1
2Ch 32:1-20.
英文原文
2Ch 32:1-20.
SENNACHERIB INVADES JUDAH.
1. After these things, and the establishment thereof--that is, the restoration of the temple-worship. The precise date is given,
2Ki 18:13.
Determined to recover the independence of his country, Hezekiah had decided to refuse to pay the tribute which his father had bound himself to pay to Assyria.
Sennacherib . . . entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities--The whole land was ravaged; the strong fortresses of Ashdod
(Isa 20:1)
and Lachish had fallen; the siege of Libnah had commenced, when the king of Judah, doubting his ability to resist, sent to acknowledge his fault, and offer terms of submission by paying the tribute. The commencement of this Assyrian war was disastrous to Hezekiah
(2Ki 18:13).
But the misfortunes of the early period of the war are here passed over, as the historian hastens to relate the remarkable deliverance which God wrought for His kingdom of Judah.
2
無標題
2-8. 希西家見西拿基立……定意要來攻打耶路撒冷——關於為抵禦所威脅的圍攻而加固耶路撒冷所採的措施，僅見於此處記載。堵塞或填沒水井、改變河道，是東方戰爭中至今仍沿用的古老作法。希西家的計畫是遮蓋泉源，使敵軍無法發現，並藉暗渠或管道將水引入城中——這計畫既能確保居民不斷的供水，又會使圍城者大受困擾，因為耶路撒冷四圍的鄉間極為缺水。
英文原文
2-8. when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib . . . was purposed to fight against Jerusalem--An account of the means taken to fortify Jerusalem against the threatened siege is given only in this passage. The polluting or filling up of wells, and the altering of the course of rivers, is an old practice that still obtains in the wars of the East. Hezekiah's plan was to cover the fountain heads, so that they might not be discovered by the enemy, and to carry the water by subterranean channels or pipes into the city--a plan which, while it would secure a constant supply to the inhabitants, would distress the besiegers, as the country all around Jerusalem was very destitute of water.
4
無標題
4. 於是有許多人聚集……塞住一切泉源，和通流那地的小河——「這些不同的泉源在何處，如今我們沒有確定的方法查考；不過隱羅結和現今稱為童女泉的泉眼，大可算在其中。約瑟夫提到城外有多處泉源，但在這語境中除了西羅亞之外別未提及。然而『那小河』的位置則足夠精確，使我們能清楚追尋。我們被告知它『流經那地之中』。如今一條流經汲淪或欣嫩谷的溪流，從任何嚴格意義上都不能說是流經那地之中；但一條流經真正的基訓谷、將亞克拉與錫安與伯西大、摩利亞山、俄弗勒隔開的溪流——正如曾有一條溪流如此——卻可以恰當地說是流經聖城所建之地的中間。而這不僅從情理顯而易見，七十士譯本更明確如此宣告——在七十士譯本中它被稱為『河』，這至少意味著比汲淪溪大得多的水流，也與旁註所說它漫溢流過那地之中相吻合。在人為干預之前，大馬色門以北那個碟狀窪地上部，無疑曾有一股十分豐沛的水流湧出——那窪地無疑是基訓谷的上端——蜿蜒流經此谷，在基訓谷大彎處匯入提羅珥園谷，再沿其流入汲淪谷」〔BARCLAY, City of the Great King〕。
英文原文
4. So there was gathered much people . . . who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land--"Where these various fountains were, we have now no positive means of ascertaining; though En-rogel, and the spring now called the Virgin's Fount, may well be numbered among them. JOSEPHUS mentions the existence of various fountains without the city, but does not mention any of them in this connection but Siloam. 'The brook,' however, is located with sufficient precision to enable us to trace it very definitely. We are told that it 'ran through the midst of the land.' Now a stream running through either the Kedron or Hinnom Valley, could, in no proper sense, be said to run through the midst of the land, but one flowing through the true Gihon valley, and separating Akra and Zion from Bezetha, Moriah, and Ophel, as a stream once, doubtless, did, could, with peculiar propriety, be said to run through the midst of the land on which the [Holy] City was built. And that this is the correct meaning of the phrase is not only apparent from the force of circumstances, but is positively so declared in the Septuagint, where, moreover, it is called a 'river,' which, at least, implies a much larger stream than the Kedron, and comports well with the marginal reading, where it is said to overflow through the midst of the land. Previous to the interference of man, there was, no doubt, a very copious stream that gushed forth in the upper portion of that shallow, basin-like concavity north of Damascus Gate, which is unquestionably the upper extremity of the Gihon valley, and pursuing its meandering course through this valley, entered the Tyropœon at its great southern curve, down which it flowed into the valley of the Kedron" [BARCLAY, City of the Great King].
5
無標題
5, 6. 他奮勇自強——他仔細巡視城防，目的是修補城牆此處的缺口、更新那裏的磚石、將攻城器械裝上城樓，特別是加固錫安的下部，即米羅，「（在）大衛城原來的城」。括號中的「在」是譯者所加，原文不加這字讀來更順——因為並非全城都被修繕，只是錫安的下部，即原來的「大衛城」。
英文原文
5, 6. he strengthened himself--He made a careful inspection of the city defenses for the purpose of repairing breaches in the wall here, renewing the masonry there, raising projecting machines to the towers, and especially fortifying the lower portion of Zion, that is, Millo, "(in) the original city of David." "In" is a supplement of our translators, and the text reads better without it, for it was not the whole city that was repaired, but only the lower portion of Zion, or the original "city of David."
6
無標題
6. 他……聚集他們……在街上——即東方城邑城門口那片寬闊的空地。他為士兵配備齊全的軍裝之後，向他們發表了激昂的講辭，論述他們當有的勇氣與必勝信心，尤其論及他們意識到上帝的恩待與幫助之大能。
英文原文
6. he . . . gathered them together . . . in the street--that is, the large open space at the gate of Eastern cities. Having equipped his soldiers with a full suit of military accoutrements, he addressed them in an animated strain, dwelling on the motives they had to inspire courage and confidence of success, especially on their consciousness of the favor and helping power of God.
9
無標題
9-20.（參
2Ki 18:17-35； 另參
2Ki 19:8-34）。
英文原文
9-20. (See on
2Ki 18:17-35;
also
2Ki 19:8-34).
18
無標題
18. 他們大聲呼喊……向耶路撒冷的百姓……在城牆上——看來當時城西的城牆延伸到基訓最上游水池之側，至少不亞於今日；城牆離那水池如此之近，以致被派去與亞述將領交涉的人可以用本國的言語回答他（參
2Ki 18:27）。
英文原文
18. they cried with a loud voice . . . unto the people of Jerusalem . . . on the wall--It appears that the wall on the west side of the city reached as far to the side of the uppermost pool of Gihon at that time as it does now, if not farther; and the wall was so close to that pool that those sent to negotiate with the Assyrian general answered him in their own tongue (see on
2Ki 18:27).
21
2Ch 32:21-23.
2Ch 32:21-23.
一位使者擊殺亞述人。
21. 一個使者……剪除一切大能的勇士——（參
2Ki 19:35-37）。
英文原文
2Ch 32:21-23.
AN ANGEL DESTROYS THE ASSYRIANS.
21. an angel . . . cut off all the mighty men--(See on
2Ki 19:35-37).
24
2Ch 32:24-26.
2Ch 32:24-26.
希西家的疾病與康復。
24. 那些日子希西害病要死——（參
2Ki 20:1-11）。
英文原文
2Ch 32:24-26.
HEZEKIAH'S SICKNESS AND RECOVERY.
24. In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death--(See on
2Ki 20:1-11).
27
2Ch 32:27-33.
2Ch 32:27-33.
他的財富與工程。
27-29. 他大有尊榮貲財——（比較
2Ki 20:13；Isa 39:2）。
他的個人財富，如同大衛與烏西雅一樣，很大一部分在於龐大的農牧產業。此外，他又積聚了大量金、銀與珍寶，這些是他從非利士人那裏擄來的戰利品，也是鄰國贈予他的禮物——因他作為一位受上天特別庇護的君王，在列國中備受尊崇。他把大量財富用於改善京城、修築堡壘，以及促進王國內部的福祉。
英文原文
2Ch 32:27-33.
HIS RICHES AND WORKS.
27-29. he had exceeding much riches and honour--(compare
2Ki 20:13; Isa 39:2).
A great portion of his personal wealth, like that of David and Uzziah, consisted in immense possessions of agricultural and pastoral produce. Besides, he had accumulated large treasures in gold, silver, and precious things, which he had taken as spoils from the Philistines, and which he had received as presents from neighboring states, among which he was held in great honor as a king under the special protection of Heaven. Much of his great wealth he expended in improving his capital, erecting forts, and promoting the internal benefit of his kingdom.
30
無標題
30. 塞住基訓的上源……引水……到城的西邊等語——（比較
2Ki 20:20）。
此處特別提及這條水道，視為希西家最偉大的工程之一。「在探勘那條從童女泉通往西羅亞的地下水道時，我在距其起點不遠處發現一條類似的水道自北面匯入；我沿著它向上追蹤到靠近穆格拉比門附近，那裏被瓦礫堵得無法通行；我發現它在錫安山鞍部南端轉向西方，若這條水道不是為引導希西家水道的水而建，我無法提出它可能的用途。也許它未在錫安山一側引下的原因，是錫安山下部已由大池——即「基訓下池」——充分供水。因此 WILLIAMS〔Holy City〕將本段譯為：『他塞住基訓水上面的出口，將水引到城的西邊』」〔BARCLAY, City of the Great King〕。這條水道的建造不僅需要石匠技術，也需要工程技術；因為隧道是從一整塊岩石中鑿穿的。希西家所建用以在城西北部蓄水的池子至今猶存。它是一座長方形的水槽，長二百四十英呎，寬一百四十四至一百五十英呎，但從近年的挖掘看來，其北端似乎延伸得更遠一些。
英文原文
30. stopped the . . . watercourse of Gihon, and brought it . . . to the west side of the city, &c.--(Compare
2Ki 20:20).
Particular notice is here taken of the aqueduct, as among the greatest of Hezekiah's works. "In exploring the subterranean channel conveying the water from Virgin's Fount to Siloam, I discovered a similar channel entering from the north, a few yards from its commencement; and on tracing it up near the Mugrabin gate, where it became so choked with rubbish that it could be traversed no farther, I there found it turn to the west in the direction of the south end of the cleft, or saddle, of Zion, and if this channel was not constructed for the purpose of conveying the waters of Hezekiah's aqueduct, I am unable to suggest any purpose to which it could have been applied. Perhaps the reason why it was not brought down on the Zion side, was that Zion was already well-watered in its lower portion by the Great Pool, 'the lower pool of Gihon.' And accordingly WILLIAMS [Holy City] renders this passage, 'He stopped the upper outflow of the waters of Gihon, and led them down westward to the city'" [BARCLAY, City of the Great King]. The construction of this aqueduct required not only masonic but engineering skill; for the passage was bored through a continuous mass of rock. Hezekiah's pool or reservoir made to receive the water within the northwest part of the city still remains. It is an oblong quadrangular tank, two hundred forty feet in length, from one hundred forty-four to one hundred fifty in breadth, but, from recent excavations, appears to have extended somewhat farther towards the north.
31
無標題
31. 至於使者的事，他們差……來詢問這國中所行的奇事等語——他們帶來禮物
（2Ch 32:23；
參 2Ki 20:12, 13），
以及一封祝賀他康復的信，信中特別詢問了日頭倒退的神蹟——這個自然現象在天文學發達的巴比倫，不可能不引起極大的興趣與好奇。同時有理由相信，他們提出了抵禦亞述人的防守聯盟。
上帝離開他，為要試驗他等語——希西家的過犯，與其說是在於展示其軍械與財寶，不如說是在於沒有將那神蹟與其康復的榮耀歸給上帝，因而未能引導那些外邦使者認識祂。
英文原文
31. in the business of the ambassadors who sent . . . to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, &c.--They brought a present
(2Ch 32:23;
see on
2Ki 20:12, 13),
and a letter of congratulation on his recovery, in which particular enquiries were made about the miracle of the sun's retrocession--a natural phenomenon that could not fail to excite great interest and curiosity at Babylon, where astronomy was so much studied. At the same time, there is reason to believe that they proposed a defensive league against the Assyrians.
God left him, to try him, &c.--Hezekiah's offense was not so much in the display of his military stores and treasures, as in not giving to God the glory both of the miracle and of his recovery, and thus leading those heathen ambassadors to know Him.
2Ch 32:1-20.
西拿基立入侵猶大。
1. 這些事以後，又建立堅固——即聖殿敬拜的恢復。確切的日期見
2Ki 18:13。 希西家決心恢復國家的獨立，已決定不再繳納其父所承諾向亞述所納的貢銀。
西拿基立……進入猶大，圍攻那堅固城——全地盡遭蹂躪；亞實突
（Isa 20:1） 與拉吉的堅固大城已經陷落；立拿的圍攻已展開之際，猶大王自度無力抵抗，便遣使認過，提出以納貢為條件歸順。這場亞述之戰的開端對希西家十分不利
（2Ki 18:13）。 但戰事初期的厄運在此略過不提，因史家急於記述上帝為祂的猶大國所施那奇妙的拯救。