2 Amakhosi 10

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

And Achab had seventy sons in Samaria: so Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the chief men of the city, and to the ancients, and to them that brought up Achab’s children, saying:

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

As soon as you receive these letters, ye that have your master’s sons, and chariots, and horses, and fenced cities, and armour,

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

Choose the best, and him that shall please you most of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for the house of your master.

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

But they were exceedingly afraid, and said: Behold two kings could not stand before him, and how shall we be able to resist?

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.

Therefore the overseers of the house, and the rulers of the city, and the ancients, and the tutors sent to Jehu, saying: We are thy servants, whatsoever thou shalt command us we will do, neither will we make us a king: do thou all that pleaseth thee.

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.

And he wrote letters the second time to them, saying: If you be mine, and will obey me, take the heads of the sons of your master, and come to me to Jezrahel by tomorrow this time. Now the king’s sons, being seventy men, were brought up with the chief 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 letters came to them, they took the king’s sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezrahel.

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

And a messenger came, and told him, saying: They have brought the heads of the king’s sons. And he said: Lay ye them in two heaps by the entering in of the gate until the morning.

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

And when it was light, he went out, and standing said to all the people: You are just: if I conspired against my master, and slew him, who hath slain all these?

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

See therefore now that there hath not fallen to the ground any of the words of the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Achab, and the Lord hath done that which he spoke in the hand of his servant Elias.

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

So Jehu slew all that were left of the house of Achab in Jezrahel, and all his chief men, and his friends, and his priests, till there were no remains left of him.

12 Wasesukuma wahamba waya eSamariya. Endlini yokugunda yabelusi endleleni,

And he arose, and went to Samaria: and when he was come to the shepherds’ cabin in the way,

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

He met with the brethren of Ochozias king of Juda, and he said to them: Who are you? And they answered: We are the brethren of Ochozias, and are come down to salute the sons of the king, and the sons of the queen.

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

And he said: Take them alive. And they took them alive, and killed them at the pit by the cabin, two and forty men, and he left not any 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.

And when he was departed thence, he found Jonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him, and he blessed him. And he said to him: Is thy heart right as my heart is with thy heart? And Jonadab said: It is. If it be, said he, give me thy hand. He gave him his hand. And he lifted him up to him into the chariot,

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

And he said to him: Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord. So he made him ride in his chariot,

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

And brought him into Samaria. And he slew all that were left of Achab in Samaria, to a man, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Elias.

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

And Jehu gathered together all the people, and said to them: Achab worshipped Baal a little, but I will worship him more.

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 call to me all the prophets of Baal, and all his servants, and all his priests: let none be wanting, for I have a great sacrifice to offer to Baal: whosoever shall be wanting shall not live. Now Jehu did this craftily, that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.

20 UJehu wasesithi: Mehlukaniseleni umhlangano onzulu uBhali. Basebewumemezela.

And he said: Proclaim a festival for Baal. And he called,

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.

And he sent into all the borders of Israel, and all the servants of Baal came: there was not one left that did not come. And they went into the temple of Baal: and the house of Baal was filled, from one end to the other.

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

And he said to them that were over the wardrobe: Bring forth garments for all the servants of Baal. And they brought them forth garments.

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

And Jehu and Jonadab the son of Rechab went to the temple of Baal, and said to the worshippers of Baal: Search, and see that there be not any with you of the servants of the Lord, but that there be the servants of Baal only.

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: but Jehu had prepared him fourscore men without, and said to them: If any of the men escape, whom I have brought into your hands, he that letteth him go shall answer life for life.

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.

And it came to pass, when the burnt offering was ended, that Jehu commanded his soldiers and captains, saying: Go in, and kill them, let none escape. And the soldiers and captains slew them with the edge of the sword, and cast them out: and they went into the city of the temple of Baal,

26 Bakhupha endlini kaBhali insika eziyizithombe, bazitshisa.

And brought the statue out of Baal’s temple, and burnt it,

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

And broke it in pieces. They destroyed also the temple of Baal, and made a jakes in its place unto this day.

28 Ngokunjalo uJehu wachitha uBhali wamkhupha koIsrayeli.

So Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel:

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

But yet he departed not from the sills of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who made Israel to sin, nor did he forsake the golden calves that were in 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.

And the Lord said to Jehu: Because thou hast diligently executed that which was right and pleasing in my eyes, and hast done to the house of Achab according to all that was in my heart: thy children shall sit upon the throne of Israel to the fourth Generation.

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

But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord the God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel to sin.

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

In those days the Lord began to he weary of Israel: and Hazael ravaged them in all the coasts of Israel,

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

From the Jordan eastward, all the land of Galaad, and Gad, and Ruben, and Manasses, from Aroer, which is upon the torrent Amen, and Galaad, and Basan.

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

But the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and his strength, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

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

And Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria: and Joachaz his son reigned in his stead.

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

And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel, in Samaria, was eight and twenty years.