1 Ngomnyaka weshumi nesikhombisa kaPheka indodana kaRemaliya u-Ahazi indodana kaJothamu, inkosi yakwaJuda, waba yinkosi.
2 U-Ahazi wayeneminyaka engamashumi amabili ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa, wabusa iminyaka eyishumi nesithupha eJerusalema; akenzanga okulungile emehlweni kaJehova, uNkulunkulu wakhe, njengoDavide uyise.
3 Kepha wahamba ngendlela yamakhosi akwa-Israyeli, yebo, wadabulisa nendodana yakhe emlilweni njengezinengiso zabezizwe uJehova abaxosha phambi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.
4 Wahlaba, washisa impepho ezindaweni eziphakemeyo, nasemagqumeni, naphansi kwayo yonke imithi eluhlaza.
5 Ngaleso sikhathi uResini, inkosi yase-Aramu, noPheka indodana kaRemaliya, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, benyukela eJerusalema ukulwa nalo; bamvimbezela u-Ahazi, kepha babengenakumahlula.
6 Ngaleso sikhathi uResini inkosi yase-Aramu wabuyisela i-Elati e-Aramu, waxosha abaJuda e-Elati; ama-Aramu afika e-Elati, ahlala khona kuze kube namuhla.
7 U-Ahazi wathuma izithunywa kuThigilati Phileseri inkosi yase-Asiriya ngokuthi: “Mina ngiyinceku yakho nendodana yakho: yenyuka, ungisindise esandleni senkosi yase-Aramu nasesandleni senkosi yakwa-Israyeli angivukelayo.”
8 U-Ahazi wathatha isiliva negolide elafunyanwa endlini kaJehova nasengcebeni endlini yenkosi, walithuma enkosini yase-Asiriya laba yisipho.
9 Inkosi yase-Asiriya yamlalela; inkosi yase-Asiriya yenyuka ukuhlasela iDamaseku, yalithatha, yathumbela abantu balo eKhiri, yambulala uResini.
10 Inkosi u-Ahazi yaya eDamaseku ukumhlangabeza uThigilati Phileseri inkosi yase-Asiriya, yabona i-altare elaliseDamaseku; inkosi u-Ahazi yathumela ku-Uriya, umpristi, isimo se-altare nesifanekiso salo njengokwenziwa kwalo konke.
11 U-Uriya, umpristi, wayesakha i-altare: njengakho konke inkosi u-Ahazi ebikuthumile iseDamaseku walenze njalo u-Uriya umpristi, yaze yabuya inkosi u-Ahazi eDamaseku.
12 Inkosi isibuyile eDamaseku, inkosi yalibona i-altare; inkosi yasondela e-altare, yenyukela kulo.
13 Yashisa umnikelo wayo wokushiswa nomnikelo wayo wempuphu, yathulula umnikelo wayo wokuphuzwa, yafafaza igazi leminikelo yokuthula e-altare.
14 Kepha i-altare lethusi elaliphambi kukaJehova, yalisusa ngaphambi kwendlu phakathi kwe-altare nendlu kaJehova, yalibeka ohlangothini lwasenyakatho lwe-altare layo.
15 Inkosi u-Ahazi yamyala u-Uriya umpristi ngokuthi: “Shisa e-altare elikhulu umnikelo wokushiswa wasekuseni, nomnikelo wempuphu wakusihlwa, nomnikelo wokushiswa wenkosi, nomnikelo wayo wempuphu kanye nomnikelo wokushiswa wabo bonke abantu bezwe, nomnikelo wabo wempuphu, neminikelo yabo yokuphuzwa, ulifafaze ngalo lonke igazi lomnikelo wokushiswa nalo lonke igazi lomhlatshelo; kodwa i-altare lethusi liyakuba ngelami ukubuza ngalo.”
16 U-Uriya umpristi wenza njengakho konke inkosi u-Ahazi eyale ngakho.
17 Inkosi u-Ahazi yanquma izindini zezinqe, yasusa kuzo umcengezi wokugeza, yehlisa ulwandle ezinkabini zethusi ezaziphansi kwawo, yawubeka endaweni egandayiwe ngamatshe.
18 Indlela esibekelweyo yesabatha ababeyakhe endlini nendawo yokungena yenkosi engaphandle yakuphambukisela endlini kaJehova ngenxa yenkosi yase-Asiriya.
19 Ezinye izindaba zika-Ahazi azenzayo angithi zilotshiwe encwadini yezindaba zemihla ngemihla yamakhosi akwaJuda na?
20 U-Ahazi wayeselala koyise, wembelwa koyise emzini kaDavide; uHezekiya indodana yakhe waba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.