旧约 - 历代记下(2 Chronicles)第32章

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 make war on Jerusalem,
he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him.
A large force of men assembled, and they blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. "Why should the kings 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 supporting terraces 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:
"This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you basing your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege?
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.
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'?
"Do you not know what I and my fathers 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?
Who of all the gods of these nations that my fathers destroyed has been able to save his people from me? How then can your god deliver you from my hand?
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 fathers. How much less will your god deliver you from my hand!"
Sennacherib's officers spoke further against the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah.
The king also wrote letters insulting 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."
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.
They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world--the work of men's hands.
King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this.
And the LORD sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the leaders 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 cut him down with the sword.
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 on every side.
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.
In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the LORD, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign.
But Hezekiah's heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the LORD'S wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.
Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the LORD'S wrath did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables.
He also made buildings to store the harvest of grain, new wine and oil; and he made stalls for various kinds of cattle, and pens for the flocks.
He built villages and acquired great numbers of flocks and herds, for God had given him very great riches.
It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and channeled the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook.
But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.
The other events of Hezekiah's reign and his acts of devotion are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
Hezekiah rested with his fathers and was buried on the hill where the tombs of David's descendants are. All Judah and the people of Jerusalem honored him when he died. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.
历代志下第卅二章   第 32 章 

  代下 32:1> 在希西家时代,亚述是怎样扩展他帝国版图的? 

  32:1 在希西家的时代,亚述控制了中东的大部分地区,成为强大的帝国。他从现代的伊朗与伊拉克之间一个细小、狭长的地带崛起,在亚述拿西帕二世( Ashurnasirpal Ⅱ,公元前 883-859 )与他儿子撒缦以色三世( Shalmaneser Ⅲ,公元前 859-824 )统治之下,开始建立势力。在提革拉毗列色三世( Tiglath-Pileser Ⅲ,公元前 745-727 )的时候,亚述的边境已经伸展到以色列的边陲,成为古代的最大帝国之一。撒缦以色五世在公元前 722 年灭了北国以色列,他的孙子西拿基立(公元前 705-681 )想将南国犹大纳入他的控制之下。只是不到一个世纪,亚述就败亡了(公元前 612 )。 

  代下 32:1> 亚述王西拿基立带领大军兵临耶路撒冷城下,目的是什么? 

  32:1 西拿基立“想要攻破占据”犹大的坚固城,好强迫那些城市向他进贡。强迫被占据的城邑进贡,是君王广增财源的方法。亚述人常常要被征服国宣誓效忠,其中包括纳税,就是以羊、酒、作战工具(马、车、武器)、金、银,及入侵君王喜悦的一切进贡。对亚述人来说,贡物比俘虏更重要,因为俘虏要他们花钱来养活。所以他们只是对极不顺服的城市,或者要在被毁的城市重置人口,才把原居民掳走。 

  代下 32:1-8> 面对危机时的秘诀是什么?想想上一次我处理危机的方法,有什么需要检讨之处? 

  32:1-8 面对亚述大军入侵的危机,希西家作出两个重要的抉择。他竭力应付形势,又信任神赐的结果。这正是我们面对艰苦劣势时,必须采取的步骤。你要竭尽所能,尽人事来解决问题。你也要祷告将之交托神,倚靠祂来解困。 

  代下 32:3-4> 耶路撒冷的水源来自何处? 

  32:3-4 城市必须依水源建造。天然的泉源是耶路撒冷城的几个主要水源。希西家采取卓越的军事行动,堵住城外的一切泉源,并且用地下的隧道将水引入城中( 32:30 );所以,即使耶路撒冷被长期围困,城内也有水用。近世,希西家所造的隧道,连同一块石碑被人发现,上面记述了建造隧道的情形:两组工人在地下挖掘,一组在耶路撒冷,另一组在基训泉,两组人在中途会合,隧道至此相通。 

  亚述帝国 

  代下 32:7-8> 我是以信心的眼睛来看所遇到的每一个困难吗? 

  32:7-8 希西家能以信心的眼睛看见耶和华的帮助,只要神站在他一边,敌军再多也毫无用处。“万军之主耶和华说,不是倚靠势力,不是倚靠才能,乃是倚靠我的灵方能成事”(亚 4:6 )。他满有把握,鼓励臣民,因为深知神的同在。你又是否站在主这边?你难得会遇上一支敌军,但是你可以倚靠神的力量,每日面对争战而得胜。 

  代下 32:31> 风调雨顺的岁月,飘泊无定的日子,让我们看清我们所靠的是…… 

  32:31 试验能显出人的本性。神要试验希西家,为着要他认识自己的亏欠,看清自己的内心。神没有弃绝希西家,也不是试探他,要他犯罪,更不是戏弄他。考验的目的是要给他加添力量、培养他的性格、预备他担负前面的任务。在一帆风顺的时候,大多数人都能过美好的生活。但是遇到压力、患难、痛苦时,除非力量是从神而来,我们的良善可谓弱不禁风,一经风雨就飘去无踪。你遇到压力或是逆境时如何呢?你会屈服,还是求神帮助呢?凡是经常亲近神的人,不用担心压力会使他们垮掉。 

  代下 32:31> 在国与国的争斗中,一个新的帝国悄悄的兴起…… 

  32:31 巴比伦是无声无息地崛起成为世界强国的。此时亚述内部发生冲突,连续几个君王都软弱无能、国势渐衰。亚述在公元前 612 年终于败亡,巴比伦在尼布甲尼撒的统治下,取而代之成为强国。(有关巴比伦的详细资料,请参王下 20:14 的注释。) 

  代下 32:31> 就算人生曾经历神多大的神迹奇事,也不保证自己不会成为一个心高气傲的人…… 

  32:31 神为什么要离开希西家,任由他受试验?他在蒙神医治疾病以后,骄气极度膨胀,巴比伦的使者来问候他病得痊愈的神迹时,神就站在一边,看他对这件事的回应。可惜希西家的行为显出他的骄傲有如脱缰之马。他将成就、财宝及军器都拿给使者观看,而不是归荣耀给神(参王下 20:12-19 )。骄傲就是将自己的努力和才能高举过于神,轻视神在我们身上的作为,并洋洋自得、看不起别人。神并不反对人有自信心及合理的自我评估;因成就而得安慰没有错。但神反对人将祂所做的大事完全归功于人自己,这是愚蠢的态度。凡看自己比别人优越也是愚昧的。 

  玛拿西──《灵修版圣经注释》