1 Amakhosi 13
1 UJerobhowamu esemi e-alithareni ukuze atshise impepha, kwafika umuntu kaNkulunkulu eBhetheli evela koJuda elelizwi likaThixo,
Behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the LORD’s word to Bethel; and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
2 walethula e-alithareni lelilizwi likaThixo elithi: “Wena alithare! Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo ukuthi, ‘Kuzazalwa indodana endlini kaDavida, ibizo lakhe lizakuba nguJosiya. Izakwenza umhlatshelo phezu kwakho ngabaphristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo okwakhathesi abenza iminikelo khona lapha, lamathambo abantu azatshiselwa phezu kwakho.’”
He cried against the altar by the LORD’s word, and said, “Altar! Altar! The LORD says: ‘Behold, a son will be born to David’s house, Josiah by name. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and they will burn men’s bones on you.’”
3 Ngalolosuku umuntu kaNkulunkulu wenza isibonakaliso esithi: “Lesi yisiboniso esivela kuThixo: I-alithari lizadatshulwa phakathi lomlotha ophezu kwalo uzachithwa.”
He gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign which the LORD has spoken: Behold, the altar will be split apart, and the ashes that are on it will be poured out.”
4 Inkosi uJerobhowamu isizwile isikhalazo sendoda evela kuNkulunkulu nge-alithare leBhetheli yelulela isandla sayo e-alithareni, yathi, “Mbambeni!” Kodwa isandla leso ayeselulile soma wehluleka ukusifinyeza.
When the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam put out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him!” His hand, which he put out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back again to himself.
5 Kwathi i-alithari lalo ladatshulwa phakathi umlotha walo walahlwa, njengokwesibonakaliso esasethulwe ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu ngelizwi likaThixo.
The altar was also split apart, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the LORD’s word.
6 Inkosi yathi emuntwini kaNkulunkulu, “Ake ungincengele kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakho, ungikhulekele, ukuba isandla sami sisiliswe sibuyele esimeni saso.” Umuntu kaNkulunkulu wasemncengela kuThixo, lesandla sikaJerobhowamu sasiliswa saba njengakuqala.
The king answered the man of God, “Now intercede for the favor of the LORD your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again.” The man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored to him again, and became as it was before.
7 Wasesithi emuntwini kaNkulunkulu: “Ake siye ekhaya ukuba udle, ngizakunika umvuzo.”
The king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.”
8 Kodwa umuntu kaNkulunkulu wayiphendula inkosi wathi, “Loba ungaze unginike ingxenye yenotho yakho, kangihambi lawe; kangiyikudla ukudla, njalo angiyikunatha amanzi kulindawo;
The man of God said to the king, “Even if you gave me half of your house, I would not go in with you, neither would I eat bread nor drink water in this place;
9 ngoba ngilaywe ngelizwi likaThixo ukuthi: ‘Ungabokudla ukudla, unganathi amanzi njalo ungaphenduki ngendlela oze ngayo.’”
for so was it commanded me by the LORD’s word, saying, ‘You shall eat no bread, drink no water, and do not return by the way that you came.’”
10 Ngakho wabuyela ngenye indlela, kasabuyelanga ngendlela ayeze ngayo eBhetheli.
So he went another way, and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel.
11 Kwakulomphrofethi omdala owayehlala eBhetheli, okweza kuye amadodana akhe amtshela ngokwakwenziwe ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu ngalolosuku. Amadodana atshela uyise lokuthi indoda leyo yayitheni enkosini.
Now an old prophet lived in Bethel, and one of his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told their father the words which he had spoken to the king.
12 Uyise wasebuza amadodana ukuthi: “Pho angabe uhambe ngayiphi indlela?” Amadodana atshengisa uyise indlela eyathathwa ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu owavela koJuda.
Their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” Now his sons had seen which way the man of God went, who came from Judah.
13 Wasesithi emadodaneni akhe, “Lungisani ubabhemi lingifakele isihlalo phezu kwakhe.” Kwathi sebemlungisele wagada ubabhemi
He said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him; and he rode on it.
14 walandela umuntu kaNkulunkulu, wamfica ehlezi ngaphansi kwesihlahla somʼOkhi wambuza wathi, “Nguwe umuntu kaNkulunkulu na ovela koJuda?” Indoda yathi, “Yebo yimi.”
He went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. He said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” He said, “I am.”
15 Ngakho umphrofethi wasesithi kuye, “Woza siye ekhaya uzokudla.”
Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.”
16 Umuntu kaNkulunkulu wathi, “Angingeke ngiphenduke ukuthi ngibuyele lawe emuva, njalo angingeke ngidle ukudla loba nginathe amanzi lawe kule indawo.
He said, “I may not return with you, nor go in with you. I will not eat bread or drink water with you in this place.
17 Ilizwi likaThixo lifike kimi lathi, ‘Ungadli ukudla kwalapha, unganathi lamanzi akhona njalo ungabobuyela ngendlela oze ngayo.’”
For it was said to me by the LORD’s word, ‘You shall eat no bread or drink water there, and do not turn again to go by the way that you came.’”
18 Umphrofethi omdala wamphendula wathi, “Lami ngingumphrofethi njengawe. Ingilosi seza kimi ngelizwi likaThixo sathi: ‘Ubomletha umbuyisele emuva endlini yakho ukuze ayekudla isinkwa njalo anathe lamanzi.’” (Kodwa wayeqamba amanga.)
He said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are; and an angel spoke to me by the LORD’s word, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” He lied to him.
19 Ngakho umuntu kaNkulunkulu wabuyela laye wafika wadla ukudla wanatha lamanzi endlini yakhe.
So he went back with him, ate bread in his house, and drank water.
20 Besahlezi endaweni yokudlela, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuye umphrofethi omdala owayemphendule wabuyela laye emuva.
As they sat at the table, the LORD’s word came to the prophet who brought him back;
21 Wakhuluma kulowomuntu kaNkulunkulu owayevela koJuda wathi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Usuphikise ilizwi likaThixo awusagcinanga imilayo kaThixo uNkulunkulu wakho akulaya ngayo.
and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “The LORD says, ‘Because you have been disobedient to the LORD’s word, and have not kept the commandment which the LORD your God commanded you,
22 Uphenduke endleleni wafika wadla ukudla wanatha lamanzi lapho utshelwe ukuthi ungaze wadla ukudla kumbe unathe amanzi akhona. Ngenxa yalokho isidumbu sakho asisayikungcwatshwa emangcwabeni abokhokho bakho.’”
but came back, and have eaten bread and drank water in the place of which he said to you, “Eat no bread, and drink no water,” your body will not come to the tomb of your fathers.’”
23 Kwathi umuntu kaNkulunkulu eseqedile ukudla lokunatha, umphrofethi owayemphendule endleleni wambuyisela emuva wafaka isihlalo sakhe phezu kukababhemi wamkhweza.
After he had eaten bread and after he drank, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back.
24 Uthe esengene indlela yakhe, kwavela isilwane endleleni sambulala, isidumbu sakhe sasala phansi emgwaqweni, kwathi ubabhemi wema ngapha kwesidumbu lesilwane sime ngale kwaso.
When he had gone, a lion met him by the way and killed him. His body was thrown on the path, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the body.
25 Abantu ababesedlula lapho babona isidumbu siwele khonapho emgwaqweni, isilwane simi eceleni phansi kwesidumbu, bedlulela edolobheni bayabikela umphrofethi omdala lapho ayehlala khona.
Behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown on the path, and the lion standing by the body; and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived.
26 Kwathi umphrofethi owayemphendule endleleni ehambeni lwakhe ekuzwa lokhu, wathi, “Ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu odelele ilizwi likaThixo. UThixo umnikele esilwaneni, esimphoqoze sambulala, njengoba ilizwi likaThixo belimxwayisile.”
When the prophet who brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, “It is the man of God who was disobedient to the LORD’s word. Therefore the LORD has delivered him to the lion, which has mauled him and slain him, according to the LORD’s word which he spoke to him.”
27 Umphrofethi wathi emadodaneni akhe, “Ngilungiselani ubabhemi limethese isihlalo.” Akwenza lokho amadodana,
He said to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me,” and they saddled it.
28 wasesuka esiya khonale lapho afumana khona isidumbu endleleni, ngapha kumi isilwane ngale kungubabhemi emaceleni aso. Isilwane asizange sisithinte isidumbu kanti njalo sasivele singazange simthinte lobabhemi.
He went and found his body thrown on the path, and the donkey and the lion standing by the body. The lion had not eaten the body nor mauled the donkey.
29 Ngakho umphrofethi wathatha isidumbu somuntu kaNkulunkulu, wasikhweza kubabhemi, wasithwalela edolobheni lakhe lapho afika amlilela khona njalo wamngcwaba khona.
The prophet took up the body of the man of God, and laid it on the donkey, and brought it back. He came to the city of the old prophet to mourn, and to bury him.
30 Wasebeka isidumbu engcwabeni lakhe, wamlilela wathi, “Maye, umfowethu!”
He laid his body in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!”
31 Ngemva kokumngcwaba, wathi emadodaneni akhe, “Ekufeni kwami, lingingcwabe engcwabeni lona leli okungcwatshwe khona umuntu kaNkulunkulu; libeke amathambo ami ndawonye lamathambo akhe.
After he had buried him, he spoke to his sons, saying, “When I am dead, bury me in the tomb in which the man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones.
32 Ngoba ilizwi alimemezelayo ngelizwi likaThixo phezu kwe-alithari eBhetheli laphezu kwazo zonke indawana zomhlatshelo eziphakemeyo emadolobheni aseSamariya lizagcwaliseka.”
For the saying which he cried by the LORD’s word against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, will surely happen.”
33 Langemva kwalokhu, uJerobhowamu kazange aguqule izindlela zakhe zokona, waqhubeka ekhetha abaphristi bendawo eziphakemeyo edobha nje ingqe ngubani ebantwini. Kwakusithi loba ngubani ofuna ukuba ngumphristi wayemgcobela indawo eziphezulu.
After this thing, Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but again made priests of the high places from among all the people. Whoever wanted to, he consecrated him, that there might be priests of the high places.
34 Lesi kwakuyisono sendlu kaJerobhowamu esakhokhelela ekuweni lasekudilikeni kwayo kayaze yaba khona emhlabeni.
This thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off and to destroy it from off the surface of the earth.
