The Assyrians Threaten Jerusalem
(2 Kings 18.13-272 Chronicles 32.1-19)1 In the fourteenth year that Hezekiah was king of Judah, Sennacherib, the emperor of Assyria, attacked the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. 2 Then he ordered his chief official to go from Lachish to Jerusalem with a large military force to demand that King Hezekiah surrender. The official occupied the road where the cloth makers work, by the ditch that brings water from the upper pool. 3 Three Judeans came out to meet him: the official in charge of the palace, Eliakim son of Hilkiah; the court secretary, Shebna; and the official in charge of the records, Joah son of Asaph. 4 The Assyrian official told them that the emperor wanted to know what made King Hezekiah so confident. 5 He demanded, “Do you think that words can take the place of military skill and might? Who do you think will help you rebel against Assyria? 6 You are expecting Egypt to help you, but that would be like using a reed as a walking stick—it would break and would jab your hand. That is what the king of Egypt is like when anyone relies on him.”
7 The Assyrian official went on, “Or will you tell me that you are relying on the Lord your God? It was the Lord's shrines and altars that Hezekiah destroyed when he told the people of Judah and Jerusalem to worship at one altar only. 8 I will make a bargain with you in the name of the emperor. I will give you two thousand horses if you can find that many riders. 9 You are no match for even the lowest ranking Assyrian official, and yet you expect the Egyptians to send you chariots and horsemen. 10 Do you think I have attacked your country and destroyed it without the Lord's help? The Lord himself told me to attack it and destroy it.”
11 Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah told the official, “Speak Aramaic to us. We understand it. Don't speak Hebrew; all the people on the wall are listening.”
12 He replied, “Do you think you and the king are the only ones the emperor sent me to say all these things to? No, I am also talking to the people who are sitting on the wall, who will have to eat their excrement and drink their urine, just as you will.”
13 Then the official stood up and shouted in Hebrew, “Listen to what the emperor of Assyria is telling you. 14 He warns you not to let Hezekiah deceive you. Hezekiah can't save you. 15 And don't let him persuade you to rely on the Lord. Don't think that the Lord will save you and that he will stop our Assyrian army from capturing your city. 16 Don't listen to Hezekiah! The emperor of Assyria commands you to come out of the city and surrender. You will all be allowed to eat grapes from your own vines and figs from your own trees, and to drink water from your own wells— 17 until the emperor resettles you in a country much like your own, where there are vineyards to give wine and there is grain for making bread. 18 Don't let Hezekiah fool you into thinking that the Lord will rescue you. Did the gods of any other nations save their countries from the emperor of Assyria? 19 Where are they now, the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Did anyone save Samaria? 20 When did any of the gods of all these countries ever save their country from our emperor? Then what makes you think the Lord can save Jerusalem?”
21 The people kept quiet, just as King Hezekiah had told them to; they did not say a word. 22 Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah tore their clothes in grief and went and reported to the king what the Assyrian official had said.
Ovaasirie mave tanda Jerusalem
(2Ozo 18:13-272Eku 32:1-19)1 Mombura oitjamurongo na ine youhona wa Hiskija, ombara ya Juda, Sanherib, ombara ya Asirie, wa rwisa ovihuro vya Juda mbya zeuparisiwa ne vi kambura. 2 Sanherib otja rakiza omuhongore we otjiuru kutja aze mOlakis na yende kOjerusalem notjimbumba otjinene tjovita okukaṋiṋikiza ombara Hiskija kutja e riyandje. Omuhongore ngwi wa kakurama mOndjira yOvaungure vOzombanda meṋe yorurora ndu pupisa omeva okuza kerindi rokombanda. 3 Ovajuda vetatu va pita okumutjakanena, okutja oEljakim, omuzandu wa Hilkija, omuṱakamise omunene wondjuwo youhona, na Sebna, omutjangerepo wouhona, na Joak, omuzandu wa Asaf, omuṱakamise womatjangero. 4 Nomuhongore Omuasirie arire tje ve raere kutja ombara mai vanga okutjiwa kutja ihi otjiṋa tji tja tjita ombara Hiskija okukara nouṱakame mu ye omuini, otjikeṋa. 5 Neye arire tja tja ngave kapure Hiskija nai: “Mo tjangovasi omambo womotjinyo porwe ongeri ounongo nomasa wokurwa ovita are? Mo ripura kutja owaṋi ngu me ku vatere okupirukira Ovaasirie? 6 Ove mo riyameke kOvaengipte kutja nani mave ku vatere, nungwari owo va sana nokati koruu ku ka teka nake tuvakaṋa eke roye. Notji tji ri ombara ya Engipte ku ngamwa auhe ngu me riyameke ku yo.”
7 Omuhongore Omuasirie wa hungira komurungu a tja: “Poo mamu ndji raere kutja mwe riyameka ku Muhona, Ndjambi weṋu? Opo pa ri poṋa pekepeke pomerikotameneno ku Muhona novipunguhiro vye mbya nyanyaurwa i Hiskija, indu tja raera ovandu va Juda na Jerusalem okurikotamena kotjipunguhiro tjimwe uriri. 8 Ami me patasana na ove mena rombara ya Asirie. Me ku pe oukambe omayovi yevari tji mo yenene okumuna ovakavire ovengi mbe ṱeki mbo okuukavira. 9 Ove komoo ṱeki nangarire pomuhongore Omuasirie wotjihako tjokehi! Nungwari ingee mo undju kutja Ovaengipte ve ku hindire omatemba wovita novakavire! 10 Mo tjangovasi ami mba rwisa ehi reṋu nu mba nyona ro nokuhinombatero ya Muhona are? Muhona omuini ongwe ndji raera kutja mbi rwise ehi reṋu nokunyona ro.”
11 Eljakim na Sebna na Joak arire tji va tja komuhongore: “Hungira Otjiaramei ku eṱe. Eṱe matu zuu. O hungire Otjiheberi; ovandu avehe mbe ri korumbo mave zuu.”
12 Omuhongore wa zira a tja: “Mamu tjangovasi eṋe nombara oweṋe amuyerike, ombara ku ye ndji hinda kutja mbi hungire ko oviṋa mbi are? Ayee, kako! Ami wina me hungire kovandu mba mba haama korumbo, mbu mave ri ombonḓi yawo oveni, nokunwa omaṱuta wawo otja tji mamu tjiti wina.”
13 Omuhongore wa sekama na ravaere mOtjiheberi a tja: “Purateneye ku imbi ombara ya Asirie mbi mai mu raere! 14 Oyo mai mu rongo kutja amu ha wovisiwa i Hiskija. Hiskija kemee mu yama. 15 Nu amu popwa i ye kutja mu riyameke ku Muhona. Amu tjangovasi Muhona me mu yama nokutja ma tjaere otjimbumba tjetu tjovita tjova Asirie kutja atji ha huura otjihuro tjeṋu. 16 Amu puratene ko ku Hiskija! Ombara ya Asirie mai rakiza kutja mu pite motjihuro nu mu riyandje. Eṋe amuhe mamu yandjerwa okurya omapunda womivite vyeṋu oveni nomakuyu womikuyu vyeṋu oveni, nokunwa omeva mozondjombo zeṋu oveni, 17 nga ombara tji mai mu turisa rukwao mehi nda sana na indi oreṋu oveni, mu mu novikunino vyomivite, mbi eta omandjembere womavinu, nu mu mu novikokotwa okutereka po ozomboroto. 18 Amu pukisiwa i Hiskija mokuripura kutja Muhona me mu yama. Oomukuru vomihoko vyarwe ve na pu va yamene omahi wavyo kombara ya Asirie are? 19 Owo ve ri pi nambano, imba oomukuru vehi ra Hamat na imba vehi ra Arpad? Oomukuru votjihuro Sefarwajim ve ri pi? Pena umwe ngwa yamene Samaria are? 20 Oomukuru vomahi nga aehe va yamene ruṋe omahi wawo kombara yetu? Notjikeṋa tji matji mu tjiti okuripura kutja Muhona ma sora okuyama Jerusalem?”
21 Otjiwaṋa tja mwina otja ombara Hiskija pe tji raera; novandu kave hungirire embo nangarire rimwe. 22 Eljakim na Sebna na Joak arire tji va nyondorora ozombanda zawo moruhoze, nave kaserekarera kombara imbi omuhongore wOvaasirie mbya hungira.
