2 Kings 23
1 And they reported to the king what she had said. And he sent, and all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem were gathered to him.
Inkosi yasibiza bonke abadala bakoJuda labeJerusalema.
2 And the king ascended to the temple of the Lord. And with him were all the men of Judah and all who were living in Jerusalem: the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, from the small to the great. And in the hearing of everyone, he read all the words of the book of the covenant, which was found in the house of the Lord.
Yasuka yaya ethempelini likaThixo lamadoda akoJuda, abantu baseJerusalema, abaphristi labaphrofethi, abantu bonke kusukela kubantukazana kusiya kuzo kanye izikhulu. Yabafundela bonke besizwa wonke amazwi oGwalo lweSivumelwano, olwatholakala ethempelini likaThixo.
3 And the king stood upon the step. And he struck a covenant before the Lord, so that they would walk after the Lord, and keep his precepts and testimonies and ceremonies, with all their heart and with all their soul, and so that they would carry out the words of this covenant, which had been written in that book. And the people agreed to the covenant.
Inkosi yema ngasensikeni, yavuselela isivumelwano phambi kukaThixo sokumlandela lokugcina imilayo yakhe lemithetho yakhe lezimiso zakhe ngenhliziyo yayo yonke langomoya wayo wonke, ngalokho iqinisa amazwi esivumelwano ayebhaliwe kulolugwalo. Ngakho bonke abantu bazinikela kuso isivumelwano.
4 And the king instructed Hilkiah, the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the doorkeepers, so that they would cast out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels which had been made for Baal, and for the sacred grove, and for the entire army of heaven. And he burned them outside of Jerusalem, in the steep valley of Kidron. And he carried their dust into Bethel.
Inkosi yalaya uHilikhiya umphristi omkhulu labaphristi abalandelayo labalindi beminyango ukuba bakhuphe ethempelini likaThixo zonke izitsha ezazenzelwe uBhali lo-Ashera, lazozonke izinkanyezi zaphezulu, wazitshisela ngaphandle kweJerusalema eziqintini zeSigodi saseKhidironi, umlotha wazo wawuthwalela eBhetheli.
5 And he destroyed the soothsayers, whom the kings of Judah had appointed to sacrifice in the high places throughout the cities of Judah, and all around Jerusalem, along with those who were burning incense to Baal, and to the Sun, and to the Moon, and to the twelve signs, and to the entire army of heaven.
Wakhupha abaphristi bezithombe ababekhethwe yinkosi yakoJuda ukuba batshise impepha emizini yakoJuda lakuleyo ephansi kweJerusalema, labo ababetshisa impepha kuBhali lelanga lenyanga lezinkanyezi zonke zaphezulu.
6 And he caused the sacred grove to be carried away from the house of the Lord, outside of Jerusalem, to the steep valley of Kidron. And he burned it there, and reduced it to dust. And he cast the dust over the graves of the common people.
Wakhupha ethempelini likaThixo insika ka-Ashera, wayisa esigodini seKhidironi ngaphandle kweJerusalema, wayitshisela khona, wayichola yaba luthuli wasechithachithela umlotha wayo phezu kwamangcwaba abantukazana.
7 Also, he destroyed the small places of the effeminate, which were in the house of the Lord, for which the women were weaving something like little houses in the sacred grove.
Wadiliza izindlu zabesilisa ababefeba ethempelini likaThixo lapho abesifazane ababethungela khona u-Ashera amaveli.
8 And he gathered together all the priests from the cities of Judah. And he defiled the high places, where the priests were sacrificing, from Geba as far as Beersheba. And he tore down the altars of the gates at the entrance to the gate of Joshua, the leader of the city, which was to the left of the gate of the city.
UJosiya waletha bonke abaphristi besuka emizini yakoJuda, wangcolisa izindawo zokukhonzela, kusukela eGebha kusiya lapho abaphristi ababetshisela khona impepha eBherishebha. Wabhidliza izindawo zokukhonzela emasangweni ekungeneni kwesango likaJoshuwa umphathi womuzi, ngakwesokhohlo kwesango lomuzi.
9 Yet truly, the priests of the high places did not ascend to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem. For they would only eat from the unleavened bread in the midst of their brothers.
Loba abaphristi bezindawo zokukhonzela bengaphathisanga e-alithareni likaThixo eJerusalema, kodwa badla isinkwa esingelamvubelo kanye labanye abaphristi ababedlelana labo.
10 Also, he defiled Topheth, which is in the steep valley of the son of Hinnom, so that no one would consecrate his son or his daughter, through fire, to Molech.
Wangcolisa iThofethi elisesihotsheni saseBheni-Hinomu ukuze kungabikhona otshisa indodana yakhe kumbe indodakazi emlilweni kaMoleki.
11 Also, he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the Sun, at the entrance to the temple of the Lord, beside the hallway of Nathan-melech, the eunuch, who was in Pharurim. And he burned the chariots of the Sun with fire.
Entubeni yethempeli likaThixo wasusa amabhiza amakhosi abakoJuda ayewahlukanisele ilanga, wona ayeseduze lendlu yesikhulu esasithiwa nguNathani-Meleki. UJosiya wasetshisa izinqola zempi ezazehlukaniselwe ilanga.
12 Also, the altars which were upon the roof of the upper room of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the temple of the Lord, the king destroyed. And he hurried from there, and he scattered their ashes into the torrent Kidron.
Wadilizela phansi ama-alithare ayakhiwe ngamakhosi akoJuda ephahleni eduze lendlu ephezulu ka-Ahazi lama-alithare uManase ayewakhile emagumeni womabili ethempeli likaThixo. Wawasusa lapho, wawachoboza, aba yizicucu waziphosela eSigodini seKhidironi.
13 Also, the high places which were in Jerusalem, to the right side of the Mount of Offense, which Solomon, the king of Israel, had built to Ashtoreth, the idol of the Sidonians, and to Chemosh, the offense of Moab, and to Milcom, the abomination of the sons of Ammon, the king defiled.
Inkosi yangcolisa izindawo zokukhonzela ezazingempumalanga kweJerusalema, ngaseningizimu kwentaba yokuXhwala, uSolomoni inkosi yako-Israyeli eyayizakhele u-Ashithorethi unkulunkulukazi oyisinengiso wamaSidoni, loKhemoshi uNkulunkulu oyisinengiso wamaMowabi, kanye loMoleki oyisinengiso wama-Amoni.
14 And he crushed the statues, and he cut down the sacred groves. And he filled their places with the bones of the dead.
UJosiya wabhidliza amatshe okukhonza, waquma izinsika zika-Ashera, wafaka amathambo abantu abanengi endaweni yazo.
15 Then too, the altar which was in Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin, had made: both that altar and the high place he tore down, and burned, and reduced to dust. And then he also set fire to the sacred grove.
Le-alithari elaliseBhetheli indawo yokukhonzela eyayenziwe nguJerobhowamu indodana kaNebhathi owenza ukuba u-Israyeli one, lalelo-alithare lendawo yokukhonzela, wakubhidliza. Watshisa indawo yokukhonzela wayichola yaba yimpuphu njalo watshisa insika ka-Ashera.
16 And in that place Josiah, turning, saw the sepulchers which were on the mount. And he sent and took the bones from the sepulchers. And he burned them upon the altar, and he defiled it in accord with the word of the Lord, which was spoken by the man of God, who had predicted these events.
UJosiya wathalaza ngapha langapha, kwathi ebona amangcwaba amanengi ayelapho ewatheni loqaqa wathi kawasuswe, atshiswe e-alithareni ukulingcolisa mayelana lelizwi likaThixo elamenyezelwa ngumuntu kaThixo owaziphrofethayo lezizinto.
17 And he said, “What is that monument that I see?” And the citizens of that city responded to him: “It is the sepulcher of the man of God, who came from Judah, and who predicted these events, which you have carried out concerning the altar of Bethel.”
Inkosi yabuza yathi, “Ilitshe lesikhumbuzo sengcwaba leliyana engilibonayo ngelani?” Abantu bomuzi bathi, “Liphawule ingcwaba lenceku kaNkulunkulu eyavela koJuda, yaqalekisa i-alithari laseBhetheli ngalezizinto ozenze kulo.”
18 And he said: “Permit him. Let no one move his bones.” And his bones have remained untouched, with the bones of the prophet who had arrived from Samaria.
Yena wasesithi, “Liyekeleni lingavumeli muntu awathinte amathambo akhe.” Ngakho bawayekela amathambo akhe kanye lalawo awomphrofethi owavela eSamariya.
19 Then too, all the shrines of the high places, which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the Lord, Josiah took away. And he acted toward them according to all the works that he had done in Bethel.
UJosiya wasusa amathempeli ezindawo zokukhonzela ezisemizini yaseSamariya ayekade akhiwe ngamakhosi ako-Israyeli, ethukuthelisa uThixo, wenza kiwo lokho ayekwenze eBhetheli.
20 And all the priests of the high places, who were in that place, he killed upon the altars. And he burned the bones of the men upon them. And he returned to Jerusalem.
UJosiya wabulalela abaphristi bezindawo zokukhonzela phezu kwama-alithare, watshisela amathambo abantu phezu kwawo. Wasebuyela eJerusalema.
21 And he instructed all the people, saying: “Keep the Passover to the Lord your God, according to what has been written in the book of this covenant.”
Inkosi uJosiya yalaya bonke abantu yathi, “Ligcine iPhasika likaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, njengoba kulotshiwe eGwalweni LweSivumelwano.”
22 Now no similar Passover was kept, from the days of the judges, who judged Israel, and from all the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah,
Lalingagcinwa iPhasika elinjalo kusukela ensukwini zabehluleli abaphatha u-Israyeli, lakuzo zonke insuku zamakhosi ako-Israyeli lezamakhosi akoJuda.
23 as this Passover, which was kept to the Lord in Jerusalem, in the eighteenth year of king Josiah.
Kodwa ngomnyaka wetshumi lasificaminwembili wenkosi uJosiya, lagcinwa iPhasika likaThixo eJerusalema.
24 Then too, Josiah took away those who divined by spirits, and the soothsayers, and the images of the idols, and the defilements, and the abominations, which had been in the land of Judah and Jerusalem, so that he might establish the words of the law, which were written in the book, which Hilkiah, the priest, found in the temple of the Lord.
Wakwenza njalo uJosiya ukususa izangoma, labahlahluli, labonkulunkulu basezindlini, lezithombe kanye lazozonke izinto zamanyala ezazikhona koJuda laseJerusalema. Lokhu kwakuyikugcwalisa izimiso zomlayo owawulotshwe encwadini umphristi uHilikhiya ayithola ethempelini likaThixo.
25 There was no king before him similar to him, who returned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his strength, in accord with the entire law of Moses. And after him, there rose up no one similar to him.
Ngaphambi kwakhe noma ngemva kwakhe uJosiya kakubanga khona inkosi eyafanana laye eyaphendukela kuThixo njengalokhu akwenzayo ngenhliziyo yakhe langomphefumulo wakhe wonke njalo langamandla akhe wonke mayelana lawo wonke uMthetho kaMosi.
26 Yet truly, the Lord did not turn away from the wrath of his great fury, his fury which was enraged against Judah because of the provocations by which Manasseh had provoked him.
Kanti uThixo kadedanga ekuvutheni kolaka lwakhe olwavutha kakhulu koJuda ngenxa yazo zonke izinto uManase amthukuthelisa ngazo.
27 And so the Lord said: “And now I will remove Judah from my face, just as I removed Israel. And I will cast aside this city, Jerusalem, which I have chosen, and the house, about which I said: My name shall be there.”
Ngakho uThixo wathi, “Ngizamsusa phambi kwami uJuda njengoba ngasusa u-Israyeli, ngiwulahle lumuzi waseJerusalema engawukhethayo, lethempeli leli engathi ngalo, ‘Ibizo lami lizakuba kulo.’”
28 Now the rest of the words of Josiah, and all that he did, have these not been written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Judah?
Ezinye izehlakalo ngombuso kaJosiya, lakho konke akwenzayo, akulotshwanga yini egwalweni lwembali yamakhosi akoJuda na?
29 During his days, Pharaoh Neco, the king of Egypt, ascended against the king of the Assyrians to the river Euphrates. And king Josiah went out to meet him. And when he had seen him, he was killed at Megiddo.
Ngesikhathi sokubusa kukaJosiya, uFaro Nekho inkosi yaseGibhithe waya eMfuleni uYufrathe ukuyancedisa inkosi yase-Asiriya. Inkosi uJosiya wamhlangabeza empini kodwa uNekho waqondana laye wambulala eMegido.
30 And his servants carried him dead from Megiddo. And they took him to Jerusalem, and they buried him in his own sepulcher. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah. And they anointed him, and made him king in place of his father.
Izisebenzi zikaJosiya zaletha isidumbu sakhe ngenqola yokulwa zisuka eMegido zisiya eJerusalema njalo zamngcwabela ethuneni lakhe. Ngakho abantu elizweni bathatha uJehowahazi indodana kaJosiya bamgcoba ubukhosi bukayise.
31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah, from Libnah.
UJehowahazi wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amabili lantathu ubudala bakhe esiba yinkosi, njalo wabusa eJerusalema inyanga ezintathu. Ibizo likanina kwakunguHamuthali indodakazi kaJeremiya njalo wayevela eLibhina.
32 And he did evil before the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.
Wenza ububi emehlweni kaThixo njengabokhokho bakhe.
33 And Pharaoh Neco bound him at Riblah, which is in the land of Hamath, so that he would not reign in Jerusalem. And he imposed a penalty on the land: one hundred talents of silver, and one talent of gold.
Inkosi uFaro Nekho wambopha ngamaketani eRibhila elizweni lamaHamathi ukuze angabusi eJerusalema, wamthelisa kakhulu uJuda amathalenta alikhulu esiliva, lethalenta legolide.
34 And Pharaoh Neco appointed Eliakim, the son of Josiah, as king in place of Josiah his father. And he changed his name to Jehoiakim. Then he took Jehoahaz away, and he brought him into Egypt, and there he died.
UFaro Nekho wabeka u-Eliyakhimu indodana kaJosiya esihlalweni sobukhosi esikhundleni sikayise uJosiya waseguqula ibizo lakhe wathi nguJehoyakhimi. Kodwa wathatha uJehowahazi waya laye eGibhithe, wafela khonale.
35 Now Jehoiakim gave silver and gold to Pharaoh, when he had taxed the land, according to each one who would contribute by the command of Pharaoh. And he exacted both silver and gold from the people of the land, from each one according to his ability, so that he would give to Pharaoh Neco.
UJehoyakhimi wathela ngenani lesiliva legolide elalifunwa nguFaro Nekho. Ukuze akwenelise lokho wayethelisa abantu elizweni ngesiliva legolide ngesilinganiso ayebona sibalingene.
36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Zebidah, the daughter of Pedaiah, from Rumah.
UJehoyakhimi wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amabili lanhlanu ubudala bakhe ethatha ubukhosi, yena wabusa eJerusalema iminyaka elitshumi lanye. Ibizo likanina lalinguZebhuda indodakazi kaPhedaya owayevela eRuma.
37 And he did evil before the Lord, in accord with all that his fathers had done.
Wenza ububi phambi kukaThixo, njengabokhokho bakhe.
