< 2 Amakhosi 16 >
1 Ngomnyaka wetshumi lesikhombisa kaPhekha indodana kaRemaliya, u-Ahazi indodana kaJothamu inkosi yakoJuda waqalisa ukubusa.
2 U-Ahazi wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amabili esiba yinkosi, yena wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka elitshumi lesithupha. Wayengafanani loyise uDavida, ngoba kazange enze ukulunga phambi kukaThixo.
3 Wahamba ngezindlela zamakhosi ako-Israyeli waze wenza umnikelo wokutshiswa ngendodana yakhe, elandela izindlela zezizwe ezingamanyala uThixo ayezixotshe abako-Israyeli bengakangeni kulelolizwe.
4 Wanikela imihlatshelo njalo watshisa impepha ezindaweni zokukhonzela phezu kwamaqaqa langaphansi kwazo zonke izihlahla eziyizithingithingi.
5 Ngakho uRezini inkosi yama-Aramu kanye loPhekha indodana kaRemaliya inkosi yako-Israyeli basuka bayahlasela iJerusalema bavimbezela u-Ahazi, kodwa abazange bamehlule.
6 Ngalesosikhathi, uRezini inkosi yase-Aramu, wahluthuna i-Elathi wayibuyisela kuma-Aramu ngokududula abantu bakoJuda. Ama-Edomi ahle angena e-Elathi ahlala khona kuze kube lamuhla.
7 U-Ahazi wathuma izithunywa ukuthi ziyekuthi kuThigilathi-Philesa inkosi yase-Asiriya, “Ngiyinceku yakho lesichaka. Woza uzongikhulula esandleni senkosi yase-Aramu lasesandleni senkosi yako-Israyeli, amakhosi angihlaselayo.”
8 Ngakho u-Ahazi wathatha isiliva legolide elafunyanwa ethempelini likaThixo lasezindlini zenotho zesigodlweni senkosi wakuthumela kwaba yisipho senkosi yase-Asiriya.
9 Inkosi yase-Asiriya yahle yamhlomulela ngokuhlasela iDamaseko yayithumba. Yakhupha ababehlala khona yabaxotshela eKhiri njalo uRezini yahle yambulala.
10 Ngakho inkosi u-Ahazi yasisiya eDamaseko ukuze ibonane loThigilathi-Philesa inkosi yase-Asiriya. Yabona i-alithari eDamaseko yasithumela umdwebo walelo alithare ku-Uriya umphristi lengcazelo egcweleyo yokwakhiwa.
11 Ngakho u-Uriya umphristi wasesakha i-alithari ngomdwebo owawuvela enkosini u-Ahazi eDamaseko waliqeda inkosi u-Ahazi ingakaphenduki.
12 Inkosi ithe isivela eDamaseko yabona i-alithari yahle yayanikela kulo.
13 Inkosi yanikela umnikelo wokutshiswa lomnikelo wamabele, yathela okunathwayo komnikelo, yachela igazi lomnikelo wobudlelwano e-alithareni.
14 I-alithari lethusi elalimi phambi kukaThixo yaliletha livela ngaphambili ethempelini, phakathi kwe-alithari elitsha lethempeli likaThixo, yalifaka ngenyakatho ye-alithare elitsha.
15 Inkosi u-Ahazi yasilaya u-Uriya umphristi yathi, “Phezu kwe-alithari elikhulu elitsha, nikela umnikelo wokutshiswa wekuseni kuthi ntambama kube ngumnikelo wamabele, lomnikelo wabantu bonke elizweni, lomnikelo wabo wonke wamabele kanye lowokunathwayo. Chela i-alithari ngalo lonke igazi leminikelo yokutshiswa kanye lemihlatshelo. Kodwa ngizasebenzisa i-alithari lethusi ukucela iziqondiso.”
16 Ngakho u-Uriya umphristi wenza njengokulaywa kwakhe yinkosi u-Ahazi.
17 Inkosi u-Ahazi yasusa izinsimbi zenqodlana lemiganu phezulu, yethula uLwandle phezu kwenkabi zethusi ezazingaphansi kwalo, yalubeka phezu kwesisekelo selitshe.
18 Yasusa isembeso seSabatha esasakhiwe ethempelini, yavala intuba yokungena inkosi eyayiphandle kwethempeli likaThixo, ivumela okwakufunwa yinkosi yase-Asiriya.
19 Ezinye izehlakalo ngombuso ka-Ahazi, kanye lokunye akwenzayo, akulotshwanga egwalweni lwembali yamakhosi akoJuda na?
20 U-Ahazi waya ekuphumuleni kubokhokho bakhe eMzini kaDavida. UHezekhiya indodana yakhe yathatha ubukhosi.
