The Defence of Jerusalem 耶路撒冷保衛戰

    （一個猶大國居民的自述）

    I was happy once the Passover started because I like the Passover a lot. I was sad and scared when the Passover ended because just as it ended， the news came that Assyrian army was invading Israel. At least it wasn‘t Judah that Assyria was attacking. But I was still scared because I heard from our own spies that Assyria was planning a attack on Judah right after they captured Israel. I was almost scared to death by the thought of being invaded.每次過逾越節我都很高興，我個人是非常喜歡這個節日，但是這次卻是個例外。剛過完這節日沒多久，我就聽到了一個令人沮喪的消息。北邊大國亞述的軍隊入侵了以色列國。雖然說他們沒有繼續進攻猶大國，但我還是心里忍不住擔心受怕，因為據我們的情報人員報告說：亞述人打算成功占據以色列后，猶大國就成了他們的下一個獵物目標。我現在一思想這樣的情景就有點害怕。

    Sennacherib had captured Israel all to himself and he was ready to capture Judah. Hezekiah， our king decided to act first by blocking off springs of water out of the fortified city.亞述王西拿基立輕而易舉地攻占了以色列國。他下一步計劃很明確就是攻打猶大國。我們猶大國的希西家王決定先發制人截斷亞述軍隊設防城市的水源。

    “Why should they come here finding lots of fresh water to drink？” Hezekiah said. He then gathered his army for the defence of the cities in Judah. I decided to volunteer for the army. I was an officer from the beginning.“亞述王來，為何讓他得著許多水喝呢？”希西家問道。接著他就集聚，許多人塞了一切泉源，并通流國中的小河。讓他的軍隊肩負起保護猶大國的責任。我深受鼓舞，也決定參軍去保衛祖國。要知道我一開始就給一個小軍官當呢。

    Hezekiah also built another wall in front of the first wall of Jerusalem. He reinforced the supporting landforms that guarded Jerusalem like the hills outside of Jerusalem. Our king also made large quantities of shields and weapons.希西家王下令在耶路撒冷原來的圍墻外再加固一堵墻。他力圖自強，修筑好所有被毀壞的城墻。所建的新墻皆與城樓相齊，又在城外又筑一城。制造了許多軍器、盾牌。

    “We should be strong and courageous，” He said to the army officers. “Just like Joshua was when he was leading the Israelites. We should not be discouraged by the large army that Sennacherib has prepared for the siege of Judah.” He added. “Most importantly， God will be with us in the battle and we do not have to be afraid.”

    “我們應該勇敢的保衛自己的國家，就像當年耶和華帶領著以色列人那樣。雖然亞述王西拿基立已經做好充分的準備來侵略我們的國家，但我們也不應該感到害怕。”希西家王對他的那些軍官們說道。緊接著，他又加了一句：“最重要的是，上帝永遠與我們同在。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神！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。

    Sennacherib and all his forces were going to siege Lachish. He also sent his officers to Jerusalem with a message for Hezekiah.那個時候亞述王西拿基立正在集中火力進攻拉吉 ，但他還是派臣仆來見希西家王并帶來口信。

    “This is what Sennacherib， our master says： How are you going to find your own confidence that you remain in your homes under siege？” The messengers said. “When you say God will save us， he is misleading you and going to let you die of hunger and thirst. Did you not know what happened to all the other nations？” They mocked. “Were the gods of those nations able to stop them from my hand？ No， so how can your God save you from my hand？” Sennacherib‘s officers then kept on speaking against the Lord our God and against our King Hezekiah.臣仆說：“我們亞述王西拿基立說的原話如下：當我們亞述的軍隊兵臨你們城下時，你有何信心保衛你自己的國家呢？”臣仆接著說：“當你們說上帝會來拯救你們時，要知道這是在誤導你們，你們的神最終將會讓你死于兵荒馬亂。你知道其他那些國家的慘狀嗎？當我們大肆殺戮他們的軍隊和民眾時，你們的上帝在哪里呢？祂怎么不出面來阻止我們的殺戳行動呢？現在，你們又怎么能指望祂來拯救你們呢？”亞述王西拿基立的那個臣仆不僅冷嘲熱諷，還說了些對上帝和希西家王極不尊敬的話。

    They also wrote letters insulting our God. The commanders of Sennacherib‘s army called out to our people in Hebrew.亞述王西拿基立還寫信辱罵我們的上帝，還把猶太居民集中在

    一起，用希伯來語念這封信。

    “The God of Jerusalem will fall like the other Gods of the other people in the world， the work of men‘s hands.” When Hezekiah heard the words， he and Isaiah， the prophet， burst into tears and cried out to the Lord in heaven about the matter. The Lord answered sending a angel and he killed all the fighting men， leaders and officers of the army of Assyria in the camp. Sennacherib went back home terrified. As he was praying to his own gods， two of his own sons killed him and ran away. The Lord and Hezekiah are now highly regarded by all nations！

    “耶路撒冷的神將和世界上其他地方的那些神那樣，面對我們強大的亞述軍隊都將束手無策。”當希西家王聽到這番話后，他和亞摩斯的兒子先知以賽亞因此流淚禱告，向天上的父神呼求。耶和華神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。亞述王西拿基立嚇得急忙逃回了自己的國家，當他正在他自己神的廟中向假神祈禱時，他親生的兩個兒子卻在那里殺了他。正因如此，耶和華神和希西家王都受到整個國家人民的崇敬與愛戴。