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, the son of Amoz. He also sent the leading priests and Shebna the secretary to him. All of them were wearing 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 give birth to them. 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 he said to them, “Tell your master, ‘The Lord says, “Do not be afraid of what you have heard. The officers who are under 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 cut down 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. When Sennacherib heard the report, he sent messengers again to Hezekiah with a letter. It 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 Prays to the Lord
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, 16“Lord who rules over all, 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. 17Listen, 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!
18“Lord, it’s true that the kings of Assyria have completely destroyed many nations and their lands. 19They 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. 20Lord our God, save us from the power of Sennacherib. Then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you are the only God.”
Sennacherib Falls From Power
21Isaiah sent a message to Hezekiah. Isaiah said, “The Lord is the God of Israel. He says, ‘You have prayed to me about Sennacherib, the king of Assyria. 22So here is the message the Lord has spoken against him. The Lord is telling him,
“ ‘ “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.
23Who 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!
24Through your messengers
you have laughed at me again and again.
And you have said,
‘I have many chariots.
With them I have climbed 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 mountains.
I’ve reached its finest forests.
25I’ve dug wells in other lands.
I’ve drunk the water from them.
I’ve walked through all the streams of Egypt.
I’ve dried up every one of them.’
26“ ‘ “But I, the Lord, say, ‘Haven’t you heard what I have done?
Long ago I arranged for you to do this.
In days of old I planned it.
Now I have made it happen.
You have turned cities with high walls
into piles of stone.
27Their 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.
28“ ‘ “ ‘But I know where you are.
I know when you come and go.
I know how very angry you are with me.
29You 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.’ ” ’ ”
30The Lord said, “Hezekiah, here is a sign for you.
“This year you will eat what grows by itself.
Next 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.
31The people of the kingdom of Judah who are still alive will be like plants.
Once more they will put down roots and produce fruit.
32Out of Jerusalem will come the people who remain.
Out of Mount Zion will come those who are still left alive.
My great love will make sure that happens.
I rule over all.
33“Here is a message from me about the king of Assyria. I say,
“ ‘He 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.
34By the way that he came he will go home.
He will not enter this city,’
announces the Lord.
35‘I will guard this city and save it.
I will do it for myself.
And I will do it for my servant David.’ ”
36Then the angel of the Lord went into the camp of the Assyrians. He put to death 185,000 soldiers there. The people of Jerusalem got up the next morning. They looked out and saw all the dead bodies. 37So Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, took the army tents down. Then he left. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.
38One 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.
Wɔka Yerusalem Gyeɛ Ho Asɛm
1Ɛberɛ a ɔhene Hesekia tee yeinom no, ɔsunsuanee ne ntadeɛ mu, ɛnna ɔfiraa ayitoma, na ɔkɔɔ Awurade asɔredan mu. 2Na ɔsomaa ahemfie sohwɛfoɔ Eliakim, ɔtwerɛfoɔ Sebna ne asɔfoɔ mpanin a wɔn nyinaa hyehyɛ ayitadeɛ kɔɔ Amos babarima odiyifoɔ Yesaia nkyɛn. 3Wɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Sɛdeɛ ɔhene Hesekia ka nie: Saa ɛda yi yɛ ɔhaw, animka ne animguaseɛ da. Ayɛ te sɛ deɛ mmɔfra awoɔ duru so na ahoɔden a wɔde bɛwo wɔn nni hɔ. 4Nanso, ebia Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn ate sɛ Asiria ɔnanmusini no regu Onyankopɔn teasefoɔ no anim ase, na wɔbɛtwe nʼaso wɔ ne nsɛnkeka no ho. Enti mommɔ mpaeɛ mma nkaeɛfoɔ a wɔte nkwa mu no.”
5Ɛberɛ a ɔhene Hesekia mpanimfoɔ no kɔkaa ɔhene nkra no kyerɛɛ Yesaia no, 6Yesaia ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Ka kyerɛ wo wura sɛ, ‘Sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie: Mma abususɛm a Asiriahene asomafoɔ no ka tiaa me no nha wo. 7Montie! Mede honhom bi rebɛhyɛ ne mu, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a sɛ ɔte asɛm bi a ɔbɛsane akɔ ne ɔman mu na ɛhɔ na mɛma wɔde akofena akum no.’ ”
8Ɛberɛ a ɔsahene no tee sɛ Asiriahene afiri Lakis no, ɔsanee nʼakyi kɔhunuu sɛ ɔhene no ne Libna reko.
9Ankyɛre, ɔhene Sanaherib nyaa nkra sɛ, Tirhaka Etiopiani a ɔyɛ Misraimhene di akodɔm anim rebɛko atia no. Ɛberɛ a ɔteeɛ no, ɔsomaa abɔfoɔ kɔɔ Hesekia nkyɛn de nkra kɔmaa no sɛ: 10“Monka nkyerɛ Yudahene Hesekia sɛ: Ɛmma onyame a wode wo ho ato no so no nnaadaa mo nka sɛ, ‘Asiriahene rentumi mfa Yerusalem.’ 11Moate deɛ Asiria ahemfo ayɛ amanaman no nyinaa. Wɔasɛe wɔn pasaa. Na mo deɛ wɔbɛgye mo anaa? 12Anyame a wɔwɔ aman a me nananom sɛee wɔn no, aman te sɛ Gosan, Haran, Resef ne Edenfoɔ a na wɔwɔ Telasar no anyame gyee wɔn anaa? 13Ɛhe na Hamathene ne Arpadhene, kuropɔn Sefarwaim anaa Hena anaa Iwa ahemfo no wɔ?”
Hesekia Mpaeɛbɔ
14Hesekia nsa kaa krataa a abɔfoɔ no de baeɛ no, ɔkenkaneeɛ. Afei ɔforo kɔɔ Awurade asɔredan no mu kɔtrɛɛ mu wɔ Awurade anim. 15Na Hesekia bɔɔ mpaeɛ kyerɛɛ Awurade sɛ: 16“Ao, Asafo Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn a wodi ɔhene firi Kerubim ntam, wo nko ara na woyɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ asase so ahennie nyinaa so. Wo na wobɔɔ ɔsoro ne asase. 17Brɛ wʼaso ase, Ao Awurade, na tie! Bue wʼani, Ao Awurade, na hwɛ. Tie nsɛm a Sanaherib asoma de abɛsopa Onyankopɔn teasefoɔ no.
18“Ɛyɛ nokorɛ, Awurade, sɛ, Asiria ahemfo asɛe saa aman yi ne wɔn nsase. 19Na wɔato anyame a wɔwɔ saa aman yi so no agu ogya mu, ahye wɔn, ɛfiri sɛ wɔnyɛ anyame na mmom wɔyɛ nnua ne aboɔ a nnipa de wɔn nsa ayɛ. 20Afei, Ao Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn, gye yɛn firi ne nsam, na ama ahennie a ɛwɔ asase so nyinaa ahunu sɛ, wo nko ara, Ao, Awurade, ne Onyankopɔn.”
Sanaherib Asehweɛ
21Na Amos babarima Yesaia too saa nkra yi kɔmaa Hesekia sɛ, “Sɛdeɛ Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn seɛ nie: Esiane sɛ woabɔ me mpaeɛ afa Asiriahene Sanaherib ho no, 22yei ne asɛm a Awurade aka atia no:
“Ɔbabaabunu Sion sopa wo,
na ɔsere wo.
Ɔbabaa Yerusalem di wo ho fɛ,
na ɔwoso ne ti ɛberɛ a woredwane.
23Hwan na wasopa no na woagu ne ho fi yi?
Hwan na woama wo nne so atia no
na wohwɛɛ no ahantan so?
Ɛyɛ Israel ɔkronkronni no!
24Wonam wʼabɔfoɔ so
asoa nsopa agu Awurade so.
Na woaka sɛ,
‘Me nteaseɛnam dodoɔ enti
maforo mmepɔ atentene,
aane Lebanon mmepɔ a ɛwoware pa ara no.
Matwitwa ne ntweneduro atentene no,
ne ne pepeaa a ɛyɛ fɛ no agu fam.
Maduru ne mmepɔ a ɛwɔ akyirikyiri no so,
ne ne kwaeɛbirentuo mu.
25Matutu nsubura wɔ ahɔhoɔ nsase bebree so
de ne nsu pa no adwodwo me ho.
Mpo, mepaee Misraim nsubɔntene mu
sɛdeɛ mʼakodɔm bɛtumi atwa!’
26“Na Monteeɛ?
Ɛberɛ tentene a atwam na mehyɛ too hɔ.
Ɛberɛ bi a atwam no na medwenee ho;
afei mama aba mu sɛ,
moadane nkuropɔn a mosɛe nkuro a wɔwɔ banbɔ
ma wɔdane aboɔ asie.
27Wɔn nkurɔfoɔ a tumi afiri wɔn nsa no
ho adwiri wɔn na animguaseɛ aka wɔn.
Wɔte sɛ afuo so nnua,
ne afifideɛ foforɔ a ɛyɛ mmrɛ;
wɔte sɛ ɛserɛ a ɛfifiri ɛdan atifi.
Ɛhye ansa na anyini.
28“Nanso, menim deɛ woteɛ
ɛberɛ a woba ne ɛberɛ a wokorɔ
ne sɛdeɛ wo bo huru tia me.
29Na ɛsiane mo ahomasoɔ a ɛtia me,
na mʼankasa mate no enti,
mede me darewa bɛsɔ mo hwene mu,
na mede nnareka ato mo ano,
na mama mo afa ɛkwan
a mofaa so baeɛ no so, asane mo akyi.”
30Yei na ɛbɛyɛ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ ama woɔ, Ao Hesekia:
“Saa afe yi wobɛdi deɛ ɛno ankasa fifirie,
afe a ɛtɔ so mmienu no, wobɛdi deɛ ɛfiri mu ba.
Na afe a ɛtɔ so mmiɛnsa so no, mobɛdua mfudeɛ, na moatwa.
Mobɛyɛ bobe nturo, na moadi nʼaba no.
31Na mo a moaka Yuda a moatumi agyina ntua no mu ɔhaw ne abɛbrɛsɛ no ano no,
mobɛsane atena mo asase so, na mobɛdi yie na moadɔre.
32Na nkaeɛfoɔ bi bɛfiri Yerusalem aba,
na nkaeɛfoɔ dɔm afiri Bepɔ Sion so.
Asafo Awurade di nsiyɛ bɛhwɛ ama yei aba mu.
33“Yei ne asɛm a Awurade ka fa Asiriahene ho:
“Ɔrenhyɛne saa kuropɔn yi mu
na ɔrento bɛmma wɔ ha.
Ɔremfa akokyɛm mmɛnnyina kuropɔn no akyi
na ɔrensi otua pie ntia no.
34Ɔhene no kwan a ɔfaa so baeɛ no ara so na ɔbɛsane afa akɔ nʼankasa ɔman mu.”
Awurade ka sɛ,
“Ɔrenwura saa kuro yi mu.
35Mɛko agye saa kuropɔn yi,
ɛsiane mʼankasa mʼanimuonyam ne mʼakoa Dawid enti!”
36Afei Awurade ɔbɔfoɔ firii adi na ɔkunkumm asraafoɔ ɔpeha aduɔwɔtwe enum wɔ Asiria nsraban mu. Ɛberɛ a nnipa no sɔree anɔpa no, wɔhunuu sɛ afunten gugu baabiara! 37Enti Asiriahene Sanaherib pɔnn nʼakodɔm. Ɔsane kɔɔ Ninewe kɔtenaa hɔ.
38Ɛda bi a na ɔresɔre ne nyame Nisrok wɔ abosomdan mu no, ne mma mmarima baanu, Adramelek ne Sareser de akofena kɔkumm no, na wɔdwane kɔɔ Ararat asase so. Na ne babarima Esarhadon bɛdii nʼadeɛ sɛ Asiriahene.
