bɛn na ɛtotoo Hamathene ne Arpadhene? Nsɛm bɛn nso na ɛtotoo Sefarwaim, Hena ne Iwa ahemfo?”
14Hesekia nsa kaa krataa a abɔfo no de bae no, ɔkenkanee. Afei ɔforo kɔɔ Awurade asɔredan no mu kɔtrɛw mu wɔ Awurade anim. 15Na Hesekia bɔɔ mpae kyerɛɛ Awurade se, “Asafo Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn a wɔasi wo hene wɔ Kerubim ntam. Wo nko ara na woyɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ asase so ahenni nyinaa so. Wo na wobɔɔ ɔsoro ne asase. 16Brɛ wʼaso ase, Awurade, na tie! Bue wʼani, Awurade, na hwɛ. Tie nsɛm a Sanaherib asoma de abɛsopa Onyankopɔn teasefo no.
17“Awurade, ɛyɛ nokware sɛ Asiria ahemfo asɛe aman yi nyinaa, sɛnea nkra no ka no. 18Na wɔatow anyame a wɔwɔ saa aman yi so no agu gya mu, ahyew wɔn, efisɛ wɔnyɛ anyame, na mmom wɔyɛ nnua ne abo a nnipa de wɔn nsa ayɛ. 19Afei, Awurade, yɛn Nyankopɔn, gye yɛn fi ne tumi ase, na ɛbɛma ahenni a ɛwɔ asase so nyinaa ahu sɛ wo nko ara, Awurade, na woyɛ Onyankopɔn.”
Yesaia Hyɛ Yuda Gye Ho Nkɔm
20Na Amos babarima Yesaia de saa nkra yi kɔmaa Hesekia se, “Sɛɛ na Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn se: Esiane sɛ woabɔ me mpae afa Asiriahene Sanaherib ho nti, 21eyi ne asɛm a Awurade aka atia no:
“ ‘Ɔbabeabun Sion sopa wo,
na ɔserew wo.
Ɔbabea Yerusalem di wo ho fɛw,
na ɔwosow ne ti bere a woreguan.
22Hena na wugye di sɛ woyeyaw no, di ne ho fɛw nso?
Hena na womaa wo nne so tiaa no
na wohwɛɛ no ahantan so?
Ɛyɛ Israel ɔkronkronni no!
23Wonam wʼasomafo so
adi Awurade ho fɛw.
Na woaka se,
“Me nteaseɛnam dodow nti
maforo mmepɔw atenten.
Yiw Lebanon mmepɔw a ɛwoware pa ara no.
Matwitwa ne sida dua atenten no,
ne nʼapepaw a ɛyɛ fɛ no agu fam.
Madu ne mmepɔw a ɛwɔ akyirikyiri no so,
ne ne kwaeberentuw mu.
24Matutu mmura wɔ ahɔho nsase bebree so
de ne nsu pa no adwudwo me ho.
Mpo, mepaee Misraim nsubɔnten mu
sɛnea mʼakofo betumi atwa!”
25“ ‘Na Montee ɛ?
Bere tenten a atwam, na mehyɛ too hɔ.
Bere bi a atwam no na medwenee ho;
afei mama aba mu sɛ,
moadan ɔman a mosɛe nkuropɔn a wɔabɔ
ho ban.
26Wɔn nkurɔfo a tumi afi wɔn nsa no
ho adwiriw wɔn, na animguase aka wɔn.
Wɔte sɛ afuw so nnua,
ne afifide foforo a ɛyɛ mmrɛw.
Wɔte sɛ sare a efifi ɔdan atifi
a ɛhyew ansa na anyin.
27“ ‘Nanso minim nea wote
bere a woba ne bere a wokɔ
ne sɛnea wo bo huru tia me.
28Na esiane sɛ wo bo huru tia me
na wʼahantan adu mʼasom nti,
mede me darewa bɛhyɛ wo hwenem,
na mede akwankyerɛ dade ahyɛ wʼanom,
mɛma wo afa ɔkwan a wofaa so bae no so
asan wʼakyi.’
29“Eyi na ɛbɛyɛ nsɛnkyerɛnne ama wo, Hesekia:
“Saa afe yi wubedi nea ɛno ankasa fifii.
Afe a ɛto so abien no, wubedi nea efi mu ba.
Nanso afe a ɛto so abiɛsa no de, wo ara dua na twa,
yɛ bobe nturo na di so aba.
30Bio, nkae bi a ofi Yuda fi
begye ntin wɔ fam na wasow aba wɔ soro.
31Na nkae bi befi Yerusalem aba,
na nkae dɔm afi Bepɔw Sion so.
Asafo Awurade pɛ mu na eyi bɛyɛ.
32“Eyi ne asɛm a Awurade ka fa Asiriahene ho:
“Ɔrenhyɛn saa kuropɔn yi mu
na ɔrentow bɛmma wɔ ha.
Ɔremfa nkatabo mmegyina kuropɔn no akyi
na ɔrensi pie ntua nʼano.
33Ɔhene no kwan a ɔfaa so bae no ara so na ɔbɛsan afa akɔ nʼankasa man mu.
Awurade ka se,
ɔrenwura saa kurow yi mu.
34Esiane mʼankasa mʼanuonyam ne mʼakoa Dawid nti,
mɛbɔ ho ban.”
35Saa anadwo no, Awurade bɔfo kɔɔ Asiria nsraban mu, kokum Asiria asraafo no mpem ɔha aduɔwɔtwe anum. Asiriafo a wɔkae no nyan anɔpa no, wohuu sɛ afunu gugu mmɔnten so baabiara. 36Na Asiriahene Sanaherib gyaee ɔko no, kɔɔ nʼankasa nʼasase so. Ɔkɔtenaa nʼahenkurow Ninewe mu.
37Da koro bi a ɔresom wɔ ne nyame Nisrok abosonnan mu no, ne mmabarima Adramelek ne Sareser de wɔn afoa kokum no. Woguan fii hɔ kɔtenaa Ararat asase so, na ne babarima foforo Esarhadon bedii nʼade sɛ Asiriahene.
Isaiah Prophesies That Jerusalem Will Be Saved
1When King Hezekiah heard what the field commander had said, he tore his clothes. He put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. Then he went into the Lord’s temple. 2Hezekiah sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, to Isaiah the prophet. Isaiah was the son of Amoz. Hezekiah also sent to Isaiah the leading priests and Shebna the secretary. All of them were wearing the same rough clothing. 3They told Isaiah, “Hezekiah says, ‘Today we’re in great trouble. The Lord is warning us. He’s bringing shame on us. Sometimes babies come to the moment when they should be born. But their mothers aren’t strong enough to allow them to be born. Today we are like those mothers. We aren’t strong enough to save ourselves. 4Perhaps the Lord your God will hear everything the field commander has said. His master, the king of Assyria, has sent him to make fun of the living God. Maybe the Lord your God will punish him for what he has heard him say. So pray for the remaining people who are still alive here.’ ”
5King Hezekiah’s officials came to Isaiah. 6Then Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master, ‘The Lord says, “Do not be afraid of what you have heard. The officers of the king of Assyria have spoken evil things against me. 7Listen! I will send him news from his own country. It will make him want to return home. There I will have him killed by a sword.” ’ ”
8The field commander heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish. So the commander pulled his troops back from Jerusalem. He went to join the king. He found out that the king was fighting against Libnah.
9During that time Sennacherib received a report. He was told that Tirhakah was marching out to fight against him. Tirhakah was the king of Cush. Sennacherib sent messengers again to Hezekiah with a letter. Sennacherib said, 10“Tell Hezekiah, the king of Judah, ‘Don’t let the god you depend on trick you. He says, “Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” But don’t believe him. 11I’m sure you have heard about what the kings of Assyria have done to all the other countries. They have destroyed them completely. So do you think you will be saved? 12The kings who ruled before me destroyed many nations. Did the gods of those nations save them? Did the gods of Gozan, Harran or Rezeph save them? What about the gods of the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar? 13Where is the king of Hamath? Where is the king of Arpad? Where are the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah?’ ”
Hezekiah’s Prayer
14When Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers, he read it. Then he went up to the Lord’s temple. There he spread the letter out in front of the Lord. 15Hezekiah prayed to the Lord. He said, “Lord, you are the God of Israel. You sit on your throne between the cherubim. You alone are God over all the kingdoms on earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16Listen, Lord. Hear us. Open your eyes, Lord. Look at the trouble we’re in. Listen to what Sennacherib is saying. You are the living God. And he dares to make fun of you!
17“Lord, it’s true that the kings of Assyria have completely destroyed many nations and their lands. 18They have thrown the statues of the gods of those nations into the fire. And they have destroyed them. That’s because they weren’t really gods at all. They were nothing but statues made out of wood and stone. They were made by human hands. 19Lord our God, save us from the power of Sennacherib. Then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone are the Lord. You alone are God.”
Isaiah Prophesies That Sennacherib Will Fall From Power
20Isaiah sent a message to Hezekiah. Isaiah was the son of Amoz. Isaiah said, “The Lord is the God of Israel. The Lord says, ‘I have heard your prayer about Sennacherib, the king of Assyria.’ 21Here is the message the Lord has spoken against him. The Lord says,
“ ‘You will not win the battle over Zion.
Its people hate you and make fun of you.
The people of Jerusalem lift up their heads proudly
as you run away.
22Who have you laughed at?
Who have you spoken evil things against?
Who have you raised your voice against?
Who have you looked at so proudly?
You have done it against me.
I am the Holy One of Israel!
23Through your messengers
you have dared to make fun of the Lord.
And you have said,
“I have many chariots.
With them I have gone to the tops of the mountains.
I’ve climbed the highest mountains in Lebanon.
I’ve cut down its tallest cedar trees.
I’ve cut down the best of its juniper trees.
I’ve reached its farthest parts.
I’ve reached its finest forests.
24I’ve dug wells in strange lands.
I’ve drunk the water from them.
I’ve walked through all of Egypt’s streams.
I’ve dried up every one of them.”
25“ ‘But I, the Lord, say, “Haven’t you heard what I have done?
Long ago I arranged for you to do all of that.
In days of old I planned it.
Now I have made it happen.
You have turned cities with high walls
into piles of stone.
26Their people do not have any power left.
They are troubled and put to shame.
They are like plants in the field.
They are like new green plants.
They are like grass that grows on a roof.
It dries up before it is completely grown.
27“ ‘ “But I know where you are.
I know when you come and go.
I know how very angry you are with me.
28You roar against me and brag.
And I have heard your bragging.
So I will put my hook in your nose.
I will put my bit in your mouth.
And I will make you go home
by the same way you came.” ’ ”
29The Lord said, “Hezekiah, here is a miraculous sign for you.
“This year you will eat what grows by itself.
In the second year you will eat what grows from that.
But in the third year you will plant your crops and gather them in.
You will plant your grapevines and eat their fruit.
30Those who remain from the kingdom of Judah will be like plants.
Once more they will put down roots and produce fruit.
31Out of Jerusalem will come those who remain.
Out of Mount Zion will come those who survive.
“The Lord’s great love will make sure that happens.
He rules over all.
32“Here is a message from me about the king of Assyria. The Lord says,
“ ‘The king of Assyria will not enter this city.
He will not even shoot an arrow at it.
He will not come near it with a shield.
He will not build a ramp in order to climb over its walls.
33By the same way he came he will go home.
He will not enter this city,’
announces the Lord.
34‘I will guard this city and save it.
I will do it for myself. And I will do it for my servant David.’ ”
35That night the angel of the Lord went into the camp of the Assyrians. He put to death 185,000 people there. The people of Jerusalem got up the next morning and looked out at the camp. There were all the dead bodies! 36So Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, took the army tents down. Then he left. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.
37One day Sennacherib was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisrok. His sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with their swords. Then they escaped to the land of Ararat. Esarhaddon became the next king after his father Sennacherib.
