U-Isaya 36:1-22
36 Ngomnyaka wesi-14 wokubusa kweNkosi uHezekhiya, kwafika uSenakheribhi inkosi ye-Asiriya,+ wahlasela wonke amadolobho akoJuda avikelwe ngemiduli wawathumba.+
2 Inkosi ye-Asiriya yasithuma uRabhishakhe*+ lebutho elikhulu ukuthi baye enkosini uHezekhiya eJerusalema besuka eLakhishi.+ Bafika bama emgelweni wamanzi ovela echibini elingaphezulu,+ ngasemgwaqweni omkhulu endaweni yabawatshayo.+
3 U-Eliyakhimu+ indodana kaHilikhiya owayengumphathi wendlu yenkosi,* loShebhina+ unobhala, loJowa indodana ka-Asafi owayebhala okwakusenzakala, baphuma baya kuye.
4 URabhishakhe wathi kubo: “Ngicela litshele uHezekhiya lithi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo yinkosi enkulu, inkosi ye-Asiriya: “Kanti uthembeni?+
5 Uthi wena ulecebo kanye lamandla okulwa impi, kodwa uyaziyenga. Uthembe bani okwenza ube lesibindi sokungihlamukela?+
6 Uthembe ukuthi uzasekelwa yiGibhithe, umhlanga owephukileyo othi nxa umuntu angabambelela kuwo umhlabe utshone esandleni! Unjalo uFaro inkosi yeGibhithe kubo bonke abathembele kuye.+
7 Nxa usithi kimi, ‘Thina sithembe uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu,’ kanti kayisuye yini olezindawo eziphakemeyo lama-alithare okwadilizwa nguwe Hezekhiya+ usithi ebantwini bakoJuda leJerusalema, ‘Kumele likhothame phambi kwe-alithare leli’?”’+
8 Khathesi ngicela wenze isivumelwano lenkosi yami, inkosi ye-Asiriya.+ Ngizakunika amabhiza angu-2 000 nxa usenelisa ukuthola abantu abeneleyo abangawagada.
9 Manje nxa ungahlaselwa ngumbusi* oyedwa, omncane kulazo zonke izinceku zenkosi yami, ungamehlula yini wena uthembe ukuthi iGibhithe izakunika izinqola labagadi bamabhiza?
10 Kanti uJehova kayisuye yini ongiphe imvumo yokuthi ngizohlasela ilizwe leli ngilitshabalalise? UJehova nguye othe kimi, ‘Hamba uyehlasela ilizwe leli ulitshabalalise.’”
11 U-Eliyakhimu loShebhina+ loJowa bathi bekuzwa lokhu bathi kuRabhishakhe:+ “Sicela ukhulume lezinceku zakho ngesi-Aramu*+ ngoba siyasizwa. Ungakhulumi lathi ngolimi lwamaJuda abantu laba abaphezu komduli besizwa.”+
12 Kodwa uRabhishakhe wathi: “Licabanga ukuthi inkosi yami ingithume ukuthi ngizokhuluma lani lenkosi yenu kuphela? Ingithume lasebantwini laba abahlezi emdulini, abazakudla ingcekeza yabo banathe lemichemo yabo ndawonye lani.”
13 Ngemva kwalokho uRabhishakhe wama wamemeza ngolimi lwamaJuda+ wathi: “Zwanini ilizwi lenkosi enkulu, inkosi ye-Asiriya.+
14 Nanku okutshiwo yinkosi, ‘Lingavumi ukuyengwa nguHezekhiya ngoba ngeke enelise ukulikhulula.+
15 Lingavumi lokuthi uHezekhiya aliyenge ukuthi lithembe uJehova+ esithi: “UJehova uzasikhulula loba sekutheni njalo idolobho leli alisoze linikelwe esandleni senkosi ye-Asiriya.”
16 Lingamlaleli uHezekhiya ngoba inkosi ye-Asiriya ithi: “Yenzani ukuthula lami, lizinikele kimi. Lingenza njalo, ngamunye wenu uzakudla izithelo zesihlahla sakhe samagilebisi lezesihlahla sakhe somkhiwa, anathe lamanzi emgodini wakhe,
17 ngize ngibuye ngizolithatha ngilise elizweni elifanana lelenu,+ ilizwe elilamabele lewayini elitsha, ilizwe elilesinkwa kanye lamasimu amagilebisi.
18 Lingavumi uHezekhiya eliyenga esithi, ‘UJehova uzasikhulula.’ Phakathi kwabonkulunkulu bezizwe, ukhona yini oseke wakhulula ilizwe lakhe esandleni senkosi ye-Asiriya?+
19 Bangaphi onkulunkulu beHamathi labe-Ariphadi?+ Bangaphi onkulunkulu beSefavayimi?+ Bayikhulula yini iSamariya esandleni sami?+
20 Phakathi kwabo bonke onkulunkulu bamazwe la nguphi oseke wakhulula ilizwe lakhe esandleni sami? Pho uJehova yena angenelisa yini ukukhulula iJerusalema esandleni sami?”’”+
21 Kodwa bona baqhubeka bethule, abazange bamphendule ngoba inkosi yayibatshele yathi, “Lingamphenduli.”+
22 U-Eliyakhimu umphathi wendlu yenkosi* owayeyindodana kaHilikhiya, loShebhina+ unobhala kanye loJowa indodana ka-Asafi owayebhala okwakusenzakala, baya kuHezekhiya izigqoko zabo zidabukile bafika bamtshela amazwi kaRabhishakhe.
Amabala angaphansi
^ Kumbe, “umphathinkezo omkhulu.”
^ Kumbe, “wesigodlo senkosi.”
^ Kumbe, “ngugavena.”
^ Kumbe, “ngesiSiriya.”
^ Kumbe, “wesigodlo senkosi.”
