by Septuagint
[7] Behold now, these shall be terrified with fear of you: those whom ye feared shall cry out because of you: messengers shall be sent, bitterly weeping, entreating for peace. [8] For the ways of these shall be made desolate: the terror of the nations has been made to cease, and the covenant with these is taken away, and ye shall by no means deem them men. [9] The land mourns; Libanus is ashamed: Saron is become marshes; Galilee shall be laid bare, and Chermel.
[10] Now will I arise, saith the Lord, now will I be glorified; now will I be exalted. [11] Now shall ye see, now shall ye perceive; the strength of your breath, shall be vain; fire shall devour you. [12] And the nations shall be burnt up; as a thorn in the field cast out and burnt up.
[13] They that are afar off shall hear what I have done; they that draw nigh shall know my strength. [14] The sinners in Sion have departed; trembling shall seize the ungodly. Who will tell you that a fire is kindled? Who will tell you of the eternal place?
[15] He that walks in righteousness, speaking rightly, hating transgression and iniquity, and shaking his hands from gifts, stopping his ears that he should not hear the judgement of blood, shutting his eyes that he should not see injustice. [16] he shall dwell in a high cave of a strong rock: bread shall be given him, and his water shall be sure. [17] Ye shall see a king with glory: your eyes shall behold a land from afar. [18] Your soul shall meditate terror. Where are the scribes? where are the counsellors, where is he that numbers them that are growing up, [19] even the small and great people? with whom he took not counsel, neither did he understand a people of deep speech, so that a despised people should not hear, and there is no understanding to him that hears.
[20] Behold the city of Sion, our refuge: thine eyes shall behold Jerusalem, a rich city, tabernacles which shall not be shaken, neither shall the pins of her tabernacle be moved for ever, neither shall her cords be at all broken: [21] for the name of the Lord is great to you: ye shall have a place, even rivers and wide and spacious channels: thou shalt not go this way, neither a vessel with oars go thereby. [22] For my God is great: the Lord our judge shall not pass me by: the Lord is our prince, the Lord is our king; the Lord, he shall save us.
[23] Thy cords are broken, for they had no strength: thy meat has given way, it shall not spread the sails, it shall not bear a signal, until it be given up for plunder; therefore shall many lame men take spoil. [24] And the people dwelling among them shall by no means say, I am in pain: for their sin shall be forgiven them.
Chapter 34
[1] Draw near, ye nations; and hearken, ye princes; let the earth hear, and they that are in it; the world, and the people that are therein. [2] For the wrath of the Lord is upon all nations, and his anger upon the number of them, to destroy them, and give them up to slaughter. [3] And their slain shall be cast forth, and their corpses; and their ill savour shall come up, and the mountains shall be made wet with their blood. [4] And all the powers of the heavens shall melt, and the sky shall be rolled up like a scroll: and all the stars shall fall like leaves from a vine, and as leaves fall from a fig-tree.
[5] My sword has been made drunk in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and with judgement upon the people doomed to destruction. [6] The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is glutted with fat, with the blood of goats and lambs, and with the fat of goats and rams: for the Lord has a sacrifice in Bosor, and a great slaughter in Idumea. [7] And the mighty ones shall fall with them, and the rams and the bulls; and the land shall be soaked with blood, and shall be filled with their fat. [8] For it is the day of judgement of the Lord, and the year of the recompence of Sion in judgement. [9] And her valleys shall be turned into pitch, and her land into sulphur; and her land shall be as pitch burning night and day; [10] and it shall never be quenched, and her smoke shall go up: it shall be made desolate throughout her generations, [11] and for a long time birds and hedgehogs, and ibises and ravens shall dwell in it: and the measuring line of desolation shall be cast over it, and satyrs shall dwell in it. [12] Her princes shall be no more; for her kings and her great men shall be destroyed. [13] And thorns shall spring up in their cities, and in her strong holds: and they shall be habitations of monsters, and a court of ostriches. [14] And devils shall meet with satyrs, and they shall cry one to the other: there shall satyrs rest, having found for themselves a place of rest. [15] There has the hedgehog made its nest, and the earth has safely preserved its young: there have the deer met, and seen one another’s faces. [16] They passed by in full number, and not one of them perished: they sought not one another; for the Lord commanded them, and his Spirit gathered them. [17] And he shall cast lots for them, and his hand has portioned out their pasture, saying, Ye shall inherit the land for ever: they shall rest on it through all generations.
Chapter 35
[1] Be glad, thou thirsty desert: let the wilderness exult, and flower as the lily. [2] And the desert places of Jordan shall blossom and rejoice; the glory of Libanus has been given to it, and the honour of Carmel; and my people shall see the glory o the Lord, and the majesty of God.
[3] Be strong, ye relaxed hands and palsied knees. [4] Comfort one another, ye fainthearted; be strong, fear not; behold, our God renders judgement, and he will render it; he will come and save us. [5] Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear. [6] Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the stammerers shall speak plainly; for water has burst forth in the desert, and a channel of water in a thirsty land. [7] And the dry land shall become pools, and a fountain of water shall be poured into the thirsty land; there shall there be a joy of birds, ready habitations and marshes. [8] There shall be there a pure way, and it shall be called a holy way; and there shall not pass by there any unclean person, neither shall there be there an unclean way; but the dispersed shall walk on it, and they shall not go astray. [9] And there shall be no lion there, neither shall any evil beast go up upon it, nor at all be found there; but the redeemed and gathered on the Lord’s behalf, shall walk in it, [10] and shall return, and come to Sion with joy, and everlasting joy shall be over their head; for on their head shall be praise and exultation, and joy shall take possession of them: sorrow and pain, and groaning have fled away.
Chapter 36
[1] Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of the reign of Ezekias, that Sennacherim, king of the Assyrians, came up against the strong cities of Judea, and took them. [2] And the king of the Assyrians sent Rabsaces out of Laches to Jerusalem to king Ezekias with a large force: and he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the way of the fuller’s field. [3] And there went forth to him Heliakim the steward, the son of Chelcias, and Somnas the scribe, and Joach the son of Asaph, the recorder.
[4] And Rabsaces said to them, Say to Ezekias, Thus says the great king, the king of the Assyrians, Why art thou secure? [5] Is war carried on with counsel and mere words of the lips? and now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? [6] Behold, thou trustest on this bruised staff of reed, on Egypt: as soon as a man leans upon it, it shall go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharao king of Egypt and all that trust in him. [7] But it ye say, We trust in the Lord our God; [8] yet now make an agreement with my lord the king of the Assyrians, and I will give you two thousand horses, if ye shall be able to set riders upon them. [9] And how can ye then turn to the face of the satraps? They that trust on the Egyptians for horse and rider, are our servants. [10] And now, Have we come up against this land to fight against it without the Lord? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
[11] Then Eliakim and Somnas and Joach said to him, Speak to thy servants in the Syrian tongue; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jewish tongue: and wherefore speakest thou in the ears of the men on the wall? [12] And Rabsaces said to them, Has my lord sent me to your lord or to you, to speak these words? has he not sent me to the men that sit on the wall, that they may eat dung, and drink their water together with you?
[13] And Rabsaces stood and cried with a loud voice
in the Jewish language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of the Assyrians: [14] thus says the king, Let not Ezekias deceive you with words: he will not be able to deliver you. [15] And let not Ezekias say to you, That God will deliver you, and this city will not at all be delivered into the hand of the king of the Assyrians. [16] Hearken not to Ezekias: thus says the king of the Assyrians, If ye wish to be blessed, come out to me: and ye shall eat every one of his vine and his fig-trees, and ye shall drink water out of your own cisterns: [17] until I come and take you to a land, like your own land, a land of corn and wine, and bread, and vineyards. [18] Let not Ezekias deceive you, saying, God will deliver you. Have the gods of the nations delivered each one his own land out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians? [19] Where is the god of Emath, and Arphath? and where is the god of Eppharuaim? have they been able to deliver Samaria out of my hand? [20] Which is the god of all these nations, that has delivered his land out of my hand, that God should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand? [21] And they were silent, and none answered him a word; because the king had commanded that none should answer.
[22] And Heliakim the son of Chelcias, the steward, and Somnas the military scribe, and Joach the son of Asaph, the recorder, came in to Ezekias, having their garments rent, and they reported to him the words of Rabsaces.
Chapter 37
[1] And it came to pass, when king Ezekias heard it, that he rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth, and went up to the house of the Lord.
[2] And he sent Heliakim the steward, and Somnas the scribe, and the elders of the priests clothed with sackcloth, to Isaiah the son of Amos, the prophet. And they said to him, Thus says Ezekias, [3] To-day is a day of affliction, and reproach, and rebuke, and anger: for the pangs are come upon the travailing woman, but she has not strength to bring forth. [4] May the Lord thy God hear the words of Rabsaces, which the king of the Assyrians has sent, to reproach the living God, even to reproach with the words which the Lord thy God has heard: therefore thou shalt pray to thy Lord for these that are left.
[5] So the servants of king Ezekias came to Isaiah. [6] And Isaiah said to them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not thou afraid at the words which thou hast heard, wherewith the ambassadors of the king of the Assyrians have reproached me, [7] Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a report, and return to his own country, and he shall fall by the sword in his own land.
[8] So Rabsaces returned, and found the king of the Assyrians besieging Lobna: for he had heard that he had departed from Lachis. [9] And Tharaca king of the Ethiopians went forth to attack him. And when he heard it, he turned aside, and sent messengers to Ezekias, saying, [10] Thus shall ye say to Ezekias king of Judea, Let not thy God, in whom thou trustest, deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of the Assyrians.
[11] Hast thou not heard what the kings of the Assyrians have done, how they have destroyed the whole earth? and shalt thou be delivered? [12] Have the gods of the nations which my fathers destroyed delivered them, both Gozan, and Charrhan, and Rapheth, which are in the land of Theemath? [13] Where are the kings of Emath? and where is the king of Arphath? and where is the king of the city of Eppharuaim, and of Anagugana?
[14] And Ezekias received the letter from the messengers, and read it, and went up to the house of the Lord, and opened it before the Lord. [15] And Ezekias prayed to the Lord, saying,
[16] O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, who sittest upon the cherubs, thou alone art the God of every kingdom of the world: thou hast made heaven and earth. [17] Incline thine ear, O Lord, hearken, O Lord; open thine eyes, O Lord, look, O Lord: and behold the words of Sennacherim, which he has sent to reproach the living God. [18] For of a truth, Lord, the kings of the Assyrians have laid waste the whole world, and the countries thereof, [19] and have cast their idols into the fire: for, they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone; and they have cast them away. [20] But now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hands, that every kingdom of the earth may know that thou art God alone.
[21] And Isaiah the son of Amos was sent to Ezekias, and said to him, Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, I have heard thy prayer to me concerning Sennacherim king of the Assyrians. [22] This is the word which God has spoken concerning him; The virgin daughter of Sion has despised thee, and mocked thee; the daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at thee. [23] Whom hast thou reproached and provoked? and against whom hast thou lifted up thy voice? and hast thou not lifted up thine eyes on high against the Holy One of Israel? [24] For thou hast reproached the Lord by messengers; for thou hast said, With the multitude of chariots have I ascended to the height of mountains, and to the sides of Libanus; and I have cropped the height of his cedars and the beauty of his cypresses; and I entered into the height of the forest region: [25] and I have made a bridge, and dried up the waters, and every pool of water.
[26] Hast thou not heard of these things which I did of old? I appointed them from ancient times; but now have I manifested my purpose of desolating nations in their strong holds, and them that dwell in strong cities. [27] I weakened their hands, and they withered; and they became as dry grass on the house-tops, and as grass. [28] But now I know thy rest, and thy going out, and thy coming in. [29] And thy wrath wherewith thou hast been enraged, and thy rancour has come up to me; therefore I will put a hook in thy nose, and a bit in thy lips, and will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
[30] And this shall be a sign to thee, Eat this year what thou hast sown; and the second year that which is left: and the third year sow, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. [31] And they that are left in Judea shall take root downward, and bear fruit upward: [32] for out of Jerusalem there shall be a remnant, and the saved ones out of mount Sion: the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this. [33] Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of the Assyrians, He shall not enter into this city, nor cast a weapon against it, nor bring a shield against it, nor make a rampart round it. [34] But by the way by which he came, by it shall he return, and shall not enter into this city: thus saith the Lord. [35] I will protect this city to save it for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.
[36] And the angel of the Lord went forth, and slew out of the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand: and they arose in the morning and found all these bodies dead. [37] And Sennacherim king of the Assyrians turned and departed, and dwelt in Nineve. [38] And while he was worshipping Nasarach his country’s god in the house, Adramelech and Sarasar his sons smote him with swords; and they escaped into Armenia: and Asordan his son reigned in his stead.
Chapter 38
[1] And it came to pass at that time, that Ezekias was sick even to death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amos came to him, and said to him, Thus saith the Lord, Give orders concerning thy house: for thou shalt die, and not live. [2] And Ezekias turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying, [3] Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before thee in truth, with a true heart, and have done that which was pleasing in thy sight. And Ezekias wept bitterly. [4] And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, Go, and say to Ezekias, [5] Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, and seen thy tears: behold, I will add to thy time fifteen years. [6] And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians: and I will defend this city. [7] And this shall be a sign to thee from the Lord, that God will do this thing; [8] behold, I will turn back the shadow of the degrees of the dial by which ten degrees on the house of thy father the sun has gone down — I will turn back the sun the ten degrees; so the sun went back the ten degrees by which the shadow had gone down.
[9] THE PRAYER OF EZEKIAS KING OF JUDEA, WHEN HE HAD BEEN SICK, AND WAS RECOVERED FROM HIS SICKNESS.
[10] I said in the end of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I shall part with the remainder of my years. [11] I said, I shall no more at all see the salvat
ion of God in the land of the living: I shall no more at all see the salvation of Israel on the earth: I shall no more at all see man. [12] My life has failed from among my kindred: I have parted with the remainder of my life: it has gone forth and departed from me, as one that having pitched a tent takes it down again: my breath was with me as a weaver’s web, when she that weaves draws nigh to cut off the thread. [13] In that day I was given up as to a lion until the morning: so has he broken all my bones: for I was so given up from day even to night. [14] As a swallow, so will I cry, and as a dove, so do I mourn: for mine eyes have failed with looking to the height of heaven to the Lord, who has delivered me, and removed the sorrow of my soul. [16] Yea, O Lord, for it was told thee concerning this; and thou hast revived my breath; and I am comforted, and live. [17] For thou hast chosen my soul, that it should not perish: and thou hast cast all my sins behind me. [18] For they that are in the grave shall not praise thee, neither shall the dead bless thee, neither shall they that are in Hades hope for thy mercy. [19] The living shall bless thee, as I also do: for from this day shall I beget children, who shall declare thy righteousness, [20] O God of my salvation; and I will not cease blessing thee with the psaltery all the days of my life before the house of God.
[21] Now Isaiah had said to Ezekias; Take a cake of figs, and mash them, and apply them as a plaster, and thou shalt be well. [22] And Ezekias said, This is a sign to Ezekias, that I shall go up to the house of God.
Chapter 39
[1] At that time Marodach Baladan, the son of Baladan, the king of Babylonia, sent letters and ambassadors and gifts to Ezekias: for he had heard that he had been sick even to death, and was recovered. [2] And Ezekias was glad of their coming, and he shewed them the house of his spices, and of silver, and gold, and myrrh, and incense, and ointment, and all the houses of his treasures, and all that he had in his stores: and there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, which Ezekias did not shew.
