2 Amakhosi 22
1 UJosiya waba yinkosi eleminyaka eyisificaminwembili eqalisa ukubusa njalo wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka engamatshumi amathathu lowodwa. Ibizo likanina lalinguJedida indodakazi ka-Adaya; wayevela eBhozikhathi.
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.
2 Wenza okulungileyo emehlweni kaThixo njalo wahamba ezindleleni zonke zikayise uDavida, engaphambukeli eceleni kwesokudla loba esenxele.
He did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, and walked in all the ways of David his father, and did not turn away to the right hand or to the left.
3 Ngomnyaka wetshumi lasificaminwembili wokubusa kwakhe, uJosiya inkosi wathumela unobhala wakhe, uShafani indodana ka-Azaliya, indodana kaMeshulami, ethempelini likaThixo. Wathi,
In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the LORD’s house, saying,
4 “Hamba uye kuHilikhiya umphristi omkhulu uyekuthi kalungise imali elethwe ethempelini likaThixo, ekade iqoqwa ebantwini ngabalindi beminyango.
“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may count the money which is brought into the LORD’s house, which the keepers of the threshold have gathered of the people.
5 Abayigcinise amadoda akhethelwe ukukhangela ukuqhubeka komsebenzi ethempelini. Babe yibo abazaholisa abasebenza ukulungisa kutsha ithempeli likaThixo,
Let them deliver it into the hand of the workers who have the oversight of the LORD’s house; and let them give it to the workers who are in the LORD’s house, to repair the damage to the house,
6 ababazi, abakhi, lababazi bamatshe. Babe yibo njalo abazathenga amapulanka lamatshe abaziweyo okulungisa kutsha ithempeli.
to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the house.
7 Kodwa akudingeki ukuthi babike ngokusetshenziswa kwemali abayigcinisiweyo, ngoba basebenza ngokwethembeka.”
However, no accounting shall be asked of them for the money delivered into their hand, for they deal faithfully.”
8 UHilikhiya umphristi omkhulu wathi kuShafani unobhala, “Sengithole uGwalo lwemiThetho ethempelini likaThixo.” Walunika uShafani walufunda.
Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the LORD’s house.” Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
9 Ngakho uShafani waya enkosini, wayibikela wathi, “Izikhulu zakho sezibhadele imali ebisethempelini likaThixo njalo seziyigcinise izisebenzi kanye labakhangela ethempelini.”
Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hands of the workmen who have the oversight of the LORD’s house.”
10 UShafani unobhala wasebikela inkosi esithi, “UHilikhiya umphristi usenginike ugwalo.” Ngakho uShafani waselubala phambi kwenkosi.
Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has delivered a book to me.” Then Shaphan read it before the king.
11 Inkosi ithe isizwile amazwi eNcwadi yoMthetho, yadabula izembatho zayo.
When the king had heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes.
12 Yapha leziziqondiso kuHilikhiya umphristi, lo-Ahikhami indodana kaShafani, lo-Akhibhori indodana kaMikhaya loShafani unobhala kanye lo-Asaya inceku yenkosi, yathi:
The king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying,
13 “Hambani kuThixo liyengibuzela mina labantu kanye loJuda wonke ngalokhu okulotshwe kulolugwalo osolutholakele. Lukhulu ulaka lukaThixo oluvuthayo kithi ngoba okhokho bethu kabawalalelanga amazwi alolugwalo: abakulandelanga konke okulotshiweyo kulo mayelana lathi.”
“Go inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is the LORD’s wrath that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book, to do according to all that which is written concerning us.”
14 UHilikhiya umphristi, lo-Ahikhami, lo-Akhibhori, loShafani lo-Asaya bayakhuluma lomphrofethikazi uHulida umkaShalumi indodana kaThikhiva, indodana kaHarihasi, umgcini wezigqoko. UHulida wayehlala eJerusalema Esigabeni Sesibili.
So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter); and they talked with her.
15 Yena wathi kubo: “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ukuthi, tshelani indoda elithume kimi ukuthi,
She said to them, “The LORD the God of Israel says, ‘Tell the man who sent you to me,
16 ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: Ngizakwehlisela incithakalo kulindawo lasebantwini bayo ngakho konke okulotshwe egwalweni olubalwa yinkosi yakoJuda.
“The LORD says, ‘Behold, I will bring evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read.
17 Ngoba bangihlamukele, batshisela abanye onkulunkulu impepha, njalo bangithukuthelisile ngazozonke izithombe abazenze ngezandla zabo, ulaka lwami luzavutha kule indawo lungacitshwa muntu.’
Because they have forsaken me and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.’”
18 Tshelani inkosi yakoJuda yona elithume ukuzabuza kuThixo, lithi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, mayelana lamazwi eliwazwileyo:
But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, tell him, “The LORD the God of Israel says, ‘Concerning the words which you have heard,
19 Ngenxa yokuthi inhliziyo yakho ivumile njalo uzithobile phambi kukaThixo lapho usizwa engikukhulume ngendawo le labantu bayo, ukuthi bazakuba ngabaqalekisiweyo bachithwe, njalo ngenxa yokuthi udabule izigqoko zakho wakhala phambi kwami, ngikuzwile, kutsho uThixo.
because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you,’ says the LORD.
20 Ngakho ngizakusa kubokhokho bakho, njalo uzangcwatshwa ngokuthula. Amehlo akho awayikuyibona incithakalo engizayehlisela kule indawo.’” Ngakho izithunywa zayithatha leyompendulo zayisa enkosini.
‘Therefore behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place.’”’” So they brought this message back to the king.
