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 descendants in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, including the elders and the guardians of Ahab's descendants, saying,

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

“Your master's descendants are with you, and you also have chariots and horses and a fortified city and armor. So then, as soon as this letter comes to you,

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

select the best and most deserving of your master's descendants and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's royal line.”

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

But they were terrified and said among themselves, “See, the two kings could not stand before Jehu. So how can we stand?”

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.

Then the man who was in charge of the palace, and the man who was over the city, and the elders also, and they who raised the children, sent word back to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants. We will do everything that you command us. We will not make any man king. Do what is good in your eyes.”

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 a letter the second time to them, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, you must take the heads of the men of your master's descendants, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time.” Now the king's descendants, seventy in number, were with the important men of the city, who were bringing them up.

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

So when the letter came to them, they took the king's sons and killed them, seventy persons, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu in 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, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king's sons.” So he said, “Put them in two heaps at the entrance 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?

In the morning Jehu went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are innocent. See, I plotted 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.

Now you should certainly realize that no part of Yahweh's word, the word that he spoke concerning the family of Ahab, will fall to the ground, for Yahweh has done what he spoke about 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 all who remained in the family of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his important men, his close friends, and his priests, until none of them remained.

12 Wasesukuma wahamba waya eSamariya. Endlini yokugunda yabelusi endleleni,

Then Jehu arose and left; he went to Samaria. As he was arriving at Beth Eked of the shepherd,

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

he met brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah. Jehu said to them, “Who are you?” They answered, “We are brothers of Ahaziah, and we are going down to greet the children of the king and the children of Queen Jezebel.”

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

Jehu said to his own men, “Take them alive.” So they took them alive and killed them at the well of Beth Eked, all forty-two men. He did not leave any of them 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.

When Jehu had left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart with me, as my heart is with yours?” Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” So he gave Jehu his hand, and Jehu took Jehonadab up with him into the chariot.

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

Jehu said, “Come with me and see my zeal for Yahweh.” So he had Jonadab ride along with him in his chariot.

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

When he came to Samaria, Jehu killed all who remained from Ahab's descendants in Samaria, until he had destroyed Ahab's royal line, just as was told them before by the word of Yahweh, which he had spoken to Elijah.

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

Then Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much.

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, all his worshipers, and all his priests. Let no one be left out, for I have a great sacrifice to offer to Baal. Whoever does not come will not live.” But Jehu did this deceitfully, with the intent to kill the worshipers of Baal.

20 UJehu wasesithi: Mehlukaniseleni umhlangano onzulu uBhali. Basebewumemezela.

Jehu said, “Set a time to have an 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 throughout all Israel and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. They came into the temple of Baal, and it was filled from one end to another.

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

Jehu said to the man who kept the priest's wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal.” So the man brought out robes to them.

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

So Jehu went with Jehonadab son of Recab into the house of Baal, and he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search and make sure that there is no one here with you from the servants of Yahweh, but the worshipers of Baal alone.”

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 they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had chosen eighty men who were standing outside, and he told them, “If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escapes, whoever lets that man escape, his life will be taken for the life of the one who escaped.”

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.

So then as soon as Jehu finished offering the burnt offering, he said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in and kill them. Let no one come out.” So they killed them with the edge of the sword, and the guard and the captains threw them out and went into the inner room of the house of Baal.

26 Bakhupha endlini kaBhali insika eziyizithombe, bazitshisa.

They dragged out the stone pillars that were in the house of Baal, and they burned them.

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

Then they broke down the pillar of Baal, and destroyed the house of Baal and made it a latrine, which it is to this day.

28 Ngokunjalo uJehu wachitha uBhali wamkhupha koIsrayeli.

That is how Jehu destroyed Baal worship from Israel.

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

But Jehu did not leave the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, by which he made Israel sin—that is, the worship of the golden calves 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.

So Yahweh said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing what was right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your descendants will sit on 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 care to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, by which he made Israel sin.

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

In those days Yahweh began to cut off regions from Israel, and Hazael defeated the Israelites at the borders 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 Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the Valley of the Arnon, through Gilead to Bashan.

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

As for the other matters concerning Jehu, and all that he did, and all his power, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?

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

Jehu slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in Samaria. Then Jehoahaz his son became king in his place.

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

The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.