7 “Yomelelani nikhaliphe! Ze ningabi nadyudyu okanye nityhafe ngenxa yokumkani waseAsiriya nomkhosi wakhe omkhulu; kaloku baninzi abangakuthi kunabo bangakuye.
8 Ngakuye ngamandla omntu, ukanti ngakuthi *nguNdikhoyo uThixo wethu oza kusinceda asilwele amadabi ethu.” Ke abantu batsho bomelela ngaloo mazwi kaHezekiya ukumkani wakwaJuda.
9 Kamva ke xa uSenakeribhe ukumkani waseAsiriya nomkhosi wakhe uphela babengqinge iLakishe, wathumela amagosa akhe nalo myalezo, ewubhekisa kuHezekiya ukumkani wakwaJuda kunye nabo bonke abantu bakwaJuda ababeseJerusalem, esithi:
10 “Ukumkani waseAsiriya uSenakeribhe uthi: Khanitsho, niqamele ngani, ukuze nihlale ngaphakathi kweJerusalem engqingiweyo nje?
11 UHezekiya lo uthi: ‘UNdikhoyo uThixo wethu uza kusihlangula esandleni sokumkani weAsiriya,’ uyanilahlekisa, ufuna nibulawe yindlala nalunxano.
12 Andithi kaloku uHezekiya ngokwakhe uzidilizile iindawo eziphakamileyo zonqulo kwakunye namaqonga, esithi kuJuda neJerusalem: ‘Nqulani kwiqonga elinye, nitshise namadini kwakulo’?
13 “Ngaba anizazi na izinto ezenziwa ngoobawo kunye nam lo kubantu bonke bezinye izizwe? Baba nako yini na oothixo bezo zizwe ukuhlangula umhlobo wabo esandleni sam?