Hezekia Autafuta Msaada Wa Bwana
(Isaya 37:1-20)
119:1 Mwa 37:34; Hes 14:6Mfalme Hezekia aliposikia haya, akararua nguo zake na kuvaa nguo ya gunia, naye akaenda katika Hekalu la Bwana. 219:2 Yer 19:1; Mwa 37:34Akawatuma Eliakimu msimamizi wa nyumba ya mfalme, Shebna mwandishi, na viongozi wa makuhani, wote wakiwa wamevaa nguo za magunia, waende kwa nabii Isaya mwana wa Amozi. 319:3 Hos 13:13Wakamwambia, “Hili ndilo asemalo Hezekia: Siku hii ni siku ya dhiki, ya kukaripiwa na ya aibu, kama wakati watoto wanapofikia karibu kuzaliwa na kumbe hakuna nguvu ya kuwazaa. 419:4 2Sam 16:12; Yer 37:3Yamkini Bwana, Mungu wako atayasikia maneno ya jemadari wa jeshi, ambaye bwana wake, mfalme wa Ashuru, amemtuma kumdhihaki Mungu aliye hai, tena kwamba atamkemea kwa maneno ambayo Bwana, Mungu wako ameyasikia. Kwa hiyo omba kwa ajili ya mabaki ambao bado wako.”
5Maafisa wa Mfalme Hezekia walipofika kwa Isaya, 619:6 Kum 3:2; Yos 1:9Isaya akawaambia, “Mwambieni bwana wenu, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Usiogope kwa hayo uliyoyasikia, yale maneno ambayo watumishi wa mfalme wa Ashuru wamenitukana nayo. 719:7 Kut 14:24; 2Nya 32:21Sikiliza! Nitatia roho fulani ndani yake ili atakaposikia taarifa fulani, atarudi nchi yake mwenyewe, nami huko nitafanya auawe kwa upanga.’ ”
819:8 2Fal 18:14; Hes 33:20Jemadari wa jeshi aliposikia kwamba mfalme wa Ashuru ameondoka Lakishi, alirudi, akamkuta mfalme akipigana na Libna.
9Basi Senakeribu akapata taarifa kwamba Tirhaka, Mkushi mfalme wa Misri, alikuwa anaenda kupigana naye. Basi akatuma tena wajumbe kwa Hezekia na neno hili: 1019:10 2Fal 18:5“Mwambieni Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda: Usikubali huyo Mungu unayemtumainia akudanganye wakati anaposema, ‘Yerusalemu haitatiwa mkononi mwa mfalme wa Ashuru.’ 11Hakika umesikia yale ambayo wafalme wa Ashuru wametenda kwa nchi zote, wakiwaangamiza kabisa. Je, wewe utaokolewa? 1219:12 2Fal 18:33; Mwa 11:31Je, miungu ya mataifa ambayo yaliangamizwa na baba zangu iliweza kuwaokoa, hiyo miungu ya Gozani, Harani, Resefu, na ya watu wa Edeni waliokuwa Telasari? 1319:13 2Fal 5:7Yuko wapi mfalme wa Hamathi, mfalme wa Arpadi, mfalme wa mji wa Sefarvaimu, au wa Hena au wa Iva?”
Maombi Ya Hezekia
1419:14 2Fal 5:7Hezekia akapokea barua kutoka kwa wale wajumbe, naye akaisoma. Kisha akapanda katika Hekalu la Bwana, akaikunjua mbele za Bwana. 1519:15 Mwa 3:24; Kut 25:22Naye Hezekia akamwomba Bwana akisema: “Ee Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, uketiye juu ya kiti cha enzi kati ya makerubi, wewe peke yako ndiwe Mungu juu ya falme zote za dunia. Wewe umeumba mbingu na nchi. 1619:16 Za 31:2; Kut 3:16Tega sikio, Ee Bwana, usikie; fungua macho yako, Ee Bwana, uone; sikiliza maneno ambayo Senakeribu ametuma kumtukana Mungu aliye hai.
17“Ni kweli, Ee Bwana, kwamba wafalme wa Ashuru wameyaangamiza mataifa haya na nchi zao. 1819:18 Yer 10:3-10; Mdo 17:29Wameitupa miungu yao kwenye moto na kuiangamiza, kwa kuwa haikuwa miungu, bali miti na mawe tu iliyotengenezwa kwa mikono ya wanadamu. 1919:19 1Sam 12:10; Yos 4:24Sasa basi, Ee Bwana Mungu wetu, tuokoe kutoka mkononi mwake, ili falme zote duniani zipate kujua kwamba wewe peke yako, Ee Bwana, ndiwe Mungu.”
Isaya Anatoa Unabii Wa Kuanguka Kwa Senakeribu
(Isaya 37:21-38)
2019:20 1Fal 9:3Kisha Isaya mwana wa Amozi akapeleka ujumbe kwa Hezekia, akasema: “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli: Nimesikia maombi yako kuhusu Senakeribu mfalme wa Ashuru. 2119:21 Isa 47:1; Mao 2:13; Ay 16:4Hili ndilo neno ambalo Bwana amelisema dhidi yake:
“ ‘Bikira Binti Sayuni anakudharau na kukudhihaki.
Binti Yerusalemu anatikisa kichwa chake unapokimbia.
2219:22 Law 19:2; Hos 11:9Ni nani uliyemtukana na kumkufuru?
Ni nani uliyeinua sauti yako dhidi yake,
na kumwinulia macho yako kwa kiburi?
Ni dhidi ya yule Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli!
2319:23 Za 20:7; Eze 31:3Kupitia kwa wajumbe wako
umelundika matukano juu ya Bwana.
Nawe umesema,
“Kwa magari yangu mengi ya vita,
nimepanda juu ya vilele vya milima,
vilele vya juu sana katika Lebanoni.
Nami nimeiangusha mierezi yake mirefu,
misunobari yake iliyo bora sana.
Nimefikia sehemu zake zilizo mbali sana,
misitu yake iliyo mizuri sana.
24Nimechimba visima katika nchi za kigeni
na kunywa maji yake.
Kwa nyayo za miguu yangu
nimekausha vijito vyote vya Misri.”
2519:25 Isa 22:11; Mik 1:6“ ‘Je, hujasikia?
Zamani sana niliamuru hili.
Siku za kale nilipanga hili;
sasa nimelifanya litokee,
kwamba umegeuza miji yenye ngome
kuwa malundo ya mawe.
2619:26 Eze 7:17; Ay 8:12Watu wa miji hiyo wameishiwa nguvu,
wanavunjika mioyo na kuaibishwa.
Wao ni kama mimea katika shamba,
kama machipukizi mororo ya kijani,
kama majani yachipuayo juu ya paa la nyumba,
ambayo hukauka kabla ya kukua.
2719:27 Za 139:1-4“ ‘Lakini ninajua mahali ukaapo,
kutoka kwako na kuingia kwako,
na jinsi unavyoghadhibika dhidi yangu.
2819:28 2Nya 33:11; Eze 29:4Kwa sababu unaghadhibika dhidi yangu,
na ufidhuli wako umefika masikioni mwangu,
nitaweka ndoana yangu puani mwako
na hatamu yangu kinywani mwako,
nami nitakufanya urudi kwa njia ile uliyoijia.’
2919:29 Lk 2:12; Za 107:37“Hii ndiyo itakuwa ishara kwako, ee Hezekia:
“Mwaka huu utakula kile kiotacho chenyewe,
na mwaka wa pili utakula kutoka machipukizi yake.
Lakini katika mwaka wa tatu, panda na uvune,
panda mashamba ya mizabibu na ule matunda yake.
3019:30 Mwa 45:7; Amo 9:14Mara nyingine tena mabaki ya nyumba ya Yuda
wataeneza mizizi chini na kuzaa matunda juu.
3119:31 Mwa 45:7; Isa 9:7Kwa kuwa kutoka Yerusalemu watakuja mabaki,
na kutoka Mlima Sayuni kundi la walionusurika.
Wivu wa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ndio utatimiza jambo hili.
32“Kwa hiyo hili ndilo asemalo Bwana kuhusu mfalme wa Ashuru:
“Hataingia katika mji huu
wala hatapiga mshale hapa.
Hatakuja mbele yake akiwa na ngao,
wala kupanga majeshi kuuzingira.
33Kwa njia ile aliyoijia, ndiyo atakayorudi;
hataingia katika mji huu,
asema Bwana.
3419:34 2Fal 20:6; 2Sam 7:15Nitaulinda mji huu na kuuokoa,
kwa ajili yangu mwenyewe,
na kwa ajili ya Daudi mtumishi wangu.”
3519:35 Ay 24:24Usiku ule, malaika wa Bwana akaenda, akawaua wanajeshi 185,000 katika kambi ya Waashuru. Wenzao walipoamka asubuhi yake, walikuta maiti kila mahali! 3619:36 Mwa 10:11Basi Senakeribu mfalme wa Ashuru akavunja kambi na kuondoka. Akarudi Ninawi na kukaa huko.
3719:37 2Fal 17:31; Mwa 8:4Siku moja, alipokuwa akiabudu katika hekalu la mungu wake Nisroki, wanawe Adrameleki na Shareza wakamuua kwa upanga, nao wakakimbilia nchi ya Ararati. Naye Esar-Hadoni mwanawe akawa mfalme badala yake.
1And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. 2And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. 3And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.19.3 blasphemy: or, provocation 4It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.19.4 left: Heb. found 5So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
6¶ And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. 7Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.
8¶ So Rab-shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. 9And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying, 10Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. 11Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered? 12Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar? 13Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?
14¶ And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. 15And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. 16LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God. 17Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, 18And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.19.18 cast: Heb. given 19Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.
20¶ Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard. 21This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. 22Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel. 23By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.19.23 By: Heb. By the hand of19.23 tall…: Heb. tallness, etc19.23 of his Carmel: or, and his fruitful field 24I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.19.24 besieged: or, fenced 25Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.19.25 long…: or, how I have made it long ago, and formed it of ancient times? should I now bring it to be laid waste, and fenced cities to be ruinous heaps? 26Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.19.26 of small…: Heb. short of hand 27But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.19.27 abode: or, sitting 28Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest. 29And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof. 30And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.19.30 remnant…: Heb. escaping of the house of Judah that remaineth 31For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.19.31 they…: Heb. the escaping 32Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it. 33By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD. 34For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.
35¶ And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. 36So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. 37And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead.19.37 Armenia: Heb. Ararat
