歷代志下 第 32 章

And after these words and this faithfulness, Sennacherim king of the Assyrians came, and he came against Ioudas and encamped against the fortified cities, and he said he would seize them.

And Ezekias saw that Sennacherim had come and that his face was set to make war against Ierousalem,

and he took counsel with his elders and his mighty men to stop up the waters of the springs which were outside the city, and they supported him.

And he gathered many people and stopped up the waters of the springs and the river that ran dividing through the city, saying: Let not the king of Assour come and find much water and prevail.

And Ezekias took courage and built up all the wall that had been torn down, and towers, and another outwork outside, and he strengthened the supporting rampart of the city of Dauid, and he made many weapons.

And he set commanders of war over the people, and they were gathered to him in the square of the gate of the ravine, and he spoke to their heart, saying:

Be strong and act like men; do not be terrified before the face of the king of Assour or before the face of all the nation that is with him, for with us are more than with him.

With him are arms of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to save and to fight our battle. And the people took courage at the words of Ezekias king of Ioudas.

And after this Sennacherim king of the Assyrians sent his servants to Ierousalem—he himself was at Lachis and all his army with him—and he sent to Ezekias king of Ioudas and to all Ioudas who were in Ierousalem, saying:

Thus says Sennacherim the king of the Assyrians: On what do you rely, that you sit in the siege in Ierousalem?

Is not Ezekias deceiving you, to hand you over to death and to famine and to thirst, saying: The Lord our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assour?

Is this not Ezekias, who removed his altars and his high places and spoke to Ioudas and to those dwelling in Ierousalem, saying: Before this altar you shall bow down and upon it you shall burn incense?

Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Being unable, were the gods of the nations of all the earth able to save their people from my hand?

Who among all the gods of these nations which my fathers utterly destroyed was able to save their people from my hand, that your god should be able to save you from my hand?

Now do not let Ezekias deceive you, and do not let him make you rely in this way, and do not believe him; for the god of no nation and no kingdom is able to save his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers; how much less will your god save you from my hand!

And his servants spoke still more against the Lord God and against Ezekias his servant.

And he wrote a letter to reproach the Lord God of Israel, and he spoke about him, saying: Just as the gods of the nations of the earth did not deliver their peoples from my hand, so the god of Ezekias will not deliver his people from my hand.

And he cried out with a loud voice in the Judean language against the people of Ierousalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and to pull them down, so that they might seize the city.

And he spoke about the god of Ierousalem as about the gods of the peoples of the earth, works of human hands.

And King Ezekias and Esaias son of Amos the prophet prayed concerning these things, and they cried out to heaven.

And the Lord sent an angel, and he wiped out every mighty warrior and ruler and commander in the camp of the king of Assour; and he returned with shame of face to his own land, and he came into the house of his god, and some of those who had come out of his own belly struck him down with the sword.

And the Lord saved Ezekias and those dwelling in Ierousalem from the hand of Sennacherim king of Assour and from the hand of all, and he gave them rest on every side.

And many brought gifts to the Lord in Ierousalem and presents to Ezekias king of Ioudas; and after this he was exalted in the eyes of all the nations.

In those days Ezekias fell sick to the point of death, and he prayed to the Lord, and he listened to him and gave him a sign.

But Ezekias did not repay according to the benefit that was given him; rather his heart was lifted up, and wrath came upon him and upon Ioudas and Ierousalem.

And Ezekias humbled himself from the loftiness of his heart, he and those dwelling in Ierousalem; and the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Ezekias.

And Ezekias had very great wealth and glory, and he made for himself treasuries for silver and gold and precious stone, and for spices, and armories, and for desirable vessels;

and cities for the produce of grain and oil and wine, and stalls for every kind of livestock, and folds for the flocks;

and cities which he built for himself, and possessions of sheep and cattle in abundance, for the Lord gave him very great possessions.

This Ezekias stopped up the upper outlet of the water of Gion and directed it down to the southwest of the city of Dauid; and Ezekias prospered in all his works.

And so it was with the envoys of the rulers from Babylon who were sent to him to inquire of him about the portent that had happened in the land: the Lord forsook him, to test him, to know the things in his heart.

And the rest of the acts of Ezekias and his mercy—behold, they are written in the prophecy of Esaias son of Amos the prophet, and in the book of the kings of Ioudas and Israel.

And Ezekias slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent of the tombs of the sons of Dauid; and all Ioudas and those dwelling in Ierousalem gave him glory and honor at his death. And Manasses his son reigned in his place.