< 2 Amakhosi 24 >
1 Ngezinsuku zokubusa kukaJehoyakhimi uNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yahlasela ilizwe, uJehoyakhimi wathela kuye okweminyaka emithathu. Kodwa waphinda waguquka wamvukela uNebhukhadineza.
2 UThixo wathuma abahlaseli bamaKhaladiya lama-Asiriya lamaBhabhiloni lama-Aramu lamaMowabi, lama-Amoni, amhlasela. Wabathuma ukuchitha uJuda njengelizwi likaThixo alikhuluma ngezinceku zakhe abaphrofethi.
3 Ngempela konke lokho kwenzeka koJuda mayelana lomlayo kaThixo ukuze basuswe phambi kwakhe ngenxa yazo zonke izono zikaManase azenzayo,
4 langenxa yegazi elachithekayo lingelacala. Ngoba wayegcwalise iJerusalema ngegazi elingelacala njalo uThixo wayengazimiselanga ukuthethelela.
5 Ezinye izehlakalo zembali kaJehoyakhimi azilotshwanga yini egwalweni lwembali yamakhosi akoJuda na?
6 Wafa uJehoyakhimi waya ekuphumuleni kubokhokho bakhe. UJehoyakhini indodana yakhe yathatha ubukhosi.
7 Inkosi yaseGibhithe ayizange ihlasele futhi iphuma elizweni layo, ngenxa yokuthi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yayisithethe ingxenye yelizwe layo enkulu kakhulu, kusukela eSihotsheni seGibhithe kuze kuyefika eMfuleni uYufrathe.
8 UJehoyakhini wayeleminyaka elitshumi lasificaminwembili esiba yinkosi, njalo wabusa eJerusalema okwezinyanga ezintathu. Ibizo likanina lalinguNehushita indodakazi ka-Elinathani; evela eJerusalema.
9 Wenza ububi phambi kukaThixo, njengalokhu okwakwenziwe nguyise.
10 Ngalesosikhathi amabutho kaNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni afika eJerusalema, awuvimbezela umuzi,
11 uNebhukhadineza yena ngokwakhe wazafika amabutho akhe esewuvimbezele umuzi.
12 UJehoyakhini inkosi yakoJuda wazinikela enkosini yaseBhabhiloni, yena lonina lezinceku zakhe kanye labathenwa bakhe. Ngomnyaka wesificaminwembili wokubusa kwenkosi yaseBhabhiloni uNebhukhadineza wathumba uJehoyakhini.
13 Njengelizwi likaThixo, uNebhukhadineza wabutha yonke inotho yasethempelini likaThixo lenotho yesigodlo senkosi, wabutha zonke izitsha zegolide ezazisethempelini likaThixo, ezazenziwe nguSolomoni inkosi yako-Israyeli, njengokutsho kukaThixo.
14 Wathumba abaseJerusalema bonke: izikhulu zonke, lawo wonke amadoda empi lazozonke izingcitshi ezileminwe, abantu abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi. Kwasala abantukazana kuphela elizweni.
15 UNebhukhadineza wamthatha uJehoyakhini wayamgqilaza eBhabhiloni. Wathumba njalo eJerusalema unina wenkosi labafazi bayo lezikhulu zayo lamadoda aziwayo elizweni.
16 Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yathumbela eBhabhiloni wonke amadoda angamaqhawe, azinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa, aqinileyo ayengaphuma impi, kanye lezingcitshi ezileminwe eziyinkulungwane.
17 Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yabeka uMathaniya isinini sikaJehoyakhini waba yinkosi esikhundleni sikaJehoyakhini, yasimupha ibizo elitsha lokuthi nguZedekhiya.
18 UZedekhiya waba yinkosi eleminyaka engamatshumi amabili lanye, njalo wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka elitshumi lanye. Ibizo likanina lalinguHamuthali indodakazi kaJeremiya, waseLibhina.
19 Wenza okubi emehlweni kaThixo, njengalokho okwakwenziwe nguJehoyakhimi.
20 Kwakungenxa yokuthukuthela kukaThixo ukuze kwenzakale konke lokhu eJerusalema lakoJuda, njalo ekucineni kwabangela ukuthi uThixo abachithe. Ngalokho uZedekhiya wayihlamukela inkosi yaseBhabhiloni.