< 2 Kings 23 >

1 Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
Inkosi yasithumela, basebebuthanisa kuye bonke abadala bakoJuda labeJerusalema.
2 And he went up to the house of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the prophets—all the people small and great—and in their hearing he read all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD.
Inkosi yasisenyukela endlini kaJehova, lawo wonke amadoda akoJuda labo bonke abahlali beJerusalema kanye laye, labapristi labaprofethi, labo bonke abantu kusukela komncinyane kusiya komkhulu, yasifunda endlebeni zabo wonke amazwi ogwalo lwesivumelwano olwaficwa endlini yeNkosi.
3 So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.
Inkosi yema-ke ngasensikeni, yenza isivumelwano phambi kweNkosi, sokuhamba emva kweNkosi, lokugcina imilayo yayo lemithetho yayo lezimiso zayo ngenhliziyo yonke langomphefumulo wonke, ukuqinisa amazwi alesisivumelwano abhaliweyo kulolugwalo. Bonke abantu basebesima esivumelwaneni.
4 Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests second in rank, and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the host of heaven. And he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel.
Inkosi yasilaya uHilikhiya umpristi omkhulu labapristi besigaba sesibili labalindi bombundu womnyango ukuthi bakhuphe ethempelini leNkosi zonke izitsha ezazenzelwe uBhali lesixuku lebutho lonke lamazulu, wazitshisela ngaphandle kweJerusalema eziqintini zeKidroni, wathwalela umlotha wazo eBhetheli.
5 Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.
Wasesusa abapristi bezithombe amakhosi akoJuda ayebabekile ukuthi batshise impepha endaweni eziphakemeyo, emizini yakoJuda, lendawo ezizingelezele iJerusalema, lalabo ababetshisa impepha kuBhali, elangeni, lenyangeni, lezinkanyezini, lebuthweni lonke lamazulu.
6 He brought the Asherah pole from the house of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem, and there he burned it, ground it to powder, and threw its dust on the graves of the common people.
Wakhupha isixuku endlini yeNkosi, ngaphandle kweJerusalema, wasisa esifuleni iKidroni, wasitshisa esifuleni iKidroni, wasichola saba luthuli, waphosela uthuli lwaso emangcwabeni abantwana babantu.
7 He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes that were in the house of the LORD, where the women had woven tapestries for Asherah.
Wadiliza izindlu zezinkotshana ezazingasendlini yeNkosi lapho abesifazana ababeselukela khona amaveyili esixuku.
8 Then Josiah brought all the priests from the cities of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He tore down the high places of the gates at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which was to the left of the city gate.
Wakhupha bonke abapristi emizini yakoJuda, wangcolisa indawo eziphakemeyo lapho abapristi ababetshisela khona impepha, kusukela eGeba kusiya eBherishebha. Wadiliza indawo eziphakemeyo zamasango ezisekungeneni kwesango likaJoshuwa umbusi womuzi, ezazingakwesokhohlo somuntu esangweni lomuzi.
9 Although the priests of the high places did not come up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, they ate unleavened bread with their fellow priests.
Loba kunjalo abapristi bendawo eziphakemeyo kabenyukelanga elathini leNkosi eJerusalema, kodwa badla izinkwa ezingelamvubelo phakathi kwabafowabo.
10 He also desecrated Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom so that no one could sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire to Molech.
Wasengcolisa iTofethi elisesihotsheni sendodana kaHinomu ukuze kungabi khona umuntu odabulisa indodana yakhe kumbe indodakazi yakhe emlilweni kuMoleki.
11 And he removed from the entrance to the house of the LORD the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun. They were in the court near the chamber of an official named Nathan-melech. And Josiah burned up the chariots of the sun.
Wasesusa amabhiza amakhosi akoJuda ayewanikele elangeni ekungeneni kwendlu yeNkosi, ngasekamelweni likaNathani-Meleki umthenwa elalisekhulusini, wazitshisa inqola zelanga ngomlilo.
12 He pulled down the altars that the kings of Judah had set up on the roof near the upper chamber of Ahaz, and the altars that Manasseh had set up in the two courtyards of the house of the LORD. The king pulverized them there and threw their dust into the Kidron Valley.
Lamalathi ayesephahleni lwendlu kaAhazi engaphezulu awenzayo amakhosi akoJuda, lamalathi uManase ayewenzile emagumeni womabili endlu yeNkosi, inkosi yawadiliza yawachoboza iwasusa lapho, yaluphosela uthuli lwawo esifuleni iKidroni.
13 The king also desecrated the high places east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Corruption, which King Solomon of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
Lendawo eziphakemeyo, ezaziphambi kweJerusalema, ezazingakwesokunene sentaba yokubola, uSolomoni inkosi yakoIsrayeli eyayizakhele uAshitarothi isinengiso samaSidoni, loKemoshi isinengiso samaMowabi, loMilkomu isinengiso sabantwana bakoAmoni, inkosi yazingcolisa.
14 He smashed the sacred pillars to pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, and covered the sites with human bones.
Wasephahlaza insika eziyizithombe, wagamula izixuku, wagcwalisa izindawo zazo ngamathambo abantu.
15 He even pulled down the altar at Bethel, the high place set up by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. Then he burned the high place, ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole.
Lelathi lalo elaliseBhetheli, lendawo ephakemeyo, ayenzayo uJerobhowamu indodana kaNebati owenza uIsrayeli ukuthi one, kokubili lelolathi lendawo ephakemeyo wakudiliza, watshisa indawo ephakemeyo, wayichoboza yaba luthuli, watshisa isixuku.
16 And as Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the hillside, and he sent someone to take the bones out of the tombs, and he burned them on the altar to defile it, according to the word of the LORD proclaimed by the man of God who had foretold these things.
Lapho uJosiya ephenduka wabona amangcwaba ayelapho entabeni, wathuma wasekhupha amathambo emangcwabeni, wawatshisela phezu kwelathi, walingcolisa, njengelizwi leNkosi umuntu kaNkulunkulu ayelimemezele, owamemezela lamazwi.
17 Then the king asked, “What is this monument I see?” And the men of the city replied, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and pronounced these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel.”
Wasesithi: Yisikhumbuzo sani lesiyana engisibonayo? Abantu bomuzi basebesithi kuye: Lingcwaba lomuntu kaNkulunkulu owavela koJuda wamemezela lezizinto ozenzileyo umelene lelathi leBhetheli.
18 “Let him rest,” said Josiah. “Do not let anyone disturb his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed, along with those of the prophet who had come from Samaria.
Wasesithi: Myekeleni, kakungabi lamuntu othinta amathambo akhe. Basebewayekela amathambo akhe kanye lamathambo omprofethi owavela eSamariya.
19 Just as Josiah had done at Bethel, so also in the cities of Samaria he removed all the shrines of the high places set up by the kings of Israel who had provoked the LORD to anger.
Njalo lazo zonke izindlu zezindawo eziphakemeyo ezisemizini yeSamariya, amakhosi akoIsrayeli ayezenzile ukuthukuthelisa, uJosiya wazisusa, wenza kizo njengayo yonke imisebenzi ayeyenze eBhetheli.
20 On the altars he slaughtered all the priests of the high places, and he burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
Wasebulala bonke abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo, ababekhonapho, phezu kwamalathi, watshisa amathambo abantu phezu kwawo. Wasebuyela eJerusalema.
21 The king commanded all the people, “Keep the Passover of the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.”
Inkosi yasilaya bonke abantu isithi: Gcinani iphasika eNkosini uNkulunkulu wenu, njengalokhu kubhaliwe kulolugwalo lwesivumelwano.
22 No such Passover had been observed from the days of the judges who had governed Israel through all the days of the kings of Israel and Judah.
Ngoba kwakungagcinwanga elinjengaleli iphasika kusukela ensukwini zabehluleli abehlulela uIsrayeli, kumbe kuzo zonke izinsuku zamakhosi akoIsrayeli, kumbe zamakhosi akoJuda.
23 But in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, this Passover was observed to the LORD in Jerusalem.
Kodwa ngomnyaka wetshumi lesificaminwembili wenkosi uJosiya lagcinwa leliphasika eNkosini eJerusalema.
24 Furthermore, Josiah removed the mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. He did this to carry out the words of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of the LORD.
Ngaphezu kwalokho-ke abalamadlozi, labalumbayo, lamatherafi, lezithombe, lawo wonke amanyala abonakala elizweni lakoJuda leJerusalema, uJosiya wakususa, ukuze aqinise amazwi omlayo ayebhalwe ogwalweni uHilikhiya umpristi alufica endlini yeNkosi.
25 Neither before nor after Josiah was there any king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, according to all the Law of Moses.
Langaphambi kwakhe kakubanga khona inkosi eyafanana laye eyaphendukela eNkosini ngenhliziyo yayo yonke langomphefumulo wayo wonke langamandla ayo wonke, njengokomlayo wonke kaMozisi. Futhi emva kwakhe kakuvelanga eyafanana laye.
26 Nevertheless, the LORD did not turn away from the fury of His burning anger, which was kindled against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to provoke Him to anger.
Kanti iNkosi kayiphendukanga ekuvutheni kolaka lwayo olukhulu, olaka lwayo eyavuthela ngalo uJuda, ngenxa yazo zonke intukutheliso uManase ayithukuthelisa ngazo.
27 For the LORD had said, “I will remove Judah from My sight, just as I removed Israel. I will reject this city Jerusalem, which I chose, and the temple of which I said, ‘My Name shall be there.’”
INkosi yasisithi: Ngizamsusa loJuda phambi kwami, njengoba ngasusa uIsrayeli, ngiwulahle lumuzi weJerusalema engawukhethayo, lendlu engathi ngayo: Ibizo lami lizakuba lapho.
28 As for the rest of the acts of Josiah, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
Ezinye-ke zezindaba zikaJosiya, lakho konke akwenzayo, kakubhalwanga yini egwalweni lwemilando yamakhosi akoJuda?
29 At the end of Josiah’s reign, Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt marched up to help the king of Assyria at the Euphrates River. King Josiah went out to confront him, but Neco faced him and killed him at Megiddo.
Ensukwini zakhe uFaro Neko inkosi yeGibhithe wenyuka wamelana lenkosi yeAsiriya emfuleni iYufrathi. Inkosi uJosiya yasisiyahlangabezana laye; wayibulalela eMegido eseyibonile.
30 From Megiddo his servants carried his body in a chariot, brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah, anointed him, and made him king in place of his father.
Inceku zakhe zasezimthwala efile ngenqola, zisuka eMegido, zamusa eJerusalema, zamngcwaba engcwabeni lakhe. Abantu belizwe basebethatha uJehowahazi indodana kaJosiya, bamgcoba, bambeka waba yinkosi esikhundleni sikayise.
31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.
UJehowahazi wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amabili lantathu lapho esiba yinkosi; wabusa inyanga ezintathu eJerusalema. Lebizo likanina lalinguHamuthali indodakazi kaJeremiya weLibhina.
32 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his fathers had done.
Wasesenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi njengakho konke oyise abakwenzayo.
33 And Pharaoh Neco imprisoned Jehoahaz at Riblah in the land of Hamath so that he could not reign in Jerusalem, and he imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
UFaro Neko wasembopha eRibila elizweni leHamathi ukuthi angabusi eJerusalema, wahlawulisa ilizwe amathalenta esiliva alikhulu lethalenta legolide.
34 Then Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah, and he changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt, where he died.
UFaro Neko wasebeka uEliyakhimi indodana kaJosiya ukuthi abe yinkosi esikhundleni sikaJosiya uyise, waphendula ibizo lakhe wathi nguJehoyakhimi. Wasethatha uJehowahazi; wasesiza eGibhithe, wafela khona.
35 So Jehoiakim paid the silver and gold to Pharaoh Neco, but to meet Pharaoh’s demand he taxed the land and exacted the silver and the gold from the people, each according to his wealth.
UJehoyakhimi wasemnika uFaro isiliva legolide, kodwa wathelisa ilizwe ukuze anike leyomali njengokomlayo kaFaro. Wakhuphisa abantu belizwe isiliva legolide, ngulowo lalowo ngokomthelo wakhe, yokunika uFaro Neko.
36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Zebidah daughter of Pedaiah; she was from Rumah.
UJehoyakhimi wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amabili lanhlanu lapho esiba yinkosi; wabusa iminyaka elitshumi lanye eJerusalema. Lebizo likanina lalinguZebida indodakazi kaPhedaya weRuma.
37 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his fathers had done.
Wasesenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi njengakho konke oyise abakwenzayo.

< 2 Kings 23 >