2 Amakhosi 10

1 Njalo uAhabi wayelamadodana angamatshumi ayisikhombisa eSamariya. UJehu wasebhala izincwadi, wazithumela eSamariya kubabusi beJizereyeli, abadala, lakubondli bamadodana kaAhabi, esithi:

Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, saying:

2 Ngakho-ke nxa lincwadi ifika kini, lokhu amadodana enkosi yenu akini, futhi izinqola lamabhiza kukini, lomuzi obiyelweyo, lezikhali,

“When this letter arrives, since your master’s sons are with you and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city and weaponry,

3 ziboneleni-ke ongcono kakhulu lofaneleyo kulabo bonke ebantwaneni benkosi yenu, limbeke esihlalweni sobukhosi sikayise, lilwele indlu yenkosi yenu.

select the best and most worthy son of your master, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”

4 Kodwa besaba kakhulukazi bathi: Khangelani, amakhosi amabili kawemanga phambi kwakhe; thina-ke sizakuma njani?

But they were terrified and reasoned, “If two kings could not stand against him, how can we?”

5 Umphathi wendlu lomphathi womuzi labadala labondli babantwana bathumela kuJehu besithi: Siyizinceku zakho, sizakwenza konke okutshoyo kithi. Kasiyikubeka muntu abe yinkosi. Yenza okuhle emehlweni akho.

So the palace administrator, the overseer of the city, the elders, and the guardians sent a message to Jehu: “We are your servants, and we will do whatever you say. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever is good in your sight.”

6 Wasebabhalela incwadi okwesibili esithi: Uba lingabami, lilalela ilizwi lami, thathani amakhanda alawomadoda, amadodana enkosi yenu, lize kimi eJizereyeli ngalesisikhathi kusasa. Lamadodana enkosi, abantu abangamatshumi ayisikhombisa, ayelezikhulu zomuzi ezaziwakhulisa.

Then Jehu wrote them a second letter and said: “If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, then bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” Now the sons of the king, seventy in all, were being brought up by the leading men of the city.

7 Kwasekusithi ekufikeni kwencwadi kubo, bathatha amadodana enkosi, babulala abantu abangamatshumi ayisikhombisa, bafaka amakhanda awo ezitsheni, bawesa kuye eJizereyeli.

And when the letter arrived, they took the sons of the king and slaughtered all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

8 Kwasekusiza isithunywa sambikela sisithi: Sebewalethile amakhanda amadodana enkosi. Wasesithi: Abekeni abe zinqumbi ezimbili ekungeneni kwesango kuze kube sekuseni.

When the messenger arrived, he told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the sons of the king.” And Jehu ordered, “Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”

9 Kwasekusithi ekuseni waphuma wema wathi ebantwini bonke: Lina lilungile. Khangelani, mina ngenzela inkosi yami ugobe, ngayibulala; pho, ngubani obulele bonke laba?

The next morning, Jehu went out and stood before all the people and said, “You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him. But who killed all these?

10 Yazini khathesi ukuthi kakuyikuwela lutho emhlabathini okwelizwi leNkosi, iNkosi eyalikhuluma ngendlu kaAhabi, ngoba iNkosi yenzile eyakukhulumayo ngesandla senceku yayo uElija.

Know, then, that not a word the LORD has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail, for the LORD has done what He promised through His servant Elijah.”

11 UJehu wasetshaya bonke ababesele endlini kaAhabi eJizereyeli, lazo zonke izikhulu zakhe, labazana laye, labapristi bakhe, akaze amtshiyela oseleyo.

So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his great men and close friends and priests, leaving him without a single survivor.

12 Wasesukuma wahamba waya eSamariya. Endlini yokugunda yabelusi endleleni,

Then Jehu set out toward Samaria. At Beth-eked of the Shepherds,

13 uJehu wahlangana labafowabo bakaAhaziya inkosi yakoJuda, wathi: Lingobani? Basebesithi: Singabafowabo bakaAhaziya, sehlela ukubingelela abantwana benkosi, labantwana bendlovukazi.

Jehu met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, “Who are you?” “We are relatives of Ahaziah,” they answered, “and we have come down to greet the sons of the king and of the queen mother.”

14 Wasesithi: Babambeni bephila. Basebebabamba bephila, bababulalela emgodini weBeti-Ekedi, amadoda angamatshumi amane lambili, katshiyanga loyedwa wabo.

Then Jehu ordered, “Take them alive.” So his men took them alive, then slaughtered them at the well of Beth-eked—forty-two men. He spared none of them.

15 Esesukile lapho wahlangana loJehonadabi indodana kaRekabi ezemhlangabeza; wambingelela wathi kuye: Inhliziyo yakho iqondile yini, njengoba inhliziyo yami ikanye lenhliziyo yakho? UJehonadabi wasesithi: Injalo. Uba kunjalo, ngipha isandla sakho. Wasemnika isandla sakhe; wasemkhweza enqoleni kuye.

When he left there, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, “Is your heart as true to mine as my heart is to yours?” “It is!” Jehonadab replied. “If it is,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand, and Jehu helped him into his chariot,

16 Wasesithi: Hamba lami, ubone ukuyitshisekela kwami iNkosi. Basebemgadisa enqoleni yakhe.

saying, “Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD!” So he had him ride in his chariot.

17 Ekufikeni kwakhe eSamariya wabatshaya bonke ababesele kuAhabi eSamariya waze wamqeda, njengokwelizwi leNkosi eyalikhuluma kuElija.

When Jehu came to Samaria, he struck down everyone belonging to Ahab who remained there, until he had destroyed them, according to the word that the LORD had spoken to Elijah.

18 UJehu wasebuthanisa bonke abantu, wathi kibo: UAhabi wakhonza kancinyane uBhali: UJehu uzamkhonza kakhulu.

Then Jehu brought all the people together and said, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot.

19 Ngakho-ke ngibizelani abaprofethi bakaBhali bonke, izinceku zakhe zonke labo bonke abapristi bakhe, kungabi lamuntu ongekho, ngoba ngilomhlatshelo omkhulu kuBhali; loba ngubani ongayikuba khona kayikuphila. Kodwa uJehu wakwenza ngobuqili ukuze abulale izinceku zikaBhali.

Now, therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. See that no one is missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.

20 UJehu wasesithi: Mehlukaniseleni umhlangano onzulu uBhali. Basebewumemezela.

And Jehu commanded, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they announced it.

21 UJehu wasethumela kuye wonke uIsrayeli; zonke izinceku zikaBhali zasezisiza, kakwaze kwasala loyedwa ongabuyanga. Bangena endlini kaBhali, yaze yagcwala indlu kaBhali kusukela emsamo kusiya emnyango.

Then Jehu sent word throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; there was not a man who failed to show. They entered the temple of Baal, and it was filled from end to end.

22 Wasesithi kulowo owayephethe indlu yezembatho: Khuphela bonke abakhonzi bakaBhali izembatho. Wasebakhuphela izembatho.

And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out garments for them.

23 Wasengena uJehu eloJehonadabi indodana kaRekabi endlini kaBhali, wathi kuzinceku zikaBhali: Hlolani libone ukuthi kakukho kini abezinceku zeNkosi lapha, kodwa izinceku zikaBhali kuphela.

Next, Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab entered the temple of Baal, and Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Look around to see that there are no servants of the LORD here among you—only servants of Baal.”

24 Sebengene ukwenza imihlatshelo leminikelo yokutshiswa, uJehu wazimisela amadoda angamatshumi ayisificaminwembili ngaphandle, wasesithi: Umuntu oyekela enye kumadoda engiwabeka ezandleni zenu iphunyuke, impilo yakhe izakuba sendaweni yempilo yayo.

And they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and warned them, “If anyone allows one of the men I am delivering into your hands to escape, he will forfeit his life for theirs.”

25 Kwasekusithi eseqedile ukwenza iminikelo yokutshiswa, uJehu wasesithi kubalindi lezinduneni: Ngenani libatshaye, kungaphumi muntu. Basebebatshaya ngobukhali benkemba; abalindi lezinduna basebebaphosela phandle, baya emzini wendlu kaBhali.

When he had finished making the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill them. Do not let anyone out.” So the guards and officers put them to the sword, threw the bodies out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.

26 Bakhupha endlini kaBhali insika eziyizithombe, bazitshisa.

They brought out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it.

27 Badiliza insika kaBhali eyisithombe, badiliza indlu kaBhali, bayenza yaba yindlu yokuyela ngaphandle kuze kube lamuhla.

They also demolished the sacred pillar of Baal. Then they tore down the temple of Baal and made it into a latrine, which it is to this day.

28 Ngokunjalo uJehu wachitha uBhali wamkhupha koIsrayeli.

Thus Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel,

29 Kodwa ezonweni zikaJerobhowamu indodana kaNebati owenza uIsrayeli one, uJehu kasukanga ekuzilandeleni, amathole egolide ayeseBhetheli lawayekoDani.

but he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.

30 INkosi yasisithi kuJehu: Ngoba wenze kuhle ngokwenza okulungileyo emehlweni ami, wenza endlini kaAhabi njengakho konke okwakusenhliziyweni yami, amadodana akho kuze kube sesizukulwaneni sesine azahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sakoIsrayeli.

Nevertheless, the LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in My sight and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.”

31 Kodwa uJehu kaqaphelisanga ukuhamba emlayweni weNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngenhliziyo yakhe yonke; kasukanga ezonweni zikaJerobhowamu owenza uIsrayeli one.

Yet Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

32 Ngalezonsuku iNkosi yaqala ukuquma isusa koIsrayeli. UHazayeli wasebatshaya kuyo yonke imingcele yakoIsrayeli,

In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory

33 kusukela eJordani empumalanga, ilizwe lonke leGileyadi, abakoGadi labakoRubeni labakoManase, kusukela eAroweri engasesifuleni seArinoni, leGileyadi leBashani.

from the Jordan eastward through all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh), and from Aroer by the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.

34 Ezinye-ke zezindaba zikaJehu, lakho konke akwenzayo, lamandla akhe wonke, kakubhalwanga yini egwalweni lwemilando yamakhosi akoIsrayeli?

As for the rest of the acts of Jehu, along with all his accomplishments and all his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

35 UJehu waselala laboyise, bamngcwabela eSamariya. UJehowahazi indodana yakhe wasesiba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.

And Jehu rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz reigned in his place.

36 Lesikhathi uJehu abusa ngaso phezu kukaIsrayeli eSamariya sasiyiminyaka engamatshumi amabili lesificaminwembili.

So the duration of Jehu’s reign over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.