1 U-Ahazi wayeneminyaka engamashumi amabili ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa, wabusa iminyaka eyishumi nesithupha eJerusalema; akenzanga okulungile emehlweni kaJehova njengoDavide uyise,
2 kepha wahamba ngezindlela zamakhosi akwa-Israyeli, wenzela oBali izithombe ezibunjiweyo.
3 Washisa impepho esigodini sendodana kaHinomu, washisa abantwana bakhe emlilweni njengezinengiso zabezizwe uJehova abaxosha phambi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.
4 Wahlaba, washisa impepho ezindaweni eziphakemeyo, nasemagqumeni, naphansi kwayo yonke imithi eluhlaza.
5 UJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe wayesemnikela esandleni senkosi yase-Aramu, bamshaya, bathumba kuye isixuku esikhulu sabathunjwa, babayisa eDamaseku. Naye wanikelwa esandleni senkosi yakwa-Israyeli eyamshaya ngokushaya okukhulu.
6 Ngokuba uPheka indodana kaRemaliya wabulala kwaJuda izinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amabili ngalusuku lunye, bonke bengamadoda anamandla, ngokuba bebeshiyile uJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise.
7 UZikiri, iqhawe lakwa-Efrayimi, wabulala uMahaseya, indodana yenkosi, no-Azirikamu umbusi wendlu, no-Elkana owelama inkosi.
8 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathumba kubafowabo izinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amabili, abesifazane, namadodana, namadodakazi, besusa kubo nempango eningi, beyiyisa impango eSamariya.
9 Kepha kwakukhona lapho umprofethi kaJehova ogama lakhe lalingu-Odedi; waphuma ukuhlangabeza impi eyayiza eSamariya, wathi kubo: “Bhekani, ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyihlo wayethukuthelele uJuda, wabanikela esandleni senu, kepha nina nibabulele ngokufutha okufinyelele nasezulwini.
10 Manje-ke nithi niyakunyathela phansi abantwana bakwaJuda nabaseJerusalema babe yizigqila nezigqilakazi zenu. Kepha aniyikuba necala kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ngalokho kuphela na?
11 Ngalokho ngizweni, nibuyise abathunjwa enibathumbile kubafowenu, ngokuba ulaka olushisayo lukaJehova luphezu kwenu.”
12 Kwase kusukuma abezinhloko zabantwana bakwa-Efrayimi, u-Azariya indodana kaJohanani, noBerekiya indodana kaMeshilemoti, noJehizikiya indodana kaShalumi, no-Amasa indodana kaHadilayi, bamelana nabaphuma empini,
13 bathi kubo: “Ningabangenisi abathunjwa lapha, ngokuba nicabanga okuyakuba yicala lethu kuJehova ukuba kwenezele ezonweni zethu nasecaleni lethu, ngokuba icala lethu selilikhulu namanje; ulaka olushisayo luphezu kuka-Israyeli.”
14 Abahlomileyo base bebashiya abathunjwa nempango phambi kwezikhulu nebandla lonke.
15 Namadoda abizwe ngamagama ayesesukuma, abathatha abathunjwa, abembathisa impango bonke ababehamba ze, abembathisa, abafaka izicathulo, abapha ukudla, abaphuzisa, abagcoba, abakhweza ezimbongolweni bonke ababebuthakathaka, abayisa eJeriko umuzi wamasundu kubafowabo; ayesebuyela eSamariya.
16 Ngaleso sikhathi inkosi u-Ahazi yathumela emakhosini ase-Asiriya ukuba ayisize.
17 Ngokuba phezu kwakho konke babefikile abakwa-Edomi, bashaya uJuda, bathumba abathunjwa.
18 NamaFilisti ayengenele imizi yasehlanzeni neyaseningizimu yakwaJuda, athatha iBeti Shemeshi, ne-Ajaloni, neGederoti, neSoko kanye nemizana yalo, neThimna nemizana yalo, neGimizo nemizana yalo; ahlala khona.
19 Ngokuba uJehova wathobisa uJuda ngenxa ka-Ahazi inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, ngokuba wayedlubulundile kwaJuda, waphambuka nokuphambuka kuJehova.
20 Wayesefika kuye uThiligati Philineseri inkosi yase-Asiriya, wamhlupha, akamqinisanga.
21 Ngokuba u-Ahazi waphanga indlu kaJehova nendlu yenkosi neyezikhulu, wakunika inkosi yase-Asiriya, kepha akumsizanga.
22 Ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka kwakhe waqhubeka ekuphambukeni kuJehova, yona leyo nkosi u-Ahazi.
23 Wahlabela onkulunkulu baseDamaseku ababemshayile, wathi: “Ngokuba onkulunkulu bamakhosi ase-Aramu bawasiza, ngiyakubahlabela ukuba bangisize nami.” Kepha baba yisikhubekiso kuye nakuye wonke u-Israyeli.
24 U-Ahazi waqoqa izinto zendlu kaNkulunkulu, wazihlahlela izinto zendlu kaNkulunkulu, wavala izivalo zendlu kaJehova, wazenzela ama-altare emagumbini onke aseJerusalema.
25 Nakuyo yonke imizi yakwaJuda, imizi ngemizi, wenza izindawo eziphakemeyo zokuba ashisele abanye onkulunkulu impepho, wamcunula uJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise.
26 Ezinye izindaba zakhe nazo zonke izindlela zakhe, ezokuqala nezokugcina, bheka, zilotshiwe encwadini yamakhosi akwaJuda nakwa-Israyeli.
27 U-Ahazi wayeselala koyise; bammbela emzini, iJerusalema, ngokuba abamyisanga emathuneni amakhosi akwa-Israyeli; uHezekiya indodana yakhe waba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.