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.
Sanheerib ta shingile Juda oita
Eendjovosheko daRabsake
1 Ndele momudo omutimulongo nomutine wepangelo lohamba Hiskia, Sanheerib, ohamba yaAsiria, okwa tondokela oilando yeehote aishe yomuJuda, ndele te i te. 2 Ohamba yaAsiria oya tuma Rabsake e na omatanga manene, ta di kuLakis, te uya kuJerusalem nokohamba Hiskia, ndele ye okwa kanghama apa pa hovela omunino womeva tau di metale lokombada, omondjila yokaalanga yomushiki woikafa. 3 Ndele kuye okwe uya Eliakim yaHilkia, elenga leumbo lohamba, naSebna, omushangi womouhamba naJoah yaAsaf elenga ekulunhu. 4 Ndele Rabsake okwe va lombwela, ndele ta ti: “Ka lombweleni Hiskia, nye mu tye: ‘Ohamba inene, ohamba yaAsiria otai ti: Elineekelo ove we lineekela ola shike? 5 Ame ohandi ti: Eendjovo dongaho odo eendunge neenghono dokulwa? Olyelye ou we mu lineekela, eshi wa twa ondubo naame? 6 Tala, ove ho lineekele oshihati sholumbungu sha teka po, nokutya Egipiti, ndele sho ohashi tu meke notashi li tyuula laau te likolele kusho; hano Farao, ohamba yaEgipiti, osho ha kala nakeshe ou te mu lineekele. 7 Ndelenee ngeenge ove to ti kwaame: “Fye ohatu lineekele Omwene Kalunga ketu,” haye ou, Hiskia a ngumauna po oikulundu yaye neealtari daye, eshi a lombwela Juda naJerusalem, ta ti: “Omu nokulinyongamena poaltari ei”? 8 Heeno, tweni hano eemhata nomwene wange, ohamba yaAsiria, ame ohandi ku pe eenghambe omayovi avali ngeenge ove to dulu oku di kongela ovalondi. 9 Oto dulu ngahelipi okukandula po etotelo lelenga nande limwe, omalenga manini e dulike kumakwao aa omwene wange? Ndelenee ove ho lineekele kuEgipiti u mone ko, vati, omatemba oita novalondi veenghambe. 10 Ame onde uya vati, inandi pula Omwene ndi lwife oshilongo eshi? Omwene okwa lombwela nge Ye mwene, ta ti: Inda u ka lwife oshilongo eshi, ove u shi hanaune po.’ ”
11 Opo nee Eliakim, Sebna naJoah ova lombwela Rabsake, ndele tava ti: “Popya novanhu voye Oshiaramea, osheshi otu shi udite, ove ino tu popifa mOshiheberi moipafi yovanhu aveshe ve li kombada yohotekuma.” 12 Ndelenee Rabsake okwa tya: “Omwene wange okwa tuma nge komwene woye nokwoove, ndi mu lombwele eendjovo edi, vati? Ina tuma nge kovalumenhu ava ve li omutumba kohotekuma, ava ve nokulya omatudi avo vene nokunwa omaxu avo vene pamwe nanye?” 13 Opo nee Rabsake okwa ehena ko a kala ofika, ndele ta lalekida ta popi Oshiheberi, ndele ta ti: “Pwilikineni eendjovo dohamba inene, ohamba yaAsiria. 14 Ohamba otai ti ngaha: ‘Inamu ningwa omalai kuHiskia, osheshi ye ita dulu oku mu xupifa. 15 Inamu lineekelifwa Omwene kuHiskia eshi ta ti: “Omwene ote mu xupifa shili, oshilando eshi itashi yandjwa momake ohamba yaAsiria.” 16 Inamu pwilikina Hiskia. Osheshi ohamba yaAsiria otai ti: “Tu ningeni oukaume, ofye nanye, nye mu liyandje, nye mu kale keshe umwe ota li omuviinyu waye mwene nomukwiyu waye mwene nakeshe omunhu na nwe omeva momufima waye mwene, 17 fiyo ohandi uya ndi mu ile, ndi mu twale kedu ngaashi olo leni: edu loilya nolomaviinyu, kedu lomungome noikokola yomiviinyu.” 18 Taleni, Hiskia ehe mu lungamene noku mu lombwela ta ti: “Omwene ote tu xupifa.” Oku na tuu oikalunga yoiwana oya xupifa edu lavo meke lohamba yaAsiria? 19 Oikalunga yaHamat noyaArpad oi li peni? Oikalunga yaSefarvaim oi li peni? Ya xupifa mbela Samaria momake ange? 20 Mokati koikalunga aishe yomoilongo ei olyelye ou a xupifa oshilongo shavo meke lange? Omwene ta dulu ngahelipi okuxupifa Jerusalem momake ange?’ ”
21 Ndelenee vo ova mwena, inave mu nyamukula nande ondjovo imwe, osheshi ohamba oye va lombwela: Inamu mu nyamukula nande. 22 Opo nee Eliakim yaHilkia, elenga lohamba naSebna, omushangi womouhamba noJoah yaAsaf, elenga ekulunhu ove uya kuHiskia, ve noikutu ya pombaulwa nove mu hepaululila eendjovo adishe daRabsake.
