2 Athamaki 18
1 Na rĩrĩ, mwaka-inĩ wa ĩtatũ wa Hoshea mũrũ wa Ela mũthamaki wa Isiraeli, nĩguo Hezekia mũrũ wa Ahazu mũthamaki wa Juda aambĩrĩirie gũthamaka.
After King Hoshea had been ruling Israel for almost three years, Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, began to rule Judah.
2 Aarĩ wa mĩaka mĩrongo ĩĩrĩ na ĩtano rĩrĩa aatuĩkire mũthamaki, nake agĩthamaka arĩ Jerusalemu mĩaka mĩrongo ĩĩrĩ na kenda. Nyina eetagwo Abija mwarĩ wa Zekaria.
He was 25 years old when he became the king [of Judah] and he ruled from Jerusalem for 29 years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of [a man whose name was] Zechariah.
3 Nake agĩĩka maũndũ marĩa magĩrĩire maitho-inĩ ma Jehova, o ta ũrĩa ithe Daudi eekĩte.
Hezekiah did things that Yahweh considered to be right, like his ancestor King David had done.
4 Nĩeheririe kũndũ kũrĩa gũtũũgĩru, akĩhehenja mahiga marĩa maamũrĩirwo ngai cia mĩhianano, na agĩtemenga itugĩ cia Ashera. Nayo nyoka ya gĩcango ĩrĩa yathondeketwo nĩ Musa akĩmiunanga tũcunjĩ, nĩgũkorwo nginyagia ihinda rĩu andũ a Isiraeli nĩmamĩcinagĩra ũbumba. Nayo yetagwo Nehushitani.
He destroyed the places where people worshiped Yahweh on the tops of hills, and he broke into pieces the stone pillars [for worshiping the goddess Asherah]. He also broke into pieces the bronze [replica/statue of a] snake that Moses had made. He did that because the people had named it Nehushtan, and they were burning incense in front of it to honor it.
5 Nake Hezekia agĩtũũra ehokete Jehova, Ngai wa Isiraeli. Gũtiarĩ mũndũ ũngĩ take harĩ athamaki othe a Juda, mbere yake kana arĩa mookire thuutha wake.
Hezekiah trusted in Yahweh, the God whom the Israelis [worshiped.] There was no king who ruled Judah before him or after him who was as [devoted to Yahweh as] he was.
6 Nĩatũũrire arũgamĩte wega harĩ Jehova na ndaigana gũtiga kũmũrũmĩrĩra; na nĩatũũire arũmĩtie maathani ma Jehova marĩa aaheire Musa.
He remained loyal to Yahweh and never disobeyed him. He carefully obeyed all the commandments that Yahweh had given to Moses.
7 Nake Jehova aarĩ hamwe nake; nake Hezekia akĩgaacĩra maũndũ-inĩ mothe marĩa ekaga. Ningĩ nĩareganire na watho wa mũthamaki wa Ashuri, na akĩrega kũmũtungata.
Yahweh always (helped/was with) him. He was successful in everything that he did. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and refused to (pay taxes to him/do what the king of Assyria wanted him to do).
8 Nĩatooririe Afilisti kuuma mũthiringo-inĩ wa arangĩri nginya itũũra-inĩ rĩrĩa rĩairigĩtwo na rũthingo rwa hinya, o nginya Gaza na matũũra makuo.
His army defeated [the soldiers of] Philistia as far [south] as Gaza [city] and the nearby villages. They conquered the entire area, from the smallest watchtower to the largest cities surrounded by walls.
9 Mwaka-inĩ wa ĩna wa ũthamaki wa Hezekia, na nĩguo warĩ mwaka wa mũgwanja wa Hoshea mũrũ wa Ela mũthamaki wa Isiraeli, Shalimaneseru mũthamaki wa Ashuri nĩathiire kũrũa na itũũra rĩa Samaria na akĩrĩrigiicĩria.
After King Hezekiah had been ruling Judah for almost four years, and when King Hoshea had been ruling Israel for almost seven years, [the army of] King Shalmaneser of Assyria invaded Israel and surrounded Samaria [city].
10 Na thuutha wa mĩaka ĩtatũ Ashuri magĩtunyana Samaria. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio itũũra rĩa Samaria rĩgĩtahwo mwaka-inĩ wa ĩtandatũ wa ũthamaki wa Hezekia, na warĩ mwaka wa kenda wa ũthamaki wa Hoshea mũthamaki wa Isiraeli.
In the third year they captured the city. That was when Hezekiah has been ruling Judah for almost six years, and when Hoshea had been ruling Israel for almost nine years.
11 Nake mũthamaki wa Ashuri agĩthaamĩria andũ a Isiraeli kũu Ashuri, akĩmahe ũtũũro Hala, kũu Gozani ndwere-inĩ cia Rũũĩ rwa Haboru na matũũra-inĩ ma Amedi.
The king of Assyria commanded that the people of Israel be taken to Assyria. Some of them were taken to Halah [town], some were taken to a place near the Habor [River] in [the] Gozan [region], and some were taken to cities where the Mede people-group live.
12 Ũndũ ũcio wekĩkire nĩ ũndũ nĩmagĩte gwathĩkĩra Jehova Ngai wao, no magĩthũkia kĩrĩkanĩro gĩake, na ũrĩa wothe Musa ndungata ya Jehova aamaathĩte. Matiathikĩrĩirie maathani macio kana makĩmahingia.
That happened because the Israelis did not obey Yahweh their God. They disobeyed the agreement that Yahweh had made with their ancestors, and all the laws that Moses, the man who served Yahweh [very well], had told them to obey. They would not obey those laws; they would not even listen to them.
13 Mwaka-inĩ wa ikũmi na ĩna wa ũthamaki wa Hezekia, Senakeribu mũthamaki wa Ashuri agĩtharĩkĩra matũũra mothe manene ma Juda marĩa mairigĩirwo na thingo cia hinya, na akĩmatunyana.
After King Hezekiah had been ruling Judah for almost 14 years, [the army of] King Sennacherib of Assyria attacked all the cities in Judah that had walls around them. They [did not capture Jerusalem, but they] captured all the other cities.
14 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Hezekia mũthamaki wa Juda agĩtũmĩra mũthamaki wa Ashuri ũrĩa warĩ kũu Lakishi ndũmĩrĩri ĩno: “Nĩhĩtĩtie. Njeherera na nĩngũkũrĩha kĩrĩa gĩothe ũngĩnjĩtia.” Nake mũthamaki wa Ashuri agĩĩtia Hezekia mũthamaki wa Juda taranda magana matatũ cia betha, na taranda mĩrongo ĩtatũ cia thahabu kĩa hinya.
King Hezekiah sent a message to Sennacherib, while Sennacherib was in Lachish, saying “What I have done was wrong. Please [tell your soldiers to] stop attacking us. If you do that, I will pay you whatever you tell me to.” So the king of Assyria said that Hezekiah must pay to him (ten tons/9,000 kg.) of silver and (one ton/900 kg.) of gold.
15 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Hezekia akĩmũhe betha iria ciothe cionekire hekarũ-inĩ ya Jehova na igĩĩna-inĩ ciothe cia nyũmba ya ũthamaki.
So Hezekiah gave to him all the silver that was in the temple and that was stored in the king’s palace.
16 Ihinda-inĩ rĩu, Hezekia mũthamaki wa Juda akĩruta thahabu ĩrĩa yagemetie mĩrango na itugĩ cia mĩrango ya hekarũ ya Jehova na akĩmĩhe mũthamaki wa Ashuri.
Hezekiah’s men also stripped the gold from the doors of the temple and the gold that he himself had put on the doorposts, and he sent all that gold to the king of Assyria.
17 Mũthamaki wa Ashuri agĩtũma mwathi ũrĩa mũnene wa mbũtũ ciothe cia ita, na mũrũgamĩrĩri wa anene arĩa angĩ, na mwathi wa mbũtũ cia mbaara, marĩ na mbũtũ nene ya ita kuuma Lakishi mathiĩ kũrĩ Mũthamaki Hezekia kũu Jerusalemu. Magĩkinya Jerusalemu na makĩrũgama mũtaro-inĩ wa Karia ka Rũgongo, njĩra-inĩ ya gũthiĩ Mũgũnda-inĩ wa Mũthambia Nguo.
But the king of Assyria sent a large army with some of his important officials from Lachish [city] to [persuade] King Hezekiah [to surrender]. When they arrived at Jerusalem, they stood alongside the aqueduct/channel in which water flows from the upper pool into Jerusalem, near the road to the field where the women wash clothes.
18 Magĩtũmanĩra mũthamaki; nake Eliakimu mũrũ wa Hilikia mũrũgamĩrĩri wa nyũmba ya ũthamaki, na Shebina ũrĩa mwandĩki-marũa, na Joa mũrũ wa Asafu ũrĩa warĩ mwandĩki wa maũndũ ma ihinda rĩu, makiumagara mathiĩ kũrĩ o.
They sent a message requesting King Hezekiah to come to them, but the king sent three of his officials [to talk to them]. He sent Hilkiah’s son Eliakim, who supervised the palace; Shebna, the official secretary; and Asaph’s son Joah, who communicated the king’s messages to the people.
19 Nake mũnene wa mbũtũ cia ita akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Ĩrai Hezekia atĩrĩ: “‘Mũthamaki ũrĩa mũnene, o we mũthamaki wa Ashuri, ekuuga atĩrĩ: Ũrutĩte ũmĩrĩru ũcio ũrĩ naguo kũ?
One of Sennacherib’s important officials told them to take this message to Hezekiah: “This is what the king of Assyria, the great king, says: ‘What are you trusting in [to rescue you] [RHQ]?
20 Wee uugaga ũrĩ na hinya wa mbũtũ cia ita, na nĩũũĩ kũrũa, no waragia o ciugo cia tũhũ. Nũũ ũcio wĩhokete atĩ nĩguo ũnemere?
You say that you have weapons to fight us, and some country promises [to help you], [and that will enable you to defeat us, ] but that is only talk [RHQ]. Who do you think will help you to rebel against my [soldiers from Assyria]?
21 Atĩrĩrĩ, wee wĩhokete andũ a Misiri acio mahaana ta kamũrangi koinĩkangu, karĩa gatheecaga mũndũ guoko, gakamũguraria etiirania nako! Ũguo nĩguo Firaũni mũthamaki wa Misiri ahaana kũrĩ arĩa othe mamwĩhokaga.
Listen to me! You are relying on [the army of] Egypt. But that is like [MET] using a broken reed for a walking stick on which you could lean. But it would pierce the hand of anyone who would lean on it! That is what the king of Egypt would be like for anyone who relied on him [for help].
22 O na ũngĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, “Ithuĩ twĩhokete Jehova Ngai witũ”, githĩ tiwe wehereirio kũndũ kũrĩa gũtũũgĩru, na igongona iria ciarĩ kuo nĩ Hezekia, akĩĩra andũ a Juda na Jerusalemu atĩrĩ, “No nginya mũhooyagĩre mbere ya kĩgongona gĩkĩ kĩrĩ Jerusalemu?”
But perhaps you will say to me, “No, we are (relying on/trusting in) Yahweh our God [to help us].” [I would reply, ] “Is he not the one whom you [insulted by] tearing down his shrines and altars and forcing everyone in Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah to worship only in front of the altar [in Jerusalem]?”’
23 “‘Rĩu-rĩ, ũka ũkeiguithanie na mwathi wakwa, mũthamaki wa Ashuri: Nĩngũkũhe mbarathi ngiri igĩrĩ angĩkorwo ũrĩ na andũ mangĩcitwarithia!
So I suggest that you make a deal between you and my master/boss, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2,000 horses, but [I do not think that] you are able to find 2,000 of your men who can ride on them!
24 Wakĩhota gũtooria o na mũnene ũrĩa mũnini mũno thĩinĩ wa anene a mwathi wakwa, o na gũtuĩka wĩhokete ngaari cia ita na andũ arĩa mathiiaga mahaicĩte mbarathi a Misiri?
You are expecting the king of Egypt to send chariots and men riding horses [to assist you]. But they certainly would not [RHQ] be able to resist/defeat even the most insignificant/unimportant official in the army of Assyria!
25 Na ningĩ-rĩ, njũkĩte gũtharĩkĩra na kwananga kũndũ gũkũ iterĩĩtwo nĩ Jehova? Jehova we mwene nĩwe wanjĩĩrire njũke hũũre bũrũri ũyũ, na ndĩwanange.’”
Furthermore, (do you think that we have come to destroy Jerusalem without Yahweh’s help?/do not think that we have come to Jerusalem without Yahweh’s help.) [RHQ] It is Yahweh himself who told us to come here and destroy this land!”
26 Nake Eliakimu mũrũ wa Hilikia, na Shebina, na Joa makĩĩra mũnene ũcio wa mbũtũ cia ita atĩrĩ, “Twagũthaitha arĩria ndungata ciaku na rũthiomi rwa Asuriata, tondũ nĩtũrũũĩ. Tiga gũtwarĩria na rũthiomi rwa Kĩhibirania, andũ aya marĩ rũthingo-inĩ makĩiguaga.”
Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah said to the official from Assyria, “Sir, please speak to us in your Aramaic language, because we understand it. Do not speak to us in our Hebrew language, because the people who are standing on the wall will understand it [and be frightened].”
27 No mũnene ũcio wa mbũtũ cia ita agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Kaĩ ndatũmirwo nĩ mwathi wakwa kũrĩ mwathi wanyu na kũrĩ inyuĩ ndĩmwĩre maũndũ maya, na ti kũrĩ andũ aya maikarĩte rũthingo igũrũ, o aya makaarĩa kĩoro kĩao na manyue mathugumo mao o ene o ta ũrĩa inyuĩ mũgeeka?”
But the official replied, “Do you think [RHQ] that my master sent me to say these things only to you and not to the people who are standing on the wall? [If you reject this message, ] the [people in this city] will soon need to eat their own dung and drink their own urine, just like you will, [because there will be nothing more for you to eat or drink].”
28 Ningĩ mũnene wa mbũtũ cia ita akĩrũgama, akĩanĩrĩra na rũthiomi rwa Kĩhibirania, akiuga atĩrĩ: “Thikĩrĩriai ndũmĩrĩri ya mũthamaki ũrĩa mũnene, mũthamaki wa Ashuri!
Then the official stood up and shouted in the Hebrew language [to the people sitting on the wall]. He said, “Listen to this message from the great king, the king of Assyria. He says,
29 Mũthamaki ekuuga ũũ: Mũtigetĩkĩrie Hezekia amũheenie. Ndangĩhota kũmũhonokia kuuma guoko-inĩ gwakwa.
‘Do not allow Hezekiah to deceive you. He will not be able to rescue you from my power [MTY].
30 Mũtigetĩkĩre Hezekia amũringĩrĩrie kwĩhoka Jehova hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ekuuga atĩrĩ, ‘Ti-itherũ Jehova nĩegũtũhonokia; itũũra rĩĩrĩ rĩtikaneanwo guoko-inĩ kwa mũthamaki wa Ashuri.’
Do not allow him to persuade you to rely on Yahweh, saying that Yahweh will rescue you, and that the army of Assyria will never capture this city!’
31 “Mũtigathikĩrĩrie Hezekia. Mũthamaki wa Ashuri ekuuga ũũ: Rekei tũiguane, na mũũke kũrĩ niĩ. Mweka ũguo o ũmwe wanyu nĩakarĩĩaga kuuma kũrĩ mũtĩ wake wa mũthabibũ na mũkũyũ, na anyuuage maaĩ ma gĩthima gĩake,
“Do not pay attention to what Hezekiah says! This is what the king of Assyria says: ‘Come out of the city and surrender to me. If you do that, I will arrange for each of you to drink the juice from your own grapevines, and to eat figs from your own trees, and to drink water from your own wells.
32 nginya rĩrĩa ngooka ndĩmũtware bũrũri ũrĩa ũhaana ta wanyu, bũrũri ũrĩ ngano na ndibei ya mũhihano, bũrũri ũrĩ irio na mĩgũnda ya mĩthabibũ, bũrũri ũrĩ mĩtĩ ya mĩtamaiyũ na ũũkĩ. Thuurai muoyo no ti gĩkuũ! “Mũtigathikĩrĩrie Hezekia, nĩgũkorwo nĩaramũhĩtithia rĩrĩa ekuuga atĩrĩ, ‘Jehova nĩegũtũhonokia.’
You will be able to do that until we come and take you to a land that is like your land—a land where there is grain to make bread and vineyards to [produce grapes for making] wine. It will be a land that has plenty of olive trees and honey. If you do what the king of Assyria commands, you will not die. You will continue to live. ‘Do not allow Hezekiah to persuade you to trust in Yahweh saying that he will rescue you!
33 Nĩ kũrĩ ngai ya bũrũri o na ũrĩkũ ĩrĩ yahonokia bũrũri wayo kuuma guoko-inĩ kwa mũthamaki wa Ashuri?
The gods that people of other nations worship have never rescued them from the power [MTY] of the king of Assyria [RHQ]!
34 Ngai cia Hamathu na Aripadi irĩ kũ? Ngai cia Sefarivaimu, na Hena na Iva irĩ kũ? Nĩihonoketie Samaria kuuma guoko-inĩ gwakwa?
Why were the gods of Hamath and Arpad [cities] unable to rescue their people from the king of Assyria [RHQ]? What happened to the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah, [towns that we completely destroyed and their gods disappeared] [RHQ]? Did any god rescue Samaria from my power?
35 Nĩ ngai ĩrĩkũ harĩ ngai ciothe cia mabũrũri macio yanahonokia bũrũri wayo kuuma kũrĩ niĩ? Gwakĩhoteka atĩa Jehova ahonokie Jerusalemu kuuma guoko-inĩ gwakwa?”
No, none of the gods of the countries [that my army attacked] rescued their people [RHQ] from me! So why do you think that Yahweh will rescue you people of Jerusalem from my power [MTY]?’”
36 No andũ acio magĩkira ki, na matirĩ ũndũ maamũcookeirie, tondũ mũthamaki nĩamathĩte, akameera atĩrĩ, “Mũtikamũcookerie ũndũ.”
But the people [who were listening] stayed silent. No one said anything, because King Hezekiah had told them, “[When the official from Assyria talks to you, ] do not answer him.”
37 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Eliakimu mũrũ wa Hilikia ũrĩa mũrori wa maũndũ ma nyũmba ya ũthamaki, na Shebina ũrĩa mwandĩki-marũa, na Joa mũrũ wa Asafu ũrĩa mwandĩki wa maũndũ ma ihinda rĩu, magĩthiĩ kũrĩ Hezekia, matembũrangĩte nguo ciao, na makĩmwĩra ũrĩa mũnene ũcio wa mbũtũ cia ita oigĩte.
Then Eliakim the palace administrator and Shebna the court secretary and Joah the royal historian went back to Hezekiah with their clothes torn [because they were extremely distressed], and they told him what the official from Assyria had said.
