Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem
1After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. 2When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to wage war against Jerusalem, 3he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him. 4They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings32:4 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac king of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said. 5Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces32:5 Or the Millo of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons and shields.
6He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: 7“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. 8With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.
9Later, when Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces were laying siege to Lachish, he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah king of Judah and for all the people of Judah who were there:
10“This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you basing your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? 11When Hezekiah says, ‘The Lord our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria,’ he is misleading you, to let you die of hunger and thirst. 12Did not Hezekiah himself remove this god’s high places and altars, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar and burn sacrifices on it’?
13“Do you not know what I and my predecessors have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of those nations ever able to deliver their land from my hand? 14Who of all the gods of these nations that my predecessors destroyed has been able to save his people from me? How then can your god deliver you from my hand? 15Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my predecessors. How much less will your god deliver you from my hand!”
16Sennacherib’s officers spoke further against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah. 17The king also wrote letters ridiculing the Lord, the God of Israel, and saying this against him: “Just as the gods of the peoples of the other lands did not rescue their people from my hand, so the god of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand.” 18Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city. 19They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world—the work of human hands.
20King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. 21And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword.
22So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them32:22 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate He gave them rest on every side. 23Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the Lord and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded by all the nations.
Hezekiah’s Pride, Success and Death
24In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign. 25But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. 26Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.
27Hezekiah had very great wealth and honor, and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables. 28He also made buildings to store the harvest of grain, new wine and olive oil; and he made stalls for various kinds of cattle, and pens for the flocks. 29He built villages and acquired great numbers of flocks and herds, for God had given him very great riches.
30It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and channeled the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook. 31But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.
32The other events of Hezekiah’s reign and his acts of devotion are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33Hezekiah rested with his ancestors and was buried on the hill where the tombs of David’s descendants are. All Judah and the people of Jerusalem honored him when he died. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.
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.
