Ukuhlaselwa kwelizwe lakoJuda nguSenakheribi

36Kwasekusithi ngomnyaka wetshumi lanea wenkosi uHezekhiya, uSenakheribi inkosi yeAsiriya wenyuka wamelana lemizi yonke evikelweyo yakoJuda, wayithatha. 2 Njalo inkosi yeAsiriyab yathuma uRabi-Shake esuka eLakishi esiya eJerusalema enkosini uHezekhiya lebutho elinzima. Wasesima emfolweni wechibi elingaphezulu, emgwaqweni omkhulu wensimu yomwatshi. 3 Kwasekuphumela kuye uEliyakhimi, indodana kaHilikhiya, owayephezu kwendluc, loShebina umbhalid, loJowa indodana kaAsafi umabhalane.

4 URabi-Shake wasesithi kubo: Tshonini khathesi kuHezekhiya ukuthi: Itsho njalo inkosi enkulu, inkosi yeAsiriyae: Lithemba bani leli othembele kulo? 5 Ngithif (kodwa yilizwi lendebe): Kuleseluleko lamandla empi. Khathesi uthembele kubani ukuthi ungivukele? 6 Khangela, uthembele kuloludondolo lwalo umhlanga owephukileyo, kuyo iGibhithe, okuthi uba umuntu eseyama kulo, luzangena esandleni sakhe lusihlabe. Unjalo uFaro inkosi yeGibhithe kubo bonke abathembela kuyeg. 7 Kodwa uba usithi kimi: Sithembela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wethu; kakusuye yini ozindawo zakhe eziphakemeyo lamalathi akhe uHezekhiya akususileyo, wathi kuJuda leJerusalema: Lizakhonza phambi kwaleli ilathi? 8 Ngakho-ke ake unike isibambiso enkosini yami, inkosi yeAsiriya; njalo ngizakunika amabhiza azinkulungwane ezimbili, uba wena ulakho ukunika abagadi bamabhiza phezu kwawo. 9 Uzabuyisela njani-ke emuva ubuso bombusi oyedwa wabancinyane bezinceku zenkosi yami, wena-ke uthembela eGibhithehi ngenxa yezinqola labagadi bamabhiza? 10 Khathesi sengenyukile yini ngingelaNkosi ngimelene lalelilizwe ukulichitha? INkosi yathi kimi: Yenyuka umelene lalelilizwe, ulichithe.

11 UEIiyakimi loShebina loJowa basebesithi kuRabi-Shake: Ake ukhulume lenceku zakho ngesiSiriya, ngoba siyasiqedisisa; ungakhulumi lathi ngesiJuda, endlebeni zabantu abaphezu komduli. 12 Kodwa uRabi-Shake wathi: Inkosi yami ingithume enkosini yakho lakuwe yini ukukhuluma lamazwi? Kakusebantwini yini abahlezi phezu komduli ukuze badle ubulongwe babo, banathe umchamo wabo kanye lani?

13 URabi-Shake wema-ke, wamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu ngesiJuda, wathi: Zwanini amazwi enkosi enkulu, inkosi yeAsiriyaj. 14 Itsho njalo inkosi: UHezekhiya kangalikhohlisi, ngoba kayikuba lakho ukulikhulula. 15 Futhi uHezekhiya angalenzi lithembele eNkosini, esithi: INkosi izasikhulula lokusikhulula; lumuzi kawuyikunikelwa esandleni senkosi yeAsiriya. 16 Lingamlaleli uHezekhiya, ngoba itsho njalo inkosi yeAsiriya: Dingani umusa wami ngesipho, lisithumele kimi; lidle ngulowo lalowo okwevini lakhe, langulowo lalowo okomkhiwa wakhe, linathe ngulowo lalowo amanzi omthombo wakhe; 17 ngize ngifike, ngilithathe, ngilise elizweni elifanana lelizwe lenuk, ilizwe lamabele lewayini elitsha, ilizwe lesinkwa lezivini. 18 UHezekhiya kangalihugi esithi: INkosi izasikhulula. Onkulunkulu bezizwe bakhulule yini, ngulowo lalowo ilizwe lakhe, esandleni samakhosi eAsiriya? 19 Bangaphi onkulunkulu beHamathi leArpadi? Bangaphi onkulunkulu beSefavayimi? Bayikhulule yini layo iSamariyal esandleni sami? 20 Ngobani phakathi kwabo bonke onkulunkulu balawomazwe abakhulule ilizwe labo esandleni sami, ukuthi iNkosi ikhulule iJerusalema esandleni sami? 21 Kodwa bathula, kabaze bamphendula lizwi, ngoba umlayo wenkosi wawuyikuthi: Lingamphenduli.

22 Kwasekufika uEliyakhimi, indodana kaHilikhiya, owayephezu kwendlu, loShebina umbhali, loJowa indodana kaAsafi, umabhalane, kuHezekhiya, izigqoko zabo zidatshuliwe, bamtshela amazwi kaRabi-Shake.