Eyesibili EyamaKhosi

18 Ngomnyaka wesithathu wokubusa kukaHosheya+ indodana ka-Ela inkosi yako-Israyeli, uHezekhiya+ indodana ka-Ahazi+ inkosi yakoJuda waba yinkosi. 2 Wayeleminyaka engu-25 ngesikhathi esiba yinkosi futhi wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka engu-29. Unina kwakungu-Abhi* indodakazi kaZakhariya.+ 3 UHezekhiya waqhubeka esenza okulungileyo phambi kukaJehova+ njengokhokho wakhe uDavida.+ 4 Nguye owadiliza izindawo eziphakemeyo*+ lezinsika ezikhonzwayo, wagamula lesithombe sika-Ashera.*+ Wachoboza inyoka yekhopha eyayenziwe nguMosi+ ngoba kuze kube ngalesosikhathi abantu bako-Israyeli babetshisa imihlatshelo phambi kwenyoka leyo njalo beyibiza ngokuthi yisithombe senyoka yekhopha.* 5 UHezekhiya wayemthemba uJehova+ uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Kakho owayenjengaye phakathi kwamakhosi akoJuda abusa ngemva kwakhe kanye lalawo abusa ngaphambi kwakhe. 6 Wabambelela kuJehova+ futhi kazange ayekele ukumlalela. Waqhubeka egcina imilayo uJehova ayeyiphe uMosi. 7 UJehova wayelaye, loba ngaphi lapho ayesiya khona wayephumelela. Wahlamukela inkosi ye-Asiriya wala ukuba yinceku yayo.+ 8 Wanqoba amaFilisti+ waze wayafika eGaza lendawo eziseduze kwayo, kusukela enqabeni zokulinda kusiya emadolobheni avikelwe ngemiduli.*

9 Ngomnyaka wesine wokubusa kweNkosi uHezekhiya, okwakungumnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kukaHosheya+ indodana ka-Ela inkosi yako-Israyeli, uShalimanesa inkosi ye-Asiriya weza wazohlasela iSamariya wayivimbezela.+ 10 Ekupheleni kweminyaka emithathu abe-Asiriya bayinqoba iSamariya.+ Bayinqoba ngomnyaka wesithupha wokubusa kukaHezekhiya, okwakungumnyaka wesi-9 wokubusa kukaHosheya inkosi yako-Israyeli. 11 Inkosi ye-Asiriya yathumba abantu bako-Israyeli+ yabahambisa e-Asiriya. Yabahlalisa eHala laseHabhori ngasemfuleni uGozani kanye lasemadolobheni amaMede.+ 12 Lokhu kwenzakala ngenxa yokuthi abako-Israyeli abazange balalele uJehova uNkulunkulu wabo kodwa baqhubeka besephula isivumelwano sakhe, bengalaleli konke ababekutshelwe nguMosi inceku kaJehova.+ Abazange balalele njalo abazange benze ababekutsheliwe.

13 Ngomnyaka wesi-14 wokubusa kweNkosi uHezekhiya, kwafika uSenakheribhi inkosi ye-Asiriya,+ wahlasela wonke amadolobho akoJuda avikelwe ngemiduli wawathumba.+ 14 Ngakho uHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda wathumela ilizwi enkosini ye-Asiriya eyayiseLakhishi wathi: “Ngiphambanisile. Buyela ungangihlaseli, mina ngizakunika loba yini ozakuthi ngikuphe yona.” Inkosi ye-Asiriya yabhadalisa uHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda amathalenta* esiliva angu-300 lamathalenta egolide angu-30. 15 Yikho uHezekhiya wanika inkosi ye-Asiriya sonke isiliva esasisendlini kaJehova laseziphaleni zenotho yendlu yenkosi.*+ 16 INkosi uHezekhiya yakhipha izivalo zethempeli+ likaJehova lemigubazi eyayiyihuqe ngegolide,+ yakunika inkosi ye-Asiriya.

17 Inkosi ye-Asiriya yathuma uTharithani* loRabhisarisi* loRabhishakhe* enkosini uHezekhiya. Basuka eLakhishi+ baya eJerusalema+ belebutho elikhulu. Bafika bama emgelweni wamanzi ovela echibini elingaphezulu, ngasemgwaqweni omkhulu endaweni yabawatshayo.+ 18 Bathi bebiza inkosi ukuthi iphume, u-Eliyakhimu+ indodana kaHilikhiya owayengumphathi wendlu yenkosi,* loShebhina+ unobhala, loJowa indodana ka-Asafi owayebhala okwakusenzakala, baphuma baya kubo.

19 URabhishakhe wathi kubo: “Ngicela liyetshela uHezekhiya lithi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo yinkosi enkulu, inkosi ye-Asiriya: “Kanti uthembeni?+ 20 Uthi wena ulecebo kanye lamandla okulwa impi, kodwa uyaziyenga. Uthembe bani okwenza ube lesibindi sokungihlamukela?+ 21 Uthembe ukuthi uzasekelwa yiGibhithe,+ umhlanga owephukileyo othi nxa umuntu angabambelela kuwo umhlabe utshone esandleni! Unjalo uFaro inkosi yeGibhithe kubo bonke abathembele kuye. 22 Nxa lisithi kimi, ‘Thina sithembe uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu,’+ kanti kayisuye yini olezindawo eziphakemeyo lama-alithare okwadilizwa nguHezekhiya+ esithi ebantwini bakoJuda leJerusalema, ‘Kumele likhothame phambi kwe-alithare leli eliseJerusalema’?”’+ 23 Khathesi ngicela wenze isivumelwano lenkosi yami, inkosi ye-Asiriya. Ngizakunika amabhiza angu-2 000 nxa usenelisa ukuthola abantu abeneleyo abangawagada.+ 24 Manje nxa ungahlaselwa ngumbusi* oyedwa, omncane kulazo zonke izinceku zenkosi yami, ungamehlula yini wena uthembe ukuthi iGibhithe izakunika izinqola labagadi bamabhiza? 25 Kanti uJehova kayisuye yini ongiphe imvumo yokuthi ngizohlasela indawo le ngiyitshabalalise? UJehova nguye othe kimi, ‘Hamba uyehlasela ilizwe leli ulitshabalalise.’”

26 U-Eliyakhimu indodana kaHilikhiya, loShebhina+ loJowa bathi bekuzwa lokhu bathi kuRabhishakhe:+ “Sicela ukhulume lezinceku zakho ngesi-Aramu*+ ngoba siyasizwa. Ungakhulumi lathi ngolimi lwamaJuda abantu laba abaphezu komduli besizwa.”+ 27 Kodwa uRabhishakhe wathi kubo: “Licabanga ukuthi inkosi yami ingithume ukuthi ngizokhuluma lani lenkosi yenu kuphela? Ingithume lasebantwini laba abahlezi emdulini, abazakudla ingcekeza yabo banathe lemichemo yabo ndawonye lani.”

28 Ngemva kwalokho uRabhishakhe wama wamemeza ngolimi lwamaJuda wathi: “Zwanini ilizwi lenkosi enkulu, inkosi ye-Asiriya.+ 29 Nanku okutshiwo yinkosi, ‘Lingavumi ukuyengwa nguHezekhiya ngoba ngeke enelise ukulikhulula esandleni sami.+ 30 Lingavumi lokuthi uHezekhiya aliyenge ukuthi lithembe uJehova esithi: “UJehova uzasikhulula loba sekutheni njalo idolobho leli alisoze linikelwe esandleni senkosi ye-Asiriya.”+ 31 Lingamlaleli uHezekhiya ngoba inkosi ye-Asiriya ithi: “Yenzani ukuthula lami, lizinikele kimi. Lingenza njalo, ngamunye wenu uzakudla izithelo zesihlahla sakhe samagilebisi lezesihlahla sakhe somkhiwa, anathe lamanzi emgodini wakhe, 32 ngize ngibuye ngizolithatha ngilise elizweni elifanana lelenu,+ ilizwe elilamabele lewayini elitsha, ilizwe elilesinkwa loluju, elilamasimu amagilebisi kanye lezihlahla zama-oliva. Lapho-ke lizaphila, alisoze life. Lingamlaleli uHezekhiya ngoba uyaliyenga esithi, ‘UJehova uzasikhulula.’ 33 Phakathi kwabonkulunkulu bezizwe, ukhona yini oseke wakhulula ilizwe lakhe esandleni senkosi ye-Asiriya? 34 Bangaphi onkulunkulu beHamathi+ labe-Ariphadi? Bangaphi onkulunkulu beSefavayimi+ labeHena labe-Iva? Bayikhulula yini iSamariya esandleni sami?+ 35 Phakathi kwabo bonke onkulunkulu bamazwe la nguphi oseke wakhulula ilizwe lakhe esandleni sami? Pho uJehova yena angenelisa yini ukukhulula iJerusalema esandleni sami?”’”+

36 Kodwa abantu baqhubeka bethule, abazange bamphendule ngoba inkosi yayibatshele yathi, “Lingamphenduli.”+ 37 U-Eliyakhimu umphathi wendlu yenkosi* owayeyindodana kaHilikhiya, loShebhina unobhala kanye loJowa indodana ka-Asafi owayebhala okwakusenzakala, baya kuHezekhiya izigqoko zabo zidabukile bafika bamtshela amazwi kaRabhishakhe.