¹ Nyalo emnyakeni wesitsatfu wa Hoshiya indvondzana ya Ela, inkhosi yaka Israyeli, Hezekiya indvondzana ya Ahazi, inkhosi yaka Juda yacala kubusa. ² Bekaneminyaka lengemashumi lamabili nesihlanu makacala kubusa; wabusa iminyaka lengemashumi lamabili nemfica e Jerusalema. Ligama lamakwakhe bekungu Abhija; bekayindvodzakati ya Zakhariya. ³ Wenta lobekukahle emehlweni a Simakadze, alandzela sibonelo sakokonkhe Davide lidloti lakhe lalikwentile. ⁴ Wasusa tindzawo lebetiphakeme, wabhidlita tinsika tematje, wase ujuba emapali a Asherayi. Wagamula lelitfusi lenyoka ya Mosi labekayentile yaba tincetu, ngoba kulawo malanga labantfu baka Israyeli bebashisa imphepho; beyibitwa kutsiwa yi ''Nehushitani.'' ⁵ Hezekiya wametsemba Simakadze, Nkulunkulu waka Israyeli, kuze emvakwakhe kube bete lofana naye kulamakhosi aka Juda, noma kulamakhosi labekasembikwakhe. ⁶ Ngoba bekabambelele kuSimakadze. Akayekelanga kumulandzela kodvwa wagcina imitsetfo yakhe, Simakadze lebekayinike Mosi. Ngako ⁷ Simakadze bekana Hezekiya, noma ngabe ngukuphi lebekayakhona bekaphumelela. Wavukela inkhosi yase Asariya wangayisebenteli. ⁸ Wahlasela emaFilisti eGaza kanye nemincele leyayisesifundzeni sayo, kusuka embhoshongweni wagadzi kuya ekhatsi kwelidolobha. ⁹ Emnyakeni wesine wenkhosi Hezekiya, lobekungumunyaka wesikhombisa wa Hoshiya indvondzana ya Ela inkhosi yaka Israyeli, Shalimenesera inkhosi yaka Asayiriya yeta ivukele i Samariya yayihlasela. ¹⁰ Ekupheleni kweminyaka lemitsatfu bayitsatsa, Emnyakeni wesitfupha wa Hezekiya, lobekungumunyaka wemfica we nkhosi Hoshiya waka Israyeli; ngalena ndlela Samariya abetfunjiwe. ¹¹ Ngako inkhosi yase Asiriya yatsatsa baka Israel yabayisa e Asiriya wase ubabeka e Hala, nasemfuleni i Habori eGozani emadolobheni eMedesi. ¹² Wakwenta loku ngoba bebangafuni kungahloniphi liphimbo laSimakadze nkulunkulu wabo, kodvwa bephula sivumelwano sakhe, Konkhe loko Mosi sisebenti saSimakadze abekuyaletile. Bala kuyilalela noma kuyenta. ¹³ Ngako ngemnyaka welishumi nakunye weNkhosi Hezekiya, Senacheribu inkhosi yase Asiyira wahlasela onkhe emadolobha labiyelwe aka Juda wawatsatsa. ¹⁴ Ngako Hezekiya inkhosi yaka Juda watfumela livi enkhosini yase Asiyira, lebeyise Lakhishi, watsi, '''Ngikonile. Phuma kimi. Noma ngabe yini loyifake kimi ngitayemukela.'' Inkhosi yase Asiyira yadzinga Hezekiya inkhosi yaka Juda ibhadale emacebelengwana esiliva lamakhulu lamatsatfu kanye nemacebelengwana eligolide langemashumi lamatsatfu. ¹⁵ Ngako Hezekiya wamnika lonkhe lelisiliva lalitfola endlini yaSimakadze kanye nemcebo wase mtini wenkhosi. ¹⁶ Ngako Hezekiya wajuba ligolide emnyango weli tempeli laSimakadze nasetinsikeni letatilenga; wanika inkhosi yase Asiyira ligolide. ¹⁷ Kodvwa inkhosi yase Asiyira yahlanganisa libutfo layo lelikhulu, watfumela Thathani naRabsaris kanye nemkhuteli lomkhulu basuka eLakhishi kuya enkhosini Hezekiya eJerusalema. Bahamba benyusa imigwaco befika ngaphandle kweJerusalema. Basondzela emseleni welichibi lelisenhla, ngase ndleleni lenkhulu yensimi ilandeni, bema ngakuyo. ¹⁸ Uma sebayibitile inkhosi Hezekiya, Eliyakimu indvodzana ya Hilikiya, lebekangamele indlu, na Shebna umbhali, na Jowa indvodzana ya Asaphu, umcophi, baphuma bayohlangana nabo. ¹⁹ Ngako umkhuteli wempi watsi kubo abatjele Hezekiya kutsi inkhosi lenkhulu, inkhosi yase Asiyira, itsi: ''Yini lekwenta utetsembe kangaka? ²⁰ Ukhuluma emagama langasho lutfo kuphela, latsi kunemasotja nemandla emphi. Utsembele kubani, kutsi ungangivukela. ²¹ Buka, utsemba kulelutsi lekuhamba lelalimata umhlanga wase Gibhithe, kodvwa uma indvondza incike kulo, litawunamtsela esandleni sakhe phindze lisihlabe. Loku ngoloku Faro inkhosi yase Gibhithe ingiko kunoma ngubani lometsembile. ²² Kodvwa uma usho kimi, 'Setsembele kuSimakadze Nkulunkulu wetfu,' akusuye yini lona tindzawo takhe letiphakeme nema althera Hezekiya lawatsetse, phindze watsi ku Juda naku Jerusalema, 'Kufuna ukhonte phambi kwaleli alithera leli eJerusalema'? ²³ Nyalo ngaloko, ngifuna wente umnikelo lomuhle losuka kumphatsi wami inkhosi yaka Asariya. Ngitakunika emahhashi latinkhulungwane letimbili, uma ukhona kutfola bagibeli bawo. ²⁴ Ungayala njani noma yinye yetindvuna letincane temphatsi wami? Kumele ubeke litsemba lakho eGibhithe laletinkalishi nemadvodza emahhashi! ²⁵ Angikahambi kuta latulu lana ngaphandle kwaSimakade kutokulwa netimphi phindze ngitibhubhise? Simakadze utse kimi, 'Hlasela lelive leli ulibhubhise.''' ²⁶ Ngako Eliyakimu indvondzana ya Hilikhiyami, na Shebana, na Jowa batsi kumphatsi wemphi, ''Siyacela ukhulume netisebenti takho ngelulwimi lwe Aramiyakhi, Ngoba siyaluva. Ungakhulumi natsi ngelulwimi lwa Juda etindlebeni tebantfu labaselubondzeni.'' ²⁷ Kodvwa umphatsi wemphi watsi kubo, Ngabe umphatsi wami ungitfume kumphatsi wenu nakini kute nikhulume lamagama lawa? Akangitfumi kulamadvodza lahlala elubondzeni, labatawudla bulongo babo phindze banatse umchamo wabo nani?'' ²⁸ Wase Umphatsi wemphi uyasukuma wamemeta ngelivi lelikhulu ngelulwimi lwema Juda' atsi, ''Lalelani livi lenkhosi lenkhulu, inkhosi yaka Assariya. ²⁹ Inkhosi itsi, 'Ningamuvumeli Hezekiya anikhohlise, Ngoba angeke akhone kunikhulula emandleni ami. ³⁰ Ningamuvumeli Hezekiya anente nitsembe Simakadze, atsi, ''Simakadze utasikhulula ngempela, futsi lelidolobha leli angeke linikwe esandleni senkhosi yase Asariya.''' ³¹ Ningamlaleli Hezekiya, ngoba nguloku lokushiwo yinkhosi yase Asariya: 'Yentani kuthula nami futsi niphume nite kimi. Bese wonkhe wenu utawudla esivivinini sakhe nase mkhiweni wakhe, phindze anatse emanti emtfombo wakhe. ³² Nitawukwenta loku kute mine futsi ngitsatse nginiyise eveni lelifana nelenu, live lelinetinhlavu neleliwayini lelisha, live lesinkhwa nemivini, live lelinesihlahla semncumo neluju, kute nitophila futsi ningafi.' Ningamulaleli Hezekiya uma etama kuniphocelela, atsi, 'Simakadze utanikhulula.' ³³ Ngabe ukhona yini nkulunkulu walabantfu lobakhulule esandleni senkhosi yase Asariya? ³⁴ Baphi bonkulunkulu ba Hamathi na Ariphadi? Baphi bonkulunkulu ba Sefarivami, Hena, na Iva? Bayikhululile yini i Samariya esandleni sami? ³⁵ Kubo bonkhe labo nkulunkulu balelive, ukhona yini nkulunkulu lowakhulula live lakhe esandleni sami? Angayisindzisa kanjani Simakadze iJerusalema emandleni ami?'' ³⁶ Kodvwa labantfu babindza bangaphendvuli, ngoba inkhosi yase ikhulumile, ''Ningamuphendvuli.'' ³⁷ Wase Eliyakhimu indvondzana ya Hilikhiya, lobekaphetse lendlu; Shebena labengumabhalane; naJowa indvondzana ya Asafa umgcini, weta ku Hezekiya netimphahla tabo tidzabukile, wabika kuye emavi endvuna lenkhulu.