2 AMakhosi 18

18 ¹Ngonyaka wesithathu kaHosheya indodana ka-Ela, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, uHezekiya indodana ka-Ahazi waba yinkosi yakwaJuda. ²Wayeneminyaka engamashumi amabili nanhlanu ubudala lapho eba yinkosi, wabusa iminyaka engamashumi amabili nesishiyagalolunye eJerusalema. Unina kwakungu-Abhija, indodakazi kaZakariya. ³Wenza okulungileyo emehlweni kaBaba wethu, njengoba uyise uDavide ayenzile. ⁴Wasusa izindawo eziphakemeyo, waphahlaza izinsika ezingcwele, wagawula u-Ashera, wayiphihliza yaba yizicucu inyoka yethusi uMose ayeyenzile—ngoba kwaze kwaba yileso sikhathi abakwa-Israyeli babeyishisela impepho, eyayibizwa ngokuthi uNehushtani. ^a a v4 UNehushtani usho ukuthi “into yethusi” — yigama lokudelela isithombe sethusi inyoka eyayisiphenduke sona, esake saba uphawu lweqiniso oluvela kuBaba wethu kodwa manje esesikhonzwa ngendlela engalungile. ⁵Wamethemba uBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu wakwa-Israyeli; kwakungekho enye inkosi yakwaJuda eyayifana naye, ngaphambi kwakhe noma ngemuva kwakhe. ⁶Wanamathela kuBaba wethu, akazange ayeke ukumlandela, wagcina imiyalo uBaba wethu ayeyinike uMose. ⁷Waphumelela kuyo yonke indawo lapho ephuma khona, ngokuba uBaba wethu wayenaye. Wayivukela inkosi yase-Asiriya, enqaba ukuyikhonza. ⁸Wawabulala amaFilisti kwaze kwaba seGaza nasemikhawulweni yayo, kusukela embhoshongweni wokulinda kuya emzini obiyelweyo.

⁹Ngonyaka wesine kaHezekiya—okungunyaka wesikhombisa kaHosheya indodana ka-Ela, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli—uShalimaneseri inkosi yase-Asiriya wenyukela eSamariya wayivimbezela. ¹⁰Emva kweminyaka emithathu bayithumba—ngonyaka wesithupha kaHezekiya, okungunyaka wesishiyagalolunye kaHosheya inkosi yakwa-Israyeli—iSamariya yathunjwa. ¹¹Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathumbela abakwa-Israyeli e-Asiriya, yabahlalisa eHala, nasemfuleni iHabori wakwaGozani, nasemizini yamaMede, ¹²ngokuba balishaya indiva izwi likaBaba wethu, baphula isivumelwano sakhe—konke uMose, inceku kaBaba wethu, ayekuyalile—bengakuzwa bengakwenzi.

I-Asiriya Ivukela uJuda

¹³Ngonyaka weshumi nane wenkosi uHezekiya, uSenakheribi inkosi yase-Asiriya wahlasela yonke imizi ebiyelweyo yakwaJuda, wayithumba. ¹⁴UHezekiya inkosi yakwaJuda wathumela enkosini yase-Asiriya eLakishi, wathi: “Ngonile; buyela emuva, ngizothwala noma yini oyibeka phezu kwami.” Inkosi yase-Asiriya yabeka phezu kukaHezekiya inkosi yakwaJuda isiliva esingaba amathani ayishumi nanye negolide elingaba yithani elilodwa. ¹⁵UHezekiya wamnika sonke isiliva esatholakala endlini kaBaba wethu, nasezindlini zengcebo zesigodlo. ¹⁶Ngaleso sikhathi uHezekiya wahlubula igolide eminyango yethempeli likaBaba wethu nasezinsikeni zeminyango uHezekiya inkosi yakwaJuda ayezimboze ngalo, walinika inkosi yase-Asiriya.

¹⁷Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathumela induna yayo enkulu, nenduna ephezulu, nomphathi wamabutho benebutho elikhulu, besuka eLakishi beya enkosini uHezekiya eJerusalema. Benyukela eJerusalema, bafika bema ngasemseleni wechibi eliphezulu, endleleni eya ensimini yomsuli wezingubo. ¹⁸Bayibiza inkosi, u-Eliyakimi indodana kaHilikiya, umphathi wesigodlo, waphuma waya kubo kanye noShebna umbhali noJowa indodana ka-Asafa umgcini womlando. ¹⁹Umphathi wamabutho wathi kubo: “Tshelani uHezekiya nithi: Inkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya, ithi: Yithemba lini leli onalo? ²⁰Uthi unamasu namandla empi—kanti kungamazwi nje. Manje, wethembe bani ukuze ungivukele? ²¹Bheka, wethembe iGibhithe, lolo dondolo lomhlanga ofohlekileyo, oluhlaba isandla salowo wonke oseyama kulo. Unjalo uFaro inkosi yaseGibhithe kubo bonke abethemba kuye. ²²Kodwa uma usithi, ‘Sethemba uSimakade uNkulunkulu wethu,’ akuyena yini lowo uHezekiya asusa izindawo zakhe eziphakemeyo nama-altare akhe, etshela uJuda neJerusalema ukuthi, ‘Khonzani phambi kwaleli altare eJerusalema’? ²³Ngakho-ke, bhejelana nenkosi yami inkosi yase-Asiriya: ngizokunika amahhashi ayizinkulungwane ezimbili uma ukwazi ukubeka abagibeli phezu kwawo. ²⁴Pho, ungayibuyisela kanjani emuva induna eyodwa engeyincane kakhulu ezincekwini zenkosi yami, kodwa wena wethembe iGibhithe ngezinqola zempi nabagibeli bamahhashi? ²⁵Kanti ngenyukele kule ndawo ukuba ngiyichithe ngaphandle kukaSimakade na? USimakade uqobo ungitshelile wathi: Yenyukela kuleli zwe, ulichithe.”

²⁶U-Eliyakimi indodana kaHilikiya, noShebna, noJowa bathi kumphathi wamabutho: “Siza ukhulume nathi, izinceku zakho, ngesi-Aramu—siyasiqonda. Ungakhulumi nathi ngesiHebheru abantu abasodongeni belalele.”

²⁷Kodwa umphathi wamabutho waphendula wathi: “Kanti inkosi yami ingithume ukuba ngisho la mazwi enkosini yakho nakuwe nje kuphela, kungabi nakubantu abahlezi odongeni, abayakudla ubulongwe babo baphuze umchamo wabo kanye nani na?”

²⁸Khona-ke umphathi wamabutho wema wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu ngesiHebheru wathi: “Zwanini izwi lenkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya! ²⁹Inkosi ithi: Ningavumi uHezekiya anikhohlise, ngokuba akakwazi ukunophula esandleni sakhe. ³⁰Ningavumi uHezekiya anenze nethembe kuSimakade, ethi, ‘USimakade uzosophula nakanjani; lo muzi ngeke unikelwe esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya.’ ³¹Ningamlaleli uHezekiya. Inkosi yase-Asiriya ithi: Yenzani ukuthula nami, niphumele kimi—khona ngamunye wenu ayakudla emvinini wakhe nasemkhiwaneni wakhe, aphuze amanzi emthonjeni wakhe, ³²ngize nginiyise ezweni elinjengelenu, izwe lamabele newayini elisha, izwe lesinkwa nezivini, izwe lezihlahla zeminqumo noju—ukuze niphile, ningafi. Ningamlaleli uHezekiya; uyanidukisa lapho ethi, ‘USimakade uzosophula.’ ³³Ingabe bakhona onkulunkulu bezizwe abake baphula izwe lakhe esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya na? ³⁴Baphi onkulunkulu baseHamati nabase-Arpadi? Baphi onkulunkulu baseSefarivayimi, nabaseHena, nabase-Iva? Ingabe bayikhululile yini iSamariya esandleni sami? ³⁵Yimuphi phakathi kwabo bonke onkulunkulu bawo wonke lawa mazwe owophule izwe lakhe esandleni sami, ukuze uSimakade ophule iJerusalema esandleni sami na?”

³⁶Kodwa abantu bathula bathi cwaka, kabamphendulanga nangezwi elilodwa, ngokuba inkosi yayiyalile yathi, “Ningamphenduli.” ³⁷U-Eliyakimi indodana kaHilikiya, umphathi wesigodlo, noShebna umbhali, noJowa indodana ka-Asafa umgcini womlando, bafika kuHezekiya izingubo zabo zidabukile, bamtshela amazwi omphathi wamabutho.