2 Imilando 20
1 Ngemva kwalokho amaMowabi lama-Amoni kanye labanye bamaMewuni baphuma impi ukuba bayehlasela uJehoshafathi.
After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat.
2 Amanye amadoda aya kuJehoshafathi afika athi kuye, “Kulempi enkulu ezayo ukuzakuhlasela evela ngase-Edomi, ngaphetsheya kolwandle. IsiseHazazoni Thamari” (okuyikuthi, Eni-Gedi).
Then some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the Sea; they are already in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, En-gedi).
3 Ngokwethuka, uJehoshafathi wazimisela ukumdinga uThixo, wamemezela ukuba akuzilwe ukudla kulolonke elakoJuda.
Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.
4 Abantu bakoJuda baqoqana bahlangana bezodinga usizo kuThixo, lakanye baphuma kuyo yonke imizi yakoJuda.
So the people of Judah gathered to seek the LORD, and indeed, they came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him.
5 Ngakho uJehoshafathi wema phambi kwebandla lakoJuda lelaseJerusalema ethempelini likaThixo phambi kweguma elitsha
Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD in front of the new courtyard
6 wathi, “Oh Thixo, Nkulunkulu wabokhokho, kakusuwe yini uNkulunkulu osezulwini? Ubusa phezu kwemibuso yezizwe zonke. Amandla asesandleni sakho, njalo kakho ongamelana lawe.
and said, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You.
7 Oh Nkulunkulu wethu, awubaxotshanga ababekuleli lizwe phambi kwabantu bakho bako-Israyeli wabanika ukuba libe ngelabo nini lanini abesizukulwane sika-Abhrahama umngane wakho na?
Our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend?
8 Sebehlale kulo njalo sebakhe indawo yokukhonzela yeBizo lakho, besithi,
They have lived in the land and have built in it a sanctuary for Your Name, saying,
9 ‘Nxa sisehlelwa zinhlupheko, loba yinkemba yokwahlulela, loba yizifo loba yindlala, sizakuma ngobukhona bakho phambi kwalelithempeli elileBizo lakho sikhale kuwe ekuhlukuluzweni kwethu, wena uzasizwa njalo usisindise.’
‘If disaster comes upon us—whether sword or judgment, plague or famine—we will stand before this temple and before You, for Your Name is in this temple. We will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us.’
10 Kodwa khathesi nanka amadoda ama-Amoni lamaMowabi labeNtabeni yaseSeyiri, abelizwe owalela u-Israyeli ukuba alinqobe ekuphumeni kwakhe eGibhithe; okwabangela ukuthi babatshiye abaze bababhubhisa.
And now, here are the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt; but Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them.
11 Khangela ukuthi khathesi baphindisela ngokunganani ngokusemuka isipho owasipha sona ukuba sibe yilifa lethu.
See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession that You gave us as an inheritance.
12 Oh Nkulunkulu wethu, awuyikubahlulela na? Ngoba asilamandla okumelana lebutho elikhulu kangaka elisihlaselayo. Asikwazi esingakwenza, kodwa amehlo ethu aphezu kwakho.”
Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
13 Wonke amadoda akoJuda, labomkabo labantwabawo lensane, bema lapho phambi kukaThixo.
Meanwhile all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, were standing before the LORD.
14 UMoya kaThixo wehlela kuJahaziyeli indodana kaZakhariya, indodana kaBhenaya, indodana kaJeyiyeli, indodana kaMathaniya, umLevi oyisizukulwane sika-Asafi, emi phambi kwebandla.
Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph’s descendants, as he stood in the midst of the assembly.
15 Wasesithi: “Lalela, wena Nkosi Jehoshafathi labo bonke abahlala koJuda labaseJerusalema! Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo kini: ‘Lingesabi njalo lingadediswa yibukhulu bebutho laleyompi. Ngoba ukulwa akusikwenu, kodwa ngokukaNkulunkulu.
And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.
16 Kusasa hambani liyejamelana labo. Bona bazakhwela ngokhalo lwaseZizi, lina lizabathola ekucineni kodonga eNkangala yaseJeruweli.
Tomorrow you are to march down against them. You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel.
17 Aliyikuyilwa limpi. Lunganini ezindaweni; lime ngesibindi lizabona ukuhlenga kukaThixo azalenzela khona, Oh lina bakaJuda lani beJerusalema. Lingesabi, lingadangali. Phumani kusasa liyehlasela, uThixo uzakuba lani.’”
You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.’”
18 UJehoshafathi wakhothama ubuso buphansi kanti njalo bonke abakoJuda labaseJerusalema bawela phansi ngobuso bemkhonza uThixo.
Then Jehoshaphat bowed facedown, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the LORD to worship Him.
19 Ngakho abanye abaLevi bamaKhohathi, lamaKhora bema bamdumisa uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ngelizwi eliphakemeyo okuphezulu.
And the Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, shouting in a very loud voice.
20 Kwathi ekuseni kakhulu basuka baya eNkangala yaseThekhowa. Bathi besuka lapho, uJehoshafathi waphakama wathi, “Lalelani kimi, bantu bakoJuda lani baseJerusalema! Thembelani kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu uzaliphathisa; likholwe abaphrofethi bakhe, lizaphumelela.”
Early in the morning they got up and left for the Wilderness of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Hear me, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be upheld; believe in His prophets, and you will succeed.”
21 Ngemva kokubuza abantu, uJehoshafathi wakhetha amadoda okuhlabelela uThixo lokumdumisa ngenxa yenkazimulo yobungcwele bakhe bekhokhele amabutho, besithi: “Mbongeni uThixo, ngoba uthando lwakhe lumi nininini.”
Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing: “Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever.”
22 Bathi beqalisa ukuhlabelela njalo bedumisa, uThixo wabeka abantu bokucathamela abase-Amoni labase-Mowabi labaseNtabeni iSeyiri ababedinga ukuhlasela uJuda, behlulwa.
The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated.
23 Amadoda ako-Amoni lawamaMowabi avukela amadoda ayevela eNtabeni yaseSeyiri ukuba bawabulale bawatshabalalise. Ngemva kokuba sebeqedile ukubulala abaseSeyiri, banceda ngokubulalana bodwa.
The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had made an end to the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
24 Amadoda akoJuda athe efika endaweni emalungana lenkangala bakhangela lapho okwakulebutho elikhulu khona babona ngezidumbu zelekene phansi, kungekho loyedwa owayebalekile.
When the men of Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the vast army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped.
25 Ngakho uJehoshafathi lamanye amadoda bahamba bayabutha impango, njalo phakathi kwayo bafumana impahla zokusebenzisa lezembatho lezinye njalo impahla eziligugu ukwedlula lezo ababengazithwala. Impango yayinengi kwaze kwathatha insuku ezintathu beyithutha.
Then Jehoshaphat and his people went to carry off the plunder, and they found on the bodies an abundance of goods and valuables —more than they could carry away. They were gathering the plunder for three days because there was so much.
26 Ngosuku lwesine babuthana eSigodini saseBherakha, lapho abadumisela khona uThixo. Kungenxa yalokho yonale indawo yabizwa ngokuthi iSigodi saseBherakha kuze kube lamuhla.
On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they blessed the LORD. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.
27 Ngakho wonke amadoda akoJuda lawaseJerusalema abuyela ngokuthokoza eJerusalema, bekhokhelwa nguJehoshafathi ngoba uThixo wayebenzele lokho okwakubajabulisile phezu kwezitha zabo.
Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies.
28 Bangena eJerusalema baya ethempelini likaThixo betshaya imihubhe lemiqangala lamacilongo.
So they entered Jerusalem and went into the house of the LORD with harps, lyres, and trumpets.
29 Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kwehlela phezu kwayo yonke imibuso emazweni besizwa ngokulwa kukaThixo esilwa lezitha zika-Israyeli.
And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
30 Lakanye umbuso kaJehoshafathi waba lokuthula, ngoba uNkulunkulu wakhe wayemnike ukuphumula inxa zonke.
Then Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
31 Ngakho uJehoshafathi wabusa koJuda. Waba yinkosi yakoJuda eleminyaka engamatshumi amathathu lanhlanu, wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka engamatshumi amabili lanhlanu. Unina wayengu-Azubha indodakazi kaShilihi.
So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
32 Wahamba ngezindlela zikayise u-Asa njalo kazange aphambuke kuzo; wenza okulungileyo phambi kukaThixo.
And Jehoshaphat walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn away from it; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.
33 Izindawo zokukhonzela kazisuswanga njalo abantu babelokhu bengazimiselanga ngezinhliziyo zabo ngokupheleleyo kuNkulunkulu waboyise.
The high places, however, were not removed; the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their fathers.
34 Ezinye izehlakalo ngombuso kaJehoshafathi kusukela ekuqaleni kusiya ekucineni, zilotshiwe embalini kaJehu, indodana kaHanani, yona elotshwe egwalweni lwamakhosi ako-Israyeli.
As for the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from beginning to end, they are indeed written in the Chronicles of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.
35 Ngokuqhubeka kwezikhathi, uJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda waba lesibopho asenza lo-Ahaziya inkosi yako-Israyeli, owayelecala lokwenza okubi.
Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly.
36 Wavumelana laye ukuba bakhe imikhumbi yokuthwala impahla zokuthengiselana. Ngemva kokuba isiyakhiwe e-Eziyoni-Gebheri,
They agreed to make ships to go to Tarshish, and these were built in Ezion-geber.
37 u-Eliyezari indodana kaDodavahu waseMaresha wakhuluma isiphrofethi esilahla uJehoshafathi, esithi, “Ngenxa yokuthi wenza isibopho lo-Ahaziya, uThixo uzadiliza lokho okwenzileyo.” Imikhumbi yabhidlika ayaze yenelisa ukungena olwandle isiyathengisa.
Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” So the ships were wrecked and were unable to sail to Tarshish.
