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 nokorɛdie wiee saa dwumadie yi, Asiriahene Sanaherib bɛto hyɛɛ Yuda so, dii so nkonim. Ɔtuaa nkuro a wɔabɔ ho ban no, na ɔhyɛɛ nʼakodɔm sɛ wɔmmubu wɔn afasuo no, mmɔ nhyɛne mu. 2Ɛberɛ a Hesekia hunuu sɛ Sanaherib asane ayɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔbɛto ahyɛ Yerusalem so no, 3ɔne ne mpanimfoɔ ne nʼasraafoɔ mu afotufoɔ tuu agyina. Wɔsii gyinaeɛ sɛ, wɔbɛsi nsutire no kwan na antene ankɔ kuropɔn no akyi. 4Wɔboaboaa adwumayɛfoɔ ano sɛ wɔnkɔsi nsutire kwan na antene ankɔ mfuo no mu. Na wɔkaa sɛ, “Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ Asiria ahemfo bɛba ha abɛnya nsuo bebree?” 5Afei, Hesekia miaa ne banbɔ mu, ɔsiesiee ɔfasuo no baabiara a abubuo no, na ɔtoo ɔfasuo foforɔ kaa deɛ ɛwɔ hɔ dada no ho. Ɔsane miaa banbɔ a ɛwɔ Milo a ɛwɔ Dawid kuropɔn no mu no. Afei ɔyɛɛ akodeɛ ne akokyɛm bebree.
6Ɔyii asraafoɔ mpanimfoɔ, ma wɔhwɛɛ ɔmanfoɔ no so, na ɔhyɛɛ sɛ wɔmmɛhyia no wɔ kuro no ɛpono ano adwaberem hɔ. Na Hesekia kaa nkuranhyɛsɛm kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, 7“Monyɛ den na momma mo bo nyɛ duru. Monnsuro Asiriahene anaa nʼakodɔm kɛseɛ no, na yɛwɔ tumi a ɛso wɔ yɛn afa. 8Ɛwom sɛ ɔwɔ akodɔm kɛseɛ deɛ, nanso wɔyɛ nnipa kɛkɛ. Yɛwɔ Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn a ɔbɛboa yɛn, adi ako ama yɛn.” Saa nsɛm a Hesekia, Yudahene kaeɛ yi hyɛɛ ɔmanfoɔ no nkuran bebree.
Senaherib Hunahuna Yerusalem
9Ɛberɛ a Asiriahene Sanaherib gu so retua Lakis kuro no, ɔsomaa mpanimfoɔ kɔɔ Yerusalem sɛ wɔmfa saa nkra yi nkɔma Hesekia ne ne manfoɔ a wɔwɔ kuro no mu nyinaa:
10“Sɛdeɛ Asiriahene Sanaherib seɛ nie: Ɛdeɛn na mode mo ho to so, na ɛma mo susu sɛ, mobɛtumi agyina Yerusalem tua yi ano? 11Hesekia aka sɛ: ‘Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn, bɛgye yɛn afiri Asiriahene nsam.’ Nokorɛm, Hesekia regyegye mo, ama ɛkɔm ne sukɔm akum mo! 12Nokorɛm, deɛ ɛsɛ sɛ mote aseɛ ne sɛ, Hesekia no ara na ɔbubuu Awurade asɔreeɛ ne afɔrebukyia no nyinaa. Ɔhyɛɛ Yuda ne Yerusalem sɛ wɔnsom wɔ afɔrebukyia baako pɛ a ɛwɔ Asɔredan no mu no so, na wɔmmɔ afɔdeɛ ahodoɔ wɔ ɛno nko ara so.
13“Nokorɛm, ɛsɛ sɛ mohunu deɛ me ne Asiria ahemfo a aka no ayɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ asase so. Anyame a na wɔwɔ saa aman no so no tumi gyee wɔn nkurɔfoɔ firii me tumi ase? 14Ma nhwɛsoɔ baako kyerɛ onyame bi a ɔwɔ baabi a ɔtumi gyee ne nkurɔfoɔ firii me nsam! Ɛdeɛn na ɛma wodwene sɛ, wo Onyankopɔn bɛtumi ayɛ ade pa bi? 15Mommma Hesekia mmu mo kwasea. Mommma ɔnnaadaa mo saa! Meti mu, ka bio sɛ, ɔman biara nyame ntumi nnyee ne nkurɔfoɔ mfirii me anaa mʼagyanom nsam da. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na mo Onyankopɔn agye mo afiri me tumi ase!”
16Na Sanaherib mpanimfoɔ kɔɔ so dii Awurade Onyankopɔn ne ne ɔsomfoɔ Hesekia ho fɛw, twaa no adapaa. 17Ɔhene no sane twerɛɛ nkrataa de buu Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn animtiaa. Ɔtwerɛɛ sɛ: “Sɛdeɛ anyame a wɔwɔ aman ahodoɔ so antumi annye wɔn nkurɔfoɔ amfiri me tumi ase no, saa ara, na Hesekia Onyankopɔn nso bɛdi nkoguo.” 18Asiria mpanimfoɔ a wɔde krataa no baeɛ no teateaam de Hebri kasa kaa saa asɛm yi kyerɛɛ nnipa a wɔaboa wɔn ho ano wɔ kuro no ɔfasuo fasin so, de hunahunaa wɔn, sɛdeɛ wɔbɛtumi afa kuropɔn no a wɔmmerɛ ho. 19Saa mpanimfoɔ yi kasa faa Yerusalem Onyankopɔn yi ho te sɛ abosonsomfoɔ anyame no mu baako a wɔde nnipa nsa na ɛyɛeɛ no.
20Afei, ɔhene Hesekia ne Amos babarima odiyifoɔ Yesaia bɔɔ mpaeɛ denden, frɛɛ ɔsorosoro Onyankopɔn no. 21Na Awurade somaa ɔbɔfoɔ, bɛsɛee Asiria akodɔm ne wɔn asahene ne wɔn mpanimfoɔ nyinaa. Na Sanaherib de aniwuo sane kɔɔ ne kurom. Na ɔwuraa ne nyame abosonnan mu no, ɔno ankasa mmammarima no mu baako twee ne so akofena, kumm no.
22Saa ɛkwan yi na Awurade faa so de gyee Hesekia ne Yerusalem manfoɔ nkwa, firii Asiriahene Sanaherib ne wɔn a wɔhunahuna wɔn no nyinaa nsam. Enti, ɛmaa asomdwoeɛ baa asase no so nyinaa. 23Ɛfiri saa ɛberɛ no, aman a atwa wɔn ho ahyia no de obuo ne anidie a ɛnni kabea maa ɔhene Hesekia, na wɔde akyɛdeɛ bebree a ɛyɛ Awurade dea kɔɔ Yerusalem, na wɔde nneɛma a ɛsom bo kɔmaa Ɔhene Hesekia nso.
Hesekia Yadeɛ Ne Nʼayaresa
24Ɛberɛ no mu, Hesekia yaree yarewuo. Ɔbɔɔ mpaeɛ frɛɛ Awurade, maa ɔsaa no yadeɛ daa nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ nwanwasoɔ bi adi kyerɛɛ no. 25Nanso, Hesekia anyɛ adɔeɛ a wɔyɛ kyerɛɛ no no so adeɛ, na mmom, ɔbɛyɛɛ ahantan. Enti, Awurade abufuo baa ɔno, Yuda ne Yerusalem nyinaa so. 26Enti, Hesekia nuu ne ho wɔ nʼahantansu no ho, na ɔmanfoɔ a wɔwɔ Yerusalem no nso brɛɛ wɔn ho ase. Ɛno enti, Hesekia nkwanna mu no, Awurade abufuo amma wɔn so.
27Hesekia nyaa ne ho, na wɔbuu no yie. Ɔsisii adekoradan sononko bi a ɔkoraa ne dwetɛ, sikakɔkɔɔ, aboɔdemmoɔ, nnuhwam, nʼakyɛm ne ne nneɛma a ɛsom bo pii no wɔ mu. 28Afei nso, ɔsisii adekoradan de nʼatokoɔ, ne nsã ne ne ngo guu mu; ɔsisii buo bebree maa nʼanantwie ne ne nnwan ne ne mpɔnkye. 29Ɔkyekyeree nkuro pii, pɛɛ nnwan ne anantwie bebree, ɛfiri sɛ, Onyankopɔn maa no ahonya bebree.
30Ɔsii asutire a na ɛwɔ Gihon atifi fam no, na ɔde nsuo no faa dorobɛn mu kɔɔ Dawid kuropɔn atɔeɛ fam. Na biribiara a ɔyɛeɛ no nso, ɛyɛɛ yie. 31Ɛberɛ a Babilonia ananmusifoɔ bɛbisaa nneɛma titire a asisi wɔ asase no so no, Onyankopɔn twee ne ho firi Hesekia ho, de sɔɔ no hwɛeɛ, pɛɛ sɛ ɔhunu deɛ ɛwɔ nʼakoma mu.
Hesekia Ahennie Tiawatwa
32Hesekia ahennie ho nsɛm nkaeɛ ne nʼahofama no, wɔatwerɛ wɔ Amos babarima odiyifoɔ Yesaia anisoadehunu a ɛka Yuda ne Israel ahemfo nwoma ho no mu. 33Ɛberɛ a Hesekia wuiɛ no, wɔsiee no wɔ adehyeɛ amusieeɛ no atifi fam, na Yuda ne Yerusalem nyinaa hyɛɛ no animuonyam ne wuo mu. Afei, ne babarima Manase, dii nʼadeɛ sɛ ɔhene.
