La monarquía
Hezekiah's Prayer and Sennacherib's Defeat
When the Assyrian king Sennacherib threatens Jerusalem, King Hezekiah tears his clothes, puts on sackcloth, and goes into the house of the Lord. He sends word to the prophet Isaiah, who answers that the Lord will make Sennacherib return to his own land and fall by the sword there. Sennacherib sends a mocking letter to Hezekiah, who spreads it out before the face of the Lord and prays for deliverance, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that the Lord alone is God. Isaiah brings the Lord's answer: Sennacherib will not enter the city, and a remnant will go out from Jerusalem. The angel of the Lord strikes down 185,000 in the Assyrian camp, and Sennacherib returns to Nineveh, where he is killed by his own sons Adrammelech and Sharezer while worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch.
Isaías 37,1-38
1When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.
וַיְהִ֗י כִּשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ וַיִּקְרַ֖ע אֶת־בְּגָדָ֑יו וַיִּתְכַּ֣ס בַּשָּׂ֔ק וַיָּבֹ֖א בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃
2He sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, all covered in sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.
וַ֠יִּשְׁלַח אֶת־אֶלְיָקִ֨ים אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַבַּ֜יִת וְאֵ֣ת ׀ שֶׁבְנָ֣א הַסּוֹפֵ֗ר וְאֵת֙ זִקְנֵ֣י הַכֹּהֲנִ֔ים מִתְכַּסִּ֖ים בַּשַּׂקִּ֑ים אֶל־יְשַֽׁעְיָ֥הוּ בֶן־אָמ֖וֹץ הַנָּבִֽיא׃
3They said to him: "This is what Hezekiah says: Today is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace; children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to deliver them.
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ יוֹם־צָרָ֧ה וְתוֹכֵחָ֛ה וּנְאָצָ֖ה הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֣י בָ֤אוּ בָנִים֙ עַד־מַשְׁבֵּ֔ר וְכֹ֥חַ אַ֖יִן לְלֵדָֽה׃
4Perhaps the LORD your God will hear the words of the field commander, whom his master the king of Assyria sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke him for the words the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up a prayer for the remnant that still survives."
אוּלַ֡י יִשְׁמַע֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ אֵ֣ת ׀ דִּבְרֵ֣י רַב־[t] שָׁקֵ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֩ שְׁלָח֨וֹ מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֤וּר ׀ אֲדֹנָיו֙ לְחָרֵף֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים חַ֔י וְהוֹכִ֙יחַ֙ בַּדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖ע יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְנָשָׂ֣אתָ תְפִלָּ֔ה בְּעַ֥ד הַשְּׁאֵרִ֖ית הַנִּמְצָאָֽה׃
5So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah,
וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ עַבְדֵ֛י הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ אֶל־יְשַׁעְיָֽהוּ׃
6and Isaiah said to them, "Tell your master this: 'This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid of the words you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ יְשַֽׁעְיָ֔הוּ כֹּ֥ה תֹאמְר֖וּן אֶל־אֲדֹנֵיכֶ֑ם כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אַל־תִּירָא֙ מִפְּנֵ֤י הַדְּבָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁמַ֔עְתָּ אֲשֶׁ֧ר גִּדְּפ֛וּ נַעֲרֵ֥י מֶלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֖וּר אוֹתִֽי׃
7I am going to put a spirit in him, so that when he hears a report he will return to his own land, and there in his own land I will make him fall by the sword.'"
הִנְנִ֨י נוֹתֵ֥ן בּוֹ֙ ר֔וּחַ וְשָׁמַ֥ע שְׁמוּעָ֖ה וְשָׁ֣ב אֶל־אַרְצ֑וֹ וְהִפַּלְתִּ֥יו בַּחֶ֖רֶב בְּאַרְצֽוֹ׃
8When the field commander returned, he found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah, for he had heard that the king had left Lachish.
וַיָּ֙שָׁב֙ רַב־שָׁקֵ֔ה וַיִּמְצָא֙ אֶת־מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר נִלְחָ֖ם עַל־לִבְנָ֑ה כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֔ע כִּ֥י נָסַ֖ע מִלָּכִֽישׁ׃
9Now the king of Assyria received a report about Tirhakah, king of Cush: "He has marched out to fight against you." So he sent messengers again to Hezekiah with this word:
וַיִּשְׁמַ֗ע עַל־תִּרְהָ֤קָה מֶֽלֶךְ־כּוּשׁ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יָצָ֖א לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם אִתָּ֑ךְ וַיִּשְׁמַע֙ וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ לֵאמֹֽר׃
10"Say this to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you by saying, 'Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.'
כֹּ֣ה תֹאמְר֗וּן אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֤הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַל־יַשִּֽׁאֲךָ֣ אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֛ה בּוֹטֵ֥חַ בּ֖וֹ לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹ֤א תִנָּתֵן֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם בְּיַ֖ד מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃
11You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands, devoting them to destruction. And will you be delivered?
הִנֵּ֣ה ׀ אַתָּ֣ה שָׁמַ֗עְתָּ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשׂ֜וּ מַלְכֵ֥י אַשּׁ֛וּר לְכָל־הָאֲרָצ֖וֹת לְהַחֲרִימָ֑ם וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּנָּצֵֽל׃
12Did the gods of the nations my fathers destroyed rescue them—Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar?
הַהִצִּ֨ילוּ אוֹתָ֜ם אֱלֹהֵ֤י הַגּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִשְׁחִ֣יתוּ אֲבוֹתַ֔י אֶת־גּוֹזָ֖ן וְאֶת־חָרָ֑ן וְרֶ֥צֶף וּבְנֵי־עֶ֖דֶן אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּתְלַשָּֽׂר׃
13Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena and Ivvah?"
אַיֵּ֤ה מֶֽלֶךְ־חֲמָת֙ וּמֶ֣לֶךְ אַרְפָּ֔ד וּמֶ֖לֶךְ לָעִ֣יר סְפַרְוָ֑יִם הֵנַ֖ע וְעִוָּֽה׃
14Hezekiah took the letters from the hand of the messengers and read them. Then he went up to the house of the LORD and spread them out before the LORD.
וַיִּקַּ֨ח חִזְקִיָּ֧הוּ אֶת־הַסְּפָרִ֛ים מִיַּ֥ד הַמַּלְאָכִ֖ים וַיִּקְרָאֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֙עַל֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה וַיִּפְרְשֵׂ֥הוּ חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃
15And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD:
וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל֙ חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃
16"LORD of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.
יְהוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב הַכְּרֻבִ֔ים אַתָּה־ה֤וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ לְבַדְּךָ֔ לְכֹ֖ל מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הָאָ֑רֶץ אַתָּ֣ה עָשִׂ֔יתָ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
17Incline your ear, LORD, and hear; open your eyes, LORD, and see. Listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to mock the living God.
הַטֵּ֨ה יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אָזְנְךָ֙ וּֽשְׁמָ֔ע פְּקַ֧ח יְהוָ֛ה עֵינֶ֖ךָ וּרְאֵ֑ה וּשְׁמַ֗ע אֵ֚ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י סַנְחֵרִ֔יב אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁלַ֔ח לְחָרֵ֖ף אֱלֹהִ֥ים חָֽי׃
18It is true, LORD, that the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the lands, and every land of theirs,
אָמְנָ֖ם יְהוָ֑ה הֶחֱרִ֜יבוּ מַלְכֵ֥י אַשּׁ֛וּר אֶת־כָּל־הָאֲרָצ֖וֹת וְאֶת־אַרְצָֽם׃
19and have thrown their gods into the fire. But they were no gods at all, only the work of human hands, wood and stone—so they destroyed them.
וְנָתֹ֥ן אֶת־אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם בָּאֵ֑שׁ כִּי֩ לֹ֨א אֱלֹהִ֜ים הֵ֗מָּה כִּ֣י אִם־מַעֲשֵׂ֧ה יְדֵֽי־אָדָ֛ם עֵ֥ץ וָאֶ֖בֶן וַֽיְאַבְּדֽוּם׃
20Now, LORD our God, save us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the LORD."
וְעַתָּה֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ הוֹשִׁיעֵ֖נוּ מִיָד֑וֹ וְיֵֽדְעוּ֙ כָּל־מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה לְבַדֶּֽךָ׃
21Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent word to Hezekiah: "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Because you have prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria,
וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ יְשַֽׁעְיָ֣הוּ בֶן־אָמ֔וֹץ אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ לֵאמֹ֑ר כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁר֙ הִתְפַּלַּ֣לְתָּ אֵלַ֔י אֶל־סַנְחֵרִ֖יב מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃
22this is the word the LORD has spoken against him: The Virgin Daughter Zion despises you and mocks you; the Daughter of Jerusalem shakes her head as you flee.
זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה עָלָ֑יו בָּזָ֨ה לְךָ֜ לָעֲגָ֣ה לְךָ֗ בְּתוּלַת֙ בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן אַחֲרֶ֙יךָ֙ רֹ֣אשׁ הֵנִ֔יעָה בַּ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
23Whom have you mocked and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!
אֶת־מִ֤י חֵרַ֙פְתָּ֙ וְגִדַּ֔פְתָּ וְעַל־מִ֖י הֲרִימ֣וֹתָה קּ֑וֹל וַתִּשָּׂ֥א מָר֛וֹם עֵינֶ֖יךָ אֶל־קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
24By your servants you have mocked the Lord, and you have said: 'With my many chariots I have climbed the mountain heights, the far recesses of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, its choicest cypresses. I have reached its remotest heights, its densest forest.
בְּיַ֣ד עֲבָדֶיךָ֮ חֵרַ֣פְתָּ ׀ אֲדֹנָי֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר בְּרֹ֥ב רִכְבִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י עָלִ֛יתִי מְר֥וֹם הָרִ֖ים יַרְכְּתֵ֣י לְבָנ֑וֹן וְאֶכְרֹ֞ת קוֹמַ֤ת אֲרָזָיו֙ מִבְחַ֣ר בְּרֹשָׁ֔יו וְאָבוֹא֙ מְר֣וֹם קִצּ֔וֹ יַ֖עַר כַּרְמִלּֽוֹ׃
25I have dug wells and drunk water; with the soles of my feet I have dried up all the streams of Egypt.'
אֲנִ֥י קַ֖רְתִּי וְשָׁתִ֣יתִי מָ֑יִם וְאַחְרִב֙ בְּכַף־פְּעָמַ֔י כֹּ֖ל יְאֹרֵ֥י מָצֽוֹר׃
26Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it; in days of old I planned it. Now I have brought it to pass, that you should turn fortified cities into heaps of rubble.
הֲלֽוֹא־שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ לְמֵֽרָחוֹק֙ אוֹתָ֣הּ עָשִׂ֔יתִי מִ֥ימֵי קֶ֖דֶם וִיצַרְתִּ֑יהָ עַתָּ֣ה הֲבֵאתִ֔יהָ וּתְהִ֗י לְהַשְׁא֛וֹת גַּלִּ֥ים נִצִּ֖ים עָרִ֥ים בְּצֻרֽוֹת׃
27Their people, drained of power, were dismayed and put to shame. They were like plants in the field, like tender green shoots, like grass sprouting on the roof, scorched before it grows up.
וְיֹֽשְׁבֵיהֶן֙ קִצְרֵי־יָ֔ד חַ֖תּוּ וָבֹ֑שׁוּ הָי֞וּ עֵ֤שֶׂב שָׂדֶה֙ וִ֣ירַק דֶּ֔שֶׁא חֲצִ֣יר גַּגּ֔וֹת וּשְׁדֵמָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י קָמָֽה׃
28But I know where you dwell, when you come and when you go, and how you rage against me.
וְשִׁבְתְּךָ֛ וְצֵאתְךָ֥ וּבוֹאֲךָ֖ יָדָ֑עְתִּי וְאֵ֖ת הִֽתְרַגֶּזְךָ֥ אֵלָֽי׃
29Because you rage against me, and because your arrogance has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came.
יַ֚עַן הִתְרַגֶּזְךָ֣ אֵלַ֔י וְשַׁאֲנַנְךָ֖ עָלָ֣ה בְאָזְנָ֑י וְשַׂמְתִּ֨י חַחִ֜י בְּאַפֶּ֗ךָ וּמִתְגִּי֙ בִּשְׂפָתֶ֔יךָ וַהֲשִׁ֣יבֹתִ֔יךָ בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥אתָ בָּֽהּ׃
30And this will be the sign for you: This year you will eat what grows by itself, and the second year what springs from that. But in the third year sow and reap, plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
וְזֶה־לְּךָ֣ הָא֔וֹת אָכ֤וֹל הַשָּׁנָה֙ סָפִ֔יחַ וּבַשָּׁנָ֥ה הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית שָׁחִ֑יס וּבַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗ית זִרְע֧וּ וְקִצְר֛וּ וְנִטְע֥וּ כְרָמִ֖ים *ואכול **וְאִכְל֥וּ פִרְיָֽם׃
31Once more the surviving remnant of the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above.
וְיָ֨סְפָ֜ה פְּלֵיטַ֧ת בֵּית־יְהוּדָ֛ה הַנִּשְׁאָרָ֖ה שֹׁ֣רֶשׁ לְמָ֑טָּה וְעָשָׂ֥ה פְרִ֖י לְמָֽעְלָה׃
32For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.
כִּ֤י מִירֽוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ תֵּצֵ֣א שְׁאֵרִ֔ית וּפְלֵיטָ֖ה מֵהַ֣ר צִיּ֑וֹן קִנְאַ֛ת יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־זֹּֽאת׃ ס
33Therefore this is what the LORD says about the king of Assyria: He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here. He will not come before it with a shield or build a siege ramp against it.
לָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר לֹ֤א יָבוֹא֙ אֶל־הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את וְלֹֽא־יוֹרֶ֥ה שָׁ֖ם חֵ֑ץ וְלֹֽא־יְקַדְּמֶ֣נָּה מָגֵ֔ן וְלֹֽא־יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ עֳלֶ֖יהָ סֹלְלָֽה׃
34By the way he came he will return; he will not enter this city, declares the LORD.
בַּדֶּ֥רֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֖א בָּ֣הּ יָשׁ֑וּב וְאֶל־הָעִ֥יר הַזֹּ֛את לֹ֥א יָב֖וֹא נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃
35I will defend this city and save it, for my own sake and for the sake of David my servant.
וְגַנּוֹתִ֛י עַל־הָעִ֥יר הַזֹּ֖את לְהֽוֹשִׁיעָ֑הּ לְמַֽעֲנִ֔י וּלְמַ֖עַן דָּוִ֥ד עַבְדִּֽי׃ ס
36Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck down a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people rose early the next morning — there they all lay, dead bodies.
וַיֵּצֵ֣א ׀ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֗ה וַיַּכֶּה֙ בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה אַשּׁ֔וּר מֵאָ֛ה וּשְׁמֹנִ֥ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אָ֑לֶף וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְהִנֵּ֥ה כֻלָּ֖ם פְּגָרִ֥ים מֵתִֽים׃
37So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.
וַיִּסַּ֣ע וַיֵּ֔לֶךְ וַיָּ֖שָׁב סַנְחֵרִ֣יב מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֑וּר וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בְּנִֽינְוֵֽה׃
38One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer cut him down with the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king.
וַיְהִי֩ ה֨וּא מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֜ה בֵּ֣ית ׀ נִסְרֹ֣ךְ אֱלֹהָ֗יו וְֽאַדְרַמֶּ֨לֶךְ וְשַׂרְאֶ֤צֶר בָּנָיו֙ הִכֻּ֣הוּ בַחֶ֔רֶב וְהֵ֥מָּה נִמְלְט֖וּ אֶ֣רֶץ אֲרָרָ֑ט וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֵֽסַר־חַדֹּ֥ן בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ ס