14 Ke uHezekiya, ukumkani wakwaJuda, wathumela lo myalezo kukumkani waseAsiriya eLakishe, esithi: “Ewe, ndikonile; nceda ke ngoko urhoxe kum. Ndokhupha nantoni na othi mandirhume ngayo.” Ukumkani waseAsiriya ke wamrhafisa ishumi lamawaka eekhilogram zesiliva kunye newaka leekhilogram zegolide.
15 Ngoko ke uHezekiya wamnika yonke isiliva eyafumanekayo endlwini kaNdikhoyo nakoovimba bakomkhulu.
16 Kananjalo ke uHezekiya, ukumkani wakwaJuda, ngelo xesha wayixobula negolide awayetyabeke ngayo iingcango nemigubasi yendlu kaNdikhoyo, wayinika ukumkani waseAsiriya.
17 Ke kaloku ukumkani waseAsiriya wathi eseLakishe wathumela ukumkani uHezekiya eJerusalem umkhosi omkhulu uphantsi kwenjengele yakhe, nengqwayi-ngqwayi engumaqhuzu, ndawonye nengqwayi-ngqwayi ebhexeshayo. Wakufika eJerusalem loo mkhosi, wema kwindlela ebheka apho kusetyenzwa khona amalaphu, ngakumjelo otsala amanzi kwiqula elingentla.
18 La madoda ke akhwaza ukumkani, kwaza ke kwaphuma uEliyakim unyana kaHilekiya umaqhuzu wakomkhulu, noShebhena unobhala wenkundla, ndawonye noJowa unyana ka-Asafu usiba-khulu, bawahlangabeza.
19 Ingqwayi-ngqwayi ebhexeshayo yathetha nabo yathi: “Xelelani uHezekiya nithi: ‘Ithethe ngolu hlobo ingangalala ukumkani waseAsiriya: Njengokuba uzithembe kangaka nje, Hezekiya, uqamele ngantoni kanye?
20 Akuzilibali unamacebo nobuchule bomkhosi onamandla. Awu, waza walavuza kambe! Ukholose ngabani, undivukela nje?