2 Ihe E Mere 29
1 Hezekaya gbara iri afọ abụọ na ise mgbe ọ malitere ị bụ eze. Ọ chịrị iri afọ abụọ na itoolu na Jerusalem. Aha nne ya bụ Abija, ada Zekaraya.
Hezekiah was 25 years old when he became the king [of Judah]. He ruled from Jerusalem for 29 years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of [a man whose name was] Zechariah.
2 O mere ihe ziri ezi nʼanya Onyenwe anyị dịka nna nna ya Devid mere.
Hezekiah did things that Yahweh considered to be right, like his ancestor King David had done.
3 Nʼọnwa mbụ nke afọ ahụ e mere ya eze ka o meghere ụlọnsọ Onyenwe anyị, mezie ime ya.
During March of the first year that Hezekiah was ruling Judah, he unlocked the doors of the temple, and his workers repaired them.
4 Ọ kpọrọ ndị Livayị, na ndị nchụaja niile oku nʼakụkụ ọwụwa anyanwụ nke ụlọnsọ ukwu Chineke,
Then he gathered the priests and other descendants of Levi in the area on the east side of the temple,
5 gwa ha okwu sị ha, “Geenụ m ntị unu ndị Livayị, doonụ onwe unu nsọ, dokwaanụ ụlọnsọ ukwu Onyenwe anyị Chineke nna nna unu nsọ. Wezuganụ ihe arụ niile dị nʼebe nsọ nke ụlọnsọ ahụ.
and he said to them, “You descendants of Levi, listen to me! Consecrate yourselves. And then consecrate the temple of Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped/belonged to]. Remove from the temple all the things that are not pleasing to God.
6 Nʼihi na nna anyị ha bụ ndị na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi; ha mere ihe jọrọ njọ nʼanya Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke anyị, hapụ ya. Ha wepụrụ ihu ha site nʼebe obibi Onyenwe anyị, gbakụtakwa ya azụ.
Our ancestors disobeyed God; they did many things that he considered to be evil, things that were not pleasing to him. They abandoned this place where Yahweh lives, and they have turned away from him.
7 Ha mechikwara ụzọ ndị e si abanye na mpụta ọnụ ụlọ ahụ, menyụọkwa ọkụ dị nʼime ya. E sureekwaghị ihe nsure ọkụ na-esi isi ụtọ, ọ dịkwaghị aja nsure ọkụ ọbụla a chụrụ nye Chineke nke Izrel.
They locked the doors of the temple and extinguished the lamps. They did not burn any incense, and they did not offer any sacrifices that were to be completely burned [on the altar].
8 Nʼihi nke a ka iwe Onyenwe anyị ji dakwasị Juda na Jerusalem. O meela ka ha buru ihe oke egwu, na oke ihere na oke ụjọ, dịka unu jirila anya unu hụ.
Therefore, Yahweh has become very angry with us people of Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah, and he has caused other people to become frightened and horrified [when they hear what Yahweh did to punish us]. And they ridicule us. You know this very well.
9 E gburu nna anyị ha nʼagha, dọtakwa ndị nwunye anyị na ụmụ okorobịa na ụmụ agbọghọbịa anyị nʼagha nʼihi ya.
That is why our fathers have been killed in battles, and our sons and daughters and our wives have been captured and taken [to other countries].
10 Ma ugbu a, achọrọ m ka anyị na Onyenwe anyị Chineke nke Izrel gbaa ndụ, ka iwe ya jụrụ nʼebe anyị nọ.
But now I intend to make an agreement with Yahweh, our God, in order that he will no longer be angry with us.
11 Ụmụ m, o kwesighị ka unu gbakụta ọrụ unu azụ ọzọ, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị họpụtara unu iguzo nʼihu ya, na ijere ya ozi, na ịrụ ọrụ nʼihu ya, na ịchụrụ ya aja ihe nsure ọkụ na-esi isi ụtọ.”
[You who are like] my sons, do not waste any time. [Do immediately what Yahweh wants you to do.] Yahweh has chosen you to stand in his presence and offer sacrifices and burn incense.”
12 Nʼoge a ndị Livayị ndị a malitere ọrụ: site nʼikwu Kohat: Mahat na Amasai, na Juel nwa Azaraya; nʼikwu Merari: Kish nwa Abdi, na Azaraya nwa Jehalelel; nʼikwu Geshọn: Joa nwa Zima, na Eden nwa Joa;
Then these descendants of Levi started to work [in the temple]: From the descendants of Kohath there were Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah. From the descendants of Merari there were Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehallelel. From the descendants of Gershon there were Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah.
13 nʼikwu Elizafan: Shimri, na Jeiel; nʼikwu Asaf: Zekaraya, na Matanaya;
From the descendants of Elizaphan there were Shimri and Jeiel. From the descendants of Asaph there were Zechariah and Mattaniah.
14 nʼikwu Heman: Jehiel, na Shimei; nʼikwu Jedutun: Shemaya, na Uziel.
From the descendants of Heman there were Jehiel and Shimei. From the descendants of Jeduthun there were Shemaiah and Uzziel.
15 Mgbe ha kpọkọtara ụmụnna ha bụ ndị Livayị, dokwaa onwe ha ọcha, ha bara ido ụlọnsọ Onyenwe anyị nsọ, dịka eze nyere nʼiwu, nʼusoro okwu Onyenwe anyị si dị.
When those men had gathered their fellow descendants of Levi and had consecrated themselves, they entered the temple in order to consecrate it. That was what the king had commanded them to do, and they were also obeying what Yahweh had commanded.
16 Ndị nchụaja banyere nʼime ebe nsọ ahụ ido ya nsọ. Ihe niile na-adịghị ọcha ha hụrụ nʼime ya ka ha wepụtasịrị nʼogige ụlọnsọ ukwu Onyenwe anyị ahụ. Ndị Livayị buuru ha gaa bufuo na Ndagwurugwu Kidrọn.
The priests entered the temple to consecrate it. They brought out into the courtyard of the temple everything that they had found in the temple that was not pleasing to Yahweh. Then the descendants of Levi took those things down to the Kidron Valley [and burned them there].
17 Ha bidoro mmemme ido nsọ a nʼabalị mbụ nʼọnwa nke mbụ. Nʼabalị nke asatọ ha ruru na mpụta ọnụ ụlọ nke ụlọnsọ Onyenwe anyị. Ma o were ha abalị asatọ ọzọ idochasị ụlọnsọ ahụ nsọ maka ofufe, ha jezuru ozi niile nʼabalị iri na isii nke ọnwa mbụ ahụ.
The priests and other descendants of Levi started this work on the first day of March and finished purifying the courtyard [of the temple] on the eighth day of that month, and they finished purifying the temple one week later.
18 Mgbe ahụ, ha bakwuru eze bụ Hezekaya kọọrọ ya sị, “Anyị emeela ebe niile nʼụlọnsọ Onyenwe anyị ka ọ dị nsọ, ebe ịchụ aja nke aja nsure ọkụ na ngwongwo ya, na tebul ịdọba achịcha e doro nsọ, na ihe niile dị nʼime ya.
Then they went to King Hezekiah and reported, “We have purified all parts of the temple, and the altar where sacrifices are completely burned, and all the items used at the altar, the table on which the priests place the sacred bread, and the things [used at that table].
19 Ọzọ, anyị edoziela ma dokwaa ngwongwo ahụ niile nsọ, bụ nke eze Ehaz wepụrụ nʼihi ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi ya mgbe ọ bụ eze. Ha dịkwa ugbu a nʼihu ebe ịchụ aja nke Onyenwe anyị.”
While Ahaz was our king, he disobeyed what Yahweh had commanded, and he removed from the temple many things [that should be there], but now we have brought them back and placed them in front of the sacred altar.”
20 Nʼụtụtụ echi ya, eze bụ Hezekaya kpọkọtara ndịisi obodo niile, gaa nʼụlọnsọ ukwu Onyenwe anyị ahụ.
Early the next morning, King Hezekiah gathered together the city officials, and they went to the [courtyard of the] temple.
21 Ha wetara oke ehi asaa, na ebule asaa, na ụmụ ebule asaa, na mkpi asaa, maka ịchụ aja mmehie nʼihi alaeze ahụ, maka ụlọnsọ ukwu ahụ, na ala Juda. Eze nyere ndị nchụaja bụ ụmụ Erọn iwu sị ha gbuo anụ ụlọ ndị ahụ nʼebe ịchụ aja nye Onyenwe anyị.
They took with them seven bulls, seven rams, seven male lambs, and seven male goats to be an offering in order that Yahweh would forgive the sins of all the people in the kingdom of Judah, and in order to purify the temple. The king commanded that the priests, who were descendants of Aaron, should offer those animals to be sacrificed to Yahweh on the altar.
22 Ya mere, ha gburu oke ehi ahụ niile. Ndị nchụaja fesara ọbara ha nʼelu ebe ịchụ aja. Ha gbukwara ebule ndị ahụ fesa ọbara ha nʼebe ịchụ aja, gbukwaa ụmụ atụrụ ndị ahụ fesakwa ọbara ha nʼebe ịchụ aja.
So first the priests slaughtered those bulls, and took their blood and sprinkled it on the altar. Then they slaughtered the rams and sprinkled their blood on the altar. Then they slaughtered the lambs and sprinkled their blood on the altar.
23 Ha wetara mkpi ndị ahụ eji achụ aja mmehie nʼihu eze na ọgbakọ ahụ, ha bikwasịkwara ha aka nʼelu.
The goats that were slaughtered to be an offering in order that Yahweh would forgive the sins of the people were brought to the king and the others who were there. Then the king and those who were present laid their hands on those goats.
24 Ndị nchụaja gburu mkpi ndị ahụ, chee ọbara ha nʼelu ebe nchụaja maka ikpuchi mmehie ndị Izrel niile. Nʼihi na eze nyere iwu ka a chụọ aja nsure ọkụ na aja mmehie nʼihi ndị Izrel niile.
Then the priests slaughtered those goats and splashed their blood on the altar in order that Yahweh would forgive the sins that all the Israeli people had committed. The priests did that because the king had commanded that offerings that would be completely burned [on the altar] and other sacrifices should be made for all the people of Israel.
25 O mere ka ụfọdụ ndị Livayị nọdụ nʼụlọnsọ ahụ, dịka ndị na-abụ abụ. O nyere ha ogene, na une, na ụbọ akwara. O mere nke a nʼusoro dịka Devid na Gad, bụ ọhụ ụzọ eze, na Netan, bụ onye amụma, nke a bụ dịka Onyenwe anyị nyererịị nʼiwu site nʼaka ndị amụma ya.
The king then told the descendants of Levi to stand in the temple with their cymbals and harps and lyres, obeying what David and his prophets Gad and Nathan had commanded. Those were things that Yahweh had told his prophets that the descendants of Levi should do.
26 Ya mere, ndị Livayị ji ihe egwu Devid ndị ahụ niile guzoro na njikere, ma ndị nchụaja jikwa opi ha nke ha na-afụ.
So the descendants of Levi [went and] stood in the temple, ready to play the musical instruments that King David had given to them. And the priests were ready to blow their trumpets.
27 Hezekaya nyere iwu ka a chụọ aja nsure ọkụ ahụ nʼelu ebe ịchụ aja. Mgbe a malitere isure aja ahụ ọkụ, a malitekwara ịbụ abụ nye Onyenwe anyị, na ịfụ opi na iti ihe egwu niile nke Devid, eze Izrel.
Then Hezekiah told some of the priests to burn the animals that would be sacrificed on the altar. When they started to burn the animals, the people started to sing to [praise] Yahweh, while the other descendants of Levi were playing their instruments.
28 Nʼoge mmemme ọchụchụ aja ahụ, mmadụ niile kpọrọ isiala nye Chineke, mgbe ndị abụ na-abụ abụ, ndị opi na-afụkwa opi ha. Ihe niile a nọ na-eme tutu ruo mgbe a chụsịrị aja niile ahụ.
All the people who were there bowed to worship Yahweh, while the singers sang and the trumpeters blew their trumpets. They continued to do this until they had finished slaughtering all the animals that would be completely burned.
29 Mgbe ha chụchara aja ndị ahụ, eze na ndị niile nọ nʼebe ahụ gburu ikpere nʼala, kpọkwaa isiala.
When they finished making those offerings, the king and all those who were there knelt down and worshiped Yahweh.
30 Eze Hezekaya na ndịisi ozi ya nyere iwu ka ndị Livayị bụọ ụfọdụ nʼime abụ ọma Devid, na nke Asaf onye amụma, maka iji ya too Onyenwe anyị. Ha mere otu a, kpọọkwa isiala nye Chineke.
Then King Hezekiah and his officials commanded the descendants of Levi to praise Yahweh, singing the songs [composed/written] by David and Asaph the prophet. So they sang songs joyfully and bowed their heads to worship.
31 Emesịa, Hezekaya sịrị, “Ugbu a unu edoola onwe unu nsọ nye Onyenwe anyị, bịanụ nso, webatanụ aja na onyinye ekele nʼime ụlọnsọ Onyenwe anyị.” Ya mere, nzukọ ahụ niile wetaara aja na onyinye ekele ha, ndị niile nwere mkpebi nʼobi ha wetara aja nsure ọkụ.
Then Hezekiah said, “You have now dedicated yourselves to Yahweh. So come close to the temple and bring animals to be sacrificed and other offerings to thank [Yahweh for what he has done for you].” And those who wanted to bring animals to be completely burned [on the altar] brought them.
32 Ọnụọgụgụ anụ ụlọ niile ha wetara bụ ndị a: iri oke ehi asaa, na narị ebule, na narị ụmụ ebule abụọ, ka e wetara maka aja nsure ọkụ nye Onyenwe anyị.
Altogether they brought 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 male lambs to be completely burned on the altar.
33 Anụ ndị e doro nsọ maka ịchụ aja dị narị oke ehi isii na atụrụ na ewu dị puku atọ.
The other animals that they brought were 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep and goats that were set apart to be sacrifices.
34 Ma ndị nchụaja dị ole na ole, ha apụghịkwa ịgba akpụkpọ anụ niile ahụ maka aja nsure ọkụ, nʼihi ya, ụmụnne ha bụ ndị Livayị nyeere ha aka tutu ruo mgbe ozi ahụ gwụsịrị, ruokwa mgbe e doro ndị nchụaja ndị ọzọ nsọ. Nʼihi na ndị Livayị nwere obi ziri ezi karịa ndị nchụaja ido onwe ha nsọ.
But there were not enough priests to remove the skins from the animals that would be completely burned [on the altar]. So their fellow descendants of Levi helped them until that work was finished, and until other priests had purified/consecrated themselves to do that work. It was necessary for them to do that because many of the priests had not yet performed the rituals to consecrate themselves for that work, like the descendants of Levi had done.
35 Aja nsure ọkụ bara ụba, tinyere abụba nke aja udo niile, na aja ihe ọṅụṅụ nke so aja nsure ọkụ ndị a. Ọ bụ nʼụzọ dị otu a ka e si weghachite ije ozi na ịchụ aja nke na-adị nʼụlọnsọ ukwu Onyenwe anyị.
In addition to the all the offerings that were completely burned [on the altar], the priests also burned the fat of the other animals that were sacrificed to maintain good fellowship with Yahweh, and the usual wine offerings. So the worship at the temple began again.
36 Hezekaya na ndị Juda niile ṅụrịrị ọṅụ nʼihi ihe Chineke doziri nye ndị ya, nʼihi na ihe niile ndị a mere ngwangwa.
And Hezekiah and all the other people of Judah celebrated, because God had enabled them to do all those things very quickly.
