2 Imilando 7

1 Kwathi uSolomoni eseqedile ukukhuleka, kwehla umlilo uvela ezulwini, waqhunqisa umnikelo wokutshiswa lemihlatshelo, inkazimulo kaThixo yagcwalisa ithempeli.

Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.

2 Abaphristi behluleka ukungena ethempelini likaThixo ngoba laligcwele inkazimulo kaThixo.

And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’S house.

3 Kwathi lapho bonke abako-Israyeli bebona umlilo usehla lenkazimulo kaThixo ethempelini, bathi mbo ngobuso phansi embundwini weguma, badumisa bebonga uThixo besithi: “Yena ulungile; uthando lwakhe lumi kuze kube nininini.”

And all the children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD was upon the house; and they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and gave thanks unto the LORD, [saying], For he is good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever.

4 Inkosi labantu bonke banikela imihlatshelo kuThixo.

Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the LORD.

5 Ngalokho inkosi uSolomoni yanikela umhlatshelo wenkomo ezizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lambili kanye lezimvu lembuzi ezizinkulungwane ezilikhulu elilamatshumi amabili. Ngakho inkosi labantu bonke banikela ithempeli likaNkulunkulu.

And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.

6 Abaphristi bema ngezindawo zabo, njengoba labaLevi labo bema ngamachacho lawo inkosi uDavida eyayivele iwenzele ukudumisa uThixo njalo ayevele esetshenziswa nxa ebonga, esithi, “Uthando lwakhe lumi kuze kube nininini.” Maqondana labaLevi, abaphristi babevuthela amacilongo abo, njalo bonke abako-Israyeli babemi.

And the priests stood, according to their offices; the Levites also with instruments of music of the LORD, which David the king had made to give thanks unto the LORD, for his mercy [endureth] for ever, when David praised by their ministry: and the priests sounded trumpets before them; and all Israel stood.

7 USolomoni wahlukanisela uThixo indawo yaphakathi laphakathi kweguma phambi kwethempeli likaThixo, njalo kulapho anikelela khona iminikelo yokutshiswa lamafutha eminikelo yobudlelwano, ngoba i-alithari lethusi ayelenzile lalingeke lenele iminikelo yokutshiswa, iminikelo yamabele kanye lamafutha.

Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD; for there he offered the burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offering, and the meal offering, and the fat.

8 Ngakho ngalesosikhathi uSolomoni wathakazelela umkhosi okwensuku eziyisikhombisa, labo bonke abako-Israyeli ababelaye, ababelibandla elikhulu, abanye bevela eLebho Hamathi kusiya eSihotsheni saseGibhithe.

So Solomon held the feast at that time seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the brook of Egypt.

9 Ngosuku lwesificaminwembili benza umhlangano, ngoba babekhonze ngokunikela i-alithari okwensuku eziyisikhombisa lomkhosi wezinye insuku eziyisikhombisa phezulu.

And on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.

10 Ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili lantathu lwenyanga yesikhombisa wakhulula abantu ukuthi babuyele emakhaya abo bethokoza njalo bejabula ngenhliziyo ngenxa yezinto ezinhle uThixo ayezenzele uDavida loSolomoni kanye labantu bakhe bako-Israyeli.

And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh mouth he sent the people away unto their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.

11 Kwathi uSolomoni eseqedile ithempeli likaThixo lesigodlo, esenelisile lokwenza konke ayekunakana ngethempeli likaThixo kanye lesigodlo sakhe,

Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD, and the king’s house: and all that came into Solomon’s heart to make in the house of the LORD, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.

12 UThixo wabonakala kuye ebusuku wathi: “Ngiwuzwile umkhuleko wakho njalo sengizikhethele indawo le ukuba ibe lithempeli lemihlatshelo.

And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.

13 Nxa ngivala iphezulu ukuze kungabi lezulu, loba ngithumela intethe ukuchitha ilizwe, ingabe ngithumela isifo phakathi kwabantu bami,

If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

14 nxa abantu bami, ababizwa ngebizo lami, bezazithoba bakhuleke badinge ubuso bami njalo batshiye izindlela zabo ezimbi, kulapho ngizakuzwa khona ngisezulwini ngithethelele izono zabo njalo ngiphephise ilizwe labo.

if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

15 Ngalokho amehlo ami azavuleka, lezindlebe zami zizalalela imikhuleko eyenziwa kulindawo.

Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent, unto the prayer that is made in this place.

16 Ngilikhethile ngizahlukanisela lelithempeli ukuze iBizo lami libe kulo kuze kube nininini. Amehlo ami lenhliziyo yami kuzakuba kulo ngazozonke izikhathi.

For now have I chosen and hallowed this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

17 Wena, nxa ungahamba phambi kwami njengalokhu okwenziwa nguyihlo uDavida, wenze konke engikulaya ngakho, ulandele izimiso lemithetho yami,

And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments;

18 ngizaqinisa isihlalo sakho sobukhosi, njengesivumelwano engasenza loyihlo uDavida ngisithi: ‘Kawuyikuswela umuntu ozabusa u-Israyeli.’

then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.

19 Kodwa ungafulathela utshiye izimiso lemilayo engikunika yona usuke uyekhothamela abanye onkulunkulu ubakhonze,

But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them:

20 kulapho ngizakhucula abako-Israyeli elizweni lami, engabanika lona, kuthi lelithempeli engilahlukanisele iBizo lami ngilichithe, ngilenze libe yinto ekhohlakeleyo into eyinhlekisa kubo bonke abantu.

then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

21 Loba lelithempeli likhanga amehlo, bonke abedlula lapha bazamangala bathi, ‘Kanti kungani uThixo ekwenzile lokhu okunje kulelilizwe kanye lakulelithempeli?’

And this house, which is so high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?

22 Abantu bazaphendula bathi, ‘Ngoba bamfulathele uThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo, owabakhupha eGibhithe, basuka bayabambelela kwabanye onkulunkulu, bebakhonza njalo bebakhothamela, yikho ebehlisele incithakalo yonke le.’”

And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.