2 Imilando 30

1 UHezekhiya wanxusa bonke abako-Israyeli labakoJuda, wanxusa labako-Efrayimi labakoManase ngezincwadi eJerusalema, ukuthi bazokudla iPhasika ethempelini likaThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.

And Ezekias sent to all Israel and Juda, and wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasse, that they should come into the house of the Lord to Jerusalem, to keep the passover to the Lord God of Israel.

2 Inkosi lezikhulu zayo lebandla lonke eJerusalema bavumelana ukwenza ukugcina iPhasika ngenyanga yesibili.

For the king, and the princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, designed to keep the passover in the second month.

3 Babengenelisanga ukwenza umkhosi ngesikhathi sawo ngoba abaphristi babebalutshwana ababezingcwelisile njalo labantu babengabuthananga eJerusalema.

For they could not keep it at that time, because a sufficient number of priest had not purified themselves, and the people was not gathered to Jerusalem.

4 Icebo leli lakhanya lilihle enkosini lasebandleni lonke.

And the proposal pleased the king and the congregation.

5 Baquma ukuthi kukhutshwe ilizwi kulolonke elako-Israyeli kusukela eBherishebha kusiya koDani, kunxuswa abantu ukuthi beze eJerusalema emkhosini wePhasika likaThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Umkhosi lo wawungakaze wenziwe ngabanengi kusiya ngomthetho owalotshwa phansi.

And they established a decree that a proclamation should go through all Israel, from Bersabee to Dan, that they should come and keep the passover to the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem: for the multitude had not done it lately according to the scripture.

6 Ngokulaya kwenkosi, izithunywa zangena kulolonke elako-Israyeli lelakoJuda ziphethe izincwadi ezazivela enkosini lasezikhulwini zayo, ezazilotshwe ukuthi: “Bantu bako-Israyeli, buyelani kuThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Abhrahama lo-Isaka lo-Israyeli, ukuze abuyele kulabo benu abaseleyo abaphunyuke ezandleni zamakhosi ase-Asiriya.

And the posts went with the letters from the king and the princes to all Israel and Juda, according to the command of the king, saying, Children of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraam, and Isaac, and Israel, and bring back them that have escaped [even] those that were left of the hand of the king of Assyria.

7 Lingabi njengaboyihlo lezihlobo zenu ababengathembekanga kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo, waze wabenza baba yisibonelo sokwesabekayo njengoba libona.

And be not as your fathers, and your brethren, who revolted from the Lord God of their fathers, and he gave them up to desolation, as you see.

8 Lingabi ntamolukhuni njengaboyihlo; zehliseni kuThixo. Wozani endlini yokukhonza aseyingcwelisile kuze kube nininini. Mkhonzeni uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, ukuze ulaka lwakhe olwesabekayo lusuke kini.

And now harden not your hearts, as your fathers [did]: give glory to the Lord God, and enter into his sanctuary, which he has sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, and he shall turn away [his] fierce anger from you.

9 Nxa libuyela kuThixo, abafowenu labantwabenu bazathola umusa kulabo ababathumbayo, babuye kulelilizwe, ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu ulomusa lesihawu. Kayikulifulathela nxa libuyela kuye.”

For when you turn to the Lord, your brethren and your children shall be pitied before all that have carried them captives, and he will restore [you] to this land: for the Lord our God is merciful and pitiful, and will not turn away his face from you, if we return to him.

10 Ngakho izithunywa zaphuma zangena kuyo yonke imizi lemizana ko-Efrayimi lakoManase, zayafika lakhonale koZebhuluni, kodwa abantu bazihleka ulunya njalo baziklolodela.

So the posts went through from city to city in mount Ephraim, and Manasse, and as far as Zabulon: and they as it were laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

11 Lanxa kunjalo, abanye abantu bako-Asheri labakoManase labakoZebhuluni bazithoba baya eJerusalema.

But the men of Aser, and [some] of Manasses and of Zabulon, were ashamed, and came to Jerusalem and Juda.

12 Njalo lakoJuda isandla sikaNkulunkulu sasisebantwini ukubapha ukubambana engqondweni ukuze benze lokho inkosi lezikhulu zayo eyayithe abakwenze, njengokutsho kwelizwi likaThixo.

And the hand of the Lord was [present] to give them one heart to come, to do according to the commands of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord.

13 Kwabuthana abantu abalixuku elikhulu eJerusalema bethakazelela uMkhosi weSinkwa esingelaMvubelo ngenyanga yesibili.

And a great multitude were gathered to Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

14 Basusa ama-alithare eJerusalema bakhucula ama-alithare empepha bawathwala bayawaphosela eSigodini saseKhidironi.

And they arose, and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all on which they burnt incense to false [gods] they tore down and cast into the brook Kedron.

15 Babulala amazinyane ezimvu awePhasika ngosuku lwetshumi lane lwenyanga yesibili. Abaphristi labaLevi bayangeka bazihlambulula baletha iminikelo yokutshiswa ethempelini likaThixo.

Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites repented, and purified [themselves], and brought whole burnt offerings into the house of the Lord.

16 Basebebuyela ezikhundleni zabo zenjayelo njengokumisiweyo emthethweni kaMosi umuntu kaNkulunkulu. Abaphristi bachela igazi ababeliqhutshelwa ngabaLevi.

And they stood at their post, according to their ordinance, according to the commandment of Moses the man of God: and the priests received the blood from the hand of the Levites.

17 Njengoba babebanengi ababengazihlambululanga exukwini, abaLevi bahlaba amanye amazinyane ezimvu awePhasika besenzela labo ababengahlanjululwanga ngokomkhuba njalo bengelakho ukuzahlukanisela izimvu zabo phambi kukaThixo.

For a great part of the congregation was not sanctified; and the Levites were [ready] to kill the passover for every one who could not sanctify himself to the Lord.

18 Lanxa abantu abanengi ababevela ko-Efrayimi, koManase, ko-Isakhari lakoZebhuluni babengakazihlambululi, kodwa badla iPhasika, okwakungekho emthethweni olotshiweyo. Kodwa uHezekhiya wabakhulekela wathi: “Kungathi uThixo, olungileyo, angathethelela bonke

For the greatest part of the people of Ephraim, and Manasse, and Issachar, and Zabulon, had not purified [themselves], but ate the passover contrary to the scripture. On this account also Ezekias prayed concerning them, saying,

19 abamdingayo uNkulunkulu uThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo loba bengahlambulukanga ngokomthetho wendawo engcwele.”

The good Lord be merciful with regard to every heart that sincerely seeks the Lord God of their fathers, and [is] not [purified] according to the purification of the sanctuary.

20 Lakanye uThixo wawuzwa umkhuleko kaHezekhiya wasilisa abantu.

And the Lord listened to Ezekias, and healed the people.

21 Ama-Israyeli ayeseJerusalema athakazelela uMkhosi weSinkwa esingelaMvubelo okwensuku eziyisikhombisa ngokujabula okukhulu, abaLevi labaphristi behlabelela kuThixo insuku zonke, bephathiswa ngamachacho okudumisa uThixo.

And the children of Israel who were present in Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great joy; and they continued to sing hymns to the Lord daily, and the priests and the Levites [played] on instruments to the Lord.

22 UHezekhiya wabakhuthaza bonke abaLevi abatshengisela ukuzinikela emsebenzini kaThixo. Ngalezonsuku eziyisikhombisa badla leyongxenye eyayiyisabelo sabo njalo banikela umnikelo wobudlelwano bamdumisa uThixo, uNkulunkulu waboyise.

And Ezekias encouraged all the Levites, and those that had good understanding of the Lord: and they completely kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days, offering peace-offerings, and confessing to the Lord God of their fathers.

23 Ibandla lonke laselivumelana ukuthakazelela umkhosi lo okwezinye insuku eziyisikhombisa; ngakho umkhosi bawuqhuba okwezinye insuku eziyisikhombisa bejabula.

And the congregation purposed together to keep other seven days: and they kept seven days with gladness.

24 UHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda walethela ibandla inkunzi eziyinkulungwane lezimvu ezizinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa lembuzi zingezebandla, kwathi izikhulu lazo zaletha inkunzi eziyinkulungwane lezimvu lembuzi ezizinkulungwane ezilitshumi. Abaphristi abanengi kakhulu bazihlambulula.

For Ezekias set apart for Juda, [even] for the congregation, a thousand calves and seven thousand sheep; and the princes set apart for the people a thousand calves and ten thousand sheep: and the holy things of the priests abundantly.

25 Ibandla lonke lakoJuda lajabula, ndawonye labaphristi labaLevi labo bonke ababebuthene bevela ko-Israyeli, ndawonye labezizweni ababevela ko-Israyeli lababehlala koJuda.

And all the congregation, the priests and the Levites, rejoiced, and all the congregation of Juda, and they that were present of Jerusalem, and the strangers that came from the land of Israel, and the dwellers in Juda.

26 Kwaba lokujabula okukhulu eJerusalema, ngoba kusukela ensukwini zikaSolomoni indodana kaDavida inkosi yako-Israyeli kwakungazange kube lomkhosi onjalo eJerusalema.

And there was great joy in Jerusalem: from the days of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not such a feast in Jerusalem.

27 Abaphristi labaLevi bema babusisa abantu, uNkulunkulu wabezwa, ngoba imikhuleko yabo yafika ezulwini, endaweni yakhe engcwele ahlala kiyo.

Then the priests the Levites rose up and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came into his holy dwelling-place, [even] into heaven.