1 Amakhosi 21

1 Kwathi ngemva kwesikhathi esithile kwaba lesenzo esithile ngesivini sikaNabhothi umJezerili. Isivini leso sasiseJezerili, phansi kwesigodlo sika-Ahabi inkosi yaseSamariya.

Baada ya hayo, Nabothi, Myezreeli, alikuwa na shamba la mizabibu jirani na jumba la kifalme la Ahabu mfalme wa Samaria.

2 U-Ahabi wathi kuNabhothi, “Kahle mina ngilime imibhida yami esivinini sakho, njengoba siphansi kwesigodlo sami. Mina ngizakunika isivini esingcono, loba nxa uthanda, ngizakunika intengo ofisa ukusithengisa ngayo.”

Ahabu akamwambia Nabothi, “Nipe shamba lako la mizabibu nilitumie kwa bustani ya mboga, kwa kuwa liko karibu na jumba langu la kifalme. Badala yake, nitakupa shamba jingine la mizabibu zuri zaidi au, kama utapenda, nitakulipa kiasi chochote unachoona ni thamani yake.”

3 Kodwa uNabhothi wathi, “UThixo kangavumi ukuba ngikunike ilifa labobaba.”

Lakini Nabothi akamjibu, “Bwana na apishe mbali kukupa wewe urithi wa baba zangu.”

4 Ngalokho u-Ahabi wabuyela ekhaya enyukubele njalo ethukuthele ngoba uNabhothi umJezerili wayethe, “Angizukukunika ilifa labobaba.” U-Ahabi walala embhedeni enyukubele wala lokudla.

Basi Ahabu akaenda nyumbani, mwenye huzuni na hasira kwa sababu ya yale ambayo Nabothi, Myezreeli, alikuwa amesema, “Sitakupa urithi wa baba zangu.” Akajinyoosha juu ya kitanda akisononeka, na akakataa kula.

5 Umkakhe uJezebheli wangena endlini wambuza wathi, “Kungani usineme kangaka? Kungani usala ukudla?”

Yezebeli mke wake akaingia na akamuuliza, “Kwa nini unahuzunika hivi? Kwa nini huli chakula?”

6 Yena wamphendula wathi, “Kungenxa yokuthi ngithe kuNabhothi umJezerili, ‘Ngithengisela isivini sakho; loba nxa ufuna, ngikunike esinye isivini esikhundleni salesi.’ Kodwa ungiphendule wathi ‘Angizukukunika isivini sami.’”

Akamjibu, “Kwa sababu nilimwambia Nabothi, Myezreeli, ‘Niuzie shamba lako la mizabibu, au kama ukipenda, nitakupa shamba jingine la mizabibu badala yake.’ Lakini akasema, ‘Sitakupa shamba langu la mizabibu.’”

7 UJezebheli umka-Ahabi wathi, “Lokhu yikho okwenzayo njengenkosi yako-Israyeli na? Vuka udle! Uchelese. Mina ngizakuzuzela isivini sikaNabhothi umJezerili.”

Yezebeli mke wake akasema, “Hivi ndivyo unavyofanya, nawe ni mfalme katika Israeli yote? Inuka na ule! Changamka. Nitakupatia shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi, Myezreeli.”

8 UJezebheli wasebhala izincwadi ngebizo lika-Ahabi, wazidinda ngophawu luka-Ahabi, wazithumela ebadaleni lakuzo izikhulu ezazihlala loNabhothi emzini wakibo.

Kwa hiyo akaandika barua kwa jina la Ahabu akaweka muhuri wake juu ya hizo barua, akazipeleka kwa wazee na kwa watu wenye cheo walioishi katika mji pamoja na Nabothi.

9 Ezincwadini lezo waloba ukuthi: “Memezelani usuku lokuzila libe selibeka uNabhothi esihlalweni esiqakathekileyo phakathi kwabantu.

Katika barua hizo aliandika: “Tangazeni siku ya watu kufunga na mkamketishe Nabothi mahali pa wazi miongoni mwa watu.

10 Libe selihlalisa izigangi ezimbili maqondana laye lithi kazifakaze ngokuthi uthuke uNkulunkulu kanye lenkosi. Libe selimkhuphela phandle liyemkhanda ngamatshe limbulale.”

Lakini waketisheni watu wawili wabaya kabisa mkabala naye, nao washuhudie kuwa yeye amemlaani Mungu na mfalme. Kisha mtoeni nje na kumpiga kwa mawe hadi afe.”

11 Ngakho abadala lezikhulu ababehlala emzini kaNabhothi benza lokho ababekuthunywe nguJezebheli ngezincwadi ayebalobele zona.

Hivyo wazee na watu wenye cheo walioishi katika mji wa Nabothi wakafanya kama Yezebeli alivyoelekeza katika barua aliyowaandikia.

12 Bamemezela isikhathi sokuzila bahlalisa uNabhothi esihlalweni esiphakemeyo phambi kwabantu.

Wakatangaza mfungo na kumketisha Nabothi mahali pa wazi miongoni mwa watu.

13 Kwasuka izigangi ezimbili zahlala phambi kwakhe zakhangelana laye zaqalisa ukwethesa uNabhothi amacala, zisithi, “UNabhothi uthuke uNkulunkulu kanye lenkosi.” Ngakho bamkhuphela ngaphandle komuzi bamkhanda ngamatshe bambulala.

Kisha watu wawili wabaya kabisa wakaja wakaketi mkabala naye, nao wakaleta mashtaka dhidi ya Nabothi mbele ya watu, wakisema, “Nabothi amemlaani Mungu na mfalme.” Kwa hiyo wakamtoa nje na kumpiga kwa mawe hadi akafa.

14 Basebethumela ilizwi kuJezebheli besithi, “UNabhothi ukhandwe ngamatshe njalo usefile.”

Kisha wakatuma ujumbe kwa Yezebeli, kusema, “Nabothi amepigwa mawe na amekufa.”

15 Masinyazana uJezebheli esezwe ukuthi uNabhothi ukhandwe ngamatshe wabulawa, wathi ku-Ahabi, “Vuka uyethatha isivini sikaNabhothi umJezerili sona lesiyana alileyo ukukuthengisela sona. Uvele kasekho, usefile.”

Mara tu Yezebeli aliposikia kwamba Nabothi amepigwa mawe na amekufa, akamwambia Ahabu, “Amka na uchukue lile shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi, Myezreeli, ambalo alikataa kukuuzia. Hayuko hai tena, bali amekufa.”

16 U-Ahabi uthe esizwa ukuthi uNabhothi kasekho, wavuka wayathatha lesosivini sikaNabhothi waseJezerili.

Ahabu aliposikia Nabothi amekufa, akainuka na kushuka ili kulichukua shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi.

17 Ilizwi likaThixo leza ku-Elija umThishibi lisithi:

Kisha neno la Bwana likamjia Eliya, Mtishbi:

18 “Yehla uyehlangabeza u-Ahabi inkosi yako-Israyeli obusa eSamariya. Usesivinini sikaNabhothi, uye khona ukuze azithathele lesosivini.

“Shuka ukakutane na Ahabu mfalme wa Israeli, anayetawala Samaria. Sasa yuko katika shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi, ambapo amekwenda alimiliki.

19 Ufike uthi kuye, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: Awubulalanga umuntu wathumba impahla yakhe na?’ Ubususithi kuyo, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo; Khonapho lapho izinja ezikhothele khona igazi likaNabhothi, kukhonapho kanye lapho izinja ezizakhothela khona elakho, yebo, elakho kanye!’”

Umwambie, ‘Hivi ndivyo Bwana asemavyo: Je, hujamuua mtu na kuitwaa mali yake?’ Kisha umwambie, ‘Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: Mahali ambapo mbwa waliramba damu ya Nabothi, mbwa watairamba damu yako, naam, yako wewe!’”

20 U-Ahabi wathi ku-Elija, “Wo usungitholile, wena sitha sami!” U-Elija wamphendula wathi, “Yebo sengikutholile ngoba uzinikele ukwenza isono emehlweni kaThixo.

Ahabu akamwambia Eliya, “Kwa hiyo umenipata, wewe adui yangu!” Akajibu, “Ndiyo, nimekupata. Kwa sababu umejiuza mwenyewe kufanya uovu mbele ya macho ya Bwana.

21 ‘Ngizokwehlisela ukubhujiswa. Ngizabhubhisa izizukulwane zakho ngisuse sonke isilisa sokucina ku-Ahabi ko-Israyeli loba yisigqili loba ngokhululekileyo.

‘Nitaleta maafa juu yako. Nitaangamiza uzao wako na kukatilia mbali kutoka kwa Ahabu kila mzaliwa wa mwisho wa kiume katika Israeli, wa mtumwa au wa mtu huru.

22 Indlu yakho ngizayenza lokhu engakwenza ekaJerobhowamu indodana kaNebhathi lekaBhasha indodana ka-Ahija, ngoba ungithukuthelisile wabangela ukuthi u-Israyeli enze isono.’

Nitaifanya nyumba yako kama ile ya Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati na ile ya Baasha mwana wa Ahiya, kwa sababu umenighadhibisha kwa kuwa umesababisha Israeli kutenda dhambi.’

23 Ngalokho uThixo uthi ngoJezebheli: ‘Izinja zizamdabudabula uJezebheli zimdlele emidulini yaseJezerili.’

“Pia kwa habari ya Yezebeli Bwana anasema, ‘Mbwa watamla Yezebeli karibu na ukuta wa Yezreeli.’

24 Izinja zizakudla bonke abangabaka-Ahabi abafela edolobheni, izinyoni zezulu zizakudla labo abazafela emaphandleni.”

“Mbwa watawala wale wa nyumba ya Ahabu watakaofia mjini, nao wale watakaofia mashambani wataliwa na ndege wa angani.”

25 (Akuzange kube lendoda eyayifanana lo-Ahabi yena owazinikela ukuthi adale isono phambi kukaThixo, ekhuthazwa ngumkakhe uJezebheli.

(Hapajapata kamwe kuwa na mtu kama Ahabu, aliyejiuza mwenyewe kutenda uovu machoni mwa Bwana, akiwa anachochewa na Yezebeli mkewe.

26 Waziphatha butshapha kakhulu elandela izithombe, njengama-Amori wona ayesuswe nguThixo phambi kuka-Israyeli.)

Alitenda kwa uovu sana katika kuabudu sanamu, kama wale Waamori ambao Bwana aliowafukuza mbele ya Israeli.)

27 U-Ahabi wathi esizwa lawomazwi, wadabula izigqoko zakhe, wembatha amasaka wazila. Walala embethe amasaka wahamba edanile.

Ahabu aliposikia maneno haya, akararua nguo zake, akavaa nguo za gunia na kufunga. Akalala na kujifunika nguo za gunia na kwenda kwa unyenyekevu.

28 Ngemva kwalokho ilizwi likaThixo lathi ku-Elija umThishibi:

Ndipo neno la Bwana lilipomjia Eliya Mtishbi kusema,

29 “Ukubonile na ukuthi u-Ahabi usezithobe kanganani phambi kwami? Ngenxa yokuzithoba kwakhe, angiyikumehlisela lobobubi esaphila, kodwa ngizakwehlisela endlini yakhe ensukwini zendodana yakhe.”

“Umeona jinsi Ahabu alivyojinyenyekeza mbele zangu? Kwa kuwa amejishusha mwenyewe, sitaleta maafa haya wakati akiwa hai, lakini nitayaleta juu ya nyumba yake katika siku za mwanawe.”