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繁體中文
英語原文
The prophet Isaiah is, in this and the three following chapters, an historian; for the scripture history, as well as the scripture prophecy, is given by inspiration of God, and was dictated to holy men. Many of the prophecies of the foregoing chapters had their accomplishment in Sennacherib's invading Judah and besieging Jerusalem, and the miraculous defeat he met with there; and therefore the story of this is here inserted, both for the explication and for the confirmation of the prophecy. The key of prophecy is to be found in history; and here, that we might have the readier entrance, it is, as it were, hung at the door. The exact fulfilling of this prophecy might serve to confirm the faith of God's people in the other prophecies, the accomplishment of which was at a greater distance. Whether this story was taken from the book of the Kings and added here, or whether it was first written by Isaiah here and hence taken into the book of Kings, is not material. But the story is the same almost verbatim; and it was so memorable an event that it was well worthy to be twice recorded, 2Ki 18:1-19:37, and here, and an abridgment of it likewise, 2Ch 32:1-33 We shall be but short in our observations upon this story here, having largely explained it there. In this chapter we have, I. The descent which the king of Assyria made upon Judah, and his success against all the defenced cities, Isa 36:1. II. The conference he desired to have with Hezekiah, and the managers on both sides, Isa 36:2,3. III. Rabshakeh's railing blasphemous speech, with which he designed to frighten Hezekiah into a submission, and persuade him to surrender at discretion, Isa 36:4-10. IV. His appeal to the people, and his attempt to persuade them to desert Hezekiah, and so force him to surrender, Isa 36:11-20. V. The report of this made to Hezekiah by his agents, Isa 36:21,22.
1-10
Sennacherib's Insolent Message (710 BC)
繁體中文
西拿基立的狂妄信息 (710 BC)
¹ 希西家王十四年，亞述王西拿基立上來攻擊猶大的一切堅固城，將城攻取。
² 亞述王從拉吉差遣拉伯沙基率領大軍往耶路撒冷，到希西家王那裡。他就站在漂布地大路旁的上池水溝邊。
³ 於是希勒家的兒子家宰以利亞敬，並書記舍伯那，和亞薩的兒子史官約亞，出來見他。
⁴ 拉伯沙基對他們說：你們去告訴希西家說，亞述大王如此說：你所倚靠的這是什麼信靠呢？
⁵ 我說：你說，（不過是虛空的言語）我有打仗的計謀和能力——如今你倚靠誰，竟背叛我呢？
⁶ 看哪，你所倚靠的埃及，不過是那壓傷的蘆葦杖；人若靠在其上，必刺透他的手——如此，埃及王法老對一切信靠他的人也是如此。
⁷ 你若對我說：我們信靠耶和華我們的神——那豈不是他嗎？希西家豈不是曾廢去他的高岡和祭壇，對猶大和耶路撒冷說：你們當在這壇前敬拜嗎？
⁸ 現在你求我主亞述王給你當頭，我便給你二千匹馬，看你這一方面能不能派出騎馬的人。
⁹ 這樣，你怎能擋住我主臣僕中最小的那一個軍長的一個面色呢？你竟倚靠埃及的戰車馬兵嗎？
¹⁰ 現在我上來毀滅這地，豈沒有耶和華嗎？耶和華對我說：你上去攻擊這地，毀滅它吧。
我們在此僅觀察一些實用的功課。1. 百姓可能正行在自己當盡的本分之道上，卻仍遭遇患難和困境。希西家正在改革，他的百姓也在某種程度上被更新了；然而那時他們的國家被入侵，其中一大片被蹂躪。或許他們開始在改革之工上鬆懈冷淡，做了一半便罷手，滿足於不到徹底改革的地步；於是神便以這審判臨到他們，為要振奪他們、振奮那善業。我們若正在行善之時神差遣患難來激勵我們行得更好、行得最好、向著完全竭力前進，我們就不當驚奇。2. 我們決不可對今世平安的持續心存安全感，也不可自以為我們的山立得穩固、不能動搖。希西家不僅是一位敬虔的王，更是一位精明的王——無論是在國內的治理還是在對外的條約上。他的事務處於良好的狀態，他似乎尤其與亞述王關係良好，因為他最近剛以豐厚的禮物與他求和（王下18:14），然而那背信棄義的君王卻突然將大軍傾入他的國中，使之荒涼。因此，我們總要存著對患難的期待，使它來到之時不至使我們驚惶，那時它對我們的驚嚇便會減少。3. 神有時容許他百姓的仇敵——甚至那些最不敬虔、最詭詐的人——大大地勝過他們。亞述王攻取了猶大一切或大多數的堅固城，那時那地自然便成為他的囊中之物。惡人可能興旺一時，卻不能永遠興旺。4. 驕傲的人喜歡說大話，誇口自己的所是、所有、所做，甚至誇口自己將要做的事，凌辱別人，公然與全人類為敵——雖然如此他們使自己成為一切智者所嘲笑的對象，並成為那阻擋驕傲人之神的震怒所針對的目標。但他們以為如此便能使人懼怕自己，雖然他們使自己被人憎恨，並以虛妄誇大的話（猶16）來達到目的。5. 神百姓的仇敵企圖藉著恐嚇來征服他們，尤其是使他們因恐嚇而離棄對神的信靠。拉伯沙基在此便是如此，以喧嚷和嘲弄貶低希西家，以為他完全無力與他的主子抗衡，或稍有還手之力。因此，為要在靈魂仇敵面前站穩，我們必須藉著維持對神的盼望來振奮我們的心靈。6. 各方都承認，那些離棄神事奉的人便喪失了他的保護。如果拉伯沙基所指控的是真的——即希西家拆毀了神的祭壇——他便可正當地推論希西家不能有任何把握信靠他來得著救助和解救（賽36:7）。我們可以如此對那些自稱信靠主和他的憐憫、卻行事狂妄的罪人說。這豈不是那位他們素來藐視其誡命、玷辱其名、輕忽其典章的神嗎？他們怎能期望在他面前蒙恩呢？7. 那些逼迫教會和神百姓的人，假借神的差遣之名而行，是一件輕而易舉、極其常見的事。拉伯沙基可以說：我如今上來豈沒有耶和華嗎？ 而實際上他是上來反對耶和華（賽37:28）。那些殺主僕人的人以為是在事奉他，說願耶和華得榮耀。但遲早他們必付代價認識自己的錯誤，以至於羞愧。
英語原文
Sennacherib's Insolent Message (710 BC)
¹ Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them.
² And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field.
³ Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah's son, which was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph's son, the recorder.
⁴ And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
⁵ I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
⁶ Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.
⁷ But if thou say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?
⁸ Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
⁹ How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
¹⁰ And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? the LORD said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
We shall here only observe some practical lessons. 1. A people may be in the way of their duty and yet meet with trouble and distress. Hezekiah was reforming, and his people were in some measure reformed; and yet their country is at that time invaded and a great part of it laid waste. Perhaps they began to grow remiss and cool in the work of reformation, were doing it by halves, and ready to sit down short of a thorough reformation; and then God visited them with this judgment, to put life into them and that good cause. We must not wonder if, when we are doing well, God sends afflictions to quicken us to do better, to do our best, and to press forward towards perfection. 2. That we must never be secure of the continuance of our peace in this world, nor think our mountain stands so strong that it cannot be moved. Hezekiah was not only a pious king, but prudent, both in his administration at home and in his treaties abroad. His affairs were in a good posture, and he seemed particularly to be upon good terms with the king of Assyria, for he had lately made his peace with him by a rich present (2Ki 18:14), and yet that perfidious prince pours an army into his country all of a sudden and lays it waste. It is good for us therefore always to keep up an expectation of trouble, that, when it comes, it may be no surprise to us, and then it will be the less a terror. 3. God sometimes permits the enemies of his people, even those that are most impious and treacherous, to prevail far against them. The king of Assyria took all, or most, of the defenced cities of Judah, and then the country would of course be an easy prey to him. Wickedness may prosper awhile, but cannot prosper always. 4. Proud men love to talk big, to boast of what they are, and have, and have done, nay and of what they will do, to insult over others, and set all mankind at defiance, though thereby they render themselves ridiculous to all wise men and obnoxious to the wrath of that God who resists the proud. But thus they think to make themselves feared, though they make themselves hated, and to carry their point by great swelling words of vanity, Jude 1:16. 5. The enemies of God's people endeavour to conquer them by frightening them, especially by frightening them from their confidence in God. Thus Rabshakeh here, with noise and banter, runs down Hezekiah as utterly unable to cope with his master, or in the least to make head against him. It concerns us therefore, that we may keep our ground against the enemies of our souls, to keep up our spirits by keeping up our hope in God. 6. It is acknowledged, on all hands, that those who forsake God's service forfeit his protection. If that had been true which Rabshakeh alleged, that Hezekiah had thrown down God's altars, he might justly infer that he could not with any assurance trust in him for succour and relief, Isa 36:7, We may say thus to presuming sinners, who say that they trust in the Lord and in his mercy. Is not this he whose commandments they have lived in the contempt of, whose name they have dishonoured, and whose ordinances they have slighted? How then can they expect to find favour with him? 7. It is an easy thing, and very common, for those that persecute the church and people of God to pretend a commission from him for so doing. Rabshakeh could say, Have I now come up without the Lord? when really he had come up against the Lord, Isa 37:28. Those that kill the servants of the Lord think they do him service and say, Let the Lord be glorified. But, sooner or later, they will be made to know their error to their cost, to their confusion.
11-22
Sennacherib's Insolent Message (710 BC)
繁體中文
西拿基立的狂妄信息（主前710年）
¹¹ 以利亞敬、舍伯那、約亞對拉伯沙基說，求你用亞蘭言語對僕人說話，因為我們懂得；不要用猶大言語對我們說話，達到城牆上百姓的耳中。
¹² 拉伯沙基說，我主差遣我來，豈是對你主和你說這些話呢？豈不是對那些坐在城上、將要與你們一同吃自己糞、喝自己尿的人說的嗎？
¹³ 拉伯沙基就站着，用猶大言語大聲喊着說，你們當聽亞述大王的話。
¹⁴ 王如此說，你們不要被希西家欺哄了，因他不能拯救你們。
¹⁵ 也不要讓希西家使你們倚靠耶和華，說，耶和華必拯救我們；這城必不交在亞述王的手中。
¹⁶ 不要聽希西家的話，因亞述王如此說，你們要與我和好，用禮物出來投降我，各人就可以吃自己葡萄樹的果子，各人可以吃自己無花果樹的果子，各人可以喝自己井裏的水。
¹⁷ 等我來領你們到一個地方，與你們本地一樣，有五穀和新酒之地，有糧食和葡萄園之地。
¹⁸ 你們要防備，恐怕希西家勸導你們說，耶和華必拯救我們。列國的神有哪一個救他脫離亞述王的手呢？
¹⁹ 哈馬的神在哪裏？亞珥拔的神在哪裏？西法瓦音的神在哪裏？他們曾救撒馬利亞脫離我的手嗎？
²⁰ 這些國所有的神，有誰曾救自己的地脫離我的手呢？耶和華豈能救耶路撒冷脫離我的手呢？
²¹ 百姓卻靜默不言，並不回答一句，因為王曾吩咐說，不要回答他。
²² 當下希勒家的兒子家宰以利亞敬，和書記舍伯那，並亞薩的兒子史官約亞，都撕裂衣服，來到希西家那裏，將拉伯沙基的話告訴了他。
我們可以從中學這些功課：1. 當君王和謀士正在商議公務時，向百姓上訴是不公正的。希西家的全權代表所提出的請求是合理的——這談判當用百姓聽不懂的語言進行（Isa 36:36），因為國務的理由是祕密的事，當保持祕密，平庸之輩不配判斷。因此以卑鄙的暗示煽動臣民反對君王，是不公正的作法，不是己所不欲勿施於人。2. 驕傲狂妄的譏誚者，人對他們越客氣，他們通常說得越下流。沒有比希西家的使者對拉伯沙基所說的更溫和、更恭敬的話了。他們所求的事本身也是正當的，他們自稱他的僕人，他們為之懇求：求你；但這反倒使他更加惡毒、更加跋扈。對以柔和回答我們的人報以粗暴，是以惡報善的一種方式；那些通常能止息烈怒的話反倒使情形更糟的人，實在邪惡，恐怕已不可救藥。3. 當撒但要引誘人離棄對神的信靠、不再緊靠他時，它所用的方法是暗示人：順服它便可改善處境；但這是虛假的、極其荒謬的建議，因此當以極大的厭惡拒絕。當世界和肉體對我們說：與我們和好*，出來歸順我們，順服我們的統治、歸入我們的利益，你們各人就可以吃自己葡萄樹的果子時，它們不過是欺騙我們——應許自由，卻要領我們進入最卑賤的囚虜和奴役。人不如信拉伯沙基的話，信他們的善待和公平待遇；所以，當他們說好聽的話時，不要信他們。隨他們怎麼說，沒有別地如同應許之地那聖地。4. 沒有比將真神與外邦的神相比更荒謬的事，更是對永生神極大的冒犯；彷彿他對敬拜他之人的保護，不能勝過那些神對敬拜他們之人的保護；彷彿以色列的神能像哈馬和亞珥拔的神那樣輕易被制伏——其實它們是虛妄和謊言。它們算不得甚麼；他是偉大的自有永有者：它們是人幻想的產物、是人手所造的；他是萬物的創造主。5. 放肆的罪人容易以為，既然他們勝過了同類受造物，便也能與創造主匹敵。這國那國他們既已征服，所以主自己也必不能救耶路撒冷脫離他們的手。然而瓦片固然可與地上的瓦片爭鬥，卻不可與窯匠爭鬥。6. 有時不照愚昧人的愚妄回答他*是明智的。希西家的吩咐是：不要回答他；這不過惹他更變本加厲地謾罵褻瀆；把這事交給神去堵他的口罷，因為你們不能。他們這邊理由充足，但對如此不講理的對手說出這些理由而不攙雜血氣，是困難的；他們若像他那樣謾罵起來，在那一樣武器上拉伯沙基必大大勝過他們。7. 神的百姓理當為惡人褻瀆的話虧缺了神的榮耀而心裏難過，即使他們認為不宜答覆那些褻瀆。他們雖一言不答，卻撕裂衣服——為神名的榮耀發出聖潔的熱心，對所加於其上的藐視發出聖潔的義憤。他們聽見褻瀆的話便撕裂衣裳，因為神的尊榮受虧損時，他們對自己的裝飾再無興趣。
英語原文
Sennacherib's Insolent Message (710 BC)
¹¹ Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.
¹² But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
¹³ Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.
¹⁴ Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.
¹⁵ Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
¹⁶ Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;
¹⁷ Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
¹⁸ Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
¹⁹ Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
²⁰ Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
²¹ But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
²² Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
We may hence learn these lessons:—1. That, while princes and counsellors have public matters under debate, it is not fair to appeal to the people. It was a reasonable motion which Hezekiah's plenipotentiaries made, that this parley should be held in a language which the people did not understand (Isa 36:36), because reasons of state are secret things and ought to be kept secret, the vulgar being incompetent judges of them. It is therefore an unfair practice, and not doing as men would be done by, to incense subjects against their rulers by base insinuations. 2. Proud and haughty scorners, the fairer they are spoken to, commonly speak the fouler. Nothing could be said more mildly and respectfully than that which Hezekiah's agents said to Rabshakeh. Besides that the thing itself was just which they desired, they called themselves his servants, they petitioned for it: Speak, we pray thee; but this made him the more spiteful and imperious. To give rough answers to those who give us soft answers is one way of rendering evil for good; and those are wicked indeed, and it is to be feared incurable, with whom that which usually turns away wrath does but make bad worse. 3. When Satan would tempt men from trusting in God, and cleaving to him, he does so by insinuating that in yielding to him they may better their condition; but it is a false suggestion, and grossly absurd, and therefore to be rejected with the utmost abhorrence. When the world and the flesh say to us, "Make an agreement with us and come out to us, submit to our dominion and come into our interests, and you shall eat every one of his own vine," they do but deceive us, promising liberty when they would lead us into the basest captivity and slavery. One might as well take Rabshakeh's word as theirs for kind usage and fair quarter; therefore, when they speak fair, believe them not. Let them say what they will, there is no land like the land of promise, the holy land. 4. Nothing can be more absurd in itself, nor a greater affront to the true and living God, than to compare him with the gods of the heathen; as if he could do no more for the protection of his worshippers than they can for the protection of theirs, and as if the God of Israel could as easily be mastered as the gods of Hamath and Arphad, whereas they are vanity and a lie. They are nothing; he is the great I AM: they are the creatures of men's fancy and the works of men's hands; he is the Creator of all things. 5. Presumptuous sinners are ready to think that, because they have been too hard for their fellow-creatures, they are therefore a match for their Creator. This and the other nation they have subdued, and therefore the Lord himself shall not deliver Jerusalem out of their hand. But, though the potsherds may strive with the potsherds of the earth, let them not strive with the potter. 6. It is sometimes prudent not to answer a fool according to his folly. Hezekiah's command was, "Answer him not; it will but provoke him to rail and blaspheme yet more and more; leave it to God to stop his mouth, for you cannot." They had reason enough on their side, but it would be hard to speak it to such an unreasonable adversary without a mixture of passion; and, if they should fall a railing like him, Rabshakeh would be much too hard for them at that weapon. 7. It becomes the people of God to lay to heart the dishonour done to God by the blasphemies of wicked men, though they do not think it prudent to reply to those blasphemies. Though they answered him not a word, yet they rent their clothes, in a holy zeal for the glory of God's name and a holy indignation at the contempt put upon it. They tore their garments when they heard blasphemy, as taking no pleasure in their own ornaments when God's honour suffered.
先知以賽亞在這一章與以下三章中成為史家；因為聖經的歷史與聖經的預言一樣，都是出於神的默示所賜，並向聖徒口授記下的。前數章許多預言，都在西拿基立侵犯猶大、圍攻耶路撒冷以及他在那裏所遭遇的奇妙挫敗中得了應驗；因此這事的記載在此插入，既是為了講解預言，也是為了印證預言。預言的鑰匙當從歷史中尋找；而此處，為使我們更易進入，這鑰匙彷彿掛在門上。這預言精確的應驗，可用以堅固神百姓對其他應驗尚遠之預言的信心。這段記載是取自列王紀而加在此處，還是先由以賽亞在此寫下、再被收入列王紀，並不要緊。但兩處記載幾乎逐字相同；這既是如此難忘的事件，理當兩次記錄——王下 18:1-19:37 與此處——並且在代下 32:1-33 也有摘要。我們在此對這段記載的觀察將力求簡短，因為在那兩處已詳細解說過了。在本章中我們有：一、 亞述王對猶大的進犯，以及他攻取一切堅固城的成功，賽 36:1。二、 他想要與希西家會談，以及雙方的談判代表，賽 36:2,3。三、 拉伯沙基那充滿褻瀆的狂妄之言，他企圖藉此威嚇希西家使他屈服，勸他無條件投降，賽 36:4-10。四、 他向百姓的呼籲，並企圖勸他們離棄希西家，藉此迫使希西家投降，賽 36:11-20。五、 希西家的臣僕將這事向他稟報，賽 36:21,22。