UHezekiya Uyinkosi KwaJuda
1Kwathi ngonyaka wesithathu wokubusa kukaHosheya, indodana ka-Ela, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, uHezekiya, indodana ka-Ahazi, inkosi yakwaJuda, waba yinkosi. 2Wayeneminyaka engama-25 lapho eba yinkosi. Wabusa eJerusalema iminyaka engama-29. Igama likanina kwakungu-Abhi, indodakazi kaZakhariya. 3Wenza okulungile emehlweni kaSimakade njengakho konke akwenzayo uDavide, ukhokho wakhe. 4Wasusa izindawo eziphakemeyo, wadiliza izinsika, wanquma o-Ashera, wachitha inyoka yethusi eyayenziwe nguMose, ngokuba abakwa-Israyeli, kuze kube yileso sikhathi, babesashisa impepho kuyo; yayisibizwa ngokuthi nguNehushithani. 5Wamethemba uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, akubanga bikho onjengaye emva kwakhe, phakathi kwawo wonke amakhosi akwaJuda, nakulawo ayengaphambi kwakhe. 6Wabambelela kuSimakade akaze achezuka ekumlandeleni, wagcina imiyalo uSimakade ayeyale ngayo uMose. 7USimakade waba naye noma kuphi lapho ayeya khona, wachuma, wayihlubuka inkosi yase-Asiriya, akabe esayikhonza. 8Wabhubhisa amaFilisti kwaze kwayofika eGaza nezifunda zayo, kusukela embhoshongweni wabalindi kuze kube semizini ebiyelweyo.
UShalimaneseri Unqoba ISamariya
9Kwathi ngonyaka wesine, uHezekiya, inkosi ebusa kwaJuda, okwakungunyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kukaHosheya, indodana ka-Ela, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, uShalimaneseri, inkosi yase-Asiriya wakhuphuka, walivimbezela iSamariya. 10Ngasekupheleni kweminyaka emithathu walinqoba iSamariya; kwakungunyaka wesithupha uHezekiya ebusa kwaJuda, kungunyaka wesishiyagalolunye uHosheya ebusa kwa-Israyeli. 11Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathumba abakwa-Israyeli yabayisa e-Asiriya, yababeka eHala naseHabhori, ngasemfuleni iGozani nasemizini yamaMede, 12ngokuba abalalelanga izwi likaSimakade uNkulunkulu wabo, kepha beqa isivumelwano sakhe; nakho konke ayeyale ngakho uMose, inceku kaSimakade, kabavumanga ukukulalela nokukwenza.
USaneheribhi Uhlasela KwaJuda
13Ngonyaka we-14 wokubusa kukaHezekiya, inkosi, uSaneheribhi, inkosi yase-Asiriya, wakhuphuka, wahlasela yonke imizi yakwaJuda ebiyelweyo, wayidla. 14UHezekiya, inkosi yakwaJuda, wathumela enkosini yase-Asiriya eLakhishi, wathi: “Ngonile kuwe, kodwa phindela emuva; noma yini oyibeka kimi, ngiyakuyenza.”
Inkosi yase-Asiriya yamnqumela ukuba inkosi uHezekiya athele kuyo amathalenta esiliva angama-300 nawegolide angama-30. 15UHezekiya wayinika lonke isiliva elalisendlini kaSimakade nelalisengcebeni yesigodlo senkosi.
16Ngaleso sikhathi, uHezekiya wanquma izivalo zethempeli likaSimakade nezinsika okwakunamekwe nguHezekiya, inkosi yakwaJuda, wakunika inkosi yase-Asiriya.
Inkulumo KaRabi Shake KuHezekiya
17Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathumela abakhuzi bempi abakhulu, uRabi Sarisi, noRabi Shake ukuba basuke eLakhishi baye enkosini uHezikiya eJerusalema, benempi enkulu. Bakhuphuka, bafika eJerusalema. Bakhuphuka bafike bema ngasemseleni wechibi elisenhla elingasendleleni yeNsimu yoMhlanzi. 18Bayibiza inkosi, kwase kuphuma u-Eliyakimi, indodana kaHilikiya, owayengamele isigodlo, uShebhina, umbhali, noJowa, indodana ka-Asafa, umqophi.
19Wathi kubo uRabi Shake: “Ake nisho kuHezekiya, nithi: ‘Isho kanje inkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya, ithi: uthembelephi, yini le ekwenza ube nesibindi na? 20Ngabe ucabanga ukuthi ukukhuluma amazwi ngomlomo kungamasu namandla okulwa na? Pho wethemba bani, ngoba ungihlubukile na? 21Manje wena wethemba udondolo lwalo mhlanga ofecekileyo oyiGibhithe, okuthi uma umuntu ezimelela ngalo, lumhlabe esandleni sakhe, lusigwaze; unjalo-ke uFaro, inkosi yaseGibhithe, kubo bonke abamethembayo. 22Kepha uma nithi kimi: “Siyamethemba uSimakade uNkulunkulu wethu;” akusiye yini ozindawo zakhe eziphakemeyo nama-althare akhe uHezekiya akususile, wathi kuJuda nakulo iJerusalema: “Niyakukhuleka phambi kwaleli althare eJerusalema na?”
23“ ‘Ngakho-ke ake uvumelane nenkosi yami, inkosi yase-Asiriya, mangikunike amahhashi ayizi-2 000, uma ungabeka abagibeli kuwo. 24Pho ungayibuyisela kanjani emuva induna eyodwa ezincekwini ezincane zenkosi yami, ube wethembele eGibhithe ukuthola khona izinqola zempi nabamahhashi na? 25Manje ucabanga ukuthi ngikhuphuke yini ngaphandle kukaSimakade, ukuza kuleyo ndawo ukuze ngiyibhubhise na? USimakade wathi kimi: “Khuphukela kuleli lizwe ulibhubhise.” ’ ”
26U-Eliyakimi, indodana kaHilikiya, uShebhina, noJowa, bathi kuRabi Shake: “Ake ukhulume nezinceku zakho ngesi-Aramu, ngokuba siyasizwa, ungakhulumi nathi ngolimi lwabaJuda, funa kuzwe abantu abasogangeni.”
27Kepha uRabi Shake wathi kubo: “Ngabe inkosi yami ingithumile yini enkosini yakho nakini ukuzokhuluma lawa mazwi, hhayi nakwabanye abantu abahlezi ogangeni ukuba badle indle yabo, baphuze umchamo wabo kanye nani na?”
28URabi Shake wayesema, wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu, ngolimi lwesiJuda, wakhuluma wathi: “Yizwani amazwi enkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya. 29Isho kanje inkosi, ithi: ‘Maningakhohliswa nguHezekiya, ngokuba akayukuba namandla okunophula esandleni sami, 30futhi uHezekiya makanganenzi nethembe uSimakade, nithi: “USimakade uyakusophula nokusophula, nalo muzi awuyukunikelwa esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya.” ’
31“Ningamlaleli uHezekiya, ngokuba isho kanje inkosi yase-Asiriya, ithi: ‘Yakhani ukuthula nami, niphumele ngaphandle kimi, nidle, yilowo nalowo emvinini wakhe, yilowo nalowo emkhiwaneni wakhe, niphuze, yilowo nalowo amanzi omthombo wakhe, 32ngize ngifike, nginiyise ezweni elinjengezwe lakini, izwe lokusanhlamvu nelewayini, izwe lesinkwa nelezivini, izwe leminqumo, lamafutha amasha neloju, ukuba niphile, ningafi.’
“Futhi ningamlaleli uHezekiya, lapho enidukisa ethi: ‘USimakade uzosisindisa.’
33“Ngabe abanye onkulunkulu bezinye izizwe bake bawasindisa nokuwasindisa yini amazwe abo esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya na? 34Baphi onkulunkulu baseHamathi nase-Ariphadi na? Baphi onkulunkulu baseSefarivayimi, nabaseHena, nabase-Iva na? Balophulile yini iSamariya esandleni sami na? 35Ngobani phakathi konkulunkulu bamazwe abake bophula izwe labo esandleni sami, ukuba nicabange ukuthi uSimakade angalophula iJerusalema esandleni sami na?”
36Kepha abantu bathula, abamphendulanga ngazwi, ngokuba umyalo wenkosi wathi: “Ningamphenduli.”
37U-Eliyakimi, indodana kaHilikiya owayengamele isigodlo, uShebhina, umbhali, noJowa, indodana ka-Asafa, umqophi, babuyela kuHezekiya izingubo zabo beziklebhulile, bamlandisa amazwi ayekhulunywe nguRabi Shake.
