希西迦向以賽亞求助
1希西迦王聽了就撕裂衣服，披上麻衣，進入耶和華的殿。 2他派身披麻衣的宮廷總管以利亞敬、書記舍伯那和祭司中的長者去見亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞先知， 3對他說：「希西迦說，『今天是遭難、蒙羞、受辱的日子，就像嬰兒要出生，產婦卻無力生產一樣。 4亞述王派他的將軍來辱罵永活的上帝，也許你的上帝耶和華聽見那些話，就會懲罰他。所以，請你為我們這些剩下的人禱告。』」 5希西迦王的臣僕說完這些話後， 6以賽亞對他們說：「告訴你們主人，耶和華這樣說，『你不要因亞述王的僕人那些褻瀆我的話而害怕。 7我必驚動19·7 「驚動」希伯來文是「使靈進入」。亞述王的心，讓他聽見一些風聲後便返回本國，在那裡死於刀下。』」
希西迦向上帝禱告
8亞述的將軍聽說亞述王已離開拉吉，便回去見王，發現王在攻打立拿。 9亞述王聽說古實王特哈加正前來攻打他，便再次派使者去對希西迦說： 10「不要讓你所倚靠的上帝愚弄你，說什麼耶路撒冷必不會被亞述王攻陷。 11你肯定聽過亞述諸王掃滅列國的事，難道你能倖免嗎？ 12我先祖毀滅了歌散、哈蘭、利色和提·拉撒的伊甸人，這些國家的神明救得了他們嗎？ 13哈馬王、亞珥拔王、西法瓦音城的王、希拿王和以瓦王如今在哪裡呢？」
14希西迦從使者手中接過信，讀完後走進耶和華的殿，在耶和華面前展開信， 15禱告說：「坐在二基路伯天使之上、以色列的上帝耶和華啊，唯有你是天下萬國的上帝，你創造了天地。 16耶和華啊，求你側耳垂聽！耶和華啊，求你睜眼察看！求你聽聽西拿基立派使者來辱罵永活上帝的話。 17耶和華啊，亞述諸王確實掃滅列國，使其土地荒涼， 18把列國的神像丟在火中。因為那些神像只是人用木頭石頭製造的，根本不是神。 19我們的上帝耶和華啊，現在求你從亞述王手中拯救我們，讓天下萬國都知道唯有你是耶和華。」
以賽亞給希西迦的信息
20亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞派人告訴希西迦：「以色列的上帝耶和華說，『我已經聽見你關於亞述王西拿基立的禱告。 21以下是耶和華對他的判語，
『錫安的居民藐視你，嘲笑你；
耶路撒冷的居民朝你逃竄的背影搖頭。
22你在侮辱、褻瀆誰呢？
你不放在眼裡、
高聲罵的是誰呢？
是以色列的聖者！
23你藉你的使者辱罵主，
你說你率領許多戰車上到群山之巔，
上到黎巴嫩的巔峰，
砍下最高的香柏樹和上好的松樹，
征服最高的山和最美的樹林。
24你自誇已在外邦之地挖井取水，
已用腳掌踏乾埃及的河流。
25『難道你不知道這是我在太初所定、
在亙古就籌畫好的嗎？
如今我實現了所定的計劃——
藉著你使堅城淪為廢墟。
26城中的居民軟弱無力，
驚慌失措，羞愧難當，
脆弱如野草和菜蔬，
又像還未長大就被曬焦的房頂草。
27『你起你坐，你出你進，
你向我發怒，我都知道。
28因為你向我發怒，
你狂傲的話達到了我耳中，
我要用鉤子鉤住你的鼻子，
把嚼環放在你嘴裡，
使你原路返回。』
29「希西迦啊，我要賜給你們一個兆頭，你們今年要吃野生的，明年也要吃自然生長的，後年要播種收割，栽種葡萄園，吃園中的果子。 30猶大的倖存者要再次向下扎根，向上結果。 31因為將有餘民從耶路撒冷出來，有倖存者從錫安山出來。耶和華必熱切地成就這事。
32「至於亞述王，耶和華說，『他必不能進這城或向這裡射一箭，必不能手持盾牌兵臨城下或修築攻城的高臺。 33他從哪條路來，也將從哪條路回去，他必進不了這城。這是耶和華說的。 34我必為自己和我僕人大衛而保護、拯救這城。』」
35當晚，耶和華的天使到亞述營中殺了十八萬五千人。人們清早起來，發現到處是屍體。 36亞述王西拿基立便拔營回國，住在尼尼微。 37一天，亞述王在他的神明尼斯洛的廟裡祭拜時，他的兩個兒子亞得米勒和沙利色用刀殺了他，逃往亞拉臘。他的另一個兒子以撒哈頓繼位。
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.
