Kusongelwa kweJerusalema nguSenaheribi
1Ngemnyaka weli-14 wekubusa kwenkhosi Hezekiya, kwesuka Senaheribi, inkhosi yase-Asiriya, wahlasela onkhe emadolobha latinqaba akaJuda, wawatfumba. 2Inkhosi yase-Asiriya yase itfumela indvuna yayo lenkhulu yemphi kanye nalelikhulu libutfo lemphi lelesuka eLakhishi, laya enkhosini Hezekiya eJerusalema. Kwatsi lendvuna lenkhulu yemphi nayima ngasemseleni wesitiba lesisenhla, emgwacweni loya eNsimini yeMgezi Wetingubo, 3kwaphuma bo-Eliyakimu, umsa waHilkiya, indvuna yesigodlo, naShebna labengumabhalane, naJowa, umsa wa-Asafa, umbhalisi, baya kuyo.
4Indvuna lenkhulu yemphi yafike yakhuluma kubo, yatsi: “Tjelani Hezekiya, nitsi:
“ ‘Naku lokushiwo yinkhosi lenkhulu yase-Asiriya, itsi: Ulibeke kubani litsemba lakho? 5Utsi unemasu nemabutfo emphi lanemandla, kodvwa ukhuluma lite nje. Ngubani lona lowetsembele kuye, lokwenta kutsi ngaye ungivukele? 6Buka la, nyalo wetsembele eGibhithe, kulolubhatu lwendvuku yemhlanga, lolugwaza sandla semuntfu lumlimate, nakatsi ubambelela kulo! Unjalo-ke Faro, inkhosi yaseGibhithe, kubo bonkhe labetsembela kuye. 7Nangabe utsi kimi: “Setsembele kuSimakadze Nkulunkulu wetfu,” akusiye yini lona Hezekiya ladzilita tindzawo takhe letiphakeme tekukhontela nemalati akhe, atsi kubakaJuda nebaseJerusalema: “Kufanele nikhonte embikwanali lilati leliseJerusalema”?
8“ ‘Buya-ke nyalo, wente sivumelwane nemphatsi wami, inkhosi yase-Asiriya: Ngitakunika emahhashi lati-2 000, nawungaba nebantfu labangawagibela. 9Ungayeyisa yini yona yinye nje kuto tonkhe tindvuna letincane temphatsi wami, nome ngabe wetsembele eGibhithe ngetincola temphi kanye nebagibeli bemahhashi? 10Ngetulu kwaloko nje, kantsi lapha ngitele kutawuhlasela nekubhubhisa lelive ngaphandle kwaSimakadze yini? Simakadze nguye cobo lwakhe longitjele kutsi angishuce ngite kulelive ngitelibhubhisa.’ ”
11Bo-Eliyakimu, naShebna, naJowa bakhuluma kulendvuna lenkhulu, batsi: “Sicela umane ukhulume ngesiSiriya etincekwini takho, ngobe ngulona lulwimi lesiluvako. Ungakhulumi natsi ngesiHebheru kuva bonkhe labantfu labalapha etulu elubondzeni.”
12Kodvwa lendvuna lenkhulu yemphi yaphendvula, yatsi: “Kantsi inkhosi yami beyingitfume kini nalenkhosi yenu nodvwa yini kutsi ngitewukhuluma lamagama? Beyingakangitfumi yini nakubo labantfu labalapha etulu elubondzeni, nabo labanjengani, labatawudla emangcoliso abo, baphindze banatse nemichamo yabo?”
13Lendvuna lenkhulu yemphi yase iyasukuma yamemeta ngesiHebheru, yatsi: “Lalelani emavi enkhosi lenkhulu, inkhosi yase-Asiriya! 14Naku lokushiwo yinkhosi, itsi: ‘Ningacali niyengwe nguHezekiya. Angeke akhone kunikhulula! 15Ningavumi kutsi Hezekiya aniyenge netsembele kuSimakadze, nakatsi: “Simakadze utasephula ngempela, lelidolobha lingeke linikelwe esandleni senkhosi yase-Asiriya.” ’
16“Inkhosi yase-Asiriya itsi: ‘Ningamlaleli Hezekiya, yentani sivumelwane nami, niphume nite kimi, nguleyo naleyo ndvodza-ke iyawube seyitidlela kahle esivinini sayo, nasemkhiwaneni wayo, inatse nemanti laphuma emtfonjeni wayo, 17ngize ngifike nginitsatse nginimikise eveni lelifanana nelenu, live lelinalokutinhlavu, nalelineliwayini lelisha, live lesinkhwa neletivini.’
18“Ningavumi kutsi Hezekiya anedukise, nakatsi: ‘Simakadze utasikhulula.’ Ukhona yini nkulunkulu wanome ngusiphi sive lowake wakhulula live lakhe esandleni senkhosi yase-Asiriya? 19Baphi nje bonkulunkulu baseHamathi, nebase-Aphadi? Baphi bonkulunkulu baseSefavayimu? Bayisindzisile yini iSamariya esandleni sami? 20Ngumuphi kubo bonkhe labonkulunkulu balamave lowake wakhona kusindzisa live lakhe esandleni sami? Simakadze-ke yena angayisindzisa kanjani iJerusalema esandleni sami?”
21Kodvwa labantfu babindza nje bambuka bangete basho lutfo, ngobe inkhosi yayibadvonse ngendlebe yatsi: “Ningacali nimphendvule.”
22Bo-Eliyakimu, umsa waHilkiya, labeyindvuna yesigodlo, naShebna, labengumabhalane, kanye naJowa, umsa wa-Asafa, labengulobhalisako, bahamba bayawubikela Hezekiya sebadzabule tingubo tabo, bafike bamtjela konkhe lokwakushiwo yindvuna lenkhulu yemphi yase-Asiriya.
