1Ngomnyaka wetshumi lesikhombisa kaPhekha indodana kaRemaliya, u-Ahazi indodana kaJothamu inkosi yakoJuda waqalisa ukubusa.
2U-Ahazi wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amabili esiba yinkosi, yena wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka elitshumi lesithupha. Wayengafanani loyise uDavida, ngoba kazange enze ukulunga phambi kukaThixo*.
3Wahamba ngezindlela zamakhosi ako-Israyeli waze wenza umnikelo wokutshiswa ngendodana yakhe, elandela izindlela zezizwe ezingamanyala uThixo* ayezixotshe abako-Israyeli bengakangeni kulelolizwe.
4Wanikela imihlatshelo njalo watshisa impepha ezindaweni zokukhonzela phezu kwamaqaqa langaphansi kwazo zonke izihlahla eziyizithingithingi.
5Ngakho uRezini inkosi yama-Aramu kanye loPhekha indodana kaRemaliya inkosi yako-Israyeli basuka bayahlasela iJerusalema bavimbezela u-Ahazi, kodwa abazange bamehlule.
6Ngalesosikhathi, uRezini inkosi yase-Aramu, wahluthuna i-Elathi wayibuyisela kuma-Aramu ngokududula abantu bakoJuda. Ama-Edomi ahle angena e-Elathi ahlala khona kuze kube lamuhla.
7U-Ahazi wathuma izithunywa ukuthi ziyekuthi kuThigilathi-Philesa inkosi yase-Asiriya, “Ngiyinceku yakho lesichaka. Woza uzongikhulula esandleni senkosi yase-Aramu lasesandleni senkosi yako-Israyeli, amakhosi angihlaselayo.”
8Ngakho u-Ahazi wathatha isiliva legolide elafunyanwa ethempelini likaThixo* lasezindlini zenotho zesigodlweni senkosi wakuthumela kwaba yisipho senkosi yase-Asiriya.
9Inkosi yase-Asiriya yahle yamhlomulela ngokuhlasela iDamaseko yayithumba. Yakhupha ababehlala khona yabaxotshela eKhiri njalo uRezini yahle yambulala.
10Ngakho inkosi u-Ahazi yasisiya eDamaseko ukuze ibonane loThigilathi-Philesa inkosi yase-Asiriya. Yabona i-alithari eDamaseko yasithumela umdwebo walelo alithare ku-Uriya umphristi lengcazelo egcweleyo yokwakhiwa.
11Ngakho u-Uriya umphristi wasesakha i-alithari ngomdwebo owawuvela enkosini u-Ahazi eDamaseko waliqeda inkosi u-Ahazi ingakaphenduki.
12Inkosi ithe isivela eDamaseko yabona i-alithari yahle yayanikela kulo.
13Inkosi yanikela umnikelo wokutshiswa lomnikelo wamabele, yathela okunathwayo komnikelo, yachela igazi lomnikelo wobudlelwano e-alithareni.
14I-alithari lethusi elalimi phambi kukaThixo* yaliletha livela ngaphambili ethempelini, phakathi kwe-alithari elitsha lethempeli likaThixo*, yalifaka ngenyakatho ye-alithare elitsha.
15Inkosi u-Ahazi yasilaya u-Uriya umphristi yathi, “Phezu kwe-alithari elikhulu elitsha, nikela umnikelo wokutshiswa wekuseni kuthi ntambama kube ngumnikelo wamabele, lomnikelo wabantu bonke elizweni, lomnikelo wabo wonke wamabele kanye lowokunathwayo. Chela i-alithari ngalo lonke igazi leminikelo yokutshiswa kanye lemihlatshelo. Kodwa ngizasebenzisa i-alithari lethusi ukucela iziqondiso.”
16Ngakho u-Uriya umphristi wenza njengokulaywa kwakhe yinkosi u-Ahazi.
17Inkosi u-Ahazi yasusa izinsimbi zenqodlana lemiganu phezulu, yethula uLwandle phezu kwenkabi zethusi ezazingaphansi kwalo, yalubeka phezu kwesisekelo selitshe.
18Yasusa isembeso seSabatha esasakhiwe ethempelini, yavala intuba yokungena inkosi eyayiphandle kwethempeli likaThixo*, ivumela okwakufunwa yinkosi yase-Asiriya.
19Ezinye izehlakalo ngombuso ka-Ahazi, kanye lokunye akwenzayo, akulotshwanga egwalweni lwembali yamakhosi akoJuda na?