2 Bassekabaka 23

1 Awo kabaka n’ayita abakadde bonna aba Yuda n’ab’omu Yerusaalemi.

Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

2 N’ayambuka mu yeekaalu ya Mukama ne bakabona, ne bannabbi, n’abantu bonna okuva ku wa wansi okutuukira ddala ku wa waggulu mu bitiibwa byabwe. N’asoma ebigambo eby’omu Kitabo eky’Endagaano ekyali kizuuliddwa mu yeekaalu ya Mukama, nga bonna bawulira.

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.

3 Awo kabaka n’ayimirira okuliraana empagi n’azza obuggya endagaano ne Mukama, okutambuliranga mu kkubo lya Mukama, n’okukwatanga amateeka ge, n’okutambuliranga mu mpya ze, n’okugonderanga ebiragiro bye, n’omutima gwe gwonna, n’emmeeme ye yonna, ng’akakasa ebyawandiikibwa ebyali mu kitabo ekyo. Awo abantu bonna ne beewaayo okuzza endagaano obuggya.

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.

4 Awo kabaka n’alagira Kirukiya kabona asinga obukulu ne bakabona abaamuddiriranga, wamu n’abaggazi okuggya mu yeekaalu ya Mukama ebintu byonna ebya Baali n’ebya Asera, n’eby’eggye lyonna ery’omu ggulu, n’abyokera ebweru wa Yerusaalemi mu ttale eriri mu kiwonvu kya Kiduloni, evvu n’alitwala e Beseri.

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.

5 N’agoba bakabona abaasinzanga ebifaananyi abaali balondeddwa bassekabaka ba Yuda okwoterezanga obubaane mu bifo ebigulumivu mu bibuga ebya Yuda n’okwetooloola Yerusaalemi, n’abo abayoterezanga obubaane eri Baali n’enjuba n’omwezi, n’eri emunyeenye n’eri eggye lyonna ery’omu ggulu.

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.

6 N’aggya empagi ya Asera mu yeekaalu ya Mukama, n’agitwala ebweru wa Yerusaalemi mu kiwonvu ekya Kiduloni, n’agyokera eyo. N’agisekulasekula n’asaasaanya evvu lyayo ku malaalo ag’abantu abaabulijjo.

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.

7 Ate era yamenyaamenya n’ennyumba ez’abaalyanga ebisiyaga ezaali mu yeekaalu ya Mukama, era eyo abakazi gye baalukiriranga Asera ebitimbibwa.

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.

8 Awo Yosiya n’aleeta bakabona bonna okuva mu bibuga bya Yuda, n’ayonoona ebifo ebigulumivu okuva e Geba okutuuka e Beeruseba, bakabona gye baayoterezanga obubaane, era n’amenyaamenya amasabo agaali okumpi ne wankaaki ow’oku Mulyango gwa Yoswa, omukulembeze ow’ekibuga, agaali ku luuyi olwa kkono olwa wankaaki ow’ekibuga.

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.

9 Newaakubadde nga bakabona bali ab’oku bifo ebigulumivu tebaweerezanga ku kyoto kya Mukama mu Yerusaalemi, balyanga emigaati egitali mizimbulukuse wamu ne bakabona bannaabwe.

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.

10 Yavvoola era n’amenyaamenya ekyoto kya Tofesi ekyali mu Kiwonvu ky’abaana ba Kinomu, obutaganya muntu yenna kuwaayo mwana we owoobulenzi newaakubadde owoobuwala ng’ekiweebwayo eri Moleki.

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.

11 Era yaggyawo n’embalaasi ezaali mu mulyango gwa yeekaalu, bassekabaka ba Yuda ze baali bawonze eri enjuba, era n’ayokya amagaali ze gaasikanga. Zaabeeranga mu luggya okuliraana n’ekisenge ekyali eky’omukungu Nasanumereki.

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.

12 Yamenyaamenya n’ebyoto bassekabaka ba Yuda bye baali bazimbye ku kasolya okumpi n’ekisenge ekya waggulu ekya Akazi, era n’ebyoto Manase bye yali azimbye mu mpya zombi eza yeekaalu ya Mukama. Byonna yabiggyayo, n’abimenyaamenya, enfuufu yaabyo n’agiyiwa mu kiwonvu ekya Kiduloni.

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.

13 Era kabaka n’ayonoona n’ebifo ebigulumivu ebyali ebuvanjuba w’e Yerusaalemi ku luuyi olwa bukiikaddyo ku lusozi olw’okuzikirira, ebyo Sulemaani kabaka wa Isirayiri bye yazimbira bakatonda ab’omuzizo: Asutoleesi katonda omukazi ow’Abasidoni, ne Kemosi ow’Abamowaabu, ne Mirukomu ow’Abamoni.

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.

14 N’amenyaamenya empagi, n’atemaatema empagi za Asera era ebifo ebyo n’abijjuza amagumba g’abantu.

He smashed the sacred pillars to pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, and covered the sites with human bones.

15 Era n’ekyoto ekyali e Beseri, n’ekifo ekigulumivu ekyaleetera Isirayiri okwonoona, Yerobowaamu mutabani wa Nebati bye yali azimbye, byonna Yosiya n’abimenyaamenya. N’ayokya era n’asekulasekula ekifo ekigulumivu okutuusa lwe kyafuuka enfuufu era n’ayokya n’empagi eya Asera.

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.

16 Awo Yosiya bwe yatunulatunula, n’alaba amalaalo agaali ku lusozi, n’agenda n’aggyamu amagumba g’abafu n’agokera ku kyoto n’akyonoona, ng’ekigambo kya Mukama bwe kyali omusajja wa Katonda kye yalangirira.

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.

17 Awo kabaka n’abuuza nti, “Kijjukizo ki ekyo kye ndaba?” Abasajja ab’ekibuga ne bamuddamu nti, “Ago ge malaalo ag’omusajja wa Katonda eyava mu Yuda n’alangirira ebigambo ebikwata ku kyoto eky’e Beseri, by’okikoze.”

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.”

18 N’abagamba nti, “Mugaleke, era temuganya muntu yenna kukwata ku magumba ge.” Awo ne batakwata ku magumba ge, wadde aga nnabbi ow’e Samaliya.

“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.

19 N’amasabo gonna agaali mu bifo ebigulumivu bassekabaka ba Yuda bye baali bazimbye mu bibuga bya Samaliya ne baleetera obusungu bwa Mukama okubuubuuka, Yosiya n’agavvoola era n’agaggyawo nga bwe yakola e Beseri.

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.

20 Yosiya n’atta bakabona bonna abaaweerezanga mu bifo ebigulumivu ku byoto byayo, era amagumba gaabwe n’agokera okwo, n’oluvannyuma n’addayo e Yerusaalemi.

On the altars he slaughtered all the priests of the high places, and he burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

21 Awo kabaka n’alagira abantu bonna ng’agamba nti, “Mukwate Okuyitako kwa Mukama Katonda wammwe ng’ekyawandiikibwa bwe kiri mu Kitabo eky’endagaano.”

The king commanded all the people, “Keep the Passover of the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.”

22 Okuviira ddala ku mirembe gy’abalamuzi, ne ku mirembe gya bassekabaka ba Isirayiri n’aba Yuda, tewaaliwo kukwata Mbaga ey’Okuyitako.

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.

23 Naye mu mwaka ogw’ekkumi n’omunaana ogw’obufuzi bwa kabaka Yosiya, Embaga eyo n’ebaawo mu Yerusaalemi.

But in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, this Passover was observed to the LORD in Jerusalem.

24 Ate era n’abafumu, n’aboogeza emizimu, n’ebifaananyi, n’eby’emizizo byonna ebyali mu Yuda ne mu Yerusaalemi, Yosiya, n’abiwera. Ekyo yakikola okutuukiriza ebigambo eby’etteeka eryali mu kitabo Kirukiya kabona kye yazuula mu Yeekaalu ya Mukama.

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.

25 Era tewali kabaka eyasooka Yosiya wadde eyamuddirira eyamufaanana era eyakyukira Mukama n’omutima gwe gwonna, n’emmeeme ye yonna era n’amaanyi ge gonna, ng’agoberera Amateeka ga Musa.

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.

26 Kyokka Mukama n’atakendeeza ku busungu bwe obungi obwabuubuukira ku Yuda, olw’ebikolwa byonna ebya Manase ebyaleetera Mukama okusunguwala.

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.

27 Awo Mukama n’ayogera nti, “Ndiggyawo Yuda mu maaso gange nga bwe nnaggyawo Isirayiri, era n’ekibuga Yerusaalemi kye nneeroboza, wamu ne yeekaalu eno gye nayogerako nti, ‘Erinnya lyange linaabanga omwo,’ siribisaako nate mwoyo.”

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.’”

28 Ebyafaayo ebirala byonna eby’omu mirembe gya Yosiya, ne bye yakola byonna, tebyawandiikibwa mu kitabo eky’ebyomumirembe gya bassekabaka ba Yuda?

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?

29 Awo mu biro ebyo, Falaawo Neko nga ye kabaka wa Misiri n’ayambuka okutabaala kabaka w’e Bwasuli ku Mugga Fulaati; kabaka Yosiya n’agenda okumubeera, naye Falaawo Neko olwamulengera ng’ajja, n’amuttira e Megiddo.

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.

30 Abaddu ba Yosiya ne bateeka omulambo gwe mu gaali ne baguggya e Megiddo ne bagutwala e Yerusaalemi, ne bamuziika mu ntaana ye. Awo abantu ab’omu nsi ne batwala Yekoyakaazi mutabani wa Yosiya ne bamufukako amafuta ne bamufuula kabaka n’asikira kitaawe okuba kabaka.

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.

31 Yekoyakaazi we yaliira obwakabaka yalina emyaka amakumi abiri mu esatu, era n’afugira mu Yerusaalemi okumala emyezi esatu. Nnyina erinnya lye yali Kamutali muwala wa Yeremiya ow’e Libuna.

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.

32 N’akola ebibi mu maaso ga Mukama nga bajjajjaabe bwe baakola.

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his fathers had done.

33 Falaawo Neko n’amuggya ku bwakabaka n’amusibira mu masamba e Libula mu nsi y’e Kamasi obutaddayo kufuga mu Yerusaalemi, era n’asalira Yuda omusolo ogw’effeeza ttani ssatu ne bisatu byakuna ne zaabu kilo amakumi asatu mu nnya.

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.

34 Awo Falaawo Neko n’afuula Eriyakimu mutabani wa Yosiya kabaka, n’akyusa n’erinnya lye, n’amutuuma Yekoyakimu. N’aggyayo Yekoyakaazi, n’amutwala e Misiri, era eyo gye yafiira.

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.

35 Awo Yekoyakimu n’awangayo effeeza ne zaabu nga Falaawo Neko bwe yalagira. Era okusobola okutuukirizanga ekyo, Yekoyakimu yawoozanga abantu, n’abaggyangako effeeza ne zaabu nga buli muntu bwe yagerekebwa.

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.

36 Yekoyakimu we yafuukira kabaka yali awezezza emyaka amakumi abiri mu etaano, era n’afugira mu Yerusaalemi okumala emyaka kkumi na gumu. Nnyina erinnya lye yali Zebida muwala wa Pedaya ow’e Luuma.

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.

37 Naye n’akola ebibi mu maaso ga Mukama, nga bajjajjaabe be bwe baakola.

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his fathers had done.