2 Imilando 14
1 UAbhiya waselala laboyise, bamngcwabela emzini kaDavida. UAsa indodana yakhe wasesiba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe. Ensukwini zakhe ilizwe laba lokuthula iminyaka elitshumi.
Abijah died and was buried in the City of David. His son Asa took over as king. For ten years of his reign the country was at peace.
2 UAsa wasesenza okuhle lokulungileyo emehlweni eNkosi uNkulunkulu wakhe.
Asa did what was good and right in the Lord's sight.
3 Ngoba wasusa amalathi awemzini lendawo eziphakemeyo, wadiliza insika eziyizithombe, wagamula izixuku.
He took down the foreign altars and high places, smashed their sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles.
4 Wasesithi kuJuda kabayidinge iNkosi, uNkulunkulu waboyise, lokuthi bagcine umthetho lomlayo.
He ordered Judah to worship the Lord, the God of their forefathers, and to observe the law and the commandments.
5 Wasesusa kuyo yonke imizi yakoJuda indawo eziphakemeyo lamalathi okutshisela impepha. Lombuso waba lokuthula phambi kwakhe.
He also took down the high places and the incense altars from all the towns of Judah. Under his rule the kingdom was at peace.
6 Wasesakha imizi ebiyelweyo koJuda, ngoba ilizwe lalilokuthula, njalo kungelampi laye ngaleyominyaka, ngoba iNkosi yamphumuza.
Because the country was at peace he was able to rebuild the fortified towns of Judah. There were no wars during these years because the Lord had granted him peace.
7 Wasesithi kuJuda: Asiyakheni limizi, siyizingelezele ngemiduli, lemiphotshongo, amasango, lemigoqo, ilizwe lisesephambi kwethu; ngoba siyidingile iNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu, siyidingile, yasinika ukuthula inhlangothi zonke. Basebesakha, baphumelela.
Asa told the people of Judah, “Let us build up these towns and surround them with walls and towers and barred gates. The land is still ours, because we continue to worship the Lord our God. We worship him, and he has given us peace from all our enemies.” So they began the building projects, and completed them successfully.
8 Njalo uAsa wayelebutho labazinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amathathu abavela koJuda, bethwele ihawu lomkhonto, labazinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amabili lamatshumi ayisificaminwembili abavela koBhenjamini bethwele isihlangu esikhulu benyathela idandili; bonke laba babengamaqhawe alamandla.
Asa had an army made up of three hundred thousand men from Judah who carried large shields and spears, and two hundred eighty thousand men from Benjamin who carried regular shields and bows. All of them were brave warriors.
9 UZera umEthiyophiya wasephuma ukumelana labo elebutho eliyinkulungwane yezinkulungwane lezinqola ezingamakhulu amathathu, wasefika eMaresha.
Zerah the Ethiopian attacked them with an army of a thousand times a thousand men and three hundred chariots, advancing as far as Mareshah.
10 UAsa wasephuma ukumelana laye, bahlela impi esihotsheni seZefatha eMaresha.
Asa went out to confront him, lining up for battle in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
11 UAsa wasekhala eNkosini uNkulunkulu wakhe wathi: Nkosi, kakusilutho kuwe ukunceda, loba kwabanengi loba kwabangelamandla; sisize, Nkosi Nkulunkulu wethu, ngoba seyeme kuwe; njalo ngebizo lakho sizemelana lalelixuku; Nkosi, wena unguNkulunkulu wethu; umuntu kangakwehluli.
Asa called out for help to the Lord his God: “Lord, there is no one apart from you who can help the powerless against the powerful. Please help us, Lord our God, for we trust in you. We have come against this horde because we stand for you, Lord. You are our God. Do not let a mere human being beat you.”
12 Ngakho iNkosi yawatshaya amaEthiyophiya phambi kukaAsa laphambi kukaJuda; amaEthiyophiya asebaleka.
The Lord struck the Ethiopians in front of Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians ran away.
13 UAsa labantu ababelaye baxotshana lawo kwaze kwaba seGerari; kwasekusiwa kumaEthiyophiya okokuthi kakwaze kwaba lokuvuseleleka kiwo, ngoba acotshodiswa phambi kweNkosi laphambi kwebutho layo. Basebemuka lempango enengi kakhulu.
Asa and his army chased them as far as Gerar. The Ethiopians were killed—there were none who survived, for they were caught between the Lord and his army. The men of Judah carried off a large amount of plunder.
14 Basebetshaya yonke imizi ezingelezele iGerari, ngoba uvalo lweNkosi lwaluphezu kwayo. Basebephanga yonke imizi, ngoba kwakulempango enengi kiyo.
They also attacked all the towns around Gerar, because the inhabitants were terrified of the Lord. The men of Judah took a large amount of plunder from all the towns.
15 Basebetshaya lamathente ezifuyo, bathumba izimvu ezinengi lamakamela, babuyela eJerusalema.
Then they attacked the camps of the herdsmen and took many sheep and camels. Then they went back to Jerusalem.
