2 Kings 20 – NIRV & JCB

New International Reader’s Version

2 Kings 20:1-21

Hezekiah Becomes Sick

1In those days Hezekiah became very sick. He was about to die. Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him. Isaiah told Hezekiah, “The Lord says, ‘Put everything in order. Make out your will. You are going to die soon. You will not get well again.’ ”

2Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall. He prayed to the Lord. He said, 3Lord, please remember how faithful I’ve been to you. I’ve lived the way you wanted me to. I’ve served you with all my heart. I’ve done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4Isaiah was leaving the middle courtyard. Before he had left it, a message came to him from the Lord. He said, 5“Go back and speak to Hezekiah. He is the ruler of my people. Tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of King David, says, “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. And I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to my temple. 6I will add 15 years to your life. And I will save you and this city from the power of the king of Assyria. I will guard this city. I will do it for myself. And I will do it for my servant David.” ’ ”

7Then Isaiah said, “Press some figs together. Spread them on a piece of cloth.” So that’s what they did. Then they applied it to Hezekiah’s boil. And he got well again.

8Hezekiah had said to Isaiah, “You say the Lord will heal me. You say that I’ll go up to his temple on the third day from now. What will the sign be to prove he’ll really do that?”

9Isaiah answered, “The Lord will do what he has promised. Here is his sign to you. Do you want the shadow the sun makes to go forward ten steps? Or do you want it to go back ten steps?”

10“It’s easy for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah. “So have it go back ten steps.”

11Then Isaiah the prophet called out to the Lord. And the Lord made the shadow go back ten steps. It went back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway Ahaz had made.

Messengers Come From Babylon to Hezekiah

12At that time Marduk-Baladan, the king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah letters and a gift. He had heard that Hezekiah had been sick. Marduk-Baladan was the son of Baladan. 13Hezekiah received the messengers. He showed them everything in his storerooms. He showed them the silver and gold. He showed them the spices and the fine olive oil. He showed them where he kept his weapons. And he showed them all his treasures. In fact, he showed them everything in his palace and in his whole kingdom.

14Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah. He asked him, “What did those men say? Where did they come from?”

“They came from a land far away,” Hezekiah said. “They came from Babylon.”

15The prophet asked, “What did they see in your palace?”

“They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “I showed them all my treasures.”

16Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to the Lord’s message. He says, 17‘You can be sure the time will come when everything in your palace will be carried off to Babylon. Everything the kings before you have stored up until this day will be taken away. There will not be anything left,’ says the Lord. 18‘Some of the members of your family line will be taken away. They will be your own flesh and blood. They will include the children who will be born into your family line in years to come. And they will serve the king of Babylon in his palace.’ ”

19“The message the Lord has spoken through you is good,” Hezekiah replied. He thought, “There will be peace and safety while I’m still living.”

20The other events of the rule of Hezekiah are written down. That includes how he made the pool and the tunnel. He used them to bring water into Jerusalem. Everything he accomplished is written in the official records of the kings of Judah. 21Hezekiah joined the members of his family who had already died. Hezekiah’s son Manasseh became the next king after him.

Japanese Contemporary Bible

列王記Ⅱ 20:1-21

20

病にかかったヒゼキヤ

1そのころ、ヒゼキヤは重病をわずらい、明日をも知れぬ身となりました。預言者イザヤは彼を訪ねて来て言いました。「身の回りを整理しておかれますように。病気は治らない、と主のおことばがありました。」

2王は顔を壁に向け、主に嘆願しました。 3「ああ主よ。どうか、私がいつもあなたにお従いし、何につけてもあなたをお喜ばせしようとしてきたことを思い出してください。」こう言って、彼は泣き伏しました。

4イザヤがまだ中庭を出ないうちに、再び主のことばがありました。 5「わたしの民の指導者ヒゼキヤのもとに引き返して、こう告げなさい。先祖ダビデの神、主は、王の祈りを聞き、涙を見た。わたしは彼を癒やそう。三日後には、彼は床から起き上がり、神殿の前に立つ。 6彼の寿命を十五年延ばそう。そしてアッシリヤの王の手から、王とこの町とを救い出す。そうするのは、わたしの栄光のため、また、わたしのしもべダビデのためである。」

7イザヤは、干しいちじくをゆでて軟膏を作り、それをヒゼキヤ王の腫れものに塗るよう指示しました。すると、王は治ったのです。

8ヒゼキヤはイザヤにこう言いました。「主が私を癒やされ、三日後にまた神殿に行けるという証拠を見せてください。」

9イザヤは言いました。「よろしい。主はあなたにしるしを見せてくださいます。日時計の上の影を十度進ませるか、それとも十度引き戻すか、どちらを選びますか。」

10「影は進むと決まっているから、あとに戻るようにしてください。」

11イザヤはそのように祈りました。すると、主は日時計の影を十度後戻りさせたのです。

バビロンからの使者

12そのころ、バルアダンの子、バビロンの王メロダク・バルアダンは、ヒゼキヤ王が病気だというので、見舞いの使者を送り、手紙と贈り物を届けました。 13ヒゼキヤは使者を喜んで迎え、宝物として大事にしまってある金、銀、香料、香油、武器などをすべて見せました。

14そこでイザヤは、ヒゼキヤに会って尋ねました。「あの人たちは何を求めたのですか。どこから来たのですか。」

ヒゼキヤは、「はるばるバビロンから来られました」と言いました。

15イザヤが、「彼らは宮殿で何を見たのですか」と聞くと、「私の宝物倉にある物は全部見せました」とヒゼキヤは答えました。

16すると、イザヤはヒゼキヤに言いました。「主のおことばを聞きなさい。 17『この宮殿にある物が、一つ残らずバビロンに運ばれる時がくる。先祖の宝物はすべて持ち去られ、何も残らない。 18あなたの息子のうちから、捕虜になって、バビロン王の宮殿で宦官として仕える者が出る。』」

19「よくわかりました。主のお望みなら、それもけっこうです。」実を言うと王は、自分が生きている間は平和と安全が保証されると考えていたのです。

20ヒゼキヤ王のその他の業績、貯水池と水道を造って町に水を引いたことなどは、『ユダ諸王の年代記』に記録されています。 21こうして王は死んで、その子マナセが新しく王となりました。