1 Kwathi ngomnyaka weshumi nane wenkosi uHezekiya, uSaneheribi, inkosi yase-Asiriya, wenyuka wahlasela yonke imizi ebiyelweyo yakwaJuda, wayithatha.
2 Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathuma uRabi Shake, asuke eLakishi, aye eJerusalema enkosini uHezekiya, enempi enkulu, wema ngasemseleni wechibi lasenhla, elingasendleleni yeNsimu Yomhlanzi.
3 Kwase kuphumela kuye u-Eliyakimi indodana kaHilikiya owayephezu kwendlu, noShebina umbhali, noJowa indodana ka-Asafa, umabhalana.
4 Wathi kubo uRabi Shake: “Ake nisho kuHezekiya, nithi: ‘Isho kanje inkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya, ithi: Yithemba lini leli olethembayo na?
5 Wena uyakhuluma, kepha kungamazwi angawomlomo nje lana ngesu nangamandla okulwa. Pho, wethemba bani, lokhu ungihlubukile na?
6 Bheka, wethemba udondolo lwalo mhlanga ofecekileyo oyiGibithe; kepha uma umuntu ezimelela ngalo, luyangena esandleni sakhe, lusihlabe; unjalo uFaro inkosi yaseGibithe kubo bonke abamethembayo.
7 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,” na?
8 “ ‘Ngalokho ake uvumelane nenkosi yami, inkosi yase-Asiriya, ngiyakukunika amahhashi ayizinkulungwane ezimbili, uma ungabeka izinkweli kuzo.
9 Pho, ungaphindisela emuva kanjani nenduna eyodwa ezincekwini ezincane zenkosi yami na? Nokho wethemba iGibithe ukuthola khona izinqola nabamahhashi.
10 Manje ngenyukele yini ngaphandle kukaJehova kuleli zwe ukuba ngilichithe, na? UJehova wathi kimi: “Yenyukela kulelo zwe, ulichithe.” ’ ”
11 Base bethi o-Eliyakimi noShebina noJowa kuRabi Shake: “Ake ukhulume ezincekwini zakho ngesi-Aramu, ngokuba siyaluzwa, ungakhulumi kithi ngolimi lwabaJuda ezindlebeni zabantu abasogangeni.”
12 Kepha uRabi Shake wathi: “Inkosi yami ingithumile yini enkosini yakho nakuwena ukukhuluma lawamazwi na? Hhayi kulaba bantu yini abahlezi ogangeni ukuba badle amasimba abo, baphuze umshobingo wabo kanye nani, na?”
13 Wayesema uRabi Shake, wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu ngolimi lwabaJuda, wathi: “Zwanini amazwi enkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya.
14 Isho kanje inkosi, ithi: Maningakhohliswa nguHezekiya, ngokuba akayikuba namandla okunophula;
15 futhi uHezekiya makanganenzi nethembe uJehova ngokuthi: ‘UJehova uyakusophula nokusophula, nalo muzi awuyikunikelwa esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya.’
16 “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,
17 ngize ngifike, nginiyise ezweni elinjengezwe lakini, izwe lamabele nelewayini, izwe lesinkwa nelezivini.
18 “Xwayani ukuba uHezekiya anganiyengi ngokuthi: ‘UJehova uyakusophula.’ Abanye onkulunkulu bezizwe bake bophula nokophula yini izwe lakubo esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya na?
19 Baphi onkulunkulu baseHamati nase-Aripadi; baphi onkulunkulu baseSefarivayimi na? Balophulile iSamariya esandleni sami na?
20 Ngobani phakathi kwabo bonke onkulunkulu balawa mazwe abophule izwe lakubo esandleni sami ukuba uJehova alophule iJerusalema esandleni sami na?”
21 Kepha bathula, abamphendulanga ngazwi, ngokuba umyalo wenkosi wathi: “Ningamphenduli.”
22 Base befika u-Eliyakimi indodana kaHilikiya owayephezu kwendlu, noShebina umbhali, noJowa indodana ka-Asafa, umabhalana, kuHezekiya, izingubo zabo ziklebhukile, bamlandisa amazwi kaRabi Shake.