2 Imilando 34
1 UJosiya waba yinkosi eleminyaka eyisificaminwembili ubudala njalo wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka engamatshumi amathathu lanye.
Josiah was eight when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-one years.
2 Wenza okulungileyo phambi kukaThixo njalo wahamba ngenyathelo likayise uDavida, kazange aphambukele kwesokudla loba esokhohlo.
He did what was right in the Lord's sight and followed the ways of his forefather David—he did not deviate to the right or to the left.
3 Ngomnyaka wesificaminwembili wokubusa kwakhe, elokhu esesengumntwana, waqalisa ukumdinga uNkulunkulu kakhokho wakhe uDavida. Ngomnyaka wetshumi lambili waqalisa ukuhlambulula elakoJuda laseJerusalema, wavala izindawo zokukhonzela, izinsika zika-Ashera, izithombe ezibaziweyo lezikhandiweyo.
In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to publicly worship the God of David his forefather, and in the twelfth year of his reign he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem by removing the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the metal images.
4 Ngeziqondiso zakhe kwabhidlizwa ama-alithare aboBhali; waqoba ama-alithare empepha ayengaphezu kwawo; wahlikiza izinsika zika-Ashera, izithombe kanye lemifanekiso. Lokhu wakuvadlaza wasekuchithizela phezu kwamangcwaba alabo ababenikele imihlatshelo kulezozithombe.
He had the altars of Baal torn down in front of him, and the incense altars above them cut down. In addition, the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the metal images were smashed to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had been sacrificing to them.
5 Watshisela amathambo abaphristi ema-alithareni abo, ngalokho wahlambulula elakoJuda laseJerusalema.
He burned the bones of the idolatrous priests on their altars. In this way he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.
6 Emizini yakoManase, lako-Efrayimi lakoSimiyoni, kuze kuyefika koNafithali, lasemanxiweni aseduzane layo,
Josiah repeated this in the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, all the way to Naphtali, and in their surrounding areas.
7 wadiliza ama-alithare lezinsika zika-Ashera njalo wahlifiza izithombe zaba yimpuphu wachithiza ama-alithare empepha kulolonke elako-Israyeli aba yizicucu. Wasebuyela eJerusalema.
He tore down the altars and crushed the Asherah poles and the images to dust, and cut down all the incense altars across the whole land of Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.
8 Ngomnyaka wetshumi lasificaminwembili wokubusa kukaJosiya, ukuze ahlambulule ilizwe kanye lethempeli, wathumela uShafani indodana ka-Azaliya loMaseya umbusi wedolobho, loJowa indodana kaJowahazi, umlobi, ukuba bavuselele ithempeli likaThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe.
In the eighteenth year of his reign, once he had finished cleansing the land and the Temple, Josiah sent Shaphan, son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the city governor, and Joah, son of Joahaz, the record-keeper, to repair the Temple of the Lord his God.
9 Baya kuHilikhiya umphristi omkhulu bamnika imali eyayilethwe ethempelini likaNkulunkulu, eyayiqoqwe ngabaLevi ababengabagcini beminyango beyiqoqa ebantwini bakoManase, lako-Efrayimi layo yonke insalela yabako-Israyeli lakubo bonke abantu bakoJuda labakoBhenjamini lababehlala eJerusalema.
They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought to God's Temple. The Levites at the entrances had collected this money from the people of Manasseh and Ephraim, from what was left of the people of Israel, as well as contributions from Judah, Benjamin, and the people of Jerusalem.
10 Basebeyiqhubela amadoda ayekhethelwe ukukhangela ukuqhubeka komsebenzi wasethempelini likaThixo. Lamadoda ayeholisa ababevuselela lokwakha kutsha ithempeli.
They handed it over to those who were supervising the repair work on Lord's Temple, who in turn paid the workmen doing the restoring and repairing.
11 Eyinye bayiqhubela ababazi labakhi ukuze bathenge amatshe abaziweyo lezigodo lezintungo zezindlu ezadilika amakhosi akoJuda engananzelele.
They also paid carpenters and builders to buy cut stone, as well as timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had let deteriorate.
12 Amadoda ayisebenza imisebenzi yawo ngokwethembeka. Ayekhokhelwa njalo eqondiswa ngoJahathi lo-Obhadaya, abaLevi bosendo lukaMerari, uZakhariya loMeshulami abosendo lukaKhohathi. AbaLevi bonke ababengamagabazi kwezamachacho omculo,
The men did good, honest work. In charge of them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites from the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, Levites from the sons of the Kohathites. The Levites, all skilled musicians,
13 babephethe izisebenzi njalo bekhangele izisebenzi kulowo lalowo umsebenzi. Abanye abaLevi babengonobhala, labalobi kanye labalindi beminyango.
were in charge of the workmen and directed everyone involved, depending on what was required. Some of the Levites were scribes, some officers, and some gatekeepers.
14 Besakhipha imali eyayingeniswe ethempelini likaThixo, uHilikhiya umphristi wafumana uGwalo loMthetho kaThixo owawuphiwe uMosi.
In the process of taking out the money donated to the Lord's Temple, Hilkiah the priest discovered the Book of the Lord's Law written down by Moses.
15 UHilikhiya wathi kuShafani unobhala, “Sengilutholile uGwalo loMthetho ethempelini likaThixo.” Waselunika uShafani.
Hilkiah told Shaphan the scribe, “I've found the Book of the Law in the Lord's Temple.” He gave it to Shaphan.
16 Ngalokho uShafani waluthatha walusa enkosini wayibikela wathi: “Izikhulu zakho ziyakwenza konke ozilaye ukuba zikwenze.
Shaphan took the book to the king and told him, “We your servants are doing everything we were instructed to do.
17 Sebeyibhadele imali leyo eyayisethempelini likaThixo njalo sebeyitshiyele abakhangeli bomsebenzi kanye lezisebenzi.”
The money collected at the Lord's Temple has been handed over to those who are supervising the workers, paying them to do the repairs.”
18 Ngakho uShafani unobhala wabikela inkosi, wathi, “UHilikhiya umphristi usengiphe ugwalo.” Ngakho uShafani waselubala phambi kwenkosi.
Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest gave me this book.” Shaphan read it to the king.
19 Inkosi yonela ukuzwa amazwi oMthetho, yadabula izembatho zayo
When the king heard what the Law said, he tore his clothes.
20 yapha leziziqondiso kuHilikhiya, lo-Ahikhami indodana kaShefani, lo-Abhidoni indodana kaMikha, loShafani unobhala kanye lo-Asaya inceku yenkosi yathi:
Then he issue the following orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam, son of Shaphan, Abdon, son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah, the king's assistant:
21 “Hambani liyengibuzela kuThixo lensalela yako-Israyeli labakoJuda ngalokhu okulotshwe kulolugwalo olutholakeleyo. Lukhulu ulaka lukaThixo phezu kwethu ngenxa yabokhokho abangazange balilalele ilizwi likaThixo; kabenzanga ngendlela okulotshwe ngayo kulolugwalo.”
“Go and talk to the Lord for me, and also for those who still live in Israel and Judah, about what is said in the book that's been found. For the Lord must be really angry with us because our forefathers have not obeyed the Lord's instructions by following all that's written in this book.”
22 UHilikhiya lalabo ayethunywe labo yinkosi bahamba ukuba bayekhuluma loHulida umphrofethikazi owayengumkaShalumi indodana kaThokhathi, indodana kaHasira, umlondolozi wezembatho. UHulida wayehlala eJerusalema endaweni yeSiqinti Sesibili.
Hilkiah and those the king had selected went and talked with Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, custodian of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the city's second quarter.
23 Wathi kubo, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Tshelani umuntu olithume kimi lithi,
Huldah told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me,
24 ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uthi: Ngizakwehlisela lindawo labantu bayo incithakalo lazozonke izithuko ezilotshiweyo egwalweni olufundwe phambi kwenkosi yakoJuda.
this is what the Lord says: I am about to bring disaster down on this place and on its people, in accordance with all the curses written in the book that has been read to the king of Judah.
25 Ngoba bangidelile batshisela abanye onkulunkulu impepha njalo bangithukuthelisile ngakho konke abakwenze ngezandla zabo, ulaka lwami luzakwehlela phezu kwalindawo njalo aluyikucitshwa.’
They have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to other gods, making me angry by everything they've done. My anger will be poured out upon this place and will not be stopped.
26 Tshelani inkosi yakoJuda, elithume ukuzabuza kuThixo lithi: ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, mayelana lamazwi owezwileyo:
But tell the king of Judah who sent you to ask the Lord, tell him this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: As for the what you heard read to you—
27 Njengoba uzisolile wazehlisa ngaphansi kukaNkulunkulu wezwa ukuthi utheni ngalindawo labantu bayo njalo langenxa yokuthi uzehlisile wazithoba phambi kwami wadabula izembatho zakho walila phambi kwami, ngikuzwile, utsho njalo uThixo.
because you were receptive and repentant before God when you heard his warnings against this place and against its people, and because you have repented, tearing your clothes and weeping before me, I have also heard you, declares the Lord.
28 Wena ngizakususa ngikuse kubokhokho bakho, njalo uzangcwatshwa ngokuthula. Amehlo akho awayikubona leyoncithakalo engizayehlisela indawo le lakulabo abahlala khona.’” Ngempela bayithatha leyompendulo baya layo enkosini.
All this will not happen until after you have died, and you will die in peace. You will not see all the disaster that I'm going to bring down on this place and on its inhabitants.” They went back to the king and gave him her response.
29 Inkosi yasibuthanisa bonke abadala bakoJuda labaseJerusalema.
Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
30 Yaya ethempelini likaThixo labantu bakoJuda, kanye labaseJerusalema, labaphristi kanye labaLevi labantu bonke kusukela komncinyane kusiya komkhulu. Inkosi yabafundela wonke amazwi ayeseGwalweni lweSivumelwano, olwatholakala ethempelini likaThixo.
He went to the Lord's Temple with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, together with the priests and the Levites, all the people from the least to the greatest, and he read to them the whole Book of the Agreement that had been discovered in the Lord's Temple.
31 Inkosi yema ensikeni yayo yavuselela isivumelwano sayo phambi kukaThixo, ukumkhonza uThixo lokwamukela imilayo yakhe, leziqondiso, lezimiso zakhe ngenhliziyo yayo yonke langomphefumulo wayo wonke, lokulalela amazwi esivumelwano esilotshiweyo ogwalweni.
The king stood by the pillar and made a solemn agreement before the Lord to follow him and to keep his commandments, laws, and regulations with total dedication, and to observe the requirements of the agreement as written in the book.
32 Yasifungisa bonke ababeseJerusalema labakoBhenjamini ukuba bazasigcina; abantu baseJerusalema bakwenza lokho belandela isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo.
Then he had everyone present from Jerusalem and Benjamin stand up to show they agreed to it. So all the people of Jerusalem accepted and followed the agreement with God, the God of their forefathers.
33 UJosiya wasusa zonke izithombe ezenyanyekayo ezabelweni zonke ezazingezako-Israyeli, wenza bonke abako-Israyeli bamkhonza uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo. Ngezinsuku zokuphila kwakhe kazange aphambuke endleleni kaThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo.
Josiah demolished all the vile idols from the whole territory belonging to the Israelites, and he made everyone in Israel serve the Lord their God. During his reign they did not give up worshiping the Lord, the God of their fathers.
