1 Ngalezonsuku uHezekhiya wagula, eselengela ekufeni. Umphrofethi u-Isaya indodana ka-Amozi waya kuye wathi: “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: Lungisa indlu yakho, ngoba uzakufa; awuyikusila.”

2 UHezekhiya waphendula ubuso bakhe wakhangela emdulini wakhuleka kuThixo esithi, 3 “Khumbula, Thixo, ukuthi ngihambe phambi kwakho ngokuthembeka langokuzinikela ngenhliziyo yami yonke, njalo ngenze okuhle emehlweni akho.” UHezekhiya wakhala kabuhlungu.

4 U-Isaya engakasuki egumeni elingaphakathi, kwafika ilizwi likaThixo kuye lisithi: 5 “Buyela uyetshela uHezekhiya, umkhokheli wabantu bami uthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uNkulunkulu kayihlo uDavida. Uthi: Ngiwuzwile umkhuleko wakho njalo ngizibonile lezinyembezi zakho; ngizakusilisa. Ngosuku lwesithathu kusukela khathesi uzakhwela uye ethempelini likaThixo. 6 Ngizakwengezelela iminyaka elitshumi lanhlanu empilweni yakho. Ngizakukhulula wena kanye ledolobho leli ezandleni zenkosi yase-Asiriya. Ngizavikela idolobho leli ngizenzela mina njalo ngisenzela inceku yami uDavida.’ ”

7 U-Isaya wathi: “Lungisani isigaqa semikhiwa.” Bakwenza lokho basebethoba ngaso ithumba, wasesila.

8 UHezekhiya wayebuze u-Isaya wathi, “Kuyini okuzakuba yisibonakaliso sokuthi uThixo uzangisilisa kanye lokuthi ngizakhwela ngiye phezulu ethempelini leNkosi ngosuku lwesithathu kusukela khathesi na?”

9 U-Isaya waphendula wathi, “Nansi isibonakaliso sikaThixo kuwe, esokuthi uThixo uzakwenza akuthembisayo. Kambe isithunzi sizakuya phambili amanyathelo alitshumi kumbe sizabuyela emuva amanyathelo alitshumi na?”

10 “UHezekhiya wathi kulula ukuba isithunzi siye phambili amanyathelo alitshumi, kodwa kasiyi emuva amanyathelo alitshumi.”

11 Ngakho umphrofethi u-Isaya wacela kuThixo, uThixo wenza ukuthi isithunzi sibuyele emuva okwezinyathelo ezilitshumi esasehle ngawo ezikhwelelweni zika-Ahazi.

12 Ngalesosikhathi uMerodakhi-Bhaladani indodana kaBhaladani inkosi yaseBhabhiloni wabhalela uHezekhiya izincwadi wamthumela lesipho ngoba wayezwile ngokugula kukaHezekhiya. 13 UHezekhiya wazamukela izithunywa wazitshengisa konke okwakusendlini yakhe yokugcinela impahla, isiliva, igolide, iziyoliso kanye lamafutha acengekileyo, izikhali zakhe lakho konke okwakukhona enothweni yakhe. Akulalutho esigodlweni sakhe loba embusweni wakhe wonke uHezekhiya angazitshengisanga lona.

14 Ngakho u-Isaya umphrofethi waya kuHezekhiya inkosi wambuza wathi, “Atheni amadoda lawana njalo avela ngaphi?”

UHezekhiya waphendula wathi: “Avela elizweni elikhatshana. Avele eBhabhiloni.”

15 Umphrofethi wabuza wathi: “Aboneni esigodlweni sakho?”

UHezekhiya wathi, “Abone konke okusesigodlweni sami. Akulalutho phakathi kwempahla zami eziligugu engingawatshengisanga khona.”

16 Ngakho u-Isaya wasesithi kuHezekhiya, “Zwana ilizwi likaThixo lithi: 17 Isikhathi sizafika sibili lapho konke okusesigodlweni sakho lakho konke oyihlo abakugcinayo kusiyafika lolosuku, kuzathwalelwa eBhabhiloni. Akuyikusala lutho, kutsho uThixo. 18 Njalo abanye besizukulwane sakho, abenyama legazi lakho, abazazalwa nguwe, bazathathwa bayekuba ngabathenwa esigodlweni senkosi yaseBhabhiloni.”

19 UHezekhiya waphendula wathi: “Ilizwi likaThixo olikhulumileyo lilungile.” Ngoba wayenakana esithi: “Kambe kakuyikuba lokuthula lokuvikeleka ekuphileni kwami na?”

20 Ezinye izehlakalo zombuso kaHezekhiya, konke ukuphumelela kwakhe lokwakha kwakhe ichibi kanye lomgelo owaletha amanzi phakathi komuzi, akulotshwanga yini egwalweni lwembali yamakhosi akoJuda na? 21 UHezekhiya waya ekuphumuleni kubokhokho bakhe. Indodana yakhe uManase yathatha ubukhosi.

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