Jerusalem’s Deliverance Foretold
1When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the Lord. 2He sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. 3They told him, “This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the moment of birth and there is no strength to deliver them. 4It may be that the Lord your God will hear all the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule the living God, and that he will rebuke him for the words the Lord your God has heard. Therefore pray for the remnant that still survives.”
5When King Hezekiah’s officials came to Isaiah, 6Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master, ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. 7Listen! When he hears a certain report, I will make him want to return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword.’ ”
8When the field commander heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish, he withdrew and found the king fighting against Libnah.
9Now Sennacherib received a report that Tirhakah, the king of Cush,19:9 That is, the upper Nile region was marching out to fight against him. So he again sent messengers to Hezekiah with this word: 10“Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says, ‘Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.’ 11Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered? 12Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my predecessors deliver them—the gods of Gozan, Harran, Rezeph and the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar? 13Where is the king of Hamath or the king of Arpad? Where are the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah?”
Hezekiah’s Prayer
14Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. 15And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: “Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.
17“It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. 18They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. 19Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God.”
Isaiah Prophesies Sennacherib’s Fall
20Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria. 21This is the word that the Lord has spoken against him:
“ ‘Virgin Daughter Zion
despises you and mocks you.
Daughter Jerusalem
tosses her head as you flee.
22Who is it you have ridiculed and blasphemed?
Against whom have you raised your voice
and lifted your eyes in pride?
Against the Holy One of Israel!
23By your messengers
you have ridiculed the Lord.
And you have said,
“With my many chariots
I have ascended the heights of the mountains,
the utmost heights of Lebanon.
I have cut down its tallest cedars,
the choicest of its junipers.
I have reached its remotest parts,
the finest of its forests.
24I have dug wells in foreign lands
and drunk the water there.
With the soles of my feet
I have dried up all the streams of Egypt.”
25“ ‘Have you not heard?
Long ago I ordained it.
In days of old I planned it;
now I have brought it to pass,
that you have turned fortified cities
into piles of stone.
26Their people, drained of power,
are dismayed and put to shame.
They are like plants in the field,
like tender green shoots,
like grass sprouting on the roof,
scorched before it grows up.
27“ ‘But I know where you are
and when you come and go
and how you rage against me.
28Because you rage against me
and because your insolence has reached my ears,
I will put my hook in your nose
and my bit in your mouth,
and I will make you return
by the way you came.’
29“This will be the sign for you, Hezekiah:
“This year you will eat what grows by itself,
and the second year what springs from that.
But in the third year sow and reap,
plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
30Once more a remnant of the kingdom of Judah
will take root below and bear fruit above.
31For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant,
and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors.
“The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
32“Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria:
“ ‘He will not enter this city
or shoot an arrow here.
He will not come before it with shield
or build a siege ramp against it.
33By the way that he came he will return;
he will not enter this city,
declares the Lord.
34I will defend this city and save it,
for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.’ ”
35That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! 36So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.
37One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisrok, his sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king.
Hezekia Autafuta Msaada Wa Bwana
(Isaya 37:1-20)
119:1 Mwa 37:34; Hes 14:6Mfalme Hezekia aliposikia haya, akararua nguo zake na kuvaa nguo ya gunia, naye akaenda katika Hekalu la Bwana. 219:2 Yer 19:1; Mwa 37:34Akawatuma Eliakimu msimamizi wa nyumba ya mfalme, Shebna mwandishi, na viongozi wa makuhani, wote wakiwa wamevaa nguo za magunia, waende kwa nabii Isaya mwana wa Amozi. 319:3 Hos 13:13Wakamwambia, “Hili ndilo asemalo Hezekia: Siku hii ni siku ya dhiki, ya kukaripiwa na ya aibu, kama wakati watoto wanapofikia karibu kuzaliwa na kumbe hakuna nguvu ya kuwazaa. 419:4 2Sam 16:12; Yer 37:3Yamkini Bwana, Mungu wako atayasikia maneno ya jemadari wa jeshi, ambaye bwana wake, mfalme wa Ashuru, amemtuma kumdhihaki Mungu aliye hai, tena kwamba atamkemea kwa maneno ambayo Bwana, Mungu wako ameyasikia. Kwa hiyo omba kwa ajili ya mabaki ambao bado wako.”
5Maafisa wa Mfalme Hezekia walipofika kwa Isaya, 619:6 Kum 3:2; Yos 1:9Isaya akawaambia, “Mwambieni bwana wenu, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Usiogope kwa hayo uliyoyasikia, yale maneno ambayo watumishi wa mfalme wa Ashuru wamenitukana nayo. 719:7 Kut 14:24; 2Nya 32:21Sikiliza! Nitatia roho fulani ndani yake ili atakaposikia taarifa fulani, atarudi nchi yake mwenyewe, nami huko nitafanya auawe kwa upanga.’ ”
819:8 2Fal 18:14; Hes 33:20Jemadari wa jeshi aliposikia kwamba mfalme wa Ashuru ameondoka Lakishi, alirudi, akamkuta mfalme akipigana na Libna.
9Basi Senakeribu akapata taarifa kwamba Tirhaka, Mkushi mfalme wa Misri, alikuwa anaenda kupigana naye. Basi akatuma tena wajumbe kwa Hezekia na neno hili: 1019:10 2Fal 18:5“Mwambieni Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda: Usikubali huyo Mungu unayemtumainia akudanganye wakati anaposema, ‘Yerusalemu haitatiwa mkononi mwa mfalme wa Ashuru.’ 11Hakika umesikia yale ambayo wafalme wa Ashuru wametenda kwa nchi zote, wakiwaangamiza kabisa. Je, wewe utaokolewa? 1219:12 2Fal 18:33; Mwa 11:31Je, miungu ya mataifa ambayo yaliangamizwa na baba zangu iliweza kuwaokoa, hiyo miungu ya Gozani, Harani, Resefu, na ya watu wa Edeni waliokuwa Telasari? 1319:13 2Fal 5:7Yuko wapi mfalme wa Hamathi, mfalme wa Arpadi, mfalme wa mji wa Sefarvaimu, au wa Hena au wa Iva?”
Maombi Ya Hezekia
1419:14 2Fal 5:7Hezekia akapokea barua kutoka kwa wale wajumbe, naye akaisoma. Kisha akapanda katika Hekalu la Bwana, akaikunjua mbele za Bwana. 1519:15 Mwa 3:24; Kut 25:22Naye Hezekia akamwomba Bwana akisema: “Ee Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, uketiye juu ya kiti cha enzi kati ya makerubi, wewe peke yako ndiwe Mungu juu ya falme zote za dunia. Wewe umeumba mbingu na nchi. 1619:16 Za 31:2; Kut 3:16Tega sikio, Ee Bwana, usikie; fungua macho yako, Ee Bwana, uone; sikiliza maneno ambayo Senakeribu ametuma kumtukana Mungu aliye hai.
17“Ni kweli, Ee Bwana, kwamba wafalme wa Ashuru wameyaangamiza mataifa haya na nchi zao. 1819:18 Yer 10:3-10; Mdo 17:29Wameitupa miungu yao kwenye moto na kuiangamiza, kwa kuwa haikuwa miungu, bali miti na mawe tu iliyotengenezwa kwa mikono ya wanadamu. 1919:19 1Sam 12:10; Yos 4:24Sasa basi, Ee Bwana Mungu wetu, tuokoe kutoka mkononi mwake, ili falme zote duniani zipate kujua kwamba wewe peke yako, Ee Bwana, ndiwe Mungu.”
Isaya Anatoa Unabii Wa Kuanguka Kwa Senakeribu
(Isaya 37:21-38)
2019:20 1Fal 9:3Kisha Isaya mwana wa Amozi akapeleka ujumbe kwa Hezekia, akasema: “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli: Nimesikia maombi yako kuhusu Senakeribu mfalme wa Ashuru. 2119:21 Isa 47:1; Mao 2:13; Ay 16:4Hili ndilo neno ambalo Bwana amelisema dhidi yake:
“ ‘Bikira Binti Sayuni anakudharau na kukudhihaki.
Binti Yerusalemu anatikisa kichwa chake unapokimbia.
2219:22 Law 19:2; Hos 11:9Ni nani uliyemtukana na kumkufuru?
Ni nani uliyeinua sauti yako dhidi yake,
na kumwinulia macho yako kwa kiburi?
Ni dhidi ya yule Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli!
2319:23 Za 20:7; Eze 31:3Kupitia kwa wajumbe wako
umelundika matukano juu ya Bwana.
Nawe umesema,
“Kwa magari yangu mengi ya vita,
nimepanda juu ya vilele vya milima,
vilele vya juu sana katika Lebanoni.
Nami nimeiangusha mierezi yake mirefu,
misunobari yake iliyo bora sana.
Nimefikia sehemu zake zilizo mbali sana,
misitu yake iliyo mizuri sana.
24Nimechimba visima katika nchi za kigeni
na kunywa maji yake.
Kwa nyayo za miguu yangu
nimekausha vijito vyote vya Misri.”
2519:25 Isa 22:11; Mik 1:6“ ‘Je, hujasikia?
Zamani sana niliamuru hili.
Siku za kale nilipanga hili;
sasa nimelifanya litokee,
kwamba umegeuza miji yenye ngome
kuwa malundo ya mawe.
2619:26 Eze 7:17; Ay 8:12Watu wa miji hiyo wameishiwa nguvu,
wanavunjika mioyo na kuaibishwa.
Wao ni kama mimea katika shamba,
kama machipukizi mororo ya kijani,
kama majani yachipuayo juu ya paa la nyumba,
ambayo hukauka kabla ya kukua.
2719:27 Za 139:1-4“ ‘Lakini ninajua mahali ukaapo,
kutoka kwako na kuingia kwako,
na jinsi unavyoghadhibika dhidi yangu.
2819:28 2Nya 33:11; Eze 29:4Kwa sababu unaghadhibika dhidi yangu,
na ufidhuli wako umefika masikioni mwangu,
nitaweka ndoana yangu puani mwako
na hatamu yangu kinywani mwako,
nami nitakufanya urudi kwa njia ile uliyoijia.’
2919:29 Lk 2:12; Za 107:37“Hii ndiyo itakuwa ishara kwako, ee Hezekia:
“Mwaka huu utakula kile kiotacho chenyewe,
na mwaka wa pili utakula kutoka machipukizi yake.
Lakini katika mwaka wa tatu, panda na uvune,
panda mashamba ya mizabibu na ule matunda yake.
3019:30 Mwa 45:7; Amo 9:14Mara nyingine tena mabaki ya nyumba ya Yuda
wataeneza mizizi chini na kuzaa matunda juu.
3119:31 Mwa 45:7; Isa 9:7Kwa kuwa kutoka Yerusalemu watakuja mabaki,
na kutoka Mlima Sayuni kundi la walionusurika.
Wivu wa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ndio utatimiza jambo hili.
32“Kwa hiyo hili ndilo asemalo Bwana kuhusu mfalme wa Ashuru:
“Hataingia katika mji huu
wala hatapiga mshale hapa.
Hatakuja mbele yake akiwa na ngao,
wala kupanga majeshi kuuzingira.
33Kwa njia ile aliyoijia, ndiyo atakayorudi;
hataingia katika mji huu,
asema Bwana.
3419:34 2Fal 20:6; 2Sam 7:15Nitaulinda mji huu na kuuokoa,
kwa ajili yangu mwenyewe,
na kwa ajili ya Daudi mtumishi wangu.”
3519:35 Ay 24:24Usiku ule, malaika wa Bwana akaenda, akawaua wanajeshi 185,000 katika kambi ya Waashuru. Wenzao walipoamka asubuhi yake, walikuta maiti kila mahali! 3619:36 Mwa 10:11Basi Senakeribu mfalme wa Ashuru akavunja kambi na kuondoka. Akarudi Ninawi na kukaa huko.
3719:37 2Fal 17:31; Mwa 8:4Siku moja, alipokuwa akiabudu katika hekalu la mungu wake Nisroki, wanawe Adrameleki na Shareza wakamuua kwa upanga, nao wakakimbilia nchi ya Ararati. Naye Esar-Hadoni mwanawe akawa mfalme badala yake.
