1 Kwathi ngomnyaka wesithathu kaHosheya indodana ka-Ela, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, uHezekiya indodana ka-Ahazi inkosi yakwaJuda waba yinkosi.
2 Wayeneminyaka engamashumi amabili nanhlanu ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa, wabusa iminyaka engamashumi amabili nesishiyagalolunye eJerusalema; igama likanina lalingu-Abi indodakazi kaZakariya.
3 Wenza okulungile emehlweni kaJehova njengakho konke akwenzileyo uDavide uyise.
4 Wasusa izindawo eziphakemeyo, wadiliza izinsika, wanquma o-Ashera,* wachitha inyoka yethusi ayeyenzile uMose, ngokuba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babeshisa impepho kuyo kwaze kwaba ngalezo zinsuku; yabizwa ngokuthi uNehushitani.
5 Wamethemba uJehova uNkulunkulu wakwa-Israyeli kwaze kwangabakho onjengaye phakathi kwawo onke amakhosi akwaJuda nakuwo ayengaphambi kwakhe.
6 Ngokuba wabambelela kuJehova, akasukanga ekumlandeleni, kepha wagcina imiyalo yakhe uJehova ayala ngayo uMose.
7 UJehova wayenaye; nomaphi lapho eya khona, waphumelela; wayihlubuka inkosi yase-Asiriya, kayikhonzanga.
8 Wachitha amaFilisti kwaze kwaba seGaza nemikhawulo yalo, imibhoshongo yabalindi nemizi ebiyelweyo.
9 Kwathi ngomnyaka wesine wenkosi uHezekiya owawungumnyaka wesikhombisa kaHosheya indodana ka-Ela, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, uShalimaneseri inkosi yase-Asiriya wenyuka walivimbezela iSamariya.
10 Ngasekupheleni kweminyaka emithathu balithatha; ngomnyaka wesithupha kaHezekiya owawungumnyaka wesishiyagalolunye kaHosheya inkosi yakwa-Israyeli iSamariya lathathwa.
11 Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathumbela u-Israyeli e-Asiriya, yababeka eHala naseHabori ngasemfuleni waseGozani nasemizini yamaMede,
12 ngokuba abalalelanga izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wabo, kepha beqa isivumelwano sakhe; konke ayala ngakho uMose inceku kaJehova kabavumanga ukukulalela nokukwenza.
13 Ngomnyaka weshumi nane wenkosi uHezekiya, uSaneheribi inkosi yase-Asiriya wenyuka wahlasela yonke imizi ebiyelweyo yakwaJuda, wayithatha.
14 UHezekiya inkosi yakwaJuda wathumela enkosini yase-Asiriya eLakishi, wathi: “Ngonile; buya kimi; okubeka kimi ngiyakukwenza.” Inkosi yase-Asiriya yamnqumela uHezekiya inkosi yakwaJuda amatalenta* angamakhulu amathathu esiliva namatalenta angamashumi amathathu egolide.
15 UHezekiya wamnika lonke isiliva elalifunyanwa endlini kaJehova nasengcebeni endlini yenkosi.
16 Ngaleso sikhathi uHezekiya wanquma izivalo zethempeli likaJehova nezinsika uHezekiya inkosi yakwaJuda ayezinamekile, wakunika inkosi yase-Asiriya.
17 Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathuma oTharithani, noRabi Sarisi, noRabi Shake ukuba basuke eLakishi, baye enkosini uHezekiya eJerusalema, benempi enkulu. Benyuka bafika eJerusalema. Sebenyukile bafika, bema ngasemseleni wechibi lasenhla elingasendleleni yeNsimu yoMhlanzi.
18 Bayibiza inkosi, kwaphumela kubo u-Eliyakimi indodana kaHilikiya owayephezu kwendlu, noShebina umbhali, noJowa indodana ka-Asafa, umabhalana.
19 Wathi kubo uRabi Shake: “Ake nisho kuHezekiya, nithi: ‘Isho kanje inkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya, ithi: Yithemba lini leli olethembayo na?
20 Wena uyakhuluma, kepha kungamazwi angawomlomo nje lana ngesu nangamandla okulwa. Pho, wethemba bani, lokhu ungihlubukile, na?
21 Manje bheka, wethemba udondolo lwalo mhlanga ofecekileyo oyiGibithe; kepha uma umuntu ezimelela ngalo, luyakungena esandleni sakhe, lusihlabe; unjalo uFaro inkosi yaseGibithe kubo bonke abamethembayo.
22 Kepha uma nithi kimi: “Siyamethemba uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu,” akusiye yini ozindawo zakhe eziphakemeyo nama-altare akhe akususile uHezekiya, wathi kuJuda nakulo iJerusalema: “Niyakukhuleka phambi kwaleli altare eJerusalema,” na?
23 “ ‘Ngalokho ake uvumelane nenkosi yami, inkosi yase-Asiriya, ngiyakukunika amahhashi ayizinkulungwane ezimbili, uma ungabeka izinkweli kuwo.
24 Pho, ungaphindisela emuva kanjani nenduna eyodwa ezincekwini ezincane zenkosi yami na? Nokho wethemba iGibithe ukuthola khona izinqola nabamahhashi.
25 Manje ngenyukele yini ngaphandle kukaJehova kule ndawo ukuba ngiyichithe na? UJehova wathi kimi: “Yenyukela kulelo zwe, ulichithe.” ’ ”
26 Base bethi u-Eliyakimi indodana kaHilikiya noShebina noJowa kuRabi Shake: “Ake ukhulume ezincekwini zakho ngesi-Aramu, ngokuba siyaluzwa, ungakhulumi kithi ngolimi lwabaJuda ezindlebeni zabantu abasogangeni.”
27 Kepha uRabi Shake wathi kubo: “Inkosi yami ingithumile yini enkosini yakho nakuwena ukukhuluma lawa mazwi na? Hhayi kulaba bantu yini abahlezi ogangeni ukuba badle amasimba abo, baphuze umshobingo wabo kanye nani, na?”
28 Wayesema uRabi Shake, wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu ngolimi lwabaJuda, wakhuluma wathi: “Zwanini amazwi enkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya.
29 Isho kanje inkosi, ithi: ‘Maningakhohliswa nguHezekiya, ngokuba akayikuba namandla okunophula esandleni sami;
30 futhi uHezekiya makanganenzi nethembe uJehova ngokuthi: “UJehova uyakusophula nokusophula, nalo muzi awuyikunikelwa esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya.” ’
31 “Ningamlaleli uHezekiya, ngokuba inkosi yase-Asiriya isho kanje, ithi: ‘Yenzani ukuthula nami, niphumele kimi, nidle, kube yilowo nalowo emvinini wakhe, kube yilowo nalowo emkhiwaneni wakhe, niphuze, kube yilowo nalowo amanzi omthombo wakhe,
32 ngize ngifike, nginiyise ezweni elinjengezwe lakini, izwe lamabele nelewayini, izwe lesinkwa nelezivini, izwe leminqumo nezinyosi, ukuba niphile, ningafi.’ Futhi ningamlaleli uHezekiya, lapho eniyenga ngokuthi: ‘UJehova uyakusophula.’
33 Abanye onkulunkulu bezizwe bake bophula nokophula yini izwe lakubo esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya na?
34 Baphi onkulunkulu baseHamati nase-Aripadi na? Baphi onkulunkulu baseSefarivayimi, nabaseHena, nabase-Iva, na? Balophulile iSamariya esandleni sami na?
35 Ngobani phakathi kwabo bonke onkulunkulu bamazwe abophule izwe lakubo esandleni sami ukuba uJehova alophule iJerusalema esandleni sami na?”
36 Kepha abantu bathula, abamphendulanga ngazwi, ngokuba umyalo wenkosi wathi: “Ningamphenduli.”
37 Base befika u-Eliyakimi indodana kaHilikiya owayephezu kwendlu, noShebina umlobi, noJowa indodana ka-Asafa, umabhalana, kuHezekiya, izingubo zabo ziklebhukile, bamlandisa amazwi kaRabi Shake.