1Kwathi lapho uHezekhiya, inkosi, esezwe lokhu, wadabula izigqoko zakhe wagqoka amasaka, wasesiya ethempelini likaThixo*.
2Wathuma u-Eliyakhimu umphathi wesigodlo, uShebhina umabhalane labaphristi abangabakhokheli, bonke begqoke amasaka, baya kumphrofethi u-Isaya indodana ka-Amozi.
3Bathi kuye, “UHezekhiya uthi: ilanga lanamhla lusuku losizi lokusolwa kanye lehlazo njengalapho abantwana sekufike isikhathi sokuthi bazalwe kodwa amandla okubeletha engekho.
4Mhlawumbe uThixo* uNkulunkulu wakho izawezwa wonke amazwi omlawuli webutho, onkosi yakhe, inkosi yase-Asiriya, emthume ukuba athuke uNkulunkulu ophilayo, lokuthi uzamthuka ngenxa yamazwi uThixo* uNkulunkulu wakho awazwileyo. Ngakho-ke khulekela insali elokhu iphila.”
5Kwathi izithunywa zenkosi uHezekhiya sezifikile ku-Isaya,
6u-Isaya wathi kuzo, “Tshelani inkosi yenu lithi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo*: Ungesabi lokhu okuzwileyo, amazwi lawana izinceku zenkosi yase-Asiriya ezingithuke ngawo.
7Lalela! Ngizafaka umoya ozamenza athi nxa esizwa umbiko othile, afune ukubuyela elizweni lakhe, athi angafika khonale ngenze ukuba abulawe ngenkemba.’ ”
8Kwathi lapho umlawuli webutho esezwile ukuthi inkosi yase-Asiriya yayisisukile eLakhishi, laye wasuka wayathola inkosi isilwa leLibhina.
9USenakheribhi wemukela umbiko othi uThirihaka, inkosi yaseKhushi, wayesiza ukuba amhlasele. Ngakho wathumela njalo izithunywa kuHezekhiya lombiko othi:
10“Tshela uHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda ukuthi: Ungavumi ukuthi unkulunkulu omthembileyo akukhohlise esithi, ‘IJerusalema kaliyikunikelwa enkosini yase-Asiriya.’
11Ngempela usukuzwile okwenziwa ngamakhosi ase-Asiriya emazweni wonke, ewabhidliza okupheleleyo. Wena-ke uzaphepha na?
12Onkulunkulu bezizwe ezatshabalaliswa ngokhokho bami bake bazikhulula na onkulunkulu beGozani, leHarani, leRezefi kanye labantu base-Edeni ababeseThelasari?
13Ingaphi inkosi yaseHamathi, inkosi yase-Ariphadi, angaphi amakhosi aseLayiri leSefavayimi, loba eyaseHena kumbe eyase-Iva?”
14UHezekhiya wamukela incwadi eyeza lezithunywa wayibala. Emva kwalokho waya ethempelini leNkosi, wayichaya phambi kukaThixo*.
15UHezekhiya wakhuleka kuThixo* esithi: “Thixo*, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, osebukhosini phakathi kwamaKherubhi, wena kuphela nguwe onguNkulunkulu wemibuso yonke yasemhlabeni. Nguwe owenza izulu lomhlaba.
16Beka indlebe, Thixo*, uzwe; vula amehlo akho Thixo*, ubone. Lalela uzwe amazwi uSenakheribhi awathumele ukuzathuka uNkulunkulu ophilayo.
17Kuliqiniso, Thixo*, ukuthi amakhosi ase-Asiriya azitshabalalisa lezizizwe kanye lamazwe azo.
18Aphosele onkulunkulu bawo emlilweni abatshabalalisa, ngoba kungesibo onkulunkulu kodwa yizigodo lamatshe kuphela, okubunjwe ngezandla zabantu.
19Khathesi, Thixo*, Nkulunkulu wethu, sikhulule esandleni sakhe, ukuze imibuso yonke emhlabeni ibekwazi, ukuthi wena wedwa, Thixo*, unguNkulunkulu.”
20U-Isaya indodana ka-Amozi wathumela ilizwi kuHezekhiya elithi: “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo*, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: Ngiwuzwile umkhuleko wakho mayelana loSenakheribhi inkosi yase-Asiriya.
21Nanti ilizwi uThixo* aselikhulume ngaye:
22Ngubani lowo omthukileyo wamhlazisa?
23Ngezithunywa zakho
24Ngigebhile imithombo ezizweni
25“ ‘Kawuzwanga na?
26Abantu bakhona, abangaselamandla,
27Kodwa ngiyakwazi lapho okhona,
28Ngenxa yokungithukuthelela kwakho
29Lokhu kuzakuba yisibonakaliso kuwe, Hezekhiya:
30Futhi insali yendlu kaJuda
31Ngoba eJerusalema kuzavela insali,
32Ngakho-ke mayelana lenkosi yase-Asiriya uThixo* uthi:
33Uzabuyela ngendlela eza ngayo,
34Idolobho leli ngizalivikela ngilihlenge,
35Ngalobobusuku ingilosi kaThixo* yasuka yayabulala abantu abalikhulu elilamatshumi ayisificaminwembili lanhlanu lezinkulungwane ezihonqweni zama-Asiriya. Kwathi lapho abantu bevuka ekuseni kwakhona bonke kwasekuyizidumbu kuphela!
36Ngakho uSenakheribhi inkosi yama-Asiriya wasuka ezihonqweni wahamba. Wabuyela eNiniva wahlala khona.