2 Ndị Eze 19
1 Mgbe eze Hezekaya, nụrụ nke a, ọ dọwara uwe ya, yikwasị akwa mkpe, baa nʼime ụlọnsọ ukwu Onyenwe anyị.
When King Hezekiah heard what they reported, he tore his clothes and put on clothes made of rough cloth [because he was very distressed]. Then he went to the temple [to ask God what to do].
2 O zipụrụ Eliakịm onye nlekọta ụlọeze, Shebna ode akwụkwọ eze na ndị okenye nʼetiti ndị nchụaja, bụ ndị yikwa akwa mkpe, ka ha jekwuru Aịzaya onye amụma, nwa Emọz.
He summoned Eliakim and Shebna and the (older/most important) priests, who were also wearing clothes made of rough sackcloth, and told them to talk to me.
3 Ha sịrị ya, “Otu a ka Hezekaya sịrị, Ụbọchị taa bụ ụbọchị ahụhụ, na ịba mba na nke ihe ihere. Ụbọchị jọgburu onwe ya dịka ụbọchị nwanyị nọ nʼoke ihe mgbu nke ịmụ nwa ma ike adịkwaghị o ji amụpụta nwa ya.
He said to them, “Tell this to Isaiah: ‘King Hezekiah says that we are having great distress/trouble now. [Other nations are causing] us to be insulted and disgraced. We are like [MET] a woman who is about to give birth to a child, but she does not have the strength that she needs to do it.
4 Ma eleghị anya Onyenwe anyị Chineke gị, ga-anụ okwu ahụ niile nke Rabashaka bụ ọchịagha, onye nna ya ukwu bụ eze Asịrịa, zitere ịkwa Chineke dị ndụ emo. Eleghị anya Onyenwe anyị Chineke gị ga-abara ya mba nʼihi okwu ndị a niile o kwuru, bụ ndị ọ nụrụ. Ya mere, kpeere anyị ekpere, anyị bụ ndị fọdụrụ ndụ.”
Perhaps Yahweh your God has heard everything that the official from Assyria said. Perhaps he knows that his boss/master, the king of Assyria, sent him to insult the all-powerful God, and that Yahweh will rebuke/punish him for what he said.’ And he requests that you pray for the few of us who are still alive [here in Jerusalem].”
5 Mgbe ndị ozi eze Hezekaya bịakwutere Aịzaya,
When the messengers from Hezekiah came to Isaiah,
6 ọ sịrị ha, “Otu a ka unu ga-asị nna unu ukwu, ‘Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru, Atụla egwu nʼihi okwu niile nke ị nụrụ, bụ nke ndị na-ejere eze Asịrịa ozi ji kwuluo m.
Isaiah said to them, “[Go back to] your boss/master [and] tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh says: Those messengers from the king of Assyria have said evil things about me. But you should not be disturbed because of what they said.
7 Gee ntị, mgbe ọ nụrụ akụkọ dị aṅaa, aga m eme ka ọ chọọ ịlaghachi nʼobodo nke aka ya. Nʼebe ahụ ka m ga-emekwa ka e jiri mma agha gbuo ya.’”
Listen to this: I will cause Sennacherib to hear a rumor that will worry him, [that a foreign army is about to attack his country]. So he will return to his own country, and there I will cause him to be assassinated by [men using] swords.’”
8 Mgbe ọchịagha ahụ nụrụ na eze Asịrịa e sitela nʼobodo Lakish pụa, ọ laghachiri hụ na eze Asịrịa na-ebuso obodo Libna agha.
The official from Assyria found out that the King of Assyria [and his army] had left Lachish [city], and that they were attacking Libnah, [which is a nearby city]. So the official went there [to report to him what had happened in Jerusalem].
9 Nʼoge ahụ, Senakerib natara ozi na Tiahaka, eze Kush, na-apụta ịbịa ibuso ya agha. Ya mere, o zipụrụ ndị ozi ka ha ga zie Hezekaya ozi, sị,
Soon after that, King Sennacherib received a report that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was leading his army, and was coming to attack them. So before King Sennacherib left Libnah [to fight against the army from Ethiopia], he sent other messengers to King Hezekiah with a letter.
10 “Gwanụ Hezekaya, eze Juda, Ekwela ka Chineke onye ị na-atụkwasị obi duhie gị, mgbe ọ na-asị, ‘Agaghị enyefe Jerusalem nʼaka eze Asịrịa.’
[In the letter] he wrote this to Hezekiah: “Do not allow your god on whom you are relying to deceive you by promising that [the city of] Jerusalem will not be captured by my army [MTY].
11 Nʼezie a, ị nụla ihe ndị eze Asịrịa mere obodo niile ha busoro agha, otu ha si bibie ha kpamkpam. Ma a ga-anapụtakwa gị onwe gị?
You have certainly heard what the armies of the kings of Assyria have done to all the other countries. Our armies have completely destroyed them. So, (do you think that you will escape?/do not think that your god will save you!) [RHQ]
12 Chi niile nke mba niile ndị ahụ nna nna m ha lara nʼiyi, ha napụtara ha, bụ chi ndị Gozan, Haran, Rezef na nke ndị Eden, ndị nọ na Tel Asa?
Did the gods of the nations that were about to be destroyed by the armies of the previous kings of Assyria rescue them? Did those gods rescue the people in the Gozan region and in Haran and Rezeph [cities in northern Syria] and the people of Eden who had been (deported/forced to go) to Tel-Assar [city]? None of the gods of those cities were able to rescue them.
13 Olee ebe eze ndị Hamat maọbụ eze Apad nọ? Olee ebe eze obodo Lair, Sefavaim, Hena na Iva nọkwa?”
What happened to the kings of Hamath and Arpad and Sepharvaim and Ivvah [cities] [RHQ]? [Most of them are dead, and the other people were deported]!”
14 Mgbe Hezekaya natara akwụkwọ ozi a site nʼaka ndị ozi ahụ, gụọ ya, o weere ya gaa nʼime ụlọnsọ Onyenwe anyị, gbasaa ya nʼihu Onyenwe anyị.
Hezekiah took the letter that the messengers gave him, and he read it. Then he went up to the temple and spread out the letter in front of Yahweh.
15 Hezekaya kpere ekpere nye Onyenwe anyị, sị, “O, Onyenwe anyị, Chineke nke Izrel, onye ocheeze ya dị nʼetiti ndị cherubim, naanị gị bụ Chineke na-achị alaeze niile nke ụwa. Ọ bụkwa naanị gị kere eluigwe na ụwa.
Then Hezekiah prayed, “Yahweh, the God whom to whom we Israelis belong, you are seated on your throne above the [statues of] creatures with wings, [above the Sacred Chest]. Only you are truly God. You rule all the kingdoms on this earth. You are the one who created [everything on] the earth and [in] the sky.
16 Tọọ ntị gị nʼala, o Onyenwe anyị ma nụrụ; meghee anya gị abụọ Onyenwe anyị, ka ịhụ; gee ntị nụkwa okwu ndị ahụ Senakerib zitere, nke o ji ekwulu Chineke dị ndụ.
So, Yahweh, please listen to what I am saying, and look [at what is happening]. And listen to what King Sennacherib has said to insult you, the all-powerful God.
17 “Nʼeziokwu, Onyenwe anyị, ndị eze Asịrịa alala mba niile a dị iche iche na ala ha nʼiyi, mee ka ha tọgbọrọ nʼefu.
“Yahweh, it is true that [the armies of] the kings of Assyria have completely destroyed many nations, and ruined their land.
18 Ha atụnyekwala chi ha niile nʼime ọkụ, repịakwa ha, nʼihi na ọ bụghị chi ka ha bụ, kama ha bụ naanị ihe a kpụrụ akpụ, nke mmadụ ji osisi na nkume pịa.
And they have thrown the idols of those nations into fires and burned them. But [that was not difficult to do, because] they were not gods. They were only statues made of wood and stone, idols that were shaped by humans, [and that is why they were destroyed easily].
19 Ugbu a, Onyenwe anyị Chineke anyị, biko, zọpụta anyị site nʼaka ya, ka alaeze niile nke ụwa mata na naanị gị Onyenwe anyị, naanị, bụ Chineke.”
So now, Yahweh our God, please rescue us from the power [MTY] [of the king of Assyria], in order that the people in all the kingdoms of the world will know that you, Yahweh, are the only one who is truly God.”
20 Mgbe ahụ Aịzaya nwa Emọz zigaara Hezekaya ozi sị, “Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel sịrị, Anụla m ekpere i kpere banyere Senakerib, eze Asịrịa.
Then Isaiah sent this message to Hezekiah: “This is what Yahweh, the God to whom we Israelis belong, says: 'I have heard what you prayed to me about Sennacherib, the king of Assyria.
21 Nke a bụ okwu nke Onyenwe anyị kwuru megide ya: “‘Nwaagbọghọ na-amaghị nwoke, bụ Ada Zayọn na-elelị gị anya, ma jirikwa gị na-eme ihe ọchị. Nwaada Jerusalem na-efufekwa isi ya mgbe ị na-agbapụ ọsọ
This is what I say to him: “The people of Jerusalem [MTY] despise you and make fun of you. They wag/shake their heads to mock you while you flee from here.
22 Onye ka ị kparịrị ma kwulukwaa? Ọ bụ onye ka i sitere na nganga gị welie olu okwu gị na anya gị elu megide? Ọ bụ megide Onye Nsọ nke Izrel?
Who do you think that you are despising and ridiculing? Who do you think you were shouting at? Who do you think you were looking at very proudly/arrogantly? It was I, the holy God whom the Israelis worship.
23 I sitere nʼaka ndị ozi gị kparịa Onyenwe anyị, kwuluo ya, ị sịkwara, “Eji m ọtụtụ ụgbọala m rigoruo ebe dị elu nke nʼelu ugwu niile, nʼebe kachasị elu nke ugwu Lebanọn. Egbudasịala m osisi sida ya niile toro ogologo, na osisi junipa ya niile kachasị mma. Ejeruola m na nsọtụ niile ya, bụ ebe kachasị maa mma nʼoke ọhịa ya niile.
The messengers that you sent made fun of me. You said, 'With my many chariots I have gone to the highest mountains, even to the highest mountains in Lebanon. We have cut down its tallest cedar trees and its nicest pine/cyprus trees. We have been to the most distant/remote peaks and to its dense forests.
24 Egwuola m ọtụtụ olulu mmiri nʼala ndị mba ọzọ, ṅụkwa mmiri dị nʼebe ahụ. Ọ bụ ọbụ ụkwụ m ka m ji mee ka isi iyi niile dị nʼIjipt takpọọ.”
We have dug wells in other countries and drank water from them. And by marching through [MTY] the streams of Egypt, we dried them all up [HYP]!”’
25 “‘Ọ bụ na ị nụbeghị? Na mgbe ochie ka m kpebiri ya. Nʼụbọchị ndị ahụ gara aga ka m nọ pịa ọpịpịa ya; ugbu a, emeela m ka ọ bịa na mmezu, na ị meela ka obodo nke mgbidi gbara gburugburu, ghọọ mkpokọta nkume.
[‘But I reply], “Have you never heard that long ago I determined [that those things would happen]? I planned it long ago, and now I have been causing it to happen. I planned that your army would have [the power to] capture many cities that were surrounded by high walls, and cause them to become piles of rubble.
26 Ndị bi nʼime ha, ndị a napụrụ ike ha nwere bụ ndị dara mba, ndị e tinyekwara nʼọnọdụ ihere. Ha dịka ahịhịa ndụ puru nʼala ubi na ome na-epupụta epupụta nakwa ahịhịa na-etopụta nʼelu ụlọ nke anwụ na-achakpọ tupu o tolite.
The people who lived in those cities have no power, and as a result they became dismayed and discouraged. They are as frail as plants and grass in the fields, as frail as grass that grows on the roofs of houses and is scorched by the hot east wind.
27 “‘Ma amaara m ebe ị nọ ọnọdụ marakwa ọpụpụ gị na mbata gị marakwa oke iwe gị megide m.
“But I know [everything about you]. I know when you are in your house and when you go outside; I also know that you are (raging/speaking very angrily) against me.
28 Nʼihi ọnụma dị gị nʼobi megide m, nʼihi na mkparị gị eruola m ntị, aga m etinye nko m nʼimi gị werekwa mkpụmkpụ igwe m kpachie egbugbere ọnụ gị mee ka ị laghachi site nʼụzọ ahụ nke i siri bịa.’
So, because you have raged against me, and because I have heard [MTY] you speak very proudly/arrogantly, [it will be as though] I will put a hook in your nose and an iron (bit/piece of metal) in your mouth [in order that I can lead you where I want you to go], and I will force you to return [to your own country] on the same road on which you came here, [without conquering Jerusalem].” '
29 “Ma nke a ga-abụ ihe ịrịbama, nye gị, Hezekaya: “Nʼafọ a unu ga-eri ihe na-epu nʼonwe ya, nʼafọ nke abụọ unu ga-eri ihe ubi si na nke ahụ pupụta. Ma nʼafọ nke atọ ghaanụ mkpụrụ ubi, weenụ ihe ubi; kụọ vaịnị nʼubi vaịnị, riekwanụ mkpụrụ ha.
Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “This is what will happen to prove [that I am telling the truth]: This year and next year you [and your people] will be able to harvest only (wild grain/grain that grows without having been planted). But the following year, you [Israelis] will be able to plant grain and harvest it, and to plant vineyards and eat the grapes that you harvest.
30 Ọzọkwa, ndị fọdụrụ nʼalaeze Juda ga-agba mgbọrọgwụ nʼokpuru ala, mịkwaa mkpụrụ nʼelu.
The people [MTY] in Judah who remain alive will prosper and have many children; they will be like plants whose roots go deep down into the ground and which produce much [MET].
31 Nʼihi na ọ bụ site na Jerusalem ka ndị fọdụrụ ga-esi pụta; otu ndị fọdụrụ ndụ ga-esitekwa nʼugwu Zayọn pụta. “Ọ bụ site nʼịnụ ọkụ nʼobi nke Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile ga-emezu nke a.
There will be many people in Jerusalem [DOU] who will survive, because Yahweh, the commander of the armies of angels in heaven, wants [PRS] it to happen.
32 “Ya mere, nke a bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị kwuru banyere eze Asịrịa, sị, “‘Ọ gaghị azọbata ụkwụ ya nʼime obodo a maọbụ gbaa ọ bụladị otu àkụ nʼebe a. Ọ gaghị eji ọta jegharịa nʼọnụ ụzọ ama ya, maọbụ wuo mgbidi nnọchibido megide ya.
So this is what Yahweh, says about the king of Assyria: ‘His armies will not enter this city; they will not even shoot any arrows into it! His soldiers will not march outside the city gates carrying shields, and they will not even build high mounds of dirt against [the city walls] [to enable them to attack the city].
33 Ụzọ o si bịa ka ọ ga-esi laghachi; ọ gaghị abanye nʼobodo a. Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri ya.
Their king will return to his own country on the same road on which he came here. He will not enter this city! [That will happen because] I, Yahweh have said it!
34 Aga m echebe obodo a, zọpụtakwa ya nʼihi aha m, na nʼihi Devid, bụ ohu m.’”
I will defend this city and prevent it from being destroyed. I will do this for the sake of my own reputation and because of what I promised to King David, who served me well.'”
35 Nʼabalị ahụ, mmụọ ozi Onyenwe anyị pụrụ gaa tigbuo otu puku narị na puku iri asatọ na ise nʼụlọ ikwu ndị Asịrịa. Mgbe ndị mmadụ tetara nʼisi ụtụtụ, lee, ozu ka ha jupụtara ebe niile.
That night, an angel from Yahweh went out to where the army of Assyria had put up their tents, and killed 185,000 of their soldiers! When the rest of their soldiers woke up the next morning, they saw that there were corpses everywhere!
36 Ya mere, Senakerib, eze Asịrịa biliri ije, laghachi nʼala ya. Ọ laghachiri biri nʼobodo Ninive.
Then King Sennacherib left and went home to Nineveh, [the capital of Assyria].
37 Otu ụbọchị, mgbe ọ nọ na-akpọ isiala nʼụlọ chi ya a na-akpọ Nisrọk, ụmụ ya ndị ikom aha ha bụ Adramelek na Shareza were mma agha gbuo ya. Ha gbapụrụ ọsọ gbaga nʼala Ararat. Isahadon, bụ nwa ya nwoke, ghọrọ eze nʼọnọdụ ya.
One day, when he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, two of his sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, killed him with their swords. Then they escaped and went to [the] Ararat [region, northwest of Nineveh]. And another of Sennacherib's sons, Esarhaddon, became the king of Assyria.
