Hezekiah Asks Isaiah for Advice
(2 Kings 19.1-13)1 As soon as Hezekiah heard the news, he tore off his clothes in sorrow and put on sackcloth. Then he went into the temple of the Lord. 2 He told Prime Minister Eliakim, Assistant Prime Minister Shebna, and the senior priests to dress in sackcloth and tell me:
3 Isaiah, these are difficult and disgraceful times. Our nation is like a woman too weak to give birth, when it's time for her baby to be born. 4 Please pray for those of us who are left alive. The king of Assyria sent his army commander to insult the living God. Perhaps the Lord heard what he said and will do something, if you will pray.
5 When these leaders came to me, 6 I told them that the Lord had this message for Hezekiah:
I am the Lord. Don't worry about the insulting things that have been said about me by these messengers from the king of Assyria. 7 I will upset him with rumors about what's happening in his own country. He will go back, and there I will make him die a violent death.
8 Meanwhile the commander of the Assyrian forces heard that his king had left the town of Lachish and was now attacking Libnah. So he went there.
9 About this same time, the king of Assyria learned that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was on his way to attack him. Then the king of Assyria sent some messengers with this note for Hezekiah:
10 Don't trust your God or be fooled by his promise to defend Jerusalem against me. 11 You have heard how we Assyrian kings have completely wiped out other nations. What makes you feel so safe? 12 The Assyrian kings before me destroyed the towns of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and everyone from Eden who lived in Telassar. What good did their gods do them? 13 The kings of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah have all disappeared.
Hezekiah Prays
(2 Kings 19.14-19)14 After Hezekiah had read the note from the king of Assyria, he took it to the temple and spread it out for the Lord to see. 15 Then he prayed:
16 Lord God All-Powerful of Israel, your throne is above the winged creatures. You created the heavens and the earth, and you alone rule the kingdoms of this world. 17 Just look and see how Sennacherib has insulted you, the living God.
18 It is true, our Lord, that Assyrian kings have turned nations into deserts. 19 They destroyed the idols of wood and stone that the people of those nations had made and worshiped. 20 But you are our Lord and our God! We ask you to keep us safe from the Assyrian king. Then everyone in every kingdom on earth will know that you are the only Lord.
Isaiah Gives the Lord's Answer to Hezekiah
(2 Kings 19.20-34)21-22 I went to Hezekiah and told him that the Lord God of Israel had said:
Hezekiah, you prayed to me about King Sennacherib of Assyria. Now this is what I say to that king:
The people of Jerusalem
hate and make fun of you;
they laugh behind your back.
23 Sennacherib, you cursed,
shouted and sneered at me,
the holy One of Israel.
24 You let your officials
insult me, the Lord.
And here is what you
have said about yourself,
“I led my chariots
to the highest heights
of Lebanon's mountains.
I went deep into its forest,
cutting down the best cedar
and cypress trees.
25 I dried up every stream
in the land of Egypt,
and I drank water
from wells I had dug.”
26 Sennacherib, now listen
to me, the Lord.
I planned all of this long ago.
And you don't even know
that I alone am the one
who decided that you
would do these things.
I let you make ruins
of fortified cities.
27 Their people became weak,
terribly confused.
They were like wild flowers
or like tender young grass
growing on a flat roof
or like a field of grain
before it matures.
28 I know all about you,
even how fiercely angry
you are with me.
29 I have seen your pride
and the tremendous hatred
you have for me.
Now I will put a hook
in your nose,
a bit in your mouth,
then I will send you back
to where you came from.
30 Hezekiah, I will tell you what's going to happen. This year you will eat crops that grow on their own, and the next year you will eat whatever springs up where those crops grew. But the third year, you will plant grain and vineyards, and you will eat what you harvest. 31 Those who survive in Judah will be like a vine that puts down deep roots and bears fruit. 32 I, the Lord All-Powerful, will see to it that some who live in Jerusalem will survive.
33 I promise that the king of Assyria won't get into Jerusalem, or shoot an arrow into the city, or even surround it and prepare to attack. 34 As surely as I am the Lord, he will return by the way he came and will never enter Jerusalem. 35 I will protect it for the sake of my own honor and because of the promise I made to my servant David.
The Death of King Sennacherib
(2 Kings 19.35-37)36 The Lord sent an angel to the camp of the Assyrians, and he killed 185,000 of them all in one night. The next morning, the camp was full of dead bodies. 37 After this, King Sennacherib went back to Assyria and lived in the city of Nineveh. 38 One day he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, when his sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, killed him with their swords. They escaped to the land of Ararat, and his son Esarhaddon became king.
Hizkija meklē palīdzību pie Jesajas
(2Ķēn 19:1–13)1 Kad ķēniņš Hizkija to dzirdēja, viņš saplēsa savas drānas, ietinās maisā un devās uz Kunga namu. 2 Viņš sūtīja nama pārvaldnieku Eljākīmu, rakstvedi Šebnu un priesteru vecajos, maisos tērptus, pie pravieša Jesajas, Āmoca dēla. 3 Viņi tam teica: “Tā saka Hizkija: šī diena ir nelaimes, soda un nievu diena – bērni jau līdz klēpjgalam tikuši, bet dzemdēt nav spēka! 4 Varbūt Kungs, tavs Dievs, izdzirdēs, ko sacījis virsnieku vadonis, ko Asīrijas ķēniņš sūtījis izsmiet dzīvo Dievu, – varbūt viņš to sodīs par vārdiem, ko dzirdējis Kungs, tavs Dievs, bet tu raidi augšup lūgšanu par to atlikumu, kas te vēl atrodams!” 5 Ķēniņa Hizkijas kalpi nāca pie Jesajas, 6 un Jesaja tiem teica: “Tā sakiet savam kungam: tā saka Kungs: nenobīsties vārdu dēļ, ko dzirdēji, kad Asīrijas ķēniņa kalpi ar tiem mani paļāja! 7 Redzi, es ielikšu viņā garu – viņš saklausīsies tenkas un dosies atpakaļ uz savu zemi, un es likšu, lai viņš krīt no zobena savā zemē!”
8 Kad virsnieku vadonis atgriezās, viņš uzzināja, ka Asīrijas ķēniņš uzbrūk Libnai, – tas bija dzirdējis, ka viņš jau devies projām no Lāhīšas, 9 padzirdējis par Kūšas ķēniņu Tirhāku sakām: tas jau devies cīnīties pret tevi! – un, to saklausījis, viņš sūtīja vēstnešus pie Hizkijas, sacīdams: 10 “Tā sakiet Jūdas ķēniņam Hizkijam: lai tevi nepieviļ Dievs, uz kuru tu paļaujies, domādams, ka Jeruzāleme netiks atdota Asīrijas ķēniņam! 11 Redzi, tu esi dzirdējis, ko Asīrijas ķēniņi darījuši visām zemēm – tās nopostījuši! – un tu vēl ceri glābties?! 12 Vai viņus izglāba to tautu dievi, ko nopostīja mani tēvi – Gozānu un Hārānu, un Recefu, un Ēdenes dēlus, kas bija Telāsārā. 13 Kur ir Hamātas ķēniņš un Arpadas ķēniņš, un Sefarvaimas pilsētas ķēniņš, tāpat Hēnas un Ivas ķēniņi?”
Hizkijas lūgšana
(2Ķēn 19:14–34)14 Hizkija ņēma vēstuli, ko bija atnesuši vēstneši, lasīja to un tad devās uz Kunga namu. Tur Hizkija attina to Kunga priekšā. 15 Hizkija lūdza Kungu: 16 “Pulku Kungs, Israēla Dievs! Tu starp ķerubiem mīti, tu vienīgais Dievs visām zemes valstībām, tu darināji debesis un zemi! 17 Pievērs, Kungs, savu ausi un klausies, atver, Kungs, savas acis un redzi, sadzirdi visus Sanherība vārdus, ko viņš atsūtījis, izsmiedams dzīvo Dievu! 18 Tiešām, Kungs, Asīrijas ķēniņš nopostījis zemju zemes, 19 un viņu dievus tie ugunī meta, jo tie nav dievi, bet cilvēka roku darbs – koks un akmens –, tādēļ tie tika izdeldēti! 20 Tad nu, Kungs, mūsu Dievs, glāb mūs no viņa rokas, lai visas zemes valstības zina, ka tu vienīgais esi Kungs!”
21 Jesaja, Āmoca dēls, lika Hizkijam teikt: “Tā saka Kungs, Israēla Dievs: tādēļ ka tu lūdzies mani Sanherība, Asīrijas ķēniņa, dēļ, 22 Kungs par viņu sacīja šos vārdus:
nicina tevi un nievā tevi,
jaunava, Ciānas meita,
tev aiz muguras galvu krata,
Jeruzālemes meita!
23 Ko tu paļāji un nievāji,
pret ko tu pacēli balsi,
pret ko augstu cēli acis –
pret Israēla Svēto!
24 Tu saviem kalpiem liki
izsmiet manu Kungu,
tu sacīji: man daudz kararatu,
es kāpšu kalnu virsotnēs,
tur tālu Lebanonā,
nocirtīšu tā slaidos ciedrus,
tā lepnākās cipreses,
tā augstienēs nokļūšu,
tā auglīgajā mežā!
25 Tikko paroku –
un tūdaļ ūdeni dzeru,
ar savu kāju pazolēm
visas Ēģiptes straumes nosusinu!
26 Vai jau izsenis neesi dzirdējis –
to es esmu darījis,
kopš senām dienām to nolicis,
un tagad es lieku tam notikt,
lai drupu kaudzēs sabrūk
nocietinātās pilsētas!
27 To iemītniekiem nolaižas rokas,
tie satriekti un apkaunoti,
tie kļuvuši kā zāle uz lauka,
kā nezāļu dīgsti,
kā jumta zālājs,
kā labības rūsa,
pirms druva nobriedusi!
28 Vai tu celies, vai sēdies,
vai ej, vai nāc –
es zinu,
kā tu dumpo pret mani!
29 Tādēļ ka tu dumpo pret mani
un tava nekaunība man nākusi ausīs,
es tavās nāsīs ievēršu riņķi
un likšu laužņus tev mutē –
sūtīšu tevi pa to pašu ceļu,
ko esi nācis!
30 Un šī tev ir zīme –
šogad ēdīs to, kas atmatā,
un arī nākamajā gadā atmatā augušo,
bet trešajā gadā jūs sēsiet un vāksiet,
jūs stādīsiet vīnadārzus
un ēdīsiet to augļus!
31 Jūdas nama izglābtie un atlikušie ies vairumā,
sakne – uz leju, bet auglis uz augšu riesīsies!
32 Jo no Jeruzālemes nāks atlikums
un izglābtie no Ciānas kalna –
to darīs Pulku Kunga degsme!
33 Tādēļ tā saka Kungs par Asīrijas ķēniņu:
viņš šajā pilsētā neienāks,
viņš tur bultu neiešaus,
ar vairogu tai priekšā nestās
un valni pret to neuzbērs!
34 Viņš aizies pa to pašu ceļu,
pa kuru nācis,
viņš šajā pilsētā neienāks,
teicis Kungs,
35 es pasargāšu šo pilsētu,
es to glābšu –
manis un mana kalpa Dāvida dēļ!”
Sanherība sakāve un nāve
(2Ķēn 19:35–37)36 Tad Kunga eņģelis gāja un nokāva Asīrijas nometnē simts astoņdesmit piecus tūkstošus. Un citi rīta agrumā ceļas, un, redzi, šie visi guļ beigti! 37 Tad Asīrijas ķēniņš Sanherībs nojauca nometni, devās atpakaļ un apmetās Ninivē. 38 Kad viņš zemojās sava dieva Nisroha namā, viņa dēli Adramelehs un Sarecers nokāva viņu ar zobenu, bet paši aizmuka uz Arārata zemi. Pēc viņa sāka valdīt viņa dēls Ēsar-Hadons.
