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