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.
1 Kad ķēniņš Hiskija to dzirdēja, viņš saplēsa savas drēbes, apvilka sēru drēbes un gāja Tā Kunga namā. 2 Bet savu nama pārvaldnieku Ēljakīmu un valsts rakstvedi Sebnu līdz ar vecākiem priesteriem, ģērbtus sēru drēbēs, viņš sūtīja pie pravieša Jesajas, Amoca dēla. 3 Un tie viņu uzrunāja: "Tā saka Hiskija: šī diena ir bēdu, soda, pazemojuma un lāstu diena, jo bērni taisījās piedzimt, bet tie nevar piedzimt aiz nespēka. 4 Kaut jel Tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, dzirdētu Rabsaka vārdus, ko viņa kungs, Asīrijas ķēniņš, atsūtījis, lai zaimotu dzīvo Dievu, un kaut viņu sodītu to vārdu dēļ, ko Tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, dzirdēja! Aizlūdz par tiem, kas vēl atlikuši!" 5 Un ķēniņa Hiskijas kalpi nāca pie Jesajas, 6 un Jesaja tiem sacīja: "Aiznesiet savam kungam šādu atbildi: tā saka Tas Kungs: nebīsties to vārdu dēļ, ko tu dzirdēji, ar kuriem Asīrijas ķēniņa kalpi Mani zaimoja! 7 Redzi, Es viņam likšu pieņemt lēmumu, ka viņš, saņēmis kādas ziņas, atgriezīsies savā zemē, un viņš kritīs savā zemē no zobena." 8 Kad Rabsaks atgriezās, viņš atrada Asīrijas ķēniņu aplenkušu Libnu, jo viņš dzirdēja, ka tas jau aizgājis no Lahišas. 9 Kad Sanheribs saņēma ziņu, ka Etiopijas ķēniņš Tirhaka izgājis karot pret viņu, tad viņš sūtīja vēstnešus pie Hiskijas un lika tam sacīt: 10 "Jūdas ķēniņam Hiskijam sakait tā: lai tevi nepieviļ tavs Dievs, uz kuru tu paļaujies, sacīdams, ka Jeruzāleme nekritīs Asīrijas ķēniņa rokā! 11 Tu taču pats dzirdēji, kā Asīrijas ķēniņi rīkojās ar visām zemēm, viņi tās izdeldēja. Un tu domā izglābties? 12 Vai to tautu dievi izglāba tos, ko mani tēvi izpostīja: Gozanu, Haranu, Recefu un zemes iedzīvotājus Ēdenē pie Telasaras? 13 Kur ir Hamatas ķēniņš un Arpadas ķēniņš, un kur ir Lairas, Sefarvaimas, Henas un Ivas ķēniņš?" 14 Kad Hiskija bija saņēmis rakstu no vēstnešu rokām un to izlasījis, tad viņš gāja Tā Kunga namā un to nolika Tā Kunga priekšā. 15 Hiskija griezās pie Tā Kunga ar lūgšanu, sacīdams: 16 "Ak, Kungs Cebaot, Tu Israēla Dievs, kas Tu mīti pār ķerubiem, vienīgi Tu esi Dievs pār visām zemes valstīm, Tu radīji debesis un zemi! 17 Atdari Savu ausi, ak, Kungs, un dzirdi! Atver Savas acis, ak, Kungs, un redzi! Dzirdi visus tos vārdus, ko Sanheribs sacījis, lai zaimotu dzīvo Dievu! 18 Ir gan taisnība, Kungs, ka Asīrijas ķēniņi izpostīja visas tautas un viņu zemi, kā arī 19 sadedzināja viņu dievus, taču tie jau nebija dievi, bet cilvēku roku darbs no koka un akmens, tādēļ tie varēja tos iznīcināt. 20 Bet tagad izglāb mūs, Kungs, mūsu Dievs, no viņa rokas, lai visas valstis virs zemes atzīst, ka vienīgi Tu esi Tas Kungs!" 21 Tad Jesaja, Amoca dēls, sūtīja pie Hiskijas, lai tam sacītu: "Tā saka Tas Kungs, Israēla Dievs: tu griezies pie Manis ar savu lūgšanu Sanheriba, Asīrijas ķēniņa, dēļ. 22 Tā sacīja par viņu Tas Kungs: jaunava Ciānas meita smejas par tevi un nicina tevi, Jeruzālemes meita krata galvu par tevi! 23 Ko tad tu esi apsmējis un zaimojis, pret ko tad tu esi pacēlis savu balsi un savas acis lielībā? Taču pret Israēla Svēto! 24 Ar savu kalpu muti tu esi apsmējis To Kungu, tu lielījies: ar saviem daudzajiem ratiem es uzkāpu kalnos, paša Libanona kalna galā; es nocirtu tā ciedru mežu ciprešu izlasi; es pacelšos kalnu augstumos turienes kuplajā mežā. 25 Es izroku zemi un dzeru ūdeni, bet no manu kāju soļiem izsīkst visas Ēģiptes upes! - 26 Vai tad tu to nezini? Es to jau sen esmu nolēmis un no veciem laikiem to tā izkārtojis, un tagad tas notiek, ka stipras pilsētas tiek sagrautas drupu kaudzēs. 27 Un to iedzīvotāji nevarīgi stāv lielās bailēs un top kaunā; viņi ir kā zāle laukā, kā izplaucis zaļums, kā jumta zāle, kā rūsas saēsta labība, pirms tā nogatavojas. 28 Bet Man tava dzīve ir zināma, tava piecelšanās un nosēšanās, iziešana un atnākšana, arī tava trakošana pret Mani. 29 Tādēļ, ka tu sacēlies pret Mani un tava pārgalvība nākusi Manās ausīs, Es likšu tev dzelžus nāsīs un laužņus tavā mutē un vadīšu tevi atpakaļ pa to ceļu, pa kuru tu esi nācis. 30 Bet tev, Hiskija, lai ir par zīmi: šinī gadā ēdīs to, kas bez sēšanas audzis, otrā gadā to, kas vēl no saknes izaudzis, bet trešajā gadā jūs sēsit un pļausit, stādīsit vīnadārzus un ēdīsit to augļus! 31 Kas no Jūdas nama vēl atlicis un izglābies, tie laidīs saknes zemē un atnesīs augļus. 32 Jo no Jeruzālemes izies atlikušie un no Ciānas kalna izglābtie; to darīs Tas Kungs Cebaots! 33 Tādēļ Tas Kungs saka par Asīrijas ķēniņu: viņš neieies šinī pilsētā un neiešaus tanī nevienu bultu, un viņš nepacels vairogu pret to un neuzmetīs vaļņus! 34 Pa to pašu ceļu, pa kuru viņš nācis, viņš aizies atpakaļ un neiebruks šinī pilsētā, tā saka Tas Kungs, 35 Es pasargāšu šo pilsētu, lai to izglābtu Manis un Mana kalpa Dāvida dēļ!" 36 Tad izgāja Tā Kunga eņģelis un nogalināja asīriešu nometnē simts astoņdesmit piecus tūkstošus vīru; kad agri rītā nometne piecēlās, tad redzi, tie visi bija pagalam. 37 Tad Asīrijas ķēniņš Sanheribs aizgāja un atgriezās atpakaļ mājās Ninivē. 38 Un, kad viņš reiz pielūdza templī savu dievu Nisroku, tad viņa dēli Adramelehs un Sarecers viņu noslepkavoja ar zobenu; tad tie aizbēga uz Araratu, un viņa dēls Esarhadons kļuva viņa vietā par ķēniņu.
