Incwadzi Yesibili YemaKhosi

18 Ngemnyaka wesitsatfu wekubusa kwaHosheya+ indvodzana ya-Ela inkhosi yaka-Israyeli, Hezekiya+ indvodzana yeNkhosi Ahazi+ yakaJuda waba yinkhosi. 2 Bekaneminyaka lengu-25 budzala nakaba yinkhosi futsi wabusa iminyaka lengu-29 eJerusalema. Libito lamake wakhe bekungu-Abiya,* indvodzakati yaZakhariya.+ 3 Wachubeka enta lokuhle emehlweni aJehova+ njengobe nakhokho wakhe Davide bekentile.+ 4 Nguye lowasusa tindzawo letiphakeme,+ waphihlita ematje langcwele waphindze wabhidlita netinsika letingcwele.*+ Wasila nenyoka yelitfusi lebeyentiwe nguMosi;+ ngobe kuze kube nguleso sikhatsi bantfu baka-Israyeli bebasolo bayentela imihlatjelo yekushiswa futsi lenyoka beyivame kubitwa ngekutsi sithico senyoka yelitfusi.* 5 Hezekiya wetsembela kuJehova+ Nkulunkulu wema-Israyeli; bekute lonjengaye kuwo onkhe emakhosi akaJuda labusa emvakwakhe, ngisho nalabusa kucala kunaye. 6 Wabambelela kuJehova.+ Akazange ayekele kumlandzela; wachubeka nekugcina imiyalo Jehova lebekayinikete Mosi. 7 Jehova bekanaye. Nome ngabe ngukuphi lapho bekaya khona, bekenta tintfo ngekuhlakanipha. Wavukela inkhosi yase-Asiriya futsi wala kulawulwa ngiyo.+ 8 Wancoba nemaFilisti+ waze wayofika eGaza nasemaphandleni ayo, kusukela esicongweni sekulindza kuya edolobheni lelibiyelwe.*

9 Ngemnyaka wesine wekubusa kweNkhosi Hezekiya, lokungumnyaka wesi-7 wekubusa kwaHosheya+ indvodzana ya-Ela inkhosi yaka-Israyeli, iNkhosi Shalmaneseri yase-Asiriya yenyuka yayohlasela iSamariya futsi yacala kuyivimbetela.+ 10 Bayincoba+ ekupheleni kwaleminyaka lemitsatfu; ngemnyaka wesitfupha wekubusa kwaHezekiya, lokungumnyaka wesi-9 wekubusa kweNkhosi Hosheya yaka-Israyeli, iSamariya yancotjwa. 11 Inkhosi yase-Asiriya yabese itsatsa bantfu baka-Israyeli yabatfumbela+ e-Asiriya, yabahlalisa eHala naseHabori lesemfuleni iGozani kanye nasemadolobheni emaMede.+ 12 Loku kwenteka ngobe bebangakalilaleli livi laJehova Nkulunkulu wabo kodvwa bachubeka nekwedzelela sivumelwane sakhe, konkhe loko Mosi inceku yaJehova lebekabayale ngako.+ Abazange balalele futsi abazange bahloniphe.

13 Ngemnyaka wesi-14 wekubusa kweNkhosi Hezekiya, Senaheribi inkhosi yase-Asiriya+ wakhuphuka wayohlasela onkhe emadolobha labiyelwe akaJuda futsi wawatfumba.+ 14 Ngako iNkhosi Hezekiya yakaJuda yatfumela livi eLakhishi enkhosini yase-Asiriya yatsi: “Ngente liphutsa. Ungasangihlaseli, ngitakunika noma yini longase uyifune kimi.” Inkhosi yase-Asiriya yafuna inhlawulo yemathalenta langu-300* elisiliva nemathalenta langu-30 eligolide eNkhosini Hezekiya yakaJuda. 15 Ngako Hezekiya wayinika lonkhe lisiliva lebelitfolakala endlini yaJehova kanye nalapho bekuhlala khona umcebo endlini* yenkhosi.+ 16 Ngaleso sikhatsi, Hezekiya wakhipha* tivalo telithempeli+ laJehova kanye netinsika teminyango iNkhosi Hezekiya yakaJuda lebeyitihucile*+ yase itinika inkhosi yase-Asiriya.

17 Inkhosi yase-Asiriya yabese itfumela Tharithani,* Rabusarisi* kanye naRabushake* nelibutfo lelikhulu lebelisuka eLakhishi,+ yalitfumela eNkhosini Hezekiya yaseJerusalema.+ Benyuka baya eJerusalema bafike bamisa emathende eceleni kwemsele wesitiba lesingenhla, lesisemgwacweni lomkhulu wensimu yemwashi wetimphahla.+ 18 Batsi nababita inkhosi kutsi iphume iye kubo, Eliyakimu+ indvodzana yaHilkiya lobekabuke indlu,* Shebna+ mabhalane kanye naJowa indvodzana ya-Asafa umngcini mabhuku, baphuma baya kubo.

19 Ngako Rabushake watsi kubo: “Ngicela nitsi kuHezekiya: ‘Naku lokushiwo yinkhosi lenkhulu, inkhosi yase-Asiriya, itsi: “Wena wetsembeni?+ 20 Utsi, ‘Nginelichinga nemandla ekulwa imphi,’ kodvwa lawo mavi alite. Ulibeke kubani litsemba lakho kutsi ungaze ube nesibindzi lesingaka sekungivukela?+ 21 Wena wetsembele ekusitweni ngulomhlanga lofohlokile, lokuyiGibhithe,+ lokutsi ngisho umuntfu angatsi ubambelela kuwo angahlabeka sandla alimale. Unjalo-ke Faro inkhosi yaseGibhithe kubo bonkhe labetsembele kuye. 22 Naningatsi kimi: ‘Setsembele kuJehova Nkulunkulu wetfu,’+ akusiye yini lona Hezekiya lasuse tindzawo takhe letiphakeme nema-al’thare,+ abe atsi kubantfu bakaJuda nebaseJerusalema: ‘Kufanele nikhotsame embikwaleli-al’thare eJerusalema’?”’+ 23 Ngako nyalo ngicela ubheje nenkhosi yami, inkhosi yase-Asiriya: Ngitakunika emahhashi langu-2 000 nawungakhona kuwatfolela bagibeli.+ 24 Ungakwenta kanjani-ke kutsi ubuyisele emuva indvuna yembuso lenesikhundla lesiphansi kakhulu etincekwini tenkhosi yami, ube ubeke litsemba lakho eGibhithe kutsi ikunike tincola nebagibeli bemahhashi? 25 Akusiye yini Jehova lotse angikhuphuke ngitohlasela lendzawo? Jehova lucobo lwakhe utsite: ‘Khuphuka uyohlasela lelive uphindze ulincobe.’”

26 Nabeva loko, bo-Eliyakimu indvodzana yaHilkiya naShebna+ kanye naJowa batsi kuRabushake:+ “Sicela ukhulume netinceku takho ngelulwimi lwesi-Aramu*+ ngobe ngilo lesiluvako; ungakhulumi natsi ngelulwimi lwemaJuda ngobe kuva bonkhe labantfu labaselubondzeni.”+ 27 Kodvwa Rabushake watsi kubo: “Inkhosi yami ingitfume kutsi ngikhulume lamavi enkhosini yenu nakini kuphela yini? Ayikangitfumi yini kutsi ngiwakhulume nakulamadvodza lahleti elubondzeni, latakudla emangcoliso awo, anatse nemichamo yawo kanye nani?”

28 Rabushake wabese uyasukuma, wamemeta ngelulwimi lwemaJuda watsi: “Lalelani livi lenkhosi lenkhulu, inkhosi yase-Asiriya.+ 29 Naku lokushiwo yinkhosi, ‘Ningamvumeli Hezekiya aniyenge ngobe angeke akhone kunisindzisa esandleni sami.+ 30 Ningamvumeli Hezekiya kutsi anente netsembele kuJehova ngekutsi atsi: “Jehova utasikhulula nakanjani, futsi lelidolobha angeke linikelwe esandleni senkhosi yase-Asiriya.”+ 31 Ningamlaleli Hezekiya, ngobe naku lokushiwo yinkhosi yase-Asiriya: “Yentani kuthula nami futsi nitinikele. Ngamunye wenu utakudla ensimini yakhe yemagilebisi nasesihlahleni sakhe semakhiwa aphindze anatse emanti emtfonjeni wakhe, 32 kuze kube ngulapho ngita ngitonilandza nginiyise eveni lelinjengelive lenu,+ live lelinalokutinhlavu neliwayini lelisha, live lelinesinkhwa nemasimu emagilebisi, live lelinetihlahla temncumo neluju. Nitawubese niyaphila futsi ngeke nife. Ningamlaleli Hezekiya ngobe uyanidukisa ngekutsi atsi, ‘Jehova utasikhulula.’ 33 Ukhona yini kulabonkulunkulu betive lokhonile kusindzisa live lakhe esandleni senkhosi yase-Asiriya? 34 Baphi bonkulunkulu baseHamathi+ nase-Aphadi? Baphi bonkulunkulu baseSefavayimu,+ baseHena nebase-Iva? Bayikhululile yini iSamariya esandleni sami?+ 35 Ngumuphi emkhatsini wabo bonkhe labonkulunkulu balamave lokhonile kukhulula live lakhe esandleni sami, kangangekutsi Jehova angakhulula iJerusalema esandleni sami?”’”+

36 Kodvwa labantfu babindza futsi abashongo lutfo kuye, ngobe sicondziso senkhosi besitsi, “Ningamphendvuli.”+ 37 Kodvwa Eliyakimu indvodzana yaHilkiya, lobekabuke indlu,* Shebna mabhalane kanye naJowa umgcini mabhuku futsi loyindvodzana ya-Asafa, beta kuHezekiya badzabula tembatfo tabo futsi bamtjela emavi aRabushake.