2021年7月12日 星期一

歷代志下32:1-23

 


32:1 這虔誠的事以後,亞述王西拿基立來侵入猶大,圍困一切堅固城,想要攻破佔據。
32:2
希西家見西拿基立來,定意要攻打耶路撒冷,
32:3
就與首領和勇士商議,塞住城外的泉源;他們就都幫助他。
32:4
於是有許多人聚集,塞了一切泉源,並通流國中的小河,說:「亞述王來,為何讓他得著許多水呢?」
32:5
希西家力圖自強,就修築所有拆毀的城牆,高與城樓相齊;在城外又築一城,堅固大衛城的米羅,製造了許多軍器、盾牌;
32:6
設立軍長管理百姓,將他們招聚在城門的寬闊處,用話勉勵他們,說:
32:7
「你們當剛強壯膽,不要因亞述王和跟隨他的大軍恐懼、驚慌;因為與我們同在的,比與他們同在的更大。
32:8
與他們同在的是肉臂,與我們同在的是耶和華我們的上帝,他必幫助我們,為我們爭戰。」百姓就靠猶大王希西家的話,安然無懼了。
32:9
此後,亞述王西拿基立和他的全軍攻打拉吉,就差遣臣僕到耶路撒冷見猶大王希西家和一切在耶路撒冷的猶大人,說:
32:10
「亞述王西拿基立如此說:『你們倚靠甚麼,還在耶路撒冷受困呢?
32:11
希西家對你們說「耶和華我們的上帝必救我們脫離亞述王的手」,這不是誘惑你們,使你們受飢渴而死嗎?
32:12
這希西家豈不是廢去耶和華的邱壇和祭壇,吩咐猶大與耶路撒冷的人說「你們當在一個壇前敬拜,在其上燒香」嗎?
32:13
我與我列祖向列邦所行的,你們豈不知道嗎?列邦的神何嘗能救自己的國脫離我手呢?
32:14
我列祖所滅的國,那些神中誰能救自己的民脫離我手呢?難道你們的神能救你們脫離我手嗎?
32:15
所以你們不要叫希西家這樣欺哄誘惑你們,也不要信他;因為沒有一國一邦的神能救自己的民脫離我手和我列祖的手,何況你們的神更不能救你們脫離我的手。』」
32:16
西拿基立的臣僕還有別的話毀謗耶和華上帝和他僕人希西家。
32:17
西拿基立也寫信毀謗耶和華以色列的上帝說:「列邦的神既不能救他的民脫離我手,希西家的神也不能救他的民脫離我手了。」
32:18
亞述王的臣僕用猶大言語向耶路撒冷城上的民大聲呼叫,要驚嚇他們,擾亂他們,以便取城。
32:19
他們論耶路撒冷的上帝,如同論世上人手所造的神一樣。
32:20
希西家王和亞摩斯的兒子先知以賽亞因此禱告,向天呼求。
32:21
耶和華就差遣一個使者進入亞述王營中,把所有大能的勇士和官長、將帥盡都滅了。亞述王滿面含羞地回到本國,進了他神的廟中,有他親生的兒子在那裡用刀殺了他。
32:22
這樣,耶和華救希西家和耶路撒冷的居民脫離亞述王西拿基立的手,也脫離一切仇敵的手,又賜他們四境平安。
32:23
有許多人到耶路撒冷,將供物獻與耶和華,又將寶物送給猶大王希西家。此後,希西家在列邦人的眼中看為尊大。

 

 After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to wage war against Jerusalem, he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him. They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings[a] of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said. Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces[b] of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons and shields.

He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

Later, when Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces were laying siege to Lachish, he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah king of Judah and for all the people of Judah who were there:

10 “This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you basing your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? 11 When Hezekiah says, ‘The Lord our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria,’ he is misleading you, to let you die of hunger and thirst. 12 Did not Hezekiah himself remove this god’s high places and altars, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar and burn sacrifices on it’?

13 “Do you not know what I and my predecessors have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of those nations ever able to deliver their land from my hand? 14 Who of all the gods of these nations that my predecessors destroyed has been able to save his people from me? How then can your god deliver you from my hand? 15 Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my predecessors. How much less will your god deliver you from my hand!”

16 Sennacherib’s officers spoke further against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah. 17 The king also wrote letters ridiculing the Lord, the God of Israel, and saying this against him: “Just as the gods of the peoples of the other lands did not rescue their people from my hand, so the god of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand.” 18 Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city. 19 They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world—the work of human hands.

20 King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. 21 And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword.

22 So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them[c] on every side. 23 Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the Lord and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded by all the nations.

 

**********

 

    希西家倚靠耶和華勝過亞述大軍的事蹟,在《列王記下》、《歷代志下》和《以賽亞書》都有記載。這個事件讓人看見,人再怎樣囂張和自以為是,都無法抵擋上帝的大能!

 

    正如希西家安慰由大的百姓所說的話:「你們當剛強壯膽,不要因亞述王和跟隨他的大軍恐懼、驚慌;因為與我們同在的,比與他們同在的更大。與他們同在的是肉臂,與我們同在的是耶和華─我們的上帝,他必幫助我們,為我們爭戰。」

 

    就在最緊要的關頭,耶和華就差遣一個使者進入亞述王營中,把所有大能的勇士和官長、將帥盡都滅了。亞述王滿面含羞地回到本國,進了他神的廟中,有他親生的兒子在那裡用刀殺了他。

 

    也因為這樣的經歷,以賽亞先寫下了以賽亞書40章,向萬民述說上帝的大能,宣揚上帝的偉大,並且寫下有名的一段話:「你豈不曾知道嗎?你豈不曾聽見嗎?永在的上帝耶和華,創造地極的主,並不疲乏,也不困倦;他的智慧無法測度。疲乏的,他賜能力;軟弱的,他加力量。就是少年人也要疲乏困倦;強壯的也必全然跌倒。但那等候耶和華的必重新得力。他們必如鷹展翅上騰;他們奔跑卻不困倦,行走卻不疲乏。」(以賽亞書40:28-31

 

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