2 Amakhosi
18:1 Kwathi ngomnyaka wesithathu kaHosheya, indodana ka-Ela, inkosi
Israyeli, uHezekiya indodana ka-Ahazi inkosi yakwaJuda waqala ukubusa.
18:2 Wayeneminyaka engamashumi amabili nanhlanu ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa; wabusa
iminyaka engamashumi amabili nesishiyagalolunye eJerusalema. igama likanina lalingu-Abi
indodakazi kaZakariya.
18:3 Wenza okulungile emehlweni kaJehova, ngokuvumelana
konke akwenzayo uDavide uyise.
18:4 Wasusa izindawo eziphakemeyo, wadiliza izinsika, wagawula izindawo eziphakemeyo
izinti, wayichoboza inyoka yethusi ayeyenzile uMose;
kwaze kwaba yilezo zinsuku abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babeyishisela impepho;
wayibiza ngokuthi uNehushitani.
18:5 Wathembela kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli; kangangokuthi emva kwakhe akuzange kube khona ofana naye
phakathi kwawo wonke amakhosi akwaJuda, nalawo ayengaphambi kwakhe.
18:6 Ngoba wanamathela eNkosini, futhi akazange aphambuke ekumlandeleni, kodwa wagcina
imiyalo yakhe uJehova ayala ngayo uMose.
18:7 Futhi uJehova wayenaye; futhi waphumelela nomaphi lapho eya khona.
wayihlubuka inkosi yase-Asiriya, akayikhonzanga.
18:8 Wawatshaya amaFilisti, kwaze kwaba seGaza nemikhawulo yalo, kwaze kwaba seGaza.
umbhoshongo wabalindi emzini obiyelweyo.
18:9 Kwathi ngomnyaka wesine wenkosi uHezekiya, okwakuyinkosi
ngomnyaka wesikhombisa kaHosheya indodana ka-Ela, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, lowoShalmaneseri inkosi
wase-Asiriya wenyuka wamelana neSamariya, walivimbezela.
18:10 Futhi balithatha ekupheleni kweminyaka emithathu, ngomnyaka wesithupha
UHezekiya, okungunyaka wesishiyagalolunye kaHosheya inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, iSamariya kwaba
kuthathwe.
18:11 Inkosi yase-Asiriya wathumba u-Israyeli e-Asiriya, futhi wababeka
eHala, naseHabori ngasemfuleni iGozani, nasemizini yaseN
AmaMede:
18:12 Ngoba abazange balalele izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wabo, kodwa
weqile isivumelwano sakhe, nakho konke uMose inceku kaJehova
walaya, kabalalelanga, kabakwenza.
18:13 Manje, ngomnyaka weshumi nane wenkosi uHezekiya, uSaneheribi, inkosi
I-Asiriya lenyukela kuyo yonke imizi ebiyelweyo yakwaJuda, layithumba.
18:14 UHezekiya inkosi yakwaJuda wathumela enkosini yase-Asiriya eLakishi.
esithi: Ngonile; buya kimi: lokho okubeka phezu kwami
ngizozala. Inkosi yase-Asiriya yasibeka kuHezekiya inkosi yase-Asiriya
UJuda namatalenta angamakhulu amathathu esiliva namatalenta angamashumi amathathu egolide.
18:15 UHezekiya wamnika lonke isiliva elalitholakala endlini kaJehova
Jehova naphezu kwengcebo yendlu yenkosi.
18:16 Ngaleso sikhathi uHezekiya wanquma igolide eminyango yethempeli
kaJehova, nasezinsikeni uHezekiya inkosi yakwaJuda ayenazo
walihuqa, walinika inkosi yase-Asiriya.
18:17 Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathuma uTharithani, noRabisarisi, noRabishake,
ILakishi enkosini uHezekiya nempi enkulu ngokumelene neJerusalema. Futhi bona
wenyuka weza eJerusalema. Sebekhuphukile, beza
wema ngasemseleni wechibi lasenhla, osemgwaqweni omkhulu
insimu yomgcwali.
18:18 Futhi lapho sebeyibizile inkosi, kwaphumela kubo u-Eliyakimi the
indodana kaHilikiya owayephezu kwendlu, noShebina umbhali, kanye
uJowa indodana ka-Asafa umabhalana.
18:19 URabishake wathi kubo: “Ake nisho kuHezekiya, nithi:
nkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya, yithemba elingakanani leli olethembayo
othembekile?
18:20 Uthi, (kodwa amazwi ayize,) Ngineseluleko namandla
okwempi. Manje wethemba bani ukuthi uhlubuke?
mina?
18:21 Manje, bheka, wena wethemba udondolo lwalo mhlanga olimele
phezu kweGibithe, okuthi uma umuntu encika kulo, liyakungena esandleni sakhe, lihlabe
unjalo uFaro inkosi yaseGibithe kubo bonke abamethembayo.
18:22 Kodwa uma nithi kimi: 'Sithembele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu,' akunjalo?
izindawo zabo eziphakemeyo nama-altare abo akususile uHezekiya, waba nakho
wathi kuJuda neJerusalema: Niyakukhuleka phambi kwaleli altare
eJerusalema?
18:23 Ngakho-ke, manje, ake, faka isibambiso enkosini yami, inkosi yase-Asiriya.
ngiyakukunika amahhashi ayizinkulungwane ezimbili, uma ukwazi ngawe
ukubeka abagibeli phezu kwazo.
18:24 Khona-ke, ungabususa kanjani ubuso induna eyodwa komncinyane wami?
izinceku zenkosi, wethembele eGibithe ukuze uthole izinqola nezinqola
abagibeli bamahhashi?
18:25 Manje ngenyukele ngokumelene nale ndawo ukuze ngiyibhubhise ngaphandle kukaJehova? I
UJehova wathi kimi: ‘Khuphukela leli zwe, ulichithe.
18:26 Khona-ke u-Eliyakimi, indodana kaHilikiya, noShebina, noJowa,
Rabi-Shake: Ake ukhulume ezincekwini zakho ngesi-Aramu;
ngoba siyakuzwa; ungakhulumi lathi ngesiJuda ngesiJuda
izindlebe zabantu abasodongeni.
18:27 Kodwa uRabi Shake wathi kubo: "Inkosi yami ingithumile enkosini yakho
kuwe, ukukhuluma lawa mazwi? akangithumanga emadodeni ahleziyo
odongeni, ukuze badle ubulongwe babo, baphuze umchamo wabo
nawe?
18:28 Khona uRabishake wema, wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu ngolimi lwesiJuda.
wakhuluma, wathi: “Yizwani izwi lenkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya.
18:29 Itsho njalo inkosi: "Makangakukhohlisi uHezekiya, ngoba yena ngeke
olakho ukunikhulula esandleni sakhe;
18:30 Futhi ningavumeli uHezekiya alenze nithembele kuJehova, ethi: 'UJehova uyokwenza
sikhulule impela, nalo muzi awuyikunikelwa esandleni sawo
inkosi yase-Asiriya.
18:31 Ningamlaleli uHezekiya, ngokuba isho kanje inkosi yase-Asiriya, ithi:
vumelana nami ngesipho, niphumele kimi, nidle
yilowo nalowo emvinini wakhe, kube yilowo nalowo emkhiwaneni wakhe, niphuze
yilowo nalowo amanzi omthombo wakhe;
18:32 Ngize ngifike futhi nginiyise ezweni elinjengezwe lakini siqu, ezweni
amabele newayini, izwe lesinkwa nezivini, izwe leminqumo yamafutha nela
luju, ukuze niphile, ningafi, ningamlaleli uHezekiya;
lapho eliyenga ngokuthi: ‘UJehova uyakusophula.
18:33 Ingabe ukhona onkulunkulu bezizwe owake wakhulula ezweni lakhe ezweni
isandla senkosi yase-Asiriya na?
18:34 Baphi onkulunkulu baseHamati, futhi Arpadi? baphi onkulunkulu
iSefarivayimi, iHena, le-Iva? balikhulule iSamariya esandleni sami
isandla?
18:35 Obani phakathi kwabo bonke onkulunkulu bamazwe, abaye bakhulula
izwe labo esandleni sami, ukuze uJehova akhulule iJerusalema
esandleni sami?
18:36 Kodwa abantu bathula, futhi kabamphendulanga ngalizwi
umlayo wenkosi wawusithi: Lingamphenduli.
18:37 Kwase kufika u-Eliyakimi, indodana kaHilikiya, owayephethe indlu, futhi
uShebina umbhali, noJowa indodana ka-Asafa, umabhalana, kuHezekiya
izingubo zabo ziklebhukile, bamtshela amazwi kaRabishake.