U-Ahazi Uyinkosi KwaJuda
1U-Ahazi wayeneminyaka engama-20 ngesikhathi eba yinkosi, wabusa iminyaka eli-16 eJerusalema. Akazange enze okuhle phambi kukaSimakade, njengoDavide ukhokho wakhe, 2kodwa wahamba ngezindlela zamakhosi akwa-Israyeli, wenzela oBhali izithombe ezibunjiweyo. 3Washisa impepho esigodini sendodana kaHinomu, washisa amadodana akhe emlilweni njengezinengiso zabezizwe uSimakade abaxosha phambi kwabakwa-Israyeli. 4Wahlaba, washisa impepho ezindaweni eziphakemeyo, emagqumeni naphansi kwazo zonke izihlahla eziluhlaza.
5USimakade uNkulunkulu wakhe wayesemnikela esandleni senkosi yase-Aramu, bamshaya, bathumba kuye isixuku esikhulu sabathunjwa, babayisa eDamaseku. Naye wanikelwa esandleni senkosi yakwa-Israyeli eyamshaya ngokushaya okukhulu.
6UPheka, indodana kaRemaliya, wabulala izinkulungwane eziyizi-120 000 kwaJuda ngasuku lunye, bonke babengamadoda anamandla, ngokuba bamshiya uSimakade uNkulunkulu wokhokho babo. 7UZikhiri, iqhawe lakwa-Efrayimi, wabulala uMahaseya, indodana yenkosi, u-Azrikamu, umengameli wendlu, no-Elikhana owayelama inkosi. 8Abakwa-Israyeli bathumba abafowabo abayizi-200 000, abesifazane, amadodana namadodakazi, babaphanga impango eningi, babayisa eSamariya.
Umphrofethi U-Odedi Uhlangabeza Impi
9Kwakukhona umphrofethi kaSimakade ogama lakhe kwakungu-Odedi. Waphuma wahlangabeza impi eyase ibuyela eSamariya, wathi kuyo: “Bhekani, uSimakade uNkulunkulu wokhokho benu ubemthukuthelele uJuda, ngakho-ke wamnikela esandleni senu; nina nibabulele ngentukuthelo eze yafinyelela ezulwini. 10Manje nihlose ukucindezela abakwaJuda, nabaseJerusalema nibenze izigqila nezigqilakazi zenu. Kepha aniyukuba necala yini kuSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu ngalokho na? 11Ngakho-ke ngilaleleni, nibuyisele emuva abafowenu enibathumbileyo, ngokuba ulaka oluvuthayo lukaSimakade luphezu kwenu.”
12Kwase kusukuma izinhloko zabakwa-Efrayimi, u-Azariya indodana kaJohanani, uBherekhiya indodana kaMeshilemothi, uJekhizikiya indodana kaShalumi, no-Amasa indodana kaHadilayi, bamelana nalabo ababebuya empini, 13bathi kubo: “Ningabangenisi abathunjwa lapho, ngokuba nisikhongela icala kuSimakade. Ngabe nifuna ukwenezelela esonweni nasecaleni lethu na? Ngokuba lukhulu ulaka oluvuthayo phezu kuka-Israyeli.”
14Abahlomileyo babashiya abathunjwa nempango phambi kwezikhulu nebandla lonke. 15Amadoda aqokiweyo abizwa ngamagama, asukuma, abathatha abathunjwa nabo bonke ababehlutshulwe behamba ze, abembathisa ngezimpahla ezaziyimpango, abafaka izicathulo, abapha ukudla, abaphuzisa, abagcoba, abakhweza ezimbongolweni bonke ababebuthakathaka, abayisa kubafowabo eJerikho, umuzi wamasundu; ayesebuyela eSamariya.
U-Ahazi Ucela Usizo E-Asiriya
16Ngaleso sikhathi inkosi u-Ahazi wathumela emakhosini ase-Asiriya ukuba azomsiza, 17ngokuba phezu kwakho konke kwafika nabakwa-Edomi bashaya uJuda, bathumba abaningi. 18NamaFilisti ayefikile ahlasela imizi yasehlanzeni neNegevu kwelakwaJuda, adla iBhethi Shemeshi, i-Ajaloni, iGederothi, iSoko nemizana yalo; ahlala khona. 19USimakade wayemthobisile uJuda ngenxa ka-Ahazi, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, ngoba engamnakanga uJuda futhi akethembeka kuSimakade. 20Kwafika uThiligathi Phileseri, inkosi yase-Asiriya, yamhlupha, ayizange imqinise. 21U-Ahazi waphanga indlu kaSimakade, isigodlo senkosi, nezindlu zezikhulu, wanika inkosi yase-Asiriya leyo mpango, kodwa lokho akumsizanga ngalutho.
U-Ahazi Uqhubeka Nokwenza Okubi
22Ngesikhathi sokuhlushwa kwakhe, inkosi u-Ahazi yaqhubeka yenza okubi kuSimakade. 23Yahlabela onkulunkulu baseDamaseku ababeyishayile, yathi: “Ngokuba onkulunkulu bamakhosi ase-Aramu bayawasiza, ngakho-ke ngiyakuhlabela bona, bayakungisiza nami.”
Kepha bamlethela ukuba aqunjwe phansi, kanjalo no-Israyeli wonke.
24U-Ahazi waqoqa zonke izinto zendlu kaNkulunkulu wazinqamula, wavala iminyango yendlu kaSimakade, wazenzela ama-althare kuwo wonke amagumbi eJerusalema. 25Kuyo yonke imizi yakwaJuda, wenza kulowo nalowo muzi izindawo eziphakemeyo zokushisela abanye onkulunkulu impepho, ngalokho wamcunula uSimakade uNkulunkulu wokhokho bakhe.
26Ezinye izindaba zakhe nazo zonke izindlela zakhe, ezakuqala nezakamuva; bheka, zilotshiwe encwadini yamakhosi akwaJuda nawakwa-Israyeli. 27U-Ahazi walaliswa kokhokho bakhe, bammbela emzini iJerusalema, ngokuba abamyisanga emadlinzeni amakhosi akwa-Israyeli. UHezekiya, indodana yakhe, waba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.
