2 Amakhosi 10
1 Njalo uAhabi wayelamadodana angamatshumi ayisikhombisa eSamariya. UJehu wasebhala izincwadi, wazithumela eSamariya kubabusi beJizereyeli, abadala, lakubondli bamadodana kaAhabi, esithi:
There were seventy descendants of King Ahab who were living there in Samaria. Jehu wrote a letter [and made copies of it] and sent them to the rulers of the city, to the elders, and to those who raised and tutored Ahab’s children.
2 Ngakho-ke nxa lincwadi ifika kini, lokhu amadodana enkosi yenu akini, futhi izinqola lamabhiza kukini, lomuzi obiyelweyo, lezikhali,
[This is what he wrote]: “You are the ones who are [taking care of] the king’s descendants. You have chariots and horses and weapons, and you live in cities that have walls around them. So as soon as you receive this letter,
3 ziboneleni-ke ongcono kakhulu lofaneleyo kulabo bonke ebantwaneni benkosi yenu, limbeke esihlalweni sobukhosi sikayise, lilwele indlu yenkosi yenu.
choose one of the king’s sons, the one who is the best qualified, and appoint him to be your king. Then [prepare to] fight to defend him.”
4 Kodwa besaba kakhulukazi bathi: Khangelani, amakhosi amabili kawemanga phambi kwakhe; thina-ke sizakuma njani?
But [when they got those letters from Jehu and read them], they became very afraid. They said, “King Joram and King Ahaziah could not resist him; (how can we resist him?/we cannot possibly resist him!)” [RHQ]
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 officer who was in charge of the palace and the mayor of the city sent a message to Jehu saying, “We want to serve you, and we are ready to do whatever you tell us to do. We will not appoint anyone to become our king. You do whatever you think is best.”
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.
So Jehu sent a second letter to them, writing this: “If you (are on my side/want to help me), and if you are ready to obey me, [kill] King Ahab’s descendants [and cut off their heads and] bring their heads to me here in Jezreel at this time tomorrow.” The seventy descendants of King Ahab were being brought up and supervised by the leaders of [Samaria] city.
7 Kwasekusithi ekufikeni kwencwadi kubo, bathatha amadodana enkosi, babulala abantu abangamatshumi ayisikhombisa, bafaka amakhanda awo ezitsheni, bawesa kuye eJizereyeli.
When they received the letter from Jehu, they killed all seventy of Ahab’s descendants and [cut off their heads]. 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.
A messenger came to Jehu and told him, “They have brought the heads of Ahab’s descendants.” So Jehu commanded that the heads should be put in two piles at the city gate and that the heads should stay there until the next 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 he went out [to the city gate] and said to all the people, “I am the one who plotted against King Joram and killed him. You are not guilty of doing that. But [it was Yahweh, not I] [RHQ] who [commanded that] all these [descendants of Ahab should be] killed.
10 Yazini khathesi ukuthi kakuyikuwela lutho emhlabathini okwelizwi leNkosi, iNkosi eyalikhuluma ngendlu kaAhabi, ngoba iNkosi yenzile eyakukhulumayo ngesandla senceku yayo uElija.
So you need to know that everything that Yahweh said would happen has happened. He has caused to happen what he told the prophet Elijah would happen.”
11 UJehu wasetshaya bonke ababesele endlini kaAhabi eJizereyeli, lazo zonke izikhulu zakhe, labazana laye, labapristi bakhe, akaze amtshiyela oseleyo.
Then Jehu executed all the other relatives of Ahab in Jezreel, and all Ahab’s officers, and close friends, and his priests. He did not allow any of them to remain alive.
12 Wasesukuma wahamba waya eSamariya. Endlini yokugunda yabelusi endleleni,
Then Jehu left [Jezreel] and went toward Samaria. While he was going there, at a place called ‘Shepherds’ Camp’,
13 uJehu wahlangana labafowabo bakaAhaziya inkosi yakoJuda, wathi: Lingobani? Basebesithi: Singabafowabo bakaAhaziya, sehlela ukubingelela abantwana benkosi, labantwana bendlovukazi.
he met some relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. He asked them, “Who are you?” They replied, “We are relatives of King Ahaziah. We are going to Jezreel to visit the children of Queen Jezebel and the other members of King [Joram’s] family.”
14 Wasesithi: Babambeni bephila. Basebebabamba bephila, bababulalela emgodini weBeti-Ekedi, amadoda angamatshumi amane lambili, katshiyanga loyedwa wabo.
Jehu said to his men, “Seize them!” So they seized them and killed all of them at the pit named Beth-Eked. There were 42 people whom they killed; they did not allow any of them to remain alive.
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.
Then Jehu [continued to travel toward Samaria]. Along the road, he was met by Jonadab, a leader of the Rechab clan. Jehu greeted him and said to him, “Are you as devoted to me [IDM] as I am devoted to you?” Jonadab replied, “Yes, I am.” Jehu said, “If you are, shake hands with me.” So Jonadab shook hands with him, and Jehu helped him to get into his chariot.
16 Wasesithi: Hamba lami, ubone ukuyitshisekela kwami iNkosi. Basebemgadisa enqoleni yakhe.
Jehu said to him, “Come with me, and you will see that I am very devoted to Yahweh.” So they rode together to Samaria.
17 Ekufikeni kwakhe eSamariya wabatshaya bonke ababesele kuAhabi eSamariya waze wamqeda, njengokwelizwi leNkosi eyalikhuluma kuElija.
When they arrived in Samaria, Jehu killed all of Ahab’s relatives who were still alive. He did not (spare any of them/allow any of them to remain alive). That was what Yahweh told Elijah would happen.
18 UJehu wasebuthanisa bonke abantu, wathi kibo: UAhabi wakhonza kancinyane uBhali: UJehu uzamkhonza kakhulu.
Then Jehu summoned all the people [of Samaria], and said to them, “King Ahab was devoted to [your god] Baal a little bit, but I will serve him much 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.
So now summon all the prophets of Baal, all of Baal’s priests, and all the others who worship Baal. I am going to make a great sacrifice to Baal. I want all of them to be there. Any of them who is not there will be executed.” But Jehu was planning to trick them; he was planning to kill all those who worshiped Baal.
20 UJehu wasesithi: Mehlukaniseleni umhlangano onzulu uBhali. Basebewumemezela.
Then Jehu commanded, “Announce that we are going to set aside a day to honor Baal.” So they did that.
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.
Jehu [decided what day they would gather and] sent messages throughout Israel [telling everyone what day to gather on], and on that day, everyone who worshiped Baal came. No one stayed at home. They all went into the huge temple of Baal and filled it from one end to the other.
22 Wasesithi kulowo owayephethe indlu yezembatho: Khuphela bonke abakhonzi bakaBhali izembatho. Wasebakhuphela izembatho.
Jehu told the priest who took care of the sacred robes to bring them out and give them to the people who worshiped Baal. So the priest did that.
23 Wasengena uJehu eloJehonadabi indodana kaRekabi endlini kaBhali, wathi kuzinceku zikaBhali: Hlolani libone ukuthi kakukho kini abezinceku zeNkosi lapha, kodwa izinceku zikaBhali kuphela.
Then Jehu went into the temple of Baal with Jonadab, and he said to the people who were there to worship Baal, “Be sure that only those who worship Baal are here. Be sure that no one who worships Yahweh has come in.”
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.
Then he and Jonadab prepared to offer sacrifices and other offerings to Baal that would be completely burned [on the altar that was there in Samaria]. But Jehu had stationed eighty of his men outside the temple, and had said to them, “I want you to kill all the people [who are in the temple]. Anyone who allows one of them to escape will be executed!”
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.
As soon as Jehu [and Jonadab] had finished killing the animals that would be completely burned to be an offering to Baal, they [went outside and] said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill all of them! Do not allow any of them to escape!” So the guards and officers went in and killed them all with their swords. Then they dragged their corpses outside the temple. Then they went into the inner room of the temple,
26 Bakhupha endlini kaBhali insika eziyizithombe, bazitshisa.
and they carried out the sacred pillar of Baal that was there, and they burned it.
27 Badiliza insika kaBhali eyisithombe, badiliza indlu kaBhali, bayenza yaba yindlu yokuyela ngaphandle kuze kube lamuhla.
So they destroyed that pillar that honored Baal, and then they burned down the temple, and made it a public toilet. And it is still a toilet!
28 Ngokunjalo uJehu wachitha uBhali wamkhupha koIsrayeli.
That is how Jehu got rid of the worship of Baal in Israel.
29 Kodwa ezonweni zikaJerobhowamu indodana kaNebati owenza uIsrayeli one, uJehu kasukanga ekuzilandeleni, amathole egolide ayeseBhetheli lawayekoDani.
But Jehu did not quit committing the kinds of sins that Jeroboam had committed, sins that led the people of Israel to sin by worshiping the gold [statues of] calves in Bethel and Dan [cities].
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.
Then Yahweh said to Jehu, “You have done what pleased me by getting rid of all of Ahab’s descendants. So I promise you that your son and grandson and great-grandson and great-great-grandson will all be kings of Israel.”
31 Kodwa uJehu kaqaphelisanga ukuhamba emlayweni weNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngenhliziyo yakhe yonke; kasukanga ezonweni zikaJerobhowamu owenza uIsrayeli one.
But Jehu did not obey all the laws of Yahweh, the God of the Israeli people. He did not stop committing the sins that Jeroboam had committed, sins that led the Israeli people to sin.
32 Ngalezonsuku iNkosi yaqala ukuquma isusa koIsrayeli. UHazayeli wasebatshaya kuyo yonke imingcele yakoIsrayeli,
At that time, Yahweh began to cause the territory controlled by Israel to become smaller. [The army of] King Hazael [of Syria] conquered much of the Israeli territory.
33 kusukela eJordani empumalanga, ilizwe lonke leGileyadi, abakoGadi labakoRubeni labakoManase, kusukela eAroweri engasesifuleni seArinoni, leGileyadi leBashani.
He conquered the parts east of the Jordan [River], as far south as Aroer [town] on the Arnon [River]. That included [the] Gilead and Bashan [regions], where the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half of the tribe of Manasseh lived.
34 Ezinye-ke zezindaba zikaJehu, lakho konke akwenzayo, lamandla akhe wonke, kakubhalwanga yini egwalweni lwemilando yamakhosi akoIsrayeli?
[If you want to read more] about all the other things that Jehu did [RHQ], they are written in the scroll called ‘The History of the Kings of Israel’.
35 UJehu waselala laboyise, bamngcwabela eSamariya. UJehowahazi indodana yakhe wasesiba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.
Jehu died [EUP], and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz became the king in place of his father.
36 Lesikhathi uJehu abusa ngaso phezu kukaIsrayeli eSamariya sasiyiminyaka engamatshumi amabili lesificaminwembili.
Jehu had ruled in Samaria as the king of Israel for twenty-eight years.
