2 Amakhosi 11
1 UAthaliya unina kaAhaziya esebonile ukuthi indodana yakhe ifile, wasukuma wachitha yonke inzalo yesikhosini.
When King Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah saw that her son had been killed, she commanded that all the members of Ahaziah’s family [who might become king] must be executed.
2 Kodwa uJehosheba indodakazi yenkosi uJoramu, udadewabo kaAhaziya, wathatha uJowashi indodana kaAhaziya, wameba phakathi kwamadodana enkosi abulawayo, yena lomlizane wakhe ekamelweni lokulala. Basebemfihla ebusweni bukaAthaliya ukuze angabulawa.
So Ahaziah’s sons were all about to be murdered. But Jehosheba, who was King Jehoram’s daughter and Ahaziah’s half-sister, took Ahaziah’s [very young] son Joash and hid him and (his nursemaid/the woman who took care of him) in a bedroom [in the temple]. So he was not killed.
3 Wayelaye-ke efihliwe endlini yeNkosi iminyaka eyisithupha; uAthaliya wasebusa phezu kwelizwe.
He stayed with Jehosheba for six years. All during that time, he remained hidden in the temple, while Athaliah ruled [Judah].
4 Ngomnyaka wesikhombisa uJehoyada wasethuma wathatha izinduna zamakhulu, lamaKariti kanye labalindi, wabaletha kuye endlini yeNkosi. Wenza isivumelwano labo, wabafungisa endlini yeNkosi, wabatshengisa indodana yenkosi.
But during the next year, Jehoiada the Supreme Priest summoned the officers who supervised the royal bodyguards and the palace guards. He told them to come to the temple. There he required them to solemnly promise that they would do what he told them to do. And he showed King Ahaziah’s son Joash to them.
5 Wasebalaya esithi: Nansi into elizayenza: Ingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu yenu elingena ngesabatha izakuba ngabalindi bomlindo wendlu yenkosi,
He gave them these instructions: “There are three groups of you guards. When one group finishes their work on the Sabbath day, [divide yourselves into] three smaller groups. One group must guard the palace.
6 lengxenye eyodwa kwezintathu izakuba sesangweni leSuri, lengxenye eyodwa kwezintathu esangweni ngemva kwabalindi; ngokunjalo lizalinda umlindo wendlu, ingafohlelwa.
Another group must guard at the Sur Gate. The other group must guard at the gate behind the other groups.
7 Lengxenye ezimbili zenu lonke eliphuma ngesabatha, bona bazagcina umlindo wendlu yeNkosi mayelana lenkosi.
The two groups that are not working on the Sabbath day must guard the temple [to protect little King Joash].
8 Lizazingelezela inkosi inhlangothi zonke, ngulowo lalowo elezikhali esandleni sakhe; lozangena kokuhleliweyo uzabulawa. Libe lenkosi ekuphumeni kwayo lekungeneni kwayo.
You must stand around the king wherever he goes, with your weapons in your hands. You must kill anyone who comes near you.”
9 Induna zamakhulu zasezisenza njengakho konke uJehoyada umpristi akulayayo; zathatha, yileyo laleyo abantu bayo abangena ngesabatha lalabo abaphuma ngesabatha, zafika kuJehoyada umpristi.
The officers [who supervised the guards] did what Jehoiada told them to do. Each one brought to Jehoiada the guards that he supervised—the guards who were just finishing their work and those who were about to start their work on the Sabbath day.
10 Umpristi wasenika izinduna zamakhulu imikhonto lezihlangu ezazingezenkosi uDavida ezazisendlini yeNkosi.
The priest distributed to the commanders of the guards the spears and shields that had belonged to King David, that were kept/stored in the temple.
11 Abalindi basebesima, ngulowo lalowo elezikhali esandleni sakhe, kusukela kwesokunene sendlu kusiya kwesokhohlo sendlu, ngaselathini langasendlini, enkosini inhlangothi zonke.
Then he commanded all the guards to stand in their positions, each one with his sword in his hand, all around the young king.
12 Waseyikhupha indodana yenkosi, wayethesa umqhele, wayinika ubufakazi; bayibeka yaba yinkosi, bayigcoba, batshaya izandla, basebesithi: Kayiphile inkosi!
Then he brought Joash out. He put the crown on his head and gave him a scroll on which were written the rules [that the kings needed to obey]. Then he poured some olive oil on Joash’s head and proclaimed that he was now the king. The people all clapped their hands and shouted, “We desire/hope that the king will live for many years!”
13 UAthaliya esizwa umsindo wabalindi lowabantu waya ebantwini endlini yeNkosi;
When Athaliah heard the noise that was being made by the guards and the other people, she ran to the temple, where the people were gathered.
14 wabona, khangela-ke, inkosi yayimi ngasensikeni njengomkhuba, lezinduna labavutheli bezimpondo bengasenkosini, labantu bonke belizwe bethokoza bavuthela izimpondo. UAthaliya wasedabula izigqoko zakhe, wamemeza wathi: Ugobe! Ugobe!
She saw the new king standing there alongside one of the big pillars, which was the place at the temple where the kings usually stood. She saw that he was surrounded by the temple officers and men blowing trumpets, and that the people were shouting joyfully, and [some of] them were also blowing trumpets. She tore her clothes [to show her distress] and shouted, “You are traitors! You have tricked/deceived me!”
15 UJehoyada umpristi waselaya induna zamakhulu, abaphathi bebutho, wathi kubo: Mkhupheleni ngaphandle kokuhleliweyo, lomlandelayo limbulale ngenkemba. Ngoba umpristi wathi: Kangabulawelwa endlini kaJehova.
Jehoiada [immediately] said, “Kill her, but do not kill her here at the temple of Yahweh! Take her away between two rows of guards. And kill anyone who tries to rescue her!”
16 Basebembamba ngezandla, wasehamba ngendlela yokungena kwamabhiza endlini yenkosi, wabulawelwa khonapho.
[She tried to flee, but] the guards seized her and took her to the palace, to the place where horses enter the courtyard. They killed her there.
17 UJehoyada wasesenza isivumelwano phakathi kukaJehova lenkosi labantu ukuthi babe ngabantu bakaJehova; laphakathi kwenkosi labantu.
Then Jehoiada made a solemn agreement between the king and the people, that they would always (obey/be faithful to) Yahweh. He also made an agreement requiring the people to be loyal to Joash their king.
18 Bonke abantu belizwe basebengena endlini kaBhali, bayidilizela phansi; amalathi akhe lezithombe zakhe baziphahlaza ngokupheleleyo, loMathani umpristi kaBhali bambulala phambi kwamalathi. Umpristi wasebeka abaphathi phezu kwendlu yeNkosi.
Then all the people of Israel who were there went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and the statues of Baal. They also killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. Jehoiada stationed/put guards at the temple of Yahweh.
19 Wasethatha izinduna zamakhulu lamaKariti labalindi labo bonke abantu belizwe, bayehlisa inkosi isuka endlini kaJehova, beza ngendlela yesango labalindi endlini yenkosi. Yasihlala esihlalweni sobukhosi samakhosi.
Then he and the officers of the temple, the officers who supervised the royal bodyguards, and the king’s bodyguards brought the king from the temple to the palace. All the people [followed them]. Joash entered the palace at the Guard Gate and sat down on the throne, [which showed that he was the new king].
20 Bonke abantu belizwe basebethokoza. Umuzi wasusiba lokuthula, sebembulele uAthaliya ngenkemba ngasendlini yenkosi.
All the people of Judah rejoiced. And because Athaliah had been killed, the city was quiet/calm.
21 UJehowashi wayeleminyaka eyisikhombisa lapho esiba yinkosi.
Joash was seven years old when he became the king [of Judah].
