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Hezekiya Apempha Thandizo kwa Yehova

37 Mfumu Hezekiya atamva zimenezi, anangʼamba zovala zake navala chiguduli ndipo analowa mʼNyumba ya Yehova. Iye anatuma Eliyakimu woyangʼanira nyumba ya mfumu, Sebina mlembi wa bwalo, ndi ansembe akuluakulu, onse atavala ziguduli, kwa mneneri Yesaya mwana wa Amozi. Iwo anamuwuza kuti, “Hezekiya akunena kuti, ‘Lero ndi tsiku lamavuto, lachilango ndi lamanyazi. Ife lero tili ngati mayi woyembekezera amene pofika nthawi yoti achire akupezeka kuti alibe mphamvu zoberekera.’ Mwina Yehova Mulungu wanu adzamva mawu onse a kazembe amene mbuye wake, mfumu ya ku Asiriya anamutuma kudzanyoza Mulungu wamoyo, ndipo Mulunguyo adzamulanga chifukwa cha mawu amene Yehova Mulungu wanu wamva. Choncho pemphererani anthu otsala amene akanali ndi moyo.”

Akuluakulu a mfumu Hezekiya atafika kwa Yesaya, Yesaya anawawuza kuti, “Kawuzeni mbuye wanu kuti ‘Yehova akunena kuti: Usachite mantha ndi zimene wamva, mawu amene nthumwi za mfumu ya ku Asiriya zandinyoza nawo Ine. Tamverani! Ine ndidzayika mwa mfumuyo mzimu wina kotero kuti akadzamva mphekesera ya nkhondo, adzabwerera ku dziko lake, ndipo Ine ndidzachititsa kuti aphedwe ndi lupanga kwawo komweko.’ ”

Kazembe wa ankhondo uja atamva kuti mfumu ya ku Asiriya yachoka ku Lakisi, iye anabwerera mʼmbuyo ndipo anakapeza mfumu ikuchita nkhondo ndi mzinda wa Libina.

Nthawi imeneyi Senakeribu analandira uthenga wakuti Tirihaka, mfumu ya ku Kusi akubwera kudzachita naye nkhondo. Atamva zimenezi, anatumiza amithenga kwa Hezekiya ndi mawu awa: 10 “Kawuzeni Hezekiya mfumu ya ku Yuda kuti: Usalole kuti Mulungu amene ukumudalira akupusitse ponena kuti, ‘Yerusalemu sadzaperekedwa mʼmanja mwa mfumu ya ku Asiriya.’ 11 Ndithudi iwe unamva zimene mafumu a ku Asiriya akhala akuchitira mayiko onse. Iwo anawawononga kotheratu. Tsono iwe ndiye ndi kupulumuka? 12 Makolo anga anawononga mizinda ya Gozani, Harani, Rezefi ndi anthu a ku Edeni amene ankakhala ku Telasara. Kodi milungu inayi ija anawapulumutsa anthu a mizindayi? 13 Kodi mafumu a ku Hamati, Aripadi, Safaravaimu, Hena ndi Iva ali kuti?”

Pemphero la Hezekiya

14 Hezekiya analandira kalata kwa amithenga nayiwerenga pomwepo. Hezekiya anapita ku Nyumba ya Yehova ndipo anayika kalatayo pamaso pa Yehova. 15 Ndipo Hezekiya anapemphera kwa Yehova: 16 “Inu Yehova Wamphamvuzonse, Mulungu wa Israeli, amene mumakhala pa mpando wanu waufumu pakati pa akerubi, Inu nokha ndiye Mulungu wolamulira maufumu onse a dziko lapansi. Munalenga kumwamba ndi dziko lapansi. 17 Inu Yehova tcherani khutu ndipo mumve. Inu Yehova, tsekulani maso anu ndipo muone. Imvani mawu onse amene Senakeribu watumiza, kunyoza Mulungu wamoyo.

18 “Yehova, nʼzoonadi kuti mafumu a Asiriya anawononga mitundu yonse ya anthu ndi mayiko awo. 19 Iwo anaponyera pa moto milungu yawo ndi kuyiwononga pakuti sinali milungu koma mafano a mitengo ndi miyala, yopangidwa ndi manja a anthu. 20 Tsono Inu Yehova Mulungu wathu, tipulumutseni mʼdzanja lake kuti maufumu onse a dziko lapansi adziwe kuti Inu nokha, Inu Yehova, ndiye Mulungu.”

Yehova Ayankha Pemphero la Hezekiya

21 Tsono Yesaya mwana wa Amozi anatumiza uthenga wochokera kwa Yehova kwa Hezekiya poyankha pemphero lake lokhudza Senakeribu mfumu ya ku Asiriya. 22 Mawu amene Yehova wayankhula motsutsana naye ndi awa:

“Mwana wamkazi wa Ziyoni
    akukunyoza ndi kukuseka.
Mwana wamkazi wa Yerusalemu,
    akupukusa mutu wake pamene iwe ukuthawa.
23 Kodi iwe wanyoza ndi kulalatira ndani?
    Kodi iwe wafuwulira
ndi kumuyangʼana monyada ndani?
    Watsutsana ndi Woyerayo wa Israeli!
24 Kudzera mwa amithenga ako
    iwe wanyoza Ambuye.
Ndipo wanena kuti,
    ‘Ndi magaleta anga ochuluka
ndafika pamwamba pa mapiri,
    pamwamba penipeni pa mapiri a Lebanoni.
Ndagwetsa mitengo yamkungudza yayitali kwambiri,
    ndi mitengo yabwino kwambiri ya payini.
Ndafika pa msonga pake penipeni,
    nkhalango yake yowirira kwambiri.
25 Ndakumba zitsime ku mayiko achilendo
    ndi kumva madzi akumeneko
ndi mapazi anga
    ndawumitsa mitsinje yonse ya ku Igupto.’

26 “Kodi sunamvepo
    kuti zimenezi ndinazikonzeratu kalekale?
Ndinazikonzeratu masiku amakedzana;
    tsopano ndazichitadi,
kuti iwe kwako nʼkusandutsa mizinda yotetezedwa
    kukhala milu ya miyala.
27 Anthu amene ankakhala kumeneko analibenso mphamvu,
    ankada nkhawa ndi kuchititsidwa manyazi.
Anali ngati mbewu za mʼmunda,
    ngati udzu wanthete,
ali ngati udzu omera pa denga,
    umene mphepo imawumitsa usanakule nʼkomwe.

28 “Koma Ine ndimadziwa zonse za iwe;
    ndimadziwa pamene ukuyima ndi pamene ukukhala; ndimadziwa pamene ukutuluka ndi pamene ukulowa,
    ndiponso momwe umandikwiyira Ine.
29 Chifukwa umandikwiyira Ine
    ndi kuti mwano wako wamveka mʼmakutu anga,
ndidzakola mphuno yako ndi mbedza
    ndikuyika chitsulo mʼkamwa mwako,
ndipo ndidzakubweza pokuyendetsa
    njira yomwe unadzera pobwera.

30 “Iwe Hezekiya, chizindikiro chako cha zimene zidzachitike ndi ichi:

“Chaka chino mudzadya zimene zamera zokha,
    ndipo chaka chachiwiri zimene zaphukira pa zomera zokha,
koma chaka chachitatu mudzafesa ndi kukolola,
    mudzawoka mitengo yamphesa ndi kudya zipatso zake.
31 Anthu a nyumba ya Yuda amene adzatsalire
    adzazika mizu yawo pansi ndipo adzabereka zipatso poyera.
32 Pakuti ku Yerusalemu kudzachokera anthu otsala,
    ndi ku phiri la Ziyoni gulu la anthu opulumuka.
Changu cha Yehova Wamphamvuzonse
    chidzachita zimenezi.

33 “Choncho Yehova akunena izi za mfumu ya ku Asiriya:

“Iye sadzalowa mu mzinda umenewu
    kapena kuponyamo muvi uliwonse.
Sadzafika pafupi ndi mzindawu ndi ankhondo ake a zishango
    kapena kuwuzinga ndi mitumbira yankhondo.
34 Adzabwerera potsata njira yomwe anadzera pobwera;
    sadzalowa mu mzinda umenewu,”
            akutero Yehova.
35 “Ine ndidzawuteteza ndi kuwupulumutsa mzindawu,
    chifukwa cha Ine mwini ndiponso chifukwa cha pangano ndi mtumiki wanga Davide!”

36 Tsopano mngelo wa Yehova anapita ku misasa ya nkhondo ya ku Asiriya ndikukapha asilikali 185,000. Podzuka mmawa mwake anthu anangoona mitembo ponseponse! 37 Choncho Senakeribu mfumu ya ku Asiriya anasasula misasa nʼkuchoka kubwerera kukakhala ku Ninive.

38 Tsiku lina, pamene ankapembedza mʼnyumba ya mulungu wake, Nisiroki, ana ake awiri, Adirameleki ndi Sarezeri anamupha ndi lupanga, ndipo anathawira mʼdziko la Ararati. Ndipo mwana wake Esrahadoni analowa ufumu mʼmalo mwake.

Jerusalem’s Deliverance Foretold(A)

37 When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes(B) and put on sackcloth(C) and went into the temple(D) of the Lord. He sent Eliakim(E) the palace administrator, Shebna(F) the secretary, and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.(G) They told him, “This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress(H) and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the moment of birth(I) and there is no strength to deliver them. It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule(J) the living God,(K) and that he will rebuke him for the words the Lord your God has heard.(L) Therefore pray(M) for the remnant(N) that still survives.”

When King Hezekiah’s officials came to Isaiah, Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master, ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid(O) of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed(P) me. Listen! When he hears a certain report,(Q) I will make him want(R) to return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down(S) with the sword.’”

When the field commander heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish,(T) he withdrew and found the king fighting against Libnah.(U)

Now Sennacherib(V) received a report(W) that Tirhakah, the king of Cush,[a](X) was marching out to fight against him. When he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah with this word: 10 “Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive(Y) you when he says, ‘Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.’(Z) 11 Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered?(AA) 12 Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my predecessors(AB) deliver them—the gods of Gozan, Harran,(AC) Rezeph and the people of Eden(AD) who were in Tel Assar? 13 Where is the king of Hamath or the king of Arpad?(AE) Where are the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim,(AF) Hena and Ivvah?”(AG)

Hezekiah’s Prayer(AH)

14 Hezekiah received the letter(AI) from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple(AJ) of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. 15 And Hezekiah prayed(AK) to the Lord: 16 Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned(AL) between the cherubim,(AM) you alone are God(AN) over all the kingdoms(AO) of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.(AP) 17 Give ear, Lord, and hear;(AQ) open your eyes, Lord, and see;(AR) listen to all the words Sennacherib(AS) has sent to ridicule(AT) the living God.(AU)

18 “It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands.(AV) 19 They have thrown their gods into the fire(AW) and destroyed them,(AX) for they were not gods(AY) but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands.(AZ) 20 Now, Lord our God, deliver(BA) us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth(BB) may know that you, Lord, are the only God.[b](BC)

Sennacherib’s Fall(BD)

21 Then Isaiah son of Amoz(BE) sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Because you have prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria, 22 this is the word the Lord has spoken against him:

“Virgin Daughter(BF) Zion(BG)
    despises and mocks you.
Daughter Jerusalem
    tosses her head(BH) as you flee.
23 Who is it you have ridiculed and blasphemed?(BI)
    Against whom have you raised your voice(BJ)
and lifted your eyes in pride?(BK)
    Against the Holy One(BL) of Israel!
24 By your messengers
    you have ridiculed the Lord.
And you have said,
    ‘With my many chariots(BM)
I have ascended the heights of the mountains,
    the utmost heights(BN) of Lebanon.(BO)
I have cut down its tallest cedars,
    the choicest of its junipers.(BP)
I have reached its remotest heights,
    the finest of its forests.
25 I have dug wells in foreign lands[c]
    and drunk the water there.
With the soles of my feet
    I have dried up(BQ) all the streams of Egypt.(BR)

26 “Have you not heard?
    Long ago I ordained(BS) it.
In days of old I planned(BT) it;
    now I have brought it to pass,
that you have turned fortified cities
    into piles of stone.(BU)
27 Their people, drained of power,
    are dismayed and put to shame.
They are like plants in the field,
    like tender green shoots,
like grass(BV) sprouting on the roof,(BW)
    scorched[d] before it grows up.

28 “But I know where you are
    and when you come and go(BX)
    and how you rage(BY) against me.
29 Because you rage against me
    and because your insolence(BZ) has reached my ears,
I will put my hook(CA) in your nose(CB)
    and my bit in your mouth,
and I will make you return
    by the way you came.(CC)

30 “This will be the sign(CD) for you, Hezekiah:

“This year(CE) you will eat what grows by itself,
    and the second year what springs from that.
But in the third year(CF) sow and reap,
    plant vineyards(CG) and eat their fruit.(CH)
31 Once more a remnant of the kingdom of Judah
    will take root(CI) below and bear fruit(CJ) above.
32 For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant,(CK)
    and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors.(CL)
The zeal(CM) of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

33 “Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria:

“He will not enter this city(CN)
    or shoot an arrow here.
He will not come before it with shield
    or build a siege ramp(CO) against it.
34 By the way that he came he will return;(CP)
    he will not enter this city,”
declares the Lord.
35 “I will defend(CQ) this city and save it,
    for my sake(CR) and for the sake of David(CS) my servant!”

36 Then the angel(CT) of the Lord went out and put to death(CU) a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian(CV) camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! 37 So Sennacherib(CW) king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh(CX) and stayed there.

38 One day, while he was worshiping in the temple(CY) of his god Nisrok, his sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat.(CZ) And Esarhaddon(DA) his son succeeded him as king.(DB)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 37:9 That is, the upper Nile region
  2. Isaiah 37:20 Dead Sea Scrolls (see also 2 Kings 19:19); Masoretic Text you alone are the Lord
  3. Isaiah 37:25 Dead Sea Scrolls (see also 2 Kings 19:24); Masoretic Text does not have in foreign lands.
  4. Isaiah 37:27 Some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls and some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 2 Kings 19:26); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text roof / and terraced fields