1 And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it , that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. 2 And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. 3 And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth. 4 It may be the LORD thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left. 5 So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
6 ¶ And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say unto your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. 7 Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.
8 ¶ So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. 9 And he heard say concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, He is come forth to make war with thee. And when he heard it , he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, 10 Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God, in whom thou trustest, deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. 11 Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them utterly; and shalt thou be delivered? 12 Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed, as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Telassar? 13 Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arphad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?
14 ¶ And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. 15 And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD, saying, 16 O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth. 17 Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God. 18 Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries, 19 And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. 20 Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only.
21 ¶ Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria: 22 This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. 23 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel. 24 By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel. 25 I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places. 26 Hast thou not heard long ago, how I have done it; and of ancient times, that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities into ruinous heaps. 27 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded: they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up. 28 But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me. 29 Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest. 30 And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof. 31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward: 32 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this. 33 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it. 34 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD. 35 For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. 36 Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
37 ¶ So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. 38 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead.
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.
