2 Kings 18

UHezekhiya Inkosi YakoJuda

1Ngomnyaka wesithathu kaHosheya indodana ka-Ela inkosi yako-Israyeli, uHezekhiya indodana ka-Ahazi inkosi yakoJuda waqalisa ukubusa. 2Wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amabili lanhlanu esiba yinkosi, njalo wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka engamatshumi amabili lasificamunwemunye. Ibizo likanina lalingu-Abhija indodakazi kaZakhariya. 3Wenza okulungileyo phambi kukaThixo, njengalokho okwakwenziwe nguyise uDavida. 4Wadiliza izindawo zokukhonzela, wabhidliza amatshe ababewakhonza njalo wagamulela phansi insika zika-Ashera. Watshaya wenza izicucu inyoka yethusi eyayenziwe nguMosi, ngoba kuze kube yilesosikhathi abako-Israyeli babelokhu beyitshisela impepha. (Yayibizwa ngokuthi Nehushithani.)

5UHezekhiya wayethembele kuThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Kakho owayenjengaye kuwo wonke amakhosi akoJuda, loba kulabo abamandulelayo kumbe labo abamlandelayo ekubuseni. 6Wabambelela kuThixo kazange ekele ukumlandela, wagcina imilayo uThixo ayeyinike uMosi. 7UThixo wayelaye; waphumelela kukho konke ayekwenza. Wahlamukela inkosi yase-Asiriya kasabanga ngaphansi kwayo. 8Kusukela emphongolweni wesilindo kusiya emzini oyinqaba, wanqoba amaFilistiya, kuze kuyefika khonale eGaza lamazwe akhona.

9Ngomnyaka wesine wenkosi uHezekhiya, okwakungumnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kukaHosheya indodana ka-Ela inkosi yako-Israyeli, uShalimaneseri inkosi yase-Asiriya wayahlasela iSamariya wayivimbezela. 10Ngemva kweminyaka emithathu ama-Asiriya alithumba. Ngakho iSamariya yathunjwa ngomnyaka wesithupha wokubusa kukaHezekhiya, okwakungumnyaka wesificamunwemunye wokubusa kukaHosheya inkosi yako-Israyeli. 11Inkosi yase-Asiriya yaxotshela abako-Israyeli e-Asiriya yabahlalisa eHala ngaseGozani eMfuleni uHabhori lasemizini yamaMede. 12Lokhu kwenzakala ngoba bengalalelanga uThixo wabo, kodwa sebephule isivumelwano sakhe, lakho konke uMosi inceku kaThixo ayebalaye ngakho. Abazanga balalele njalo abazanga bakwenze.

13Ngomnyaka wetshumi lane wokubusa kwenkosi uHezekhiya, uSenakheribhi inkosi yase-Asiriya wahlasela wonke amadolobho avikelweyo akoJuda wawathumba. 14Ngakho uHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda wathumela ilizwi enkosini yase-Asiriya eLakhishi esithi, “Ngiphambanisile. Suka kimi, mina ngizakubhadala konke okufunayo kimi.” Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathi uHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda kayinike amathalenta esiliva angamakhulu amathathu kanye legolide elingamathalenta angamatshumi amathathu. 15Ngakho uHezekhiya wamnika sonke isiliva esatholakala ethempelini likaThixo lasezindlini zenotho yesigodlweni senkosi.

16Ngalesisikhathi uHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda waxexebula igolide elalisezivalweni zethempeli likaThixo lelalinanyathiselwe emigubazini yethempeli likaThixo, walinika inkosi yase-Asiriya.

USenakheribhi Usongela IJerusalema

17Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathumela umlawuli omkhulu wamabutho ayo, lesikhulu somndlunkulu kanye lomlawuli wamabutho lamabutho amanengi, besuka eLakhishi besiya enkosini uHezekhiya eJerusalema. Bafika eJerusalema bema emgelweni wechibi elingaphezulu, elisendleleni yeNsimu yoMgezisi. 18Babiza inkosi ngokwayo: Kodwa kweza u-Eliyakhimu indodana kaHilikhiya umphathi wesigodlo, loShebhina umabhalane, loJowa indodana ka-Asafi umbhali.

19Umlawuli webutho wathi kubo, “Tshelani uHezekhiya ukuthi:

‘Nanku okutshiwo yinkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya ithi: Uthembeni ngalesisibindi sakho na? 20Uthi ulamaqhinga lamandla ebutho, kodwa ukhuluma amazwi ayize. Uthembe bani uze ungihlamukele nje? 21Khangela, ngiyazi uthembe iGibhithe, yona enjengomhlanga ozimvava osika isandla somuntu umlimaze nxa eweyamile. Unjalo uFaro inkosi yaseGibhithe kubo bonke abathembele kuye. 22Njalo nxa lisithi kimi, “Thina sithembe uThixo uNkulunkulu wethu”: kasuye yini uHezekhiya asusa izindawo zakhe eziphakemeyo lama-alithare akhe, esithi kuJuda leJerusalema, “Kumele likhonzele phambi kwaleli i-alithari eliseJerusalema”?

23Khathesi woza wenze isivumelwano lenkosi yami, inkosi yase-Asiriya: Ngizakunika amabhiza azinkulungwane ezimbili nxa bekhona abazawagada! 24Pho ungayehlula njani induna yezikhulu ezincane zenkosi yami eyodwa, lanxa uthembele eGibhithe ekutholeni izinqola zempi labagadi bamabhiza na? 25Phezu kwalokho, kanti ngizehlasela lokuzochitha lindawo ngaphandle kwelizwi elivela kuThixo na? UThixo uqobo nguye othe ngizohlasela ilizwe leli ngilichithe.’ ”

26Ngakho u-Eliyakhimu indodana kaHilikhiya, loShebhina loJowa bathi kumlawuli webutho, “Ake ukhulume ezincekwini zakho ngesi-Aramayikhi, ngoba siyasizwa. Ungasikhulumisi ngesiHebheru lababantu abasemdulini besizwa.”

27Kodwa umlawuli webutho waphendula esithi, “Inkosi yami ingithume ukuba izinto lezi ngizitsho kuphela enkosini yenu lakini, hatshi ebantwini abahlezi emdulini, okuzakuthi labo, njengani badle ubulongwe babo banathe lomchamo wabo na?”

28Umlawuli webutho wasukuma wasememeza ngesiHebheru esithi, “Zwanini ilizwi lenkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya! 29Lokhu yikho okutshiwo yinkosi: Lingamvumeli uHezekhiya ukuba alikhohlise. Angeke alikhulule. 30Lingamvumeli uHezekhiya elincenga ukuba lithembe kuThixo lapho esithi, ‘Ngempela uThixo uzasikhulula; idolobho leli kaliyikuphiwa esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya.’

31Lingamlaleli uHezekhiya. Nanku okutshiwo yinkosi yase-Asiriya: Yenza isivumelwano sokuthula lami, uphume uze kimi. Lapho-ke omunye lomunye uzakudla esivinini sakhe lasemkhiweni wakhe anathe lamanzi emthonjeni wakhe, 32ngize ngifike ngilithathe, ngilise elizweni elifanana lelakini, ilizwe lamabele lewayini elitsha, ilizwe lesinkwa lezivini, ilizwe lezihlahla zama-oliva loluju.

Khethani impilo hatshi ukufa, Lingamlaleli uHezekhiya, ngoba uyalikhohlisa nxa esithi, ‘UThixo uzasikhulula.’ 33Kambe ukhona unkulunkulu wesinye isizwe osewake wakhulula ilizwe lakhe esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya na? 34Bangaphi onkulunkulu baseHamathi le-Ariphadi na? Bangaphi onkulunkulu baseSefavayimi labaseHena labase-Iva na? Bayikhululile iSamariya esandleni sami na? 35Nguphi kubo bonke onkulunkulu bamazwe la oke wenelisa ukukhulula ilizwe lakhe kimi na? Pho uThixo angayikhulula njani iJerusalema esandleni sami na?”

36Kodwa abantu bathula kabazange batsho lutho, ngoba inkosi yayilaye yathi, “Lingamphenduli.”

37U-Eliyakhimu indodana kaHilikhiya umgcini wesigodlo loShebhina umabhalane loJowa indodana ka-Asafi umbhali, baya kuHezekhiya izigqoko zabo zidabukile bamtshela okwakutshiwo ngumlawuli webutho.