Hezekiah Asks Isaiah the Prophet for Advice
(Isaiah 37.1-13)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 the prophet Isaiah:
3 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 went to Isaiah, 6 he 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
(Isaiah 37.14-20)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 He prayed:
Lord God 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. 16 But just look how Sennacherib has insulted you, the living God.
17 It is true, our Lord, that Assyrian kings have turned nations into deserts. 18 They destroyed the idols of wood and stone that the people of those nations had made and worshiped. 19 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 God.
The Lord's Answer to Hezekiah
(Isaiah 37.21-35)20 Isaiah went to Hezekiah and told him that the Lord God of Israel had said:
Hezekiah, I heard your prayer about King Sennacherib of Assyria. 21 Now this is what I say to that king:
The people of Jerusalem
hate and make fun of you;
they laugh
behind your back.
22 Sennacherib, you cursed,
shouted, and sneered at me,
the holy God of Israel.
23 You let your officials
insult me, the Lord.
And this is how you
bragged 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.
24 I dried up every stream
in the land of Egypt,
and I drank water
from wells I had dug.”
25 Sennacherib, now listen
to me, the Lord.
I planned all this long ago.
And you don't even realize
that I alone am the one
who decided that you
would do these things.
I let you make ruins
of fortified cities.
26 Their people became weak,
terribly confused.
They were like wild flowers
or tender young grass
growing on a flat roof,
scorched before it matures.
27 I know all about you,
even how fiercely angry
you are with me.
28 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.
29 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. 30 Those who survive in Judah will be like a vine that puts down deep roots and bears fruit. 31 I, the Lord All-Powerful, will see to it that some who live in Jerusalem will survive.
32 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. 33 As surely as I am the Lord, he will return by the way he came and will never enter Jerusalem. 34 I will protect it for myself and for my servant David.
The Death of King Sennacherib
(Isaiah 37.36-38)35 That same night the Lord sent an angel to the camp of the Assyrians, and he killed 185,000 of them. And so the next morning, the camp was full of dead bodies. 36 After this King Sennacherib went back to Assyria and lived in the city of Nineveh. 37 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.
Hiskiab ge kēbo-aob Jesajab tawa ra ǀape-ôa
(Jesaja 37:1-7)1 Nē ǂhôasab ge ǁnâu, ob ge gao-aob Hiskiaba ǃoab ǃnâ saran âba ǀkhau, ǃoab sarana ana tsî ǃKhūb di Tempela ǃoa ge ǃgû. 2 Tsîb ge ǁîba gao-ommi mûǂamaob Eliakimmi, gao-aob di xoa-aob Sebnab tsî danapristergu tsîna Amob ôab kēbo-aob Jesajab ǁga ge sî. ǁÎgu hoagu ge ǃoab sarana ge ana hâ i. 3 Jesajabab ge ǁîgu ǀkha nēti ge haisiba: “Nēs ge ǂōǂōsib di tsēsa; sida ge ǁkharahe tsî ra taotaohe. Sida ge ǁora nîse ī taras xawe ǁoras di ǀgai-e ūhâ tamas ǁkhās khami ī. 4 Siriab gao-aob ge ǁîb ǂamkhoeba ûitsama Elobab nî ǃkhāǃkhāga go sî. Ab ǃKhūb sa Eloba nē ǃkhāǃkhāmîde ǁnâu tsî ǁnāb ǁîde ra mîba ǁkhara. Sida hîa noxopa ǃgau hâda Elob ai ǂganba re.”
5 Jesajab ge gao-aob Hiskiab haisisab ge ǁnâuo, 6 nēti ge ǃeream: “ǃKhūb ge ra mî, tā du ǁîb a huiǂui du ǁoa, tin Siriaǁîna ra mî ǃkhais xa ǃaoǃaohe. 7 ǃKhūb ge nî dī, îb gao-aoba ǁîb di ǃhūb ǂûb ǁga ǁîba nî oa kai gom-e ǁnâu, tsîb ge ǃKhūba nî dī ǁnāpab nî ǃgamhesa.”
Asiriaǁîn ge ǁkhawa Jerusalemsa ra ǁnāǂam
(Jesaja 37:8-20)8 Siriab di ǂamkhoeb ge gao-aob Lakisa xu ǃgû tsî Libnas ǃoagu sī ra ǃkham ǃkhaisab ge ǁnâuo, ǁîbab nî dîse ǁnāpa ge sī. 9 ǁNāpab ge Asiriab gao-aoba Egipteb di toroǂnubis, Etiopiab gao-aob Tirhakab xa ǂgaeǂguihe hâs, ǁîbas nî ǁnāǂamse ra hā ǃkhaisa ge ǁnâu. Ob ge ǁîba nēsab ge ǁnâuo, sîǂkhanisa Judab gao-aob Hiskiaba ge sîba 10 nēti ra mîsa: “Sa Elob ǁîb aits ǂgomaiǂnûi hâba ab tā ǂgaeǂhapu tsi, Jerusalems tita xa danhe tide ti mîba tsis ǀkha. 11 Tare-eb Siriab gao-aoba hîkākā ǂgaob ra ǃhūb hoab ǀkha ra dī ǃkhaisats ge ge ǁnâu. Satsa kha ûiǂoats nî ti ra ǂâi? 12 Ti aboxagu ge Gosans, Harans tsî Resefs tsîde hîkākā tsî Edens khoen Telasars ǃnâ ge ǁan hâ ina ge ǃgam, xaweb ge ǀguib ǁîn elogu dib xaweba ǁîna ge huiǂui ǁoa i. 13 Mâpa gu hâ Hamats, Arpads, Sefarvaims, Henas tsî Iwas tsîdi gao-aoga?”
14 Gao-aob Hiskiab ge sîǂkhanisa sîsabega xu ū tsî ge khomai. ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge Tempeli ǁga ǃgû tsî sîǂkhanisa ǃKhūb aiǃâ khoraǁgui 15 tsî ge ǀgore: “ǃKhū Israeli di Elots, trons âts xerugu ǂamai hâtse, sats ǀguits ge ǃhūbaib di gaosigu hoagu ǂama a Elo. Sats ge ǀhommi tsî ǃhūbaib tsîkha ge kuru. 16 Kō re, nēsi ǃKhūtse tare-i sida ǀkha ra īsa. ǃGâ re, taren hoanab Sanheriba ra ǃhoasa tsîb sats ûitsama Elotsa ra mîǁgaiǁgaisa. 17 ǃKhūtse, hoada ge a ǂan Siriab gao-aogu ge ǃhaodi tsî ǃhūgu tsîna hîkākā 18 tsî ǁîn di eloga ǂhubiǂuisa; ǁîn di elogu elo tama tsî khoen xa hain tsî ǀuina xu kuruhe hâ īs ǀguisa i xui-ao. 19 ǃKhū sida Elotse, nēsi ǁnâi Asiriaǁîna xu huiǂui da re, îdi ǃhūbaib di ǃhaodi hoade sats ǃKhūts ǀguits a Elo ǃkhaisa ǂan.”
Jesajab di haisi-ams gao-aob ǃoa
(Jesaja 37:21-38)20 Jesajab ge gao-aob Hiskiaba ge haisiba ǁîb di ǀgores aib 21 ǃKhūba nēti ra mîsa: “Sanheritse, Jerusalems ge âiǂui tsi tsî ra ǃharaxū tsi. 22 Tari-ets mîǁgaiǁgai tsî goro ǃkhāǃkhā tits ra ǂâi? Sats ge tita Israeli di ǃanu Elota go ǃgôaǁnâ. 23 Sats ge sa sîsabega sa torokunidi ǀkhats ge Libanonni ǀgapi ǃhomga īǂam ǃkhais ǀkha gu tita nî ǂamase ge sî. Sats ge ǁnāpats ge ǀgapi sederhaidi tsî îxa denehaidi tsîna ǁhāǁnâ, tsîts ge ǃgamse haiǀgoms kōse ǂgâ ǃkhais ǀkha gere koasen. 24 Sats ge ǃhao ǃhūgu ǃnâts ge tsauga khao tsî ǁgam-e ā, tsî gu ge sa toroǃkhamaoga Nylǃāba dāǂnâǂnâ ǃkhais ǀkha gere koasen.
25 “ǁNâu tamats ge hâ i ǁî ǃkhaisa ta ge ǀnai ǀapeǁgui hâ isa? Tsî nēsi ta ge ǁîsa ra dīǀoaǀoa. Tita ge ǀgaiba ra mā tsi omǂnamisa ǃādets nî hîkākāse. 26 ǁÎdi ǃnâ ge ǁan hâ i khoen ge ǃhuri tsî ge burugâ hâ i; ǁîn ge ǃaub ai hâ ǀgân tamas ka io oms ǂamǃnâ mâ ǁîǁhaiben, ǀgamsa ǂoab aiǂoas dib xan ra ǃgomhe, o ra ī khami ge ī i.
27 “Xawe ta ge nēsi mâ xū-i hoa-e sats xa a ǂan, tare-ets ra dīs tsî mâǀîts ra īsa. Mâtits ti ǃoagu ra ǃkhauǃkhausensa ta ge a ǂan. 28 Sa ǃkhauǃkhausens tsî ǂnīǂnīsens xa ta ge ge ǁnâu, o ta ge nēsi ǁgabeba sa ǂguis ǃnâ-u ǂgā, haiba sa amǃnâs ǃnâ ǁgui tsî ǁnā daob hā-ūts geb ǁkhāb ai nî oa-ū tsi.”
29 ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge Jesajaba Hiskiab ǃoa ge mî: “Nēs ge ǁgauǁgaus ī nî xūn disa. Nē kurib tsî sao ra kurib tsîkha du ge ǁî-aitsama ra ǃī ǃhorob ǀguiba nî ǂû, xawe ǃnonaǁî kurib ǃnâ du ge sadu ǃhoroba tsoro tsî nî ǃgao tsî draibahaide ǃhana tsî draibena nî ǂû. 30 Judab ǃnâ ge ǃgaun ge ǃam hain khami ǀomkhâi, ǃnomaǃkhō tsî nî ǂûtani. 31 Ûiǃgau nî khoen ge Jerusalems ǃnâ tsî Sionǃhommi ai nî hâ, ǃKhūb nē ǃkhaisab nî dīsa ǂâibasen hâ xui-ao.
32 “Siriab di gao-aob xab ge ǃKhūba nēti ge mî: ‘ǁÎb ge nē ǃās ǃnâ ǂgâxa tide tsî ǁkhāti ǂā-e ǁîs ǃnâ ǁkhâu tide. ǁKhaukhō-e ūhâ toroǃkhamaob xareb ge ǃās ǀgūse hā tide tsî-i ge ǁkhāti ǁkhui-i xare-e ǁîs ǂnamipe omkhâihe tide. 33 ǁÎb ge hā-ūb ge daob ǁkhāb ǀkha ǃās ǃnâb ǂgâ tamase nî oa. Tita ǃKhūta ge ǁnāti go mî. 34 Tita ge ti ǃgôasib ǃaroma tsî ti ǃgāb Davida ta ge mîmâiba mîmâis ǃaroma nē ǃāsa ǁkhauba tsî nî sâu.’ ”
35 ǁNā tsuxub ǃnâb ge ǃKhūb di ǀhomǃgāba Siriaǁîgu hâǃkhaib ǃnâ ǀguikaidisi tsî ǁkhaisadisikoroǀaǀoadisi toroǃkhamaoga ge ǃgam. Sao ra ǃnauǁgoaga gu ge ǁîgu hoaga ǁnāpa ge ǁōǁgoe i. 36 Ob ge Siriab gao-aob Sanheriba, ǁnāpa xu Nineves ǁga ge oa. 37 ǀGuitsēb ǁîb elob Nisroxi tempeli ǃnâ ra ǀgoreǀî, hîa kha ge ǁîb ôakha Adrameleki tsî Sareseri tsîkha gôakha ǀkha ǃkhāǃan bi tsî Araratǃhūb ǁga ge ǁhâ. Tsîb ge ǀnî ǀgôab ǁîb dib Esarhadon ti ǀon hâba ǁîb soas ǃnâ ge gao-ao kai.
