2 Kings 17
1 In the twelfth year of the reign of Ahaz over Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria nine years.
Ngomnyaka wetshumi lambili kaAhazi inkosi yakoJuda uHosheya indodana kaEla waba yinkosi eSamariya phezu kukaIsrayeli; wabusa iminyaka eyisificamunwemunye.
2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him.
Wasesenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi, loba kunjalo kungenjengamakhosi akoIsrayeli ayengaphambi kwakhe.
3 Shalmaneser king of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute.
UShalimaneseri inkosi yeAsiriya wenyuka wamelana laye; uHosheya wasesiba yinceku yakhe, wathela umthelo kuye.
4 But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea had conspired to send envoys to King So of Egypt, and that he had not paid tribute to the king of Assyria as in previous years. Therefore the king of Assyria arrested Hoshea and put him in prison.
Kodwa inkosi yeAsiriya yafica ugobe kuHosheya, ngoba wayethume izithunywa kuSo inkosi yeGibhithe, kazabe esenyusa umthelo enkosini yeAsiriya umnyaka ngomnyaka. Ngakho inkosi yeAsiriya yamvalela yambopha entolongweni.
5 Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land, marched up to Samaria, and besieged it for three years.
Inkosi yeAsiriya yasisenyukela kulo lonke ilizwe, yenyukela eSamariya, yayivimbezela iminyaka emithathu.
6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried away the Israelites to Assyria, where he settled them in Halah, in Gozan by the Habor River, and in the cities of the Medes.
Ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye kaHosheya, inkosi yeAsiriya yathumba iSamariya yathumbela uIsrayeli eAsiriya, yabahlalisa eHala leHabori, umfula weGozani, lemizini yamaMede.
7 All this happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They had worshiped other gods
Lokhu-ke kwenzeka ngoba abantwana bakoIsrayeli babonile eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo eyayibenyuse elizweni leGibhithe ibasusa ngaphansi kwesandla sikaFaro inkosi yeGibhithe, babesabe abanye onkulunkulu,
8 and walked in the customs of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites, as well as in the practices introduced by the kings of Israel.
bahamba ezimisweni zezizwe iNkosi eyayizixotshe elifeni phambi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli, lezamakhosi akoIsrayeli, ayezenzile.
9 The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city, they built high places in all their cities.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli benza ensitha izinto ezingalunganga bemelene leNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo. Babezakhele indawo eziphakemeyo kuyo yonke imizi yabo, kusukela enqabeni yabalindi kuze kube semzini obiyelweyo.
10 They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.
Basebezimisela insika eziyizithombe lezixuku phezu kwawo wonke amaqaqa aphakemeyo langaphansi kwaso sonke isihlahla esiluhlaza.
11 They burned incense on all the high places like the nations that the LORD had driven out before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger.
Basebetshisa lapho impepha endaweni zonke eziphakemeyo, njengezizwe iNkosi eyazikhokhelela ekuthunjweni phambi kwabo; benza izinto ezimbi ukuyithukuthelisa iNkosi.
12 They served idols, although the LORD had told them, “You shall not do this thing.”
Ngoba bakhonza izithombe, iNkosi eyayithe ngazo kubo: Kaliyikuyenza linto.
13 Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.”
Kanti iNkosi yafakaza imelene loIsrayeli njalo imelene loJuda ngesandla sabo bonke abaprofethi lababoni bonke isithi: Phendukani endleleni zenu ezimbi, ligcine imithetho yami, izimiso zami, njengokomlayo wonke engawulaya oyihlo lengawuthumela kini ngesandla senceku zami abaprofethi.
14 But they would not listen, and they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not believe the LORD their God.
Loba kunjalo kabalalelanga, kodwa benza lukhuni intamo yabo, njengentamo yaboyise, abangakholwanga eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo.
15 They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and themselves became worthless, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate.
Njalo bala izimiso zayo lesivumelwano sayo eyasenza laboyise lezifakazelo zayo eyazifakaza imelene labo, balandela ize, baba yize, balandela izizwe ezazibahanqile, iNkosi eyayibalaye ngazo ukuthi bangenzi njengazo.
16 They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal.
Bayitshiya yonke imilayo yeNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo, bazenzela izithombe ezibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa, amathole amabili, benza isixuku, bakhothamela lonke ibutho lamazulu, bakhonza uBhali.
17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
Benza amadodana abo lamadodakazi abo adabule emlilweni, benza ukuvumisa, benza imilingo, bazithengisela ukwenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi ukuyithukuthelisa.
18 So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained,
Ngakho iNkosi yamthukuthelela kakhulu uIsrayeli, yabasusa ebusweni bayo; kakusalanga loyedwa ngaphandle kwesizwe sakoJuda kuphela.
19 and even Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but lived according to the customs Israel had introduced.
Laye uJuda kayigcinanga imilayo yeNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo, kodwa bahamba ngezimiso zikaIsrayeli abazenzayo.
20 So the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel. He afflicted them and delivered them into the hands of plunderers, until He had banished them from His presence.
INkosi yasiyala yonke inzalo yakoIsrayeli, yayihlupha, yayinikela esandleni sabaphangi, yaze yabalahla yabasusa phambi kwayo.
21 When the LORD had torn Israel away from the house of David, they made Jeroboam son of Nebat king, and Jeroboam led Israel away from following the LORD and caused them to commit a great sin.
Ngoba yamdabula uIsrayeli imsusa endlini kaDavida, basebebeka uJerobhowamu indodana kaNebati ukuthi abe yinkosi. UJerobhowamu wamqhuba wamphambula uIsrayeli ekulandeleni iNkosi, wabenza bona isono esikhulu.
22 The Israelites persisted in all the sins that Jeroboam had committed and did not turn away from them.
Ngoba abantwana bakoIsrayeli bahamba ngazo zonke izono zikaJerobhowamu azenzayo, kabasukanga kuzo,
23 Finally, the LORD removed Israel from His presence, as He had declared through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their homeland into Assyria, where they are to this day.
iNkosi yaze yamsusa uIsrayeli phambi kwayo njengokutsho kwayo ngesandla sazo zonke inceku zayo abaprofethi. Ngakho uIsrayeli wathunjwa wasuswa elizweni lakhe wasiwa eAsiriya kuze kube lamuhla.
24 Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns.
Inkosi yeAsiriya yasiletha abantu abavela eBhabhiloni labavela eKutha labavela eAva labavela eHamathi labavela eSefavayimi, yabahlalisa emizini yeSamariya esikhundleni sabantwana bakoIsrayeli, badla ilifa leSamariya, bahlala emizini yayo.
25 Now when the settlers first lived there, they did not worship the LORD, so He sent lions among them, which killed some of them.
Kwasekusithi ekuqaleni kokuhlala kwabo khona kabayesabanga iNkosi; ngakho iNkosi yathumela izilwane phakathi kwabo ezabulala abanye babo.
26 So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The peoples that you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land. Because of this, He has sent lions among them, which are indeed killing them off.”
Ngakho bakhuluma enkosini yeAsiriya besithi: Izizwe owazisusayo wazihlalisa emizini yeSamariya kaziwazi umkhuba kaNkulunkulu walelolizwe; ngakho uthumele izilwane phakathi kwazo, khangela-ke ziyazibulala, ngoba kaziwazi umkhuba kaNkulunkulu walelolizwe.
27 Then the king of Assyria commanded: “Send back one of the priests you carried off from Samaria, and have him go back to live there and teach the requirements of the God of the land.”
Inkosi yeAsiriya yasilaya isithi: Yisani khona omunye wabapristi elabathumbayo besuka lapho; kabayehlala khona, kabafundise umkhuba kaNkulunkulu walelolizwe.
28 Thus one of the priests they had carried away came and lived in Bethel, and he began to teach them how they should worship the LORD.
Ngakho omunye wabapristi ababebathumbe besuka eSamariya weza wahlala eBhetheli, wabafundisa ukuthi bangayesaba njani iNkosi.
29 Nevertheless, the people of each nation continued to make their own gods in the cities where they had settled, and they set them up in the shrines that the people of Samaria had made on the high places.
Loba kunjalo zonke izizwe zenza onkulunkulu bazo, zabafaka ezindlini zezindawo eziphakemeyo amaSamariya azenzayo, yileso laleso isizwe emizini yazo ezihlala kuyo.
30 The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima,
Labantu beBhabhiloni benza uSukothi-Benothi, labantu beKuthi benza uNerigali, labantu beHamathi benza uAshima,
31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of the Sepharvaim.
lamaAvi enza uNibazi loTaritaki, lamaSefavayimi ayetshisa abantwana bawo emlilweni esenzela uAdrameleki loAnameleki onkulunkulu beSefavayimi.
32 So the new residents worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed for themselves priests of all sorts to serve in the shrines of the high places.
Babeyesaba leNkosi, bazenzela abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo kwabaphansi kakhulu babo, ababebasebenzela ezindlini zezindawo eziphakemeyo.
33 They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had been carried away.
Babeyesaba iNkosi, njalo babekhonza onkulunkulu babo njengomkhuba wezizwe ezabathumbayo besuka lapho.
34 To this day they are still practicing their former customs. None of them worship the LORD or observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom He named Israel.
Kuze kube lamuhla benza njengemikhuba yakuqala. Kabayesabi iNkosi, kabenzi njengezimiso zabo lanjengezimiselo zabo lanjengomlayo lanjengomthetho iNkosi eyakulaya abantwana bakaJakobe, owamutha ibizo elithi uIsrayeli.
35 For the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites and commanded them, “Do not worship other gods or bow down to them; do not serve them or sacrifice to them.
INkosi eyenza isivumelwano labo, yabalaya isithi: Kaliyikwesaba abanye onkulunkulu, lingabakhothameli, lingabasebenzeli, lingabahlabeli.
36 Instead, worship the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm. You are to bow down to Him and offer sacrifices to Him.
Kodwa iNkosi eyalenyusa elizweni leGibhithe ngamandla amakhulu langengalo eyeluliweyo, yona lizayesaba njalo yona lizayikhothamela njalo yona lizayihlabela.
37 And you must always be careful to observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments He wrote for you. Do not worship other gods.
Lezimiso lezimiselo lomlayo lomthetho eyalibhalela khona, lizaqaphelisa ukukwenza zonke izinsuku, lingesabi abanye onkulunkulu.
38 Do not forget the covenant I have made with you. Do not worship other gods,
Lesivumelwano engasenza lani lingasikhohlwa, lingesabi abanye onkulunkulu.
39 but worship the LORD your God, and He will deliver you from the hands of all your enemies.”
Kodwa iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu lizayesaba; yona-ke izalikhulula esandleni sezitha zenu zonke.
40 But they would not listen, and they persisted in their former customs.
Loba kunjalo kabalalelanga, kodwa benza njengomkhuba wabo wakuqala.
41 So these nations worshiped the LORD but also served their idols, and to this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did.
Lezizizwe zayesaba-ke iNkosi, kodwa zakhonza izithombe zazo ezibaziweyo; bobabili abantwana bazo labantwana babantwana bazo, njengokwenza kwaboyise benza labo kuze kube lamuhla.
