Sennacherib Warns Jerusalem
1Hezekiah had been completely faithful to the Lord. However, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and marched into Judah. Sennacherib surrounded the cities that had high walls around them. He got ready to attack them. He thought he could win the battle over them. He thought he could take them for himself. 2Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come to Jerusalem to fight against it. 3So he asked his officials and military leaders for advice. He asked them about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city. They gave him the advice he asked for. 4They gathered together a large group of people. They blocked all the springs. They also blocked the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they asked. 5Then Hezekiah worked hard repairing all the broken parts of the wall. He built towers on it. He built another wall outside that one. He built up the areas that had been filled in around the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons and shields.
6He appointed military officers over the people. He gathered the officers together in front of him in the open area at the city gate. He gave them words of hope. He said, 7“Be strong. Be brave. Don’t be afraid. Don’t lose hope. The king of Assyria has a huge army with him. But there’s a greater power with us than there is with him. 8The only thing he has is human strength. But the Lord our God is with us. He will help us. He’ll fight our battles.” The people had great faith in what Hezekiah, the king of Judah, said.
9Later Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, and all his forces surrounded Lachish. They prepared to attack it. At that time, Sennacherib sent his officers to Jerusalem. They went there with a message for Hezekiah, the king of Judah. The message was also for all the people of Judah who were there. The message said,
10“Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, says, ‘Why are you putting your faith in what your king says? Why do you remain in Jerusalem when you are surrounded? 11Hezekiah says, “The Lord our God will save us from the power of the king of Assyria.” But he isn’t telling you the truth. If you listen to him, you will die of hunger and thirst. 12Didn’t Hezekiah himself remove your god’s high places and altars? Didn’t Hezekiah say to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship at one altar. You must burn sacrifices on it”?
13“ ‘Don’t you know what I and the kings who ruled before me have done? Don’t you know what we’ve done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of those nations ever able to save their lands from my power? 14The kings who ruled before me destroyed many nations. Which one of the gods of those nations has been able to save his people from me? So how can your god save you from my power? 15Don’t let Hezekiah trick you. He’s telling you lies. Don’t believe him. No god of any nation or kingdom has been able to save his people from my power. No god has been able to save his people from the power of the kings who ruled before me. So your god won’t save you from my power either!’ ”
16Sennacherib’s officers spoke even more things against the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah. 17The king also wrote letters against the Lord. His letters made fun of the God of Israel. They said, “The peoples of other lands have their gods. But those gods didn’t save their people from my power. So the god of Hezekiah won’t save his people from my power either.” 18Then the officers called out in the Hebrew language to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall. They were trying to scare them and make them afraid. That’s because they wanted to capture the city. 19They were comparing the God of Jerusalem to the gods of the other nations of the world. But those gods were only statues. They had been made by human hands.
20King Hezekiah cried out in prayer to God in heaven. He prayed about the problem Jerusalem was facing. So did Isaiah the prophet. He was the son of Amoz. 21The Lord sent an angel. The angel wiped out all the enemy’s fighting men, commanders and officers. He put an end to them right there in the camp of the Assyrian king. So Sennacherib went back to his own land in shame. He went into the temple of his god. There some of his own sons, the people closest to him, killed him with their swords.
22So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem. He saved them from the power of Sennacherib, the king of Assyria. He also saved them from all their other enemies. He took care of them on every side. 23Many people brought offerings to Jerusalem for the Lord. They brought expensive gifts for Hezekiah, the king of Judah. From then on, all the nations thought well of him.
Hezekiah’s Pride, Success and Death
24In those days Hezekiah became sick. He knew he was about to die. So he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord answered him. He gave him a miraculous sign. 25But Hezekiah’s heart was proud. He didn’t give thanks for the many kind things the Lord had done for him. So the Lord became angry with him. He also became angry with Judah and Jerusalem. 26Then Hezekiah had a change of heart. He was sorry he had been proud. The people of Jerusalem were also sorry they had sinned. So the Lord wasn’t angry with them as long as Hezekiah was king.
27Hezekiah was very rich. He received great honor. He made storerooms for his silver and gold. He also made them for his jewels, spices, shields and all kinds of expensive things. 28He made buildings to store the harvest of grain, fresh wine and olive oil. He made barns for all kinds of cattle. He made sheep pens for his flocks. 29He built villages. He gained large numbers of flocks and herds. God had made him very rich.
30Hezekiah blocked up the upper opening of the Gihon spring. He directed the water to flow down to the west side of the City of David. He had success in everything he did. 31The rulers of Babylon sent messengers to him. They asked him about the miraculous sign that had taken place in the land. Then God left Hezekiah to test him. God wanted to know everything in Hezekiah’s heart.
32Hezekiah did many things that showed he was faithful to the Lord. Those things and the other events of his rule are written down. They are written in the record of the vision of the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz. That record is part of the records of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33Hezekiah joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried on the hill where the tombs of David’s family are. The whole nation of Judah honored him when he died. So did the people of Jerusalem. Hezekiah’s son Manasseh became the next king after him.
Asiria Tu Yuda So Sa
1Ɔhene Hesekia de nokwaredi wiee saa dwumadi yi, Asiriahene Sanaherib bɛtow hyɛɛ Yuda so, dii so nkonim. Otuaa nkurow a wɔabɔ ho ban no, na ɔhyɛɛ nʼakofo sɛ wommubu wɔn afasu no, mmɔ nwura mu. 2Bere a Hesekia huu sɛ Sanaherib asan ayɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔbɛtow ahyɛ Yerusalem so no, 3ɔne ne mpanyimfo ne nʼasraafo mu afotufo tuu agyina. Wosii gyinae sɛ wobesiw asu a ɛsen fa kuropɔn no akyi no kwan ma wɔboaa no. 4Wɔboaboaa adwumayɛfo ano sɛ wonkosi nsuti kwan na ansen ankɔ mfuw no mu. Na wɔkae se, “Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ Asiria ahemfo bɛba ha abenya nsu bebree?” 5Afei, Hesekia miaa ne bammɔ mu, osiesiee ɔfasu no baabiara a abubu no, na ɔtoo ɔfasu foforo kaa nea ɛwɔ hɔ dedaw no ho. Ɔsan miaa bammɔ a ɛwɔ Milo a ɛwɔ Dawid kuropɔn no mu no mu. Afei ɔyɛɛ akode ne nkatabo bebree.
6Oyii asraafo mpanyimfo ma wɔhwɛɛ ɔmanfo no so, na ɔhyɛɛ sɛ wommehyia no wɔ kurow no pon ano aguabɔbea hɔ. Na Hesekia kaa nkuranhyɛsɛm kyerɛɛ wɔn se, 7“Monyɛ den na momma mo bo nyɛ duru. Munnsuro Asiriahene anaa nʼakofodɔm kɛse no, na yɛwɔ tumi a ɛso wɔ yɛn afa. 8Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ɔwɔ asraafodɔm kɛse de, nanso wɔyɛ nnipa kɛkɛ. Yɛwɔ Awurade, yɛn Nyankopɔn a ɔbɛboa yɛn adi ako ama yɛn.” Saa nsɛm a Hesekia, Yudahene kae yi hyɛɛ ɔmanfo no nkuran bebree.
Senaherib Hunahuna Yerusalem
9Bere a Asiriahene Sanaherib gu so retua Lakis kurow no, ɔsomaa mpanyimfo kɔɔ Yerusalem sɛ wɔmfa saa nkra yi nkɔma Hesekia ne ne manfo a wɔwɔ kurow no mu nyinaa:
10“Sɛnea Asiriahene Sanaherib se ni: Dɛn na mode mo ho to so, na ɛma mo susuw sɛ, mubetumi agyina Yerusalem anotua yi ano? 11Hesekia aka se: ‘Awurade, yɛn Nyankopɔn, begye yɛn afi Asiriahene nsam.’ Nokwarem, Hesekia regyigye mo ama ɔkɔm ne osukɔm akum mo! 12Nokware, nea ɛsɛ sɛ mote ase ne sɛ, Hesekia no ara na obubuu Awurade nsɔree so ne afɔremuka no nyinaa. Ɔhyɛɛ Yuda ne Yerusalem sɛ wɔnsom wɔ afɔremuka baako pɛ a ɛwɔ Asɔredan no mu no so, na wɔmmɔ afɔre ahorow wɔ ɛno nko ara so.
13“Nokware, ɛsɛ sɛ muhu nea me ne Asiria ahemfo a wɔaka no ayɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ asase so. Anyame a na wɔwɔ saa aman no so no tumi gyee wɔn nkurɔfo fii me tumi ase ana? 14Ma nhwɛso baako kyerɛ onyame bi a ɔwɔ baabi a otumi gyee ne nkurɔfo fii me nsam! Dɛn na ɛma wudwen sɛ, wo Nyankopɔn betumi ayɛ ade pa bi? 15Mommma Hesekia mmu mo kwasea. Mommma ɔnnaadaa mo saa! Miti mu, ka bio se, ɔman biara anyame ntumi nnyee ne nkurɔfo mfii me anaa mʼagyanom nsam da. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na mo Nyankopɔn agye mo afi me tumi ase!”
16Na Sanaherib mpanyimfo kɔɔ so dii Awurade Nyankopɔn ne ne somfo Hesekia ho fɛw, twaa no adapaa. 17Ɔhene no san kyerɛw nkrataa de buu Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn animtiaa. Ɔkyerɛw se: “Sɛnea anyame a wɔwɔ aman ahorow so antumi annye wɔn nkurɔfo amfi me tumi ase no, saa ara na Hesekia Nyankopɔn nso bedi nkogu.” 18Asiria mpanyimfo a wɔde krataa no bae no teɛteɛɛ mu de Hebri kasa kaa saa asɛm yi kyerɛɛ nnipa a wɔaboa wɔn ho ano wɔ kurow no fasu fadansin no so, de hunahunaa wɔn, sɛnea wobetumi afa kuropɔn no a wɔremmrɛ ho. 19Saa mpanyimfo yi kasa faa Yerusalem Nyankopɔn yi ho te sɛ abosonsomfo anyame no mu baako a wɔde nnipa nsa na ɛyɛɛ no.
20Ɔhene Hesekia ne Amos babarima odiyifo Yesaia bɔɔ mpae dennen, frɛɛ ɔsorosoro Nyankopɔn no. 21Na Awurade somaa ɔbɔfo, bɛsɛee Asiria asraafodɔm ne wɔn asahene ne wɔn mpanyimfo nyinaa. Na Sanaherib de aniwu san kɔɔ ne kurom. Na owuraa ne nyame abosonnan mu no, ɔno ankasa mmabarima no mu baako twee ne so afoa, kum no.
22Saa ɔkwan yi na Awurade faa so de gyee Hesekia ne Yerusalem manfo nkwa fii Asiriahene Sanaherib ne wɔn a wohunahuna wɔn no nyinaa nsam. Enti ɛmaa asomdwoe baa asase no so nyinaa. 23Efi saa bere no, aman a atwa wɔn ho ahyia no de obu ne nidi a enni kabea maa ɔhene Hesekia, na wɔde akyɛde bebree a ɛyɛ Awurade dea kɔɔ Yerusalem, na wɔde nneɛma a ɛsom bo kɔmaa Ɔhene Hesekia nso.
Hesekia Yare Ne Nʼayaresa
24Bere no mu, Hesekia yaree owuyare. Ɔbɔɔ mpae frɛɛ Awurade ma ɔsaa no yare daa nsɛnkyerɛnne nwonwaso bi adi kyerɛɛ no. 25Nanso Hesekia anyɛ adɔe a wɔyɛ kyerɛɛ no no so ade, na mmom, ɔbɛyɛɛ ahantan. Enti Awurade abufuw baa ɔno, Yuda ne Yerusalem nyinaa so. 26Enti Hesekia nuu ne ho wɔ nʼahantansu no ho, na ɔmanfo a wɔwɔ Yerusalem no nso brɛɛ wɔn ho ase. Ɛno nti, Hesekia nkwanna mu no, Awurade abufuw amma wɔn so.
27Hesekia nyaa ne ho, na wobuu no yiye. Osisii adekoradan sononko bi a ɔkoraa ne dwetɛ, sikakɔkɔɔ, aboɔden abo, nnuhuam, ne nkatabo ne ne nneɛma a ɛsom bo pii no wɔ mu. 28Ɔsan sisii adekoradan de nʼatoko, ne nsa ne ne ngo guu mu; osisii buw bebree maa nʼanantwi ne ne nguan ne ne mmirekyi. 29Ɔkyekyeree nkurow pii, pɛɛ nguan ne anantwi bebree, efisɛ na Onyankopɔn ama no ahonya bebree.
30Osiw asuti a na ɛwɔ Gihon atifi fam no, na ɔde nsu no faa ɔdorobɛn mu kɔɔ Dawid kuropɔn no atɔe fam. Na biribiara a ɔyɛe no nso, ɛyɛɛ yiye. 31Bere a Babilonia ananmusifo bebisaa nneɛma titiriw a asisi wɔ asase no so no, Onyankopɔn twee ne ho fi Hesekia ho, de sɔɔ no hwɛe, pɛɛ sɛ ohu nea ɛwɔ ne koma mu.
Hesekia Ahenni Awiei
32Hesekia ahenni ho nsɛm nkae ne nʼahofama no, wɔakyerɛw wɔ Amos babarima odiyifo Yesaia anisoadehu a ɛka Yuda ne Israel ahemfo nhoma ho no mu. 33Bere a Hesekia wui no, wosiee no wɔ adehye amusiei no atifi fam, na Yuda ne Yerusalem nyinaa hyɛɛ no anuonyam wɔ ne wu mu. Na ne babarima Manase, dii nʼade sɛ ɔhene.
