1 Amakhosi 8

1 Khona uSolomoni wabuthanisa abadala bakoIsrayeli, zonke inhloko zezizwe, iziphathamandla zaboyise babantwana bakoIsrayeli, ukuya enkosini uSolomoni eJerusalema, ukuze benyuse umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaJehova bewukhupha emzini kaDavida, oyiZiyoni.

2 Wonke amadoda akoIsrayeli asebuthana enkosini uSolomoni emkhosini enyangeni kaEthanimi eyinyanga yesikhombisa.

3 Labo bonke abadala bakoIsrayeli beza, abapristi bawuphakamisa umtshokotsho wesivumelwano,

4 bawenyusa umtshokotsho weNkosi lethente lenhlangano, lazo zonke izitsha ezingcwele ezazisethenteni; abapristi lamaLevi bakwenyusa-ke.

5 Njalo inkosi uSolomoni lenhlangano yonke yakoIsrayeli eyayibuthene babelayo phambi komtshokotsho behlaba izimvu lezinkabi ezingelanani lezingelakubalwa ngobunengi.

6 Abapristi basebewungenisa umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi endaweni yawo endaweni yelizwi yendlu, engcweleni yezingcwele, ngaphansi kwempiko zamakherubhi.

7 Ngoba amakherubhi elulela impiko zawo phezu kwendawo yomtshokotsho, amakherubhi embesa umtshokotsho lemijabo yawo, kuvela phezulu.

8 Basebeselula imijabo ukuze izihloko zemijabo zibonakale endaweni engcwele phambi kwendawo yelizwi, kodwa yayingabonakali ngaphandle; njalo ikhona lapho kuze kube lamuhla.

9 Kwakungelalutho emtshokotshweni, ngaphandle kwezibhebhe zamatshe ezimbili uMozisi azifaka khona eHorebe mhla iNkosi isenza khona isivumelwano labantwana bakoIsrayeli ekuphumeni kwabo elizweni leGibhithe.

10 Kwasekusithi ekuphumeni kwabapristi endaweni engcwele iyezi layigcwalisa indlu yeNkosi;

11 ngakho abapristi babengelakho ukuma ukuthi bakhonze ngenxa yeyezi, ngoba inkazimulo yeNkosi yayigcwalise indlu yeNkosi.

12 Ngalesosikhathi uSolomoni wathi: INkosi yathi izahlala emnyameni onzima.

13 Ngikwakhele lokukwakhela indlu, indawo yokuhlala, indawo emisiweyo yokuhlala kwakho laphakade.

14 Inkosi yasitshibilikisa ubuso bayo, yalibusisa ibandla lonke lakoIsrayeli; lebandla lonke lakoIsrayeli lalimi.

15 Yasisithi: Kayibusiswe iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, eyakhuluma ngomlomo wayo kuDavida ubaba, njalo yagcwalisa ngesandla sayo, isithi:

16 Kusukela ngosuku engakhupha ngalo abantu bami uIsrayeli elizweni leGibhithe kangikhethanga muzi ezizweni zonke zakoIsrayeli ukwakha indlu, ukuthi ibizo lami libe lapho, kodwa ngakhetha uDavida ukuthi abe phezu kwabantu bami uIsrayeli.

17 Njalo kwakusenhliziyweni kaDavida ubaba ukwakhela ibizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli indlu.

18 Kodwa iNkosi yathi kuDavida ubaba: Njengoba kwakusenhliziyweni yakho ukwakhela ibizo lami indlu, wenze kuhle ukuthi kwakusenhliziyweni yakho;

19 loba kunjalo kawuyikuyakha indlu wena, kodwa indodana yakho ezaphuma ekhalweni lwakho, yona izalakhela ibizo lami indlu.

20 INkosi isiqinisile ilizwi layo eyalikhulumayo, ngoba ngivukile esikhundleni sikaDavida ubaba, ngihlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaIsrayeli njengokuba iNkosi ikhulumile, sengilakhele ibizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli indlu.

21 Njalo ngimisile lapho indawo yomtshokotsho, lapho okulesivumelwano seNkosi khona, eyasenza labobaba ekubakhupheni kwayo elizweni leGibhithe.

22 USolomoni wasesima phambi kwelathi leNkosi maqondana lebandla lonke lakoIsrayeli, welulela izandla zakhe emazulwini,

23 wathi: Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, kakho unkulunkulu onjengawe emazulwini phezulu lemhlabeni phansi ogcina isivumelwano lomusa ezincekwini zakho ezihamba phambi kwakho ngenhliziyo yazo yonke.

24 Ogcinele inceku yakho uDavida ubaba lokho owakutsho kuye; njalo wakhuluma ngomlomo wakho, wakugcwalisa ngesandla sakho, njengalamuhla.

25 Ngakho-ke, Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, gcinela inceku yakho uDavida ubaba owakukhuluma kuye, usithi: Kakuyikusweleka muntu kuwe phambi kwami ozahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaIsrayeli, kuphela uba amadodana akho egcina indlela yawo ukuhamba phambi kwami njengoba uhambile phambi kwami.

26 Khathesi-ke, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ake liqiniseke ilizwi lakho owalikhuluma encekwini yakho uDavida ubaba.

27 Kodwa isibili uNkulunkulu uzahlala yini emhlabeni? Khangela, amazulu, lamazulu amazulu angekwanele; incinyane kangakanani-ke lindlu engiyakhileyo?

28 Kube kanti phendukela emkhulekweni wenceku yakho lekuncengeni kwayo, Nkosi Nkulunkulu wami, ukuze uzwe ukukhala lomkhuleko inceku yakho ewukhulekayo phambi kwakho lamuhla.

29 Ukuthi amehlo akho avulekele lindlu ebusuku lemini, indawo owatsho ngayo ukuthi: Ibizo lami lizakuba lapho; ukuze uzwe umkhuleko wenceku yakho ezawukhuleka kulindawo.

30 Zwana-ke ukuncenga kwenceku yakho lokwabantu bakho uIsrayeli lapho bezakhuleka kulindawo; yebo, uzwe wena, usendaweni yakho yokuhlala emazulwini; lapho usizwa, uthethelele.

31 Uba loba nguwuphi umuntu one umakhelwane wakhe, abeke phezu kwakhe isifungo, amenze afunge, lesifungo size phambi kwelathi lakho kulindlu,

32 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, wenze wahlulele inceku zakho, ulahle omubi, ukunikela indlela yakhe ekhanda lakhe, ukulungisisa olungileyo, ukumnika njengokulunga kwakhe.

33 Lapho abantu bakho uIsrayeli betshaywe phambi kwesitha ngoba bonile kuwe, babesebephendukela kuwe, balivume ibizo lakho, bakhuleke bancenge kuwe kulindlu,

34 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, uthethelele isono sabantu bakho uIsrayeli, ubabuyisele elizweni owalinika oyise.

35 Lapho amazulu evaliwe, kungelazulu ngoba bonile kuwe, uba bekhuleka kulindawo belivuma ibizo lakho, baphenduke esonweni sabo lapho ubahluphile,

36 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, uthethelele isono senceku zakho lesabantu bakho uIsrayeli, lapho usubafundisile indlela elungileyo abangahamba ngayo, unike izulu elizweni lakho owalinika abantu bakho libe yilifa.

37 Uba kukhona indlala elizweni, uba kukhona umatshayabhuqe wesifo, ukutshisa, ingumane, isikhonyane, uba kulemihogoyi; uba isitha sabo sibavimbezele elizweni lemizi yabo, loba yiyiphi inhlupheko, loba yiwuphi umkhuhlane,

38 wonke umkhuleko, konke ukuncenga, okwenziwa yiloba nguwuphi umuntu, ngabantu bakho bonke bakoIsrayeli, abazakwazi ngulowo inhlupheko yenhliziyo yakhe, eselula izandla zakhe kulindlu,

39 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala emisiweyo, uthethelele, wenze, unike ngulowo njengezindlela zakhe zonke, onhliziyo yakhe uyayazi, ngoba nguwe wedwa owaziyo inhliziyo yabo bonke abantwana babantu,

40 ukuze bakwesabe zonke izinsuku abaziphila ebusweni belizwe owalinika obaba.

41 Futhi-ke mayelana lowezizweni ongesuye wabantu bakho uIsrayeli kodwa evela elizweni elikhatshana ngenxa yebizo lakho,

42 (ngoba bazakuzwa ngebizo lakho elikhulu langesandla sakho esilamandla langengalo yakho eyeluliweyo) uba esiza akhuleke kulindlu,

43 zwana wena usemazulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala emisiweyo, wenze njengakho konke owezizweni akubizela khona, ukuze izizwe zonke zomhlaba zazi ibizo lakho, zikwesabe, njengabantu bakho uIsrayeli, ukuze zazi ukuthi ibizo lakho libiziwe phezu kwale indlu engiyakhileyo.

44 Uba abantu bakho bephuma impi bemelene lesitha sabo ngendlela obathuma ngayo, babesebekhuleka eNkosini bekhangele emzini owukhethileyo lendlini engiyakhele ibizo lakho,

45 zwana-ke usemazulwini umkhuleko wabo lokuncenga kwabo, wenze udaba lwabo.

46 Uba besona kuwe, ngoba kakulamuntu ongoniyo, ubusubathukuthelela, ubanikele esitheni, ukuze abathumbi babo babathumbele elizweni lesitha, khatshana kumbe eduze,

47 kodwa babuye enhliziyweni yabo elizweni abathunjelwe kilo, baphenduke, bancenge kuwe elizweni lababathumbileyo, besithi: Sonile, saphambeka, senza okubi;

48 babuyele kuwe ngenhliziyo yonke yabo langomphefumulo wonke wabo elizweni lezitha zabo ezibathumbileyo, bakhuleke kuwe bekhangele elizweni labo owalinika oyise, umuzi owawukhethayo, lendlu engiyakhele ibizo lakho,

49 zwana-ke usemazulwini umkhuleko wabo lokuncenga kwabo, endaweni yakho yokuhlala, ubamele.

50 Uthethelele abantu bakho abone kuwe, leziphambeko zabo zonke, abaphambeke ngazo kuwe, ubaphe isihawu phambi kwababathumbileyo, ukuthi babe lesihawu kibo,

51 ngoba bayisizwe sakho, lelifa lakho owabakhupha eGibhithe, phakathi kwesithando sensimbi.

52 Ukuze amehlo akho avulekele ukuncenga kwenceku yakho lokuncenga kwabantu bakho uIsrayeli, ukubezwa kukho konke ukukhala kwabo kuwe.

53 Ngoba wena wazehlukanisela bona babe yilifa bevela kuzo zonke izizwe zomhlaba, njengokukhuluma kwakho ngesandla sikaMozisi, inceku yakho, ekukhupheni kwakho obaba eGibhithe, Nkosi Jehova.

54 Kwasekusithi eseqedile uSolomoni ukukhuleka wonke lo umkhuleko lokuncenga eNkosini, wasukuma esuka ngaphambi kwelathi leNkosi ekuguqeni ngamadolo akhe lezandla zakhe zelulekele emazulwini,

55 wasesima wabusisa ibandla lonke lakoIsrayeli ngelizwi elikhulu esithi:

56 Kayibusiswe iNkosi enike abantu bayo uIsrayeli ukuphumula njengakho konke eyakukhulumayo; kakuwanga lelilodwa ilizwi kuwo wonke amazwi ayo eyawakhuluma ngesandla sikaMozisi inceku yayo.

57 INkosi uNkulunkulu wethu kayibe lathi njengalokhu yayilabobaba, ingasitshiyi ingasideli,

58 ukuze ithobele inhliziyo yethu kuyo, ukuhamba ngazo zonke indlela zayo, lokugcina imilayo yayo lezimiso zayo lezahlulelo zayo, eyakulaya obaba.

59 Lala amazwi ami, engincenga ngawo phambi kweNkosi, abe seduzane leNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu emini lebusuku, ukuze imele udaba lwenceku yayo lodaba lwabantu bayo uIsrayeli, udaba losuku ngosuku lwalo,

60 ukuze izizwe zonke zomhlaba zazi ukuthi iNkosi inguNkulunkulu, kakho omunye.

61 Ngakho inhliziyo yenu kayibe ngepheleleyo kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, ukuhamba ezimisweni zayo, lokugcina imilayo yayo njengalamuhla.

62 Inkosi loIsrayeli wonke elayo basebehlaba umhlatshelo phambi kukaJehova.

63 USolomoni wasehlaba umhlatshelo weminikelo yokuthula awuhlabela uJehova, inkabi ezizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lambili, lezimvu ezizinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi amabili. Ngokunjalo inkosi labo bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli bayehlukanisa indlu kaJehova.

64 Ngalona lolosuku inkosi yangcwelisa iphakathi leguma elalingaphambi kwendlu kaJehova, ngoba lapho yanikela umnikelo wokutshiswa lomnikelo wokudla, lamahwahwa eminikelo yokuthula, ngoba ilathi lethusi elaliphambi kukaJehova lalilincinyane kakhulu ukwanela umnikelo wokutshiswa lomnikelo wokudla lamahwahwa eminikelo yokuthula.

65 Ngalesosikhathi uSolomoni wasesenza idili, loIsrayeli wonke laye, ibandla elikhulu, kusukela ekungeneni kweHamathi kusiya esifuleni seGibhithe, phambi kweNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu, insuku eziyisikhombisa lensuku eziyisikhombisa, insuku ezilitshumi lane.

66 Ngosuku lwesificaminwembili wabayekela abantu bahamba; bayibusisa inkosi, baya emathenteni abo bethokoza bejabula enhliziyweni ngakho konke okuhle iNkosi eyayikwenzele uDavida inceku yayo loIsrayeli abantu bayo.