18. La madoda ke akhwaza ukumkani, kwaza ke kwaphuma uEliyakim unyana kaHilekiya umaqhuzu wakomkhulu, noShebhena unobhala wenkundla, ndawonye noJowa unyana ka-Asafu usiba-khulu, bawahlangabeza.
19. Ingqwayi-ngqwayi ebhexeshayo yathetha nabo yathi: “Xelelani uHezekiya nithi: ‘Ithethe ngolu hlobo ingangalala ukumkani waseAsiriya: Njengokuba uzithembe kangaka nje, Hezekiya, uqamele ngantoni kanye?
20. Akuzilibali unamacebo nobuchule bomkhosi onamandla. Awu, waza walavuza kambe! Ukholose ngabani, undivukela nje?
21. Jonga, ndiyazi ukuba uthembele ngeJiputa. Xa ingubani yona, umsimelelo ofana nengcongolo entlekekileyo, ojika uhlabe izandla zomntu osimelela ngawo, umtsho abe namanxeba. Ewe, unjalo ukumkani waseJiputa; ubenjenjalo bonke abakholosa ngaye.
22. Mhlawumbi ke uthi: “Hayi, thina sikholose ngoNdikhoyo uThixo wethu.” Kanene lowo asingulo uHezekiya amdilizele iindawo eziphakamileyo zonqulo, wabhangisa namaqonga amadini akhe, esithi kuJuda neJerusalem: “Yizani kunqula kwiqonga eliseJerusalem”?
23. “ ‘Hayi bo! Yiza kaloku, ukhe unqophisane nenkosi yam, umhlekazi ukumkani waseAsiriya. Ndokunika amawaka amabini amahashe ukuba unganabo abakhweli.
24. Kuxa ungubani wena? Akunakuthelekiswa nalo nebhetye-bhetye kumajoni aseAsiriya, noba ungade ukholose ngeenqwelo namahashe aseJiputa.
25. Kakade ke, uthi ndifane ndeza kuhlasela ukuze nditshabalalise ndibhuqe konke apha ndingayalelwanga nguNdikhoyo? Hayi, nguNdikhoyo ngokwakhe othe mandingene apha, ndilitshabalalise eli lizwe!’ ”
26. Kwesi sithuba ke uEliyakim unyana kaHilekiya, noShebhena, noJowa, babhekisa apho kwingqwayi-ngqwayi engumbhexeshi, bathi: “Khawuncede ukhumshe isiAram, mhlekazi; izicaka zakho ezi ziyasiqonda. Musa ukuthetha nathi ngesiHebhere, hleze kuve naba bantu baseludongeni.”
27. Kambe ke loo ngqwayi-ngqwayi yaphendula yathi: “Yini le, nicinga ukuba la mazwi inkosi yam iwabhekisa enkosini yenu nakuni kuphela? Nithi ayiwabhekisi nakwaba bantu bahleli kolu donga? Andithi kaloku nabo kwanjengani baza kutya ilindle labo, basele umchamo wabo!”
28. Yaphakama ke ingqwayi-ngqwayi leyo, yadanduluka ithetha ngesiHebhere, yathi: “Phulaphulani nive ekuthethayo ingangalala, ukumkani waseAsiriya!
29. Ukumkani uthi: ‘Sanukukhohliswa nguHezekiya lo! Akanako ukunihlangula esandleni sam.
30. Sanukumvumela aniwexulele ekukholoseni ngoNdikhoyo, esithi: “Ngenene uNdikhoyo uya kusihlangula, nesi sixeko asiyi kuba lixhoba lokumkani waseAsiriya.” ’
31. “Musani ukumphulaphula uHezekiya lo! Ukumkani waseAsiriya uthi: ‘Phumani, nize kuzinikezela kum, sivisisane. Ukuba niyayenza loo nto, nonke ngabanye niya konwaba, ibe ngulowo nalowo atye iziqhamo zesidiliya sakhe namakhiwane akhe, esela amanzi equla lakhe,