Messengers Come From Babylon to Hezekiah
1At that time Marduk-Baladan, the king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah letters and a gift. He had heard that Hezekiah had been sick but had gotten well again. Marduk-Baladan was the son of Baladan. 2Hezekiah gladly received the messengers. He showed them what was in his storerooms. He showed them the silver and gold. He took them to where the spices and the fine olive oil were kept. He showed them where he kept all his weapons. And he showed them all his treasures. In fact, he showed them everything that was in his palace and in his whole kingdom.
3Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah. Isaiah asked him, “What did those men say? Where did they come from?”
“They came from a land far away,” Hezekiah said. “They came to me from Babylon.”
4Isaiah asked, “What did they see in your palace?”
“They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “I showed them all my treasures.”
5Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to the message of the Lord who rules over all. He says, 6‘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. 7‘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. And they will serve the king of Babylon in his palace.’ ”
8“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.”
Asomafo A Wofi Babilonia
1Saa bere no Merodak-Baladan a ɔyɛ Babiloniahene Baladan babarima soma ma wɔde krataa ne akyɛde kɔmaa Hesekia, efisɛ na wate sɛ wayare ama ne ho atɔ no. 2Hesekia gyee asomafo no fɛw so, na afei ɔde nea ɔwɔ wɔ ne adekoradan mu kyerɛɛ wɔn; dwetɛ, sikakɔkɔɔ, nnuhuam, ngohuam, nʼakode akorae ne biribiara a ɛka nʼademude ho. Biribiara nni nʼahemfi ne nʼahenni mu a Hesekia amfa ankyerɛ wɔn.
3Afei Odiyifo Yesaia kɔɔ ɔhene Hesekia nkyɛn, kobisaa no se, “Asɛm bɛn na saa mmarima no kae na he na wofi bae?”
Hesekia buae se, “Wofi akyirikyiri asase bi so. Wofi Babilonia, na wɔbaa me nkyɛn.”
4Odiyifo no bisae se, “Dɛn na wohuu wɔ wʼahemfi hɔ?”
Hesekia buae se, “Wohuu biribiara a ɛwɔ mʼahemfi ha. Biribiara nni mʼademude mu a mamfa ankyerɛ wɔn.”
5Afei Yesaia ka kyerɛɛ Hesekia se, “Tie asɛm a efi Asafo Awurade nkyɛn: 6Nokware, bere bi bɛba a, wɔbɛsoa biribiara a ɛwɔ wʼahemfi ne agyapade a wʼagyanom akora de abedu nnɛ no akɔ Babilonia. Biribiara renka, sɛɛ na Awurade se. 7Wʼankasa wʼasefo bi mpo, wɔbɛfa wɔn nnommum. Wɔbɛyɛ piamfo a wɔbɛsom wɔ Babiloniahene ahemfi.”
8Na Hesekia ka kyerɛɛ Yesaia se, “Saa asɛm yi a efi Awurade nkyɛn a woaka akyerɛ me yi yɛ asɛm papa.” Nanso na ɔhene no redwene sɛ, ne bere so de, obenya asomdwoe ne bammɔ.
