USanirheribu wethusela iJerusalema
1Ngomnyaka wetjhumi nane wokubusa kwekosi uHezekhiya, uSanirheribu ikosi ye-Asiriya wasahlela woke amadorobho wakwaJuda anemithangala bewawathumba. 2Kwathi ikosi ye-Asiriya iseLakitjhi yathumela umkhulumelayo nebutho elikhulu ekosini uHezekhiya eJerusalema. Wajama emseleni ovela esizibeni esingehla, endleleni eya endaweni lapha kuhlanzwa khona iimpahla. 3U-Eliyakhimu umsa kaRhilikhiya, umphathi wesigodlo noTjhebina ongumabhalana kanye noJowarhi ongusosiba baphuma bawahlangabeza.
4Umkhulumeli wekosi ye-Asiriya wabatjela bona batjele uHezekhiya bathi: “Nakhu ekutjhoko ikosi ekulu, ingwenyama ye-Asiriya ithi, ‘Ulibeke kuphi ithemba lakho lelo? 5Ucabanga bona amagamakho amumoya lawo angajamelana namaqhinga webutho kanye namandla na? Uzakuthi uthembele kubani nawuhlubuka mina nje? 6Kuyabonakala bonyana uthembe iGibhide, efana nomhlanga ophukileko ohlaba uthumbuse isandla somuntu odzimelela kiwo! Kuba njalo-ke nakiloyo oziseka ngoFaro, ikosi yeGibhide. 7Nanyana ufuna ukungitjela bona uthembele kuSomnini uZimenu? Kanti akusuye uzinyana loyo uHezekhiya abhuruze iindunduma nama-aldarakhe lokha natjela abantu bakwaJuda nebeJerusalema bonyana balotjhe e-aldareli kwaphela?
8“ ‘Ngikubhejela ngekosami ye-Asiriya: Nanyana ngingakunikela iinkulungwana ezimbili zeenjomani, ungeze bewube nabantu abangazikhwela. 9Alo-ke, ungamsunduza njani ngitjho namunye wabaphathi abancani beensebenzi zekosami nakusahlelako na? Nanyana uthembe iGibhide bona izakulethela iinkarana nabakhweli bazo na?
10“ ‘Umkhulumeli wamtshima godu wathi: “Ngaphezu kwalokho, ucabanga bona ikosami ize lapha ukuzokubhubhisa inarha le ngaphandle kwelizwi lakaSomnini uZimenu na? NguZimenu loyo oyithumele lapha bona ibhubhise inarha le.” ’ ”
11Nje-ke u-Eliyakhimu, uTjhebina noJowarhi bathi kumkhulumeli: “Sibawa bona ukhulume neenceku zakho ngesi-Aramu ngombana sona siyasizwa. Sibawa ungakhulumi nathi ngesiJuda phambi kwabantu abaphezu komthangala wedorobho.” 12Kodwana umkhulumeli waphendula wathi: “Kanti nidlumbana bona ngithunywe bonyana ngikhulume iintwezi ekosinenu nakini kwaphela, kungabi nebantwini laba abahlezi phezu komthangala na? Nabo njengani kuzakufanela bona badle uthuvi babo bebasele nomhlambulukwabo!”
13Yeke umkhulumeli wasikima warhuwelela ngesiJuda wathi: “Lalelani ilizwi lekosi ekulu, ingwenyama ye-Asiriya! 14Nakhu ekutjhoko ithi, ‘Ningavumeli uHezekhiya anikhohlise ngombana angekhe anisindise. 15Ningamvumeli bona aniyenge nithembele kuSomnini ngokuthi athi kini:
“ ‘USomnini uzasisindisa
nedorobheli angekhe lanikelwa
esandleni sekosi ye-Asiriya.’
16“Ningamlaleli uHezekhiya ngombana nakhu ekutjhoko ikosi ye-Asiriya ithi, ‘Zinikeleni! Niphume edorobheni nize kimi! Omunye nomunye kini uzazidlela esidiribeni sakhe nemakhiwanenakhe bese uziselela amanzi womgodi azenzele wona. 17Nje-ke ningenza lokho bengifike nginithathe nginise enarheni efanele nina, okuyinarha yekoroyi neyewayini elitjha, inarha yamabele nesidiribe. 18Ningakhohliswa nguHezekhiya lo ngokuthi batjho uSomnini uzanisindisa. Kukhona uzinyana wananyana ngisiphi isizwe owakhe wasindisa inarhakhe esandleni sekosi ye-Asiriya na? 19Baphi abozinyana beRhamathi ne-Ariphadi? Baphi abozinyana beSefarivayimu? Bayisindisa iSamariya esandleni sami na? 20Ngimuphi kibo boke abozinyana bamazwe la owakghona ukusindisa inarhakhe esandleni sami? Alo, uZimenu loyo yena angayisindisa njani iJerusalema esandleni sami?’ ”
21Kodwana abantu bazithulela bathi du, akhange batjho litho ngombana ikosi uHezekhiya gade ibayalile yathi: “Ningathomi nimphendule.”
22Nje-ke u-Eliyakhimu umsa kaRhilikhiya umphathi wesigodlo, uTjhebina umabhalana kanye noJowarhi usosiba omsa ka-Asafa, baya kuHezekhiya izambatho zabo zitlebhukile, bafese bamtjela koke umkhulumeli akutjhwileko.
