Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah - Ibn Kathir - (2/198)

Al-Bidayah wa an-NihayahIbn Kathir

—and You are the One who shows mercy and answers the supplication of those in dire need (1).

When he lifted his head, God revealed to Isaiah that he should instruct the king to take a poultice made of figs, apply it to his ulcer, and he would awaken healed. He did so, and he recovered.

God then sent death upon Sennacherib’s army; by morning they had all perished except Sennacherib himself and five of his companions—among them Nebuchadnezzar. The king of the Children of Israel had them brought in chains, paraded them through the land for seventy days as a public lesson and humiliation, giving each one two barley loaves a day, and then confined them to prison.

God Most High revealed to Isaiah that he should command the king to send them back to their country so that they might warn their people of what had befallen them. When they returned, Sennacherib gathered his people and recounted what had happened. The sorcerers and priests said to him, “We did tell you about their Lord and their prophets, but you would not listen. They are a nation that no one can overcome when their Lord supports them.” Thus Sennacherib’s fate became an example of the very punishment with which God had threatened them. Sennacherib died seven years later (2).

Ibn Isḥāq said: When the righteous king of the Children of Israel died, their affairs fell into disarray, confusion spread among them, and their wickedness increased. God therefore revealed to Isaiah, and he rose to admonish and remind them. He informed them of God as befits Him and warned them of His might and punishment should they disobey and deny Him. When he had finished speaking, they attacked him, intent on killing him. He fled until he came upon a tree that split open for him, and he entered it. Satan, however, seized the hem of his cloak, leaving it outside. When they saw it, they brought a saw, set it to the tree, and sawed the tree—and him—through. Truly, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return (3).

Among them is Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, of the tribe of Levi son of Jacob.

It has been said that he is al-Khidr; this was narrated by al-Ḍaḥḥāk from Ibn ʿAbbās (4), but the report is odd and unsound (5).

Ibn ʿAsākir (6) relates that in some narrations it is mentioned that he stood before the blood of John son of Zechariah, still bubbling in Damascus.

(1) al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 1, p. 533, uses the term duaa (supplication). (2) al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 1, pp. 532–535. (3) al-Tabari records the report from Ibn Ishaq in detail in Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 1, pp. 536–537. (4) It was also narrated by Wahb ibn Munabbih. al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 1, pp. 366, 547. (5) al-Tabari likewise states this in Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 1, p. 376. (6) al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 8, pp. 27–28.

ترحم وتستجيب دعوة المضطرين (١) . فلما رفع رأسه أوحى الله إلى شعيا أن يأمره أن يأخذ ماء التين فيجعله على قَرحته فيشفى ويصبح قد برئ، ففعل ذلك، فشفي. وأرسل الله على جيش سنحاريب الموت فأصبحوا وقد هلكوا كلهم سوى سنحاريب وخمسة من أصحابه، منهم بخت نصّر، فأرسل ملكُ بني إسرائيل فجاء بهم، فجعلهم في الأغلال وطاف بهم في البلاد على وجه التنكيل بهم والإهانة لهم سبعين يوماً، ويطعم كلّ واحد منهم كل يوم رغيفين من شعير. ثمّ أودعهم السجن. وأوحى الله تعالى إلى شعيا أن يأمر الملك بإرسالهم إلى بلادهم لينذروا قومَهم ما قدْ حلَّ بهم، فلما رجعوا جمع سنحاريب قومه وأخبرهم بما قد كان من أمرهم، فقال لهم السحرة والكهنة: إنا أخبرناك عن شأن ربهم وأنبيائهم فلم تطعنا، وهي أمة لا يستطيعها أحد من ربهم. فكان أمر سنحاريب مما خوفهم الله به. ثمّ مات سنحاريب بعد سبع سنين (٢) . قال ابن إسحاق: ثم لما مات صديقة ملك بني إسرائيل مَرِج أمرُهم، واختلطت أحداثهم، وكثر شرهم، فأوحى الله تعالى إلى شعيا، فقام فيهم فوعظهم وذكّرهم. وأخبرهم عن الله بما هو أهله، وأنذرهم بأسه وعقابه إن خالفوه وكذّبوه. فلما فرغ من مقالته عَدَوا عليه وطلبوه ليقتلوه، فهرب منهم، فمرَّ بشجرة فانفلقت له فدخل فيها، وأدركه الشيطان فأخذ بهدبة ثوبه فأبرزها، فلما رأوا ذلك جاؤوا بالمنشار فوضعوه على الشجرة فنشروها ونشروه معها. فإنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون (٣) . ومنهم: أرميَا بن حلقيا من سبط لاوي بن يعقوب وقد قيل: إنه الخضر. رواه الضحّاك عن ابن عباس (٤) ، وهو غريب وليس بصحيح (٥) . قال ابن عساكر (٦) : جاء في بعض الآثار أنه وقف على دم يحيى بن زكريا وهو يفور بدمشق

(١) لفظ الدعاء عند الطبري في تاريخه (١/ ٥٣٣). (٢) تاريخ الطبري (١/ ٥٣٢ - ٥٣٥). (٣) نقل الطبري الخبر عن ابن إسحاق مفصلاً في تاريخه (١/ ٥٣٦ - ٥٣٧). (٤) ورواه كذلك وهب بن منبه. تاريخ الطبري (١/ ٣٦٦ و ٥٤٧). (٥) وكذلك قال الطبري. تاريخه (١/ ٣٧٦). (٦) تاريخه (٨/ ٢٧ - ٢٨).