UHezekhiya ubusa kwaJuda
1Ngomnyaka wesithathu kaHosiya umsa ka-Ela ikosi yakwa-Israyeli, uHezekhiya umsa ka-Arhazi ikosi yakwaJuda wathoma ukubusa. 2Gade aneminyaka ematjhumi amabili nahlanu lokha nakathoma ukubusa. Wabusa eJerusalema iminyaka ematjhumi amabili nethoba. Ibizo lakanina bekungu-Abi indodakazi kaZakariya.
3Wenza okulungileko phambi kwakaSomnini njengoyisemkhulu uDavida. 4Yena wabhuruza iindunduma, waphihliza amatje akhethekileko kanye nemifanekiso yabo-Atjhera. Wafahlaza inyoka yekoporo uMosi agade ayenzile yaba ziinquqwana ngombana bekube sikhatheso abantu bakwa-Israyeli gade basayitjhisela itjhwalo. Inyoka leyo beyibizwa bona nguNerhutjhitani.
5UHezekhiya wathemba uSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli. Gade kungekho onjengaye phakathi kwawo woke amakhosi wakwaJuda, kungaba ngaphambili namkha ngemuva kwakhe. 6Wabambelela kuSomnini, akhange aphele amandla ekumlandeleni; walonda imiyalo uSomnini ayinikela uMosi. 7USomnini gade anaye, aphumelela kikho koke akwenzako. Wahlubuka ikosi ye-Asiriya, akhange avume ukuyilotjha. 8Kusukela esithaleni sabalindi ukuya edorobheni elinemithangala wahlula amaFilista bekwaba seGaza nemikhawulweni yalo.
9Ngomnyaka wesine wekosi uHezekhiya, okwakumnyaka wekhomba kaHosiya umsa ka-Ela ikosi yakwa-Israyeli, uTjhalimaneseri ikosi ye-Asiriya wasahlela iSamariya wayivimbezela. 10Ekupheleni kweminyaka emithathu wayithumba. Njalo-ke iSamariya yathunjwa ngomnyaka wesithandathu wekosi uHezekhiya, okwakumnyaka wethoba kaHosiya ikosi yakwa-Israyeli. 11Ikosi ye-Asiriya yathumba ama-Israyeli yawathumela ekudingisweni e-Asiriya, yawahlalisa eRhalarhi, neGozani magegana nomlambo iRhabhori nemizini yamaMede. 12Lokhu kwenzeka ngombana akhange balalele ilizwi lakaSomnini uZimabo. Kodwana beqa isivumelwano sakhe, lokhu kutjho koke uMosi inceku kaSomnini eyabayala ngakho. Akhange balalele imiyalo namkha bayenze.
USanirheribu usahlela kwaJuda
13Ngomnyaka wetjhumi nane wokubusa kwekosi uHezekhiya, uSanirheribu ikosi ye-Asiriya wasahlela amadorobho anemithangala wakwaJuda bewawathumba. 14Nje-ke uHezekhiya ikosi yakwaJuda, wathumela umlayezo ekosini ye-Asiriya eLakitjhi wathi: “Ngonile. Yewungilise, ngizakukhokhela nanyana yini oyifuna kimi.”
Ikosi ye-Asiriya yafuna kuHezekhiya ikosi yakwaJuda amakhilogremu wesiliva aziinkulungwana ezilitjhumi nekulungwana yamakhilogremu wegolide. 15Yeke uHezekhiya wayinikela loke isiliva egade lingethempelini lakaSomnini neligade lingendlini yamagugu wesigodlo.
16Ngesikhatheso uHezekhiya ikosi yakwaJuda wanamathulula igolide egade linamekwe eminyango neengosenini zethempeli lakaSomnini, walinikela ikosi ye-Asiriya.
17Khonapho ikosi ye-Asiriya yathumela indunayo yebutho, induna ekulu kanye nomkhulumelayo. Iindunezi zasuka eLakitjhi zaya kuHezekhiya eJerusalema nebutho elikhulu lepi. Ibuthwelo lafika eJerusalema lafese lajama emseleni ovela esizibeni esingehla, endleleni eya endaweni lapha kuhlanzwa khona iimpahla. 18Lokha iindunezi nazibiza ikosi, u-Eliyakhimu umsa kaRhilikhiya umphathi wesigodlo, noTjhebina ongumabhalana kanye noJowarhi ongusosiba baphuma bazihlangabeza.
19Umkhulumeli wekosi ye-Asiriya wabatjela bona batjele uHezekhiya bathi: “Nakhu ekutjhoko ikosi ekulu, ingwenyama ye-Asiriya ithi, ‘Ulibeke kuphi ithemba lakho? 20Ucabanga bona amagamakho amumoya lawo angajamelana namaqhinga webutho kanye namandla na? Uzakuthi uthembele kubani nawuhlubuka mina nje? 21Kuyabonakala bonyana uthembe iGibhide efana nomhlanga ophukileko ohlaba ulimaze isandla somuntu odzimelela kiwo! Kuba njalo-ke nakiloyo oziseka ngoFaro, ikosi yeGibhide. 22Nanyana ufuna ukungitjela bona uthembele kuSomnini uZimenu? Kanti akusuye uzinyana loyo uHezekhiya abhuruze iindunduma nama-aldarakhe lokha natjela abantu bakwaJuda nebeJerusalema bonyana balotjhe e-aldarini eJerusalema kwaphela?’
23“Ngikubhejela ngekosami ye-Asiriya: Nanyana ngingakunikela iinkulungwana ezimbili zeenjomani, angeze bewaba nabantu abangazikhwela. 24Alo-ke, ungajamelana njani namunye wabaphathi abancani beensebenzi zekosami nakusahlelako? Nanyana uthembe iGibhide bona izakulethela iinkarana nabakhweli bazo na?” 25Umkhulumeli wamtshima godu wathi: “Ngaphezu kwalokho, ucabanga bona ikosami ize lapha ukuzokubhubhisa indawo le ngaphandle kwelizwi lakaSomnini uZimenu? NguZimenu loyo oyithumele lapha bona ibhubhise inarha le.”
26Nje-ke u-Eliyakhimu umsa kaRhilikhiya, uTjhebina noJowarhi bathi kumkhulumeli: “Sibawa bona ukhulume neenceku zakho ngesi-Aramu ngombana sona siyasizwa. Sibawa ungakhulumi nathi ngesiJuda phambi kwabantu abaphezu komthangala wedorobho.”
27Kodwana umkhulumeli waphendula wathi: “Kanti nidlumbana bona ngithunywe bonyana ngikhulume izintwezi ekosinenu nakini kwaphela, kungabi nebantwini abahlezi phezu komthangalaba? Nabo njengani kuzakufanela bona badle uthuvi babo bebasele nomhlambulukwabo!” 28Yeke umkhulumeli wasikima, warhuwelela ngesiJuda wathi: “Lalelani ilizwi lekosi ekulu, ingwenyama ye-Asiriya! 29Nakhu ekutjhoko ithi, ‘Ningavumeli uHezekhiya anikhohlise ngombana angekhe anisindise esandleni sami. 30Ningamvumeli bona aniyenge nithembele kuSomnini uZimu ngokuthi athi kini:
“ ‘USomnini uzasisindisa
nedorobheli angekhe lanikelwa
esandleni sekosi ye-Asiriya.’
31“Ningamlaleli uHezekhiya ngombana nakhu ekutjhoko ikosi ye-Asiriya ithi, ‘Zinikeleni! Niphume edorobheni nize kimi! Omunye nomunye kini uzazidlela esidiribeni sakhe nemakhiwaninakhe bese uziselela amanzi womthombo azenzele wona. 32Nje-ke ningenza lokho bengifike nginithathe nginise enarheni efanele nina, okuyinarha yekoroyi neyewayini elitjha, inarha yamabele nesidiribe, okuyinarha yemithi ye-oliva neliju. Nizakuphila ningafi! Yeke ningamlaleli uHezekhiya ngombana uyanihlohlozela kwaphela lokha nakanitjela bona uSomnini uZimenu uzanisindisa. 33Kukhona uzinyana wananyana ngisiphi isizwe owakhe wasindisa inarhakhe esandleni sekosi ye-Asiriya na? 34Baphi abozinyana beRhamathi ne-Ariphadi? Baphi abozinyana beSefarivayimu, beHena ne-Ava? Bayisindisa iSamariya esandleni sami na? 35Ngiwuphi kibo boke abozinyana bamazwe la owakghona ukusindisa inarhakhe esandleni sami? Alo, uZimenu loyo yena angayisindisa njani iJerusalema esandleni samesi?’ ”
36Kodwana abantu bazithulela bathi du, akhange batjho litho ngombana ikosi uHezekhiya gade ibayalile yathi: “Ningathomi nimphendule.”
37Nje-ke u-Eliyakhimu umsa kaRhilikhiya umphathi wesigodlo, uTjhebina umabhalana kanye noJowarhi usosiba omsa ka-Asafa, baya kuHezekhiya izambatho zabo zitlebhukile, bafese bamtjela koke umkhulumeli akutjhwileko.
