1. Emva kwalezo zinto naleso sibonelo sokuthembeka kwafika uSaneheribi inkosi yase-Asiriya, wangena kwaJuda, wamisa malungana nemizi ebiyelweyo, wathi uyakuzifohlela yona.
2. Lapho uHezekiya esebona ukuthi uSaneheribi ufikile nokuthi uqonda ukulwa neJerusalema,
3. welulekana nezikhulu zakhe namaqhawe akhe ukuba bavimbe amanzi emithombo eyayingaphandle komuzi; bamsiza.
4. Kwabuthana abantu abaningi, bavimba yonke imithombo, nomfudlana owawugobhoza phakathi nezwe, bathi: “Kungangani ukuba kufike amakhosi ase-Asiriya, afumane amanzi amaningi, na?”
5. Waziqinisa, wakha lonke ugange olwaludiliziwe, wabeka imibhoshongo phezu kwalo, nolunye ugange ngaphandle, waqinisa iMilo emzini kaDavide, wenza izikhali nezihlangu eziningi.
6. Wabeka izinduna zempi phezu kwabantu, wazibuthela bona esigcawini ngasesangweni lomuzi, wakhuluma kahle kubo, wathi:
7. “Qinani, nime isibindi, ningesabi, ningapheli amandla ngenkosi yase-Asiriya nangesixuku sonke esinayo, ngokuba onathi mkhulu kunonaye;
8. okunaye yingalo yenyama; okunathi nguJehova uNkulunkulu wethu ukuba asisize, alwe izimpi zethu.” Abantu bencika emazwini kaHezekiya inkosi yakwaJuda.
9. Emva kwalokho uSaneheribi inkosi yase-Asiriya wathuma izinceku zakhe eJerusalema wayephambi kweLakishi nabo bonke ababusi benaye kuHezekiya inkosi yakwaJuda nakuye wonke uJuda waseJerusalema, wathi:
10. “Usho kanje uSaneheribi, inkosi yase-Asiriya, uthi: Nethembani nina, njengokuba nihlala nivinjezelwe eJerusalema, na?
11. UHezekiya akaniyengi yini ukuba aninikele, nife ngendlala nangokoma, ethi: ‘UJehova uNkulunkulu wethu uyakusophula esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya,’ na?
12. Yena lowo Hezekiya akasusanga yini izindawo eziphakemeyo nama-altare akhe, wayala uJuda neJerusalema, wathi: ‘Niyakukhuleka phambi kwe-altare linye, nishise impepho,’ na?
13. “Anazi yini ukuthi mina nawobaba senzeni kubo bonke abezizwe na? Onkulunkulu babezizwe babe namandla yini nakanjani okophula izwe labo esandleni sami na?