1 Ngonyaka weshumi elinesine wokulawula kukakumkani uHezekiya kwelakwaJuda, ukumkani waseAsiriya uSenakeribhe wazihlasela wazithimba zonke izixeko ezinqatyisiweyo zakwaJuda.
2 Ke kaloku wandulula ingqwayi-ngqwayi yakhe eLakishe, eyithumela eJerusalem nomkhosi omkhulu. Ingqwayi-ngqwayi leyo ke yema kwindlela ebheka apho kusetyenzwa khona amalaphu, ngakumjelo otsala amanzi kwiqula elingentla.
3 Yahlangatyezwa nguEliyakim unyana kaHilekiya umaqhuzu wakomkhulu, noShebhena unobhala wenkundla, ndawonye noJowa unyana ka-Asafu usiba-khulu.
4 Ingqwayi-ngqwayi yathetha nabo yathi: “Xelelani uHezekiya nithi: ‘Ithethe ngolu hlobo ingangalala ukumkani waseAsiriya: Njengokuba uzithembe kangaka nje, Hezekiya, uqamele ngantoni kanye?
5 Akuzilibali unamacebo nobuchule bomkhosi onamandla. Awu, waza walavuza kambe! Ukholose ngabani undivukela nje?
6 Jonga, ndiyazi ukuba uthembele ngeJiputa. Xa ingubani yona, umsimelelo ofana nengcongolo entlekekileyo, ojika uhlabe izandla zomntu osimelela ngawo, umtsho abe namanxeba. Ewe, unjalo ukumkani waseJiputa; ubenjenjalo bonke abakholosa ngaye.
7 Mhlawumbi ke uthi: “Hayi, thina sikholose *ngoNdikhoyo uThixo wethu.” Kanene lowo asingulo uHezekiya amdilizele iindawo eziphakamileyo zonqulo, wabhangisa namaqonga amadini akhe, esithi kuJuda neJerusalem: “Yizani kunqula kwiqonga eliseJerusalem kuphela”?
8 “ ‘Hayi bo! Yiza kaloku, ukhe umiselane nenkosi yam, umhlekazi ukumkani waseAsiriya. Ndokunika amawaka amabini amahashe ukuba unganabo abakhweli.
9 Kuxa ungubani wena? Akunakuthelekiswa naso nesiveke-veke kumajoni aseAsiriya, noba ungade ukholose ngeenqwelo namahashe aseJiputa.
10 Kakade ke, uthi ndifane ndeza kuhlasela ukuze nditshabalalise ndibhuqe konke apha ndingayalelwanga nguNdikhoyo? Hayi, nguNdikhoyo ngokwakhe othe mandingene apha, ndilitshabalalise eli lizwe!’ ”
11 Kwesi sithuba ke uEliyakim noShebhena noJowa babhekisa apho kwingqwayi-ngqwayi, bathi: “Khawuncede ukhumshe isiAram, mhlekazi; izicaka zakho ezi ziyasiqonda. Musa ukuthetha nathi ngesiHebhere, hleze kuve naba bantu baseludongeni.”
12 Kambe ke loo ngqwayi-ngqwayi yaphendula yathi: “Yini le, nicinga ukuba la mazwi inkosi yam iwabhekisa enkosini yenu nakuni kuphela? Nithi ayiwabhekisi nakwaba bantu bahleli kolu donga? Andithi kaloku nabo kwanjengani baza kutya ilindle labo, basele umchamo wabo!”
13 Yaphakama ke ingqwayi-ngqwayi leyo, yadanduluka ithetha ngesiHebhere, yathi: “Phulaphulani nive ekuthethayo ingangalala, ukumkani waseAsiriya!
14 Ukumkani uthi: ‘Sanukukhohliswa nguHezekiya lo! Akanako ukunihlangula.
15 Sanukumvumela aniwexulele ekukholoseni ngoNdikhoyo, esithi: “Ngenene uNdikhoyo uya kusihlangula, nesi sixeko asiyi kuba lixhoba lokumkani waseAsiriya.” ’
16 “Musani ukumphulaphula uHezekiya lo! Ukumkani waseAsiriya uthi: ‘Phumani nize kuzinikezela kum, sivisisane. Ukuba niyayenza loo nto, nonke ngabanye niya konwaba, ibe ngulowo nalowo atye iziqhamo zesidiliya sakhe namakhiwane akhe, esela amanzi equla lakhe,
17 ndide ndize kunithatha, ndinise kwilizwe elifana neli lenu, umhlaba onemveliso yeenkozo newayini, ilizwe lengqolowa neediliya.’
18 “Sanukulahlekiswa nguHezekiya xa esithi: ‘UNdikhoyo uza kusihlangula.’ *Nguthixo wasiphi isizwe owakhe wasihlangula esandleni sokumkani waseAsiriya?
19 Baphi oothixo baseHamati nabaseArpadi? Baphi oothixo baseSefarvayim? Ngaba bakha bayihlangula iSamariya esandleni sam?
20 Nguwuphi kwaba thixo bezi zizwe xa bebonke owakha wanako ukuhlangula ilizwe esandleni sam? Ke, uNdikhoyo lowo yena angayihlangula njani iJerusalem esandleni sam?”
21 Kodwa ke bona abantu abo bathula bathi cwaka, abaphendula, kuba kaloku ukumkani uHezekiya wayebayalile wathi: “Ze ningamphenduli.”
22 Ke kaloku uEliyakim unyana kaHilekiya, umaqhuzu wakomkhulu, noShebhena unobhala wenkundla, kunye noJowa unyana ka-Asafu, usiba-khulu, bakhathazeka bazikrazula izambatho zabo, bahamba baya kuHezekiya, baza bamazisa loo mazwi athethwe yingqwayi-ngqwayi.