< 2 Amakhosi 12 >
1 Ngomnyaka wesikhombisa kaJehu uJehowashi waba yinkosi; wabusa iminyaka engamatshumi amane eJerusalema. Lebizo likanina lalinguZibiya weBherishebha.
2 UJehowashi wasesenza okulungileyo emehlweni eNkosi zonke izinsuku zakhe uJehoyada umpristi amfundisa ngazo.
3 Kodwa indawo eziphakemeyo kazisuswanga; abantu babelokhu benikela imihlatshelo betshisa impepha endaweni eziphakemeyo.
4 UJehowashi wasesithi kubapristi: Yonke imali yezinto ezehlukanisiweyo elethwa endlini kaJehova, imali yalowo lalowo odlulayo kwababaliweyo, imali yalowo lalowo umuntu ayilinganisileyo, yonke imali, okuvela enhliziyweni yaloba nguwuphi umuntu ukuyiletha endlini yeNkosi;
5 abapristi kabayithathe kubo, ngulowo lalowo komejwayeleyo, balungise izikhala zendlu, loba kungaphi lapho okutholwa khona izikhala.
6 Kodwa kwathi ngomnyaka wamatshumi amabili lantathu wenkosi uJehowashi abapristi babengakalungisi izikhala zendlu.
7 Inkosi uJehowashi yasibiza uJehoyada umpristi labapristi, yathi kibo: Kungani lingalungisi izikhala zendlu? Ngakho-ke lingathathi imali kwelibejwayeleyo kodwa liyinikele izikhala zendlu.
8 Abapristi basebevuma ukuthi kabasayikuthatha imali ebantwini lokuthi kabayikulungisa izikhala zendlu.
9 UJehoyada umpristi wasethatha ibhokisi elilodwa, wabhoboza isikhala esivalweni salo, walibeka eceleni kwelathi ngakwesokunene nxa umuntu engena endlini yeNkosi. Abapristi-ke abalinda umbundu bafaka kulo yonke imali eyalethwa endlini yeNkosi.
10 Kwakusithi sebebona ukuthi imali isinengi ebhokisini, umabhalane wenkosi, lompristi omkhulu benyuke, bayibophe bayibale imali eyatholwa endlini yeNkosi.
11 Basebenikela imali elinganisiweyo ezandleni zabenzi bomsebenzi, zababonisi bendlu yeNkosi, bayikhuphela kubabazi bezigodo lakubakhi ababesebenza endlini yeNkosi,
12 lakwabakha ngamatshe lakubabazi bamatshe, lokuthenga izigodo lamatshe abaziweyo ukulungisa izikhala zendlu yeNkosi, lakukho konke okwakhutshelwa indlu ukuyilungisa.
13 Kodwa kayenzelwanga indlu yeNkosi imiganu yesiliva, izindlawu, imiganu yokufafaza, izimpondo zokukhaliswa, laziphi izitsha zegolide lezitsha zesiliva zemali eyalethwa endlini yeNkosi,
14 kodwa bayinika abenzi bomsebenzi, basebelungisa ngayo indlu yeNkosi.
15 Njalo kababalelananga labantu abanikela imali esandleni sabo, ukupha abenzi bomsebenzi, ngoba benza ngokuthembeka.
16 Imali yomnikelo wecala lemali yeminikelo yesono kayilethwanga endlini yeNkosi; yayingeyabapristi.
17 Ngalesosikhathi uHazayeli inkosi yeSiriya wenyuka walwa emelene leGathi, wayithumba. UHazayeli wasekhangelisa ubuso bakhe ukwenyuka amelane leJerusalema.
18 Kodwa uJehowashi inkosi yakoJuda wathatha zonke izinto ezingcwelisiweyo uJehoshafathi loJoramu loAhaziya oyise, amakhosi akoJuda, ababezingcwelisile, lezakhe izinto ezingcwelisiweyo, legolide lonke elatholwa enothweni yendlu kaJehova lendlu yenkosi, wakuthumela kuHazayeli inkosi yeSiriya. Wasesenyuka wasuka eJerusalema.
19 Ezinye-ke zezindaba zikaJowashi, lakho konke akwenzayo, kakubhalwanga yini egwalweni lwemilando yamakhosi akoJuda?
20 Inceku zakhe zasezisukuma zenza ugobe, zamtshaya uJowashi endlini yeMilo eyehlela eSila.
21 Ngoba oJozakari indodana kaShimeyathi loJehozabadi indodana kaShomeri, inceku zakhe, bamtshaya, wafa; basebemngcwaba kuboyise emzini kaDavida. UAmaziya indodana yakhe wasesiba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.