2 USamuyeli 24

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

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

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?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.”

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

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

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.”

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

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

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.

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.”

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

19 Ngakho uDavida wahamba njengokulaya kukaThixo ngoGadi.

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

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.”

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.

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

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.

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