1 Amakhosi 13
1 UJerobhowamu esemi e-alithareni ukuze atshise impepha, kwafika umuntu kaNkulunkulu eBhetheli evela koJuda elelizwi likaThixo,
One day a prophet, obeying what Yahweh commanded him to do, went from Judah [north] to Bethel. He arrived there right at the time that Jeroboam was standing at the altar, ready 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.’”
Saying what Yahweh told him to say, the prophet shouted, “This is what Yahweh says [about this] altar [APO]: ‘I want you to know that [some day] a descendant [MTY] of King David will be born. His name will be Josiah, and he will come here. He will slaughter at this altar the priests who are burning incense for sacrifices on the hills [in this area], and he will burn the bones of dead people on this altar.’” [APO]
3 Ngalolosuku umuntu kaNkulunkulu wenza isibonakaliso esithi: “Lesi yisiboniso esivela kuThixo: I-alithari lizadatshulwa phakathi lomlotha ophezu kwalo uzachithwa.”
Then the prophet also said, “This is what will prove to you that Yahweh has said this: This altar will be split apart, and the ashes that are on it will be scattered.’”
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 King Jeroboam heard the prophet say that, he pointed his finger at him and said to his servants, “Seize that man!” But immediately the king’s arm became paralyzed/stiff, with the result that he could not move it.
5 Kwathi i-alithari lalo ladatshulwa phakathi umlotha walo walahlwa, njengokwesibonakaliso esasethulwe ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu ngelizwi likaThixo.
And the altar immediately split apart, and the ashes spilled out [on the ground], which is what the prophet said that Yahweh [MTY] had predicted would happen.
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.
Then the king said to the prophet, “Please pray that Yahweh will be merciful to me and heal my arm!” So the prophet prayed, and Yahweh completely healed the king’s arm.
7 Wasesithi emuntwini kaNkulunkulu: “Ake siye ekhaya ukuba udle, ngizakunika umvuzo.”
Then the king said to the prophet, “Come home with me and eat some food. And I will also give you a reward [for what you have done]!”
8 Kodwa umuntu kaNkulunkulu wayiphendula inkosi wathi, “Loba ungaze unginike ingxenye yenotho yakho, kangihambi lawe; kangiyikudla ukudla, njalo angiyikunatha amanzi kulindawo;
But the prophet replied, “Even if you would [promise to] give me half of everything that you own [MTY], I will not go with you, and I will not eat or drink anything with you here,
9 ngoba ngilaywe ngelizwi likaThixo ukuthi: ‘Ungabokudla ukudla, unganathi amanzi njalo ungaphenduki ngendlela oze ngayo.’”
because Yahweh commanded me not to eat or drink anything here. He also commanded me not to return home on the road on which I came here.”
10 Ngakho wabuyela ngenye indlela, kasabuyelanga ngendlela ayeze ngayo eBhetheli.
So he started to return home, but he did not go on the road on which he came to Bethel. He went on a different road.
11 Kwakulomphrofethi omdala owayehlala eBhetheli, okweza kuye amadodana akhe amtshela ngokwakwenziwe ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu ngalolosuku. Amadodana atshela uyise lokuthi indoda leyo yayitheni enkosini.
At that time there was an old man living in Bethel who was a prophet. His sons came and told him what the prophet [from Judah] had done there on that day, and they also told him what the prophet had said 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, “On which road did he go?” So his sons showed him the road on which the prophet from Judah had gone [when he left Bethel].
13 Wasesithi emadodaneni akhe, “Lungisani ubabhemi lingifakele isihlalo phezu kwakhe.” Kwathi sebemlungisele wagada ubabhemi
Then he said to his sons, “Put a saddle on my donkey.” So they did that, and he got on the donkey.
14 walandela umuntu kaNkulunkulu, wamfica ehlezi ngaphansi kwesihlahla somʼOkhi wambuza wathi, “Nguwe umuntu kaNkulunkulu na ovela koJuda?” Indoda yathi, “Yebo yimi.”
He went along the road to (find/catch up with) the prophet from Judah. He found him sitting under an oak tree. He said to him, “Are you the prophet who came from Judah?” He replied, “Yes, I am.”
15 Ngakho umphrofethi wasesithi kuye, “Woza siye ekhaya uzokudla.”
The old prophet said to him, “Come home with me and eat some food.”
16 Umuntu kaNkulunkulu wathi, “Angingeke ngiphenduke ukuthi ngibuyele lawe emuva, njalo angingeke ngidle ukudla loba nginathe amanzi lawe kule indawo.
He replied, “No, I am not allowed to go with you into your house, or to eat or drink anything with you,
17 Ilizwi likaThixo lifike kimi lathi, ‘Ungadli ukudla kwalapha, unganathi lamanzi akhona njalo ungabobuyela ngendlela oze ngayo.’”
because Yahweh told me, ‘Do not eat or drink anything here, and do not return home on the road on which 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.)
Then the old prophet said to him, “I also am a prophet, like you are. Yahweh sent an angel to tell me that I should take you home with me and give you some food and drink.” But the old man was lying [when he said that].
19 Ngakho umuntu kaNkulunkulu wabuyela laye wafika wadla ukudla wanatha lamanzi endlini yakhe.
But because of what the old prophet said, the prophet from Judah returned with him to his home and ate some food and drank some water with him.
20 Besahlezi endaweni yokudlela, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuye umphrofethi omdala owayemphendule wabuyela laye emuva.
While they were sitting at the table, Yahweh spoke to the old man.
21 Wakhuluma kulowomuntu kaNkulunkulu owayevela koJuda wathi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Usuphikise ilizwi likaThixo awusagcinanga imilayo kaThixo uNkulunkulu wakho akulaya ngayo.
Then he cried out to the prophet from Judah, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘You have disobeyed him, and you have not done what he commanded you to do.
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.’”
Instead, you have come back here and had things to eat and drink in a place where he commanded you not to do that. As a result, you will be killed, and your body will not be buried in the grave where your ancestors are buried.’”
23 Kwathi umuntu kaNkulunkulu eseqedile ukudla lokunatha, umphrofethi owayemphendule endleleni wambuyisela emuva wafaka isihlalo sakhe phezu kukababhemi wamkhweza.
When they had finished eating, the old man put a saddle on the donkey for the prophet from Judah, [and the prophet from Judah left].
24 Uthe esengene indlela yakhe, kwavela isilwane endleleni sambulala, isidumbu sakhe sasala phansi emgwaqweni, kwathi ubabhemi wema ngapha kwesidumbu lesilwane sime ngale kwaso.
But as he was going, a lion met him and killed him. The prophet’s corpse was lying on the road, and the donkey was standing beside it, and the lion was also standing beside the corpse.
25 Abantu ababesedlula lapho babona isidumbu siwele khonapho emgwaqweni, isilwane simi eceleni phansi kwesidumbu, bedlulela edolobheni bayabikela umphrofethi omdala lapho ayehlala khona.
Some men passed by and were surprised to see the corpse on the road and the lion standing next to the corpse. So they went into Bethel and reported what they had seen.
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 old man who had brought the prophet from Judah to his home heard about it, he said, “That is the prophet who disobeyed what Yahweh told him to do! That is why Yahweh allowed the lion to attack him and kill him. That is what Yahweh said would happen!”
27 Umphrofethi wathi emadodaneni akhe, “Ngilungiselani ubabhemi limethese isihlalo.” Akwenza lokho amadodana,
Then he said to his sons, “Put a saddle on my donkey.” So they did that.
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.
Then he rode on the donkey and found the prophet’s corpse on the road, and his donkey and the lion were still standing there alongside the corpse. But the lion had not eaten any of the flesh of the prophet and had not attacked the donkey.
29 Ngakho umphrofethi wathatha isidumbu somuntu kaNkulunkulu, wasikhweza kubabhemi, wasithwalela edolobheni lakhe lapho afika amlilela khona njalo wamngcwaba khona.
The old man picked up the corpse of the prophet and put it on his donkey and brought it back to Bethel, in order to mourn for him and to bury his corpse.
30 Wasebeka isidumbu engcwabeni lakhe, wamlilela wathi, “Maye, umfowethu!”
He buried the prophet’s corpse in the grave where other people in his family [had been buried]. Then he and his sons mourned for him, saying, “[We are very sorry], 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 they had buried him, the old man said to his sons, “When I die, bury my corpse in the grave where we buried the prophet from Judah. Lay my corpse next to his corpse.
32 Ngoba ilizwi alimemezelayo ngelizwi likaThixo phezu kwe-alithari eBhetheli laphezu kwazo zonke indawana zomhlatshelo eziphakemeyo emadolobheni aseSamariya lizagcwaliseka.”
[And do not forget what he said, because] the things that Yahweh told him to say about the altar in Bethel, and about the shrines on the hills in the towns in 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.
But King Jeroboam still did not turn away from continuing to do evil things. Instead, he appointed more priests [who were not descended from Levi]. Anyone who wanted to be a priest, he appointed to be a priest, in order that he could offer sacrifices on the hills.
34 Lesi kwakuyisono sendlu kaJerobhowamu esakhokhelela ekuweni lasekudilikeni kwayo kayaze yaba khona emhlabeni.
Because he committed that sin, [a few years later] God got rid of most of Jeroboam’s descendants and did not allow them to become kings of Israel.
