4 Kwabuthana abantu abaningi, bavimba yonke imithombo, nomfudlana owawugobhoza phakathi nezwe, bathi: “Kungangani ukuba kufike amakhosi ase-Asiriya, afumane amanzi amaningi, na?”
5 Waziqinisa, wakha lonke ugange olwaludiliziwe, wabeka imibhoshongo phezu kwalo, nolunye ugange ngaphandle, waqinisa iMilo emzini kaDavide, wenza izikhali nezihlangu eziningi.
6 Wabeka izinduna zempi phezu kwabantu, wazibuthela bona esigcawini ngasesangweni lomuzi, wakhuluma kahle kubo, wathi:
7 “Qinani, nime isibindi, ningesabi, ningapheli amandla ngenkosi yase-Asiriya nangesixuku sonke esinayo, ngokuba onathi mkhulu kunonaye;
8 okunaye yingalo yenyama; okunathi nguJehova uNkulunkulu wethu ukuba asisize, alwe izimpi zethu.” Abantu bencika emazwini kaHezekiya inkosi yakwaJuda.
9 Emva kwalokho uSaneheribi inkosi yase-Asiriya wathuma izinceku zakhe eJerusalema wayephambi kweLakishi nabo bonke ababusi benaye kuHezekiya inkosi yakwaJuda nakuye wonke uJuda waseJerusalema, wathi:
10 “Usho kanje uSaneheribi, inkosi yase-Asiriya, uthi: Nethembani nina, njengokuba nihlala nivinjezelwe eJerusalema, na?