2 USamuyeli 24

1 Ulaka lukaThixo lwabuya lwavutha phezu kuka-Israyeli, wenza uDavida wamelana labo, esithi, “Hambani liyebala abantu bako-Israyeli labakoJuda.”

And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go number Israel and Judah.

2 Ngakho inkosi yathi kuJowabi labalawuli bebutho ababelaye, “Hambani ezizweni zonke zako-Israyeli kusukela koDani kusiya eBherishebha libhale abantu bokulwa, ukuze ngazi ukuthi bangaki.”

For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, who [was] with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.

3 Kodwa uJowabi waphendula inkosi wathi, “Sengathi uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho angandisa amabutho ngokuphindwe okwedlula ikhulu, njalo sengathi lamehlo kamhlekazi wami inkosi angakubona lokho. Kodwa-ke umhlekazi wami inkosi ifunelani ukwenza into enje?”

And Joab said to the king, Now the LORD thy God add to the people, how many soever they may be, a hundred-fold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see [it]: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?

4 Kodwa ilizwi lenkosi lamenqabela uJowabi kanye labalawuli bebutho; ngakho basuka phambi kwenkosi ukuba bayebhala abantu bokulwa ko-Israyeli.

Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.

5 Sebechaphe iJodani bamisa eduze le-Aroweri, eningizimu komuzi edongeni, basebedabula phakathi kwakoGadi besedlulela eJazeri.

And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that [lieth] in the midst of the river of Gad, and towards Jazer:

6 Baya eGiliyadi lasesabelweni saseThathimi Hodishi, laphambili eDani Jawani lasezindaweni eziseduze kusiya eSidoni.

Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and about to Zidon,

7 Emva kwalokho baqonda enqabeni yaseThire lakuyo yonke imizi yamaHivi lamaKhenani. Ekucineni, baya eBherishebha eNegebi yakoJuda.

And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, [even] to Beer-sheba.

8 Sebelihambe lonke ilizwe, babuyela eJerusalema emva kwezinyanga eziyisificamunwemunye lezinsuku ezingamatshumi amabili.

So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

9 UJowabi wafika wabikela inkosi inani lamadoda ayengalwa empini: Ko-Israyeli kwakulamadoda azinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amahlanu aqinileyo ayelakho ukuthi angayiphatha inkemba, koJuda.

And Joab presented the sum of the number of the people to the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah [were] five hundred thousand men.

10 Emva kokubala abantu bokulwa uDavida wakhathazeka enhliziyweni yakhe, wasesithi kuThixo, “Ngonile kakhulu ngalokhu engikwenzileyo. Khathesi-ke, awu Thixo, ngiyakuncenga, susa icala lenceku yakho. Ngenze ubuwula obukhulu kakhulu.”

And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said to the LORD, I have sinned greatly in what I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

11 UDavida engakavuki ngokusa okwalandelayo, ilizwi likaThixo laselifikile kuGadi umphrofethi, umboni kaDavida, lisithi:

For when David had risen in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,

12 “Hamba uyetshela uDavida ukuthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: Ngikunika ukuthi ukhethe phakathi kokuthathu. Khetha okukodwa kwakho ukuba ngikwenze kuwe.’”

Go and say to David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three [things]; choose thee one of them, that I may [do it] to thee.

13 Ngakho uGadi waya kuDavida wathi kuye, “Kungehliselwa kuwe indlala yeminyaka emithathu elizweni lakho na? Loba izinyanga ezintathu ubalekela izitha zakho zixotshana lawe na? Kumbe insuku ezintathu zesifo elizweni lakho na? Khathesi-ke cabanga ngakho wenze isinqumo ukuthi ngizamphendula njani lowo ongithumileyo.”

So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, Shall seven years of famine come upon thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thy enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? Now consider, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

14 UDavida wathi kuGadi, “Ngiphakathi kokukhathazeka okukhulu. Kasiweleni ezandleni zikaThixo, ngoba isihawu sakhe sikhulu, kodwa ungangiyekeli ngiwela ezandleni zabantu.”

And David said to Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies [are] great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.

15 Ngakho uThixo wathumela isifo ko-Israyeli kusukela ekuseni kwamhlalokho kwaze kwafika isikhathi esasimisiwe, kwafa abantu abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa kusukela koDani kusiya eBherishebha.

So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.

16 Kwathi ingilosi isiyelule isandla sayo ukuba itshabalalise iJerusalema, uThixo wayeselusizi ngenxa yomonakalo ngakho wathi engilosini eyayiqothula abantu, “Kwanele! Susa isandla sakho.” Ngalesosikhathi ingilosi kaThixo yayisisesizeni sika-Arawuna umJebusi.

And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thy hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing-place of Araunah the Jebusite.

17 Kwathi uDavida ebona ingilosi eyayibulala abantu, wathi kuThixo, “Mina yimi engenze isono ngenza okubi. Laba bayizimvu nje. Kuyini abakwenzileyo? Isandla sakho kasiwele phezu kwami labendlu yami.”

And David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.

18 Ngalolosuku uGadi waya kuDavida wathi kuye, “Hamba uyekwakhela uThixo i-alithari esizeni sika-Arawuna umJebusi.”

And Gad came that day to David, and said to him, Go up, rear an altar to the LORD in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

19 Ngakho uDavida wahamba njengokulaya kukaThixo ngoGadi.

And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.

20 Kwathi u-Arawuna ekhangela njalo ebona inkosi labantu bayo besiza kuye, waphuma wakhothama phambi kwenkosi ubuso bakhe buthe mbo phansi.

And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming towards him: And Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.

21 U-Arawuna wathi, “Umhlekazi wami inkosi ulandeni encekwini yakhe na?” UDavida waphendula wathi, “Ngilande ukuzathenga isiza sakho, ukuze ngakhele uThixo i-alithari, ukuze isifo esisebantwini simiswe.”

And Araunah said, Why is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshing-floor of thee, to build an altar to the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.

22 U-Arawuna wasesithi kuDavida, “Umhlekazi wami inkosi kathathe loba kuyini okumthokozisayo anikele ngakho. Nanzi inkabi zomnikelo wokutshiswa, nansi lemibhulo yokubhula kanye lamajogwe enkabi ukuba kube zinkuni.

And Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what [seemeth] good to him: behold, [here are] oxen for burnt-sacrifice, and threshing-instruments and [other] instruments of the oxen for wood.

23 Awu nkosi, u-Arawuna unika inkosi konke lokhu.” U-Arawuna wabuya wathi kuye, “Sengathi uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho angakwamukela.”

All these [things] did Araunah, [as] a king, give to the king. And Araunah said to the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.

24 Kodwa inkosi yathi ku-Arawuna, “Hayi, ngiyagcizelela ekuthini ngikuthenge kuwe. Kangiyikunikela kuThixo uNkulunkulu wami umnikelo wokutshiswa ongangibizelanga lutho.” Ngakho uDavida wasithenga isiza kanye lenkabi ngamashekeli esiliva angamatshumi amahlanu.

And the king said to Araunah, No; but I will surely buy [it] of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt-offerings to the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

25 UDavida wakhela uThixo i-alithari kuleyondawo wanikela iminikelo yokutshiswa leminikelo yobudlelwano. Lapho-ke uThixo waphendula ukukhulekelwa kwelizwe, isifo saphela ko-Israyeli.

And David built there an altar to the LORD, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. So the LORD was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.