2 Amakhosi 17
1 Ngomnyaka wetshumi lambili kaAhazi inkosi yakoJuda uHosheya indodana kaEla waba yinkosi eSamariya phezu kukaIsrayeli; wabusa iminyaka eyisificamunwemunye.
In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel, and reigned nine years.
2 Wasesenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi, loba kunjalo kungenjengamakhosi akoIsrayeli ayengaphambi kwakhe.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, yet not as the kings of Israel that were before him.
3 UShalimaneseri inkosi yeAsiriya wenyuka wamelana laye; uHosheya wasesiba yinceku yakhe, wathela umthelo kuye.
Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and brought him presents.
4 Kodwa inkosi yeAsiriya yafica ugobe kuHosheya, ngoba wayethume izithunywa kuSo inkosi yeGibhithe, kazabe esenyusa umthelo enkosini yeAsiriya umnyaka ngomnyaka. Ngakho inkosi yeAsiriya yamvalela yambopha entolongweni.
And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and offered no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year; therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.
5 Inkosi yeAsiriya yasisenyukela kulo lonke ilizwe, yenyukela eSamariya, yayivimbezela iminyaka emithathu.
Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.
6 Ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye kaHosheya, inkosi yeAsiriya yathumba iSamariya yathumbela uIsrayeli eAsiriya, yabahlalisa eHala leHabori, umfula weGozani, lemizini yamaMede.
In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away unto Assyria, and placed them in Halah, and in Habor, on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
7 Lokhu-ke kwenzeka ngoba abantwana bakoIsrayeli babonile eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo eyayibenyuse elizweni leGibhithe ibasusa ngaphansi kwesandla sikaFaro inkosi yeGibhithe, babesabe abanye onkulunkulu,
And it was so, because the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,
8 bahamba ezimisweni zezizwe iNkosi eyayizixotshe elifeni phambi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli, lezamakhosi akoIsrayeli, ayezenzile.
and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they practised;
9 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli benza ensitha izinto ezingalunganga bemelene leNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo. Babezakhele indawo eziphakemeyo kuyo yonke imizi yabo, kusukela enqabeni yabalindi kuze kube semzini obiyelweyo.
and the children of Israel did impute things that were not right unto the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city;
10 Basebezimisela insika eziyizithombe lezixuku phezu kwawo wonke amaqaqa aphakemeyo langaphansi kwaso sonke isihlahla esiluhlaza.
and they set them up pillars and Asherim upon every high hill, and under every leafy tree;
11 Basebetshisa lapho impepha endaweni zonke eziphakemeyo, njengezizwe iNkosi eyazikhokhelela ekuthunjweni phambi kwabo; benza izinto ezimbi ukuyithukuthelisa iNkosi.
and there they offered in all the high places, as did the nations whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD;
12 Ngoba bakhonza izithombe, iNkosi eyayithe ngazo kubo: Kaliyikuyenza linto.
and they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them: 'Ye shall not do this thing';
13 Kanti iNkosi yafakaza imelene loIsrayeli njalo imelene loJuda ngesandla sabo bonke abaprofethi lababoni bonke isithi: Phendukani endleleni zenu ezimbi, ligcine imithetho yami, izimiso zami, njengokomlayo wonke engawulaya oyihlo lengawuthumela kini ngesandla senceku zami abaprofethi.
yet the LORD forewarned Israel, and Judah, by the hand of every prophet, and of every seer, saying: 'Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by the hand of My servants the prophets';
14 Loba kunjalo kabalalelanga, kodwa benza lukhuni intamo yabo, njengentamo yaboyise, abangakholwanga eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo.
notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their neck, like to the neck of their fathers, who believed not in the LORD their God;
15 Njalo bala izimiso zayo lesivumelwano sayo eyasenza laboyise lezifakazelo zayo eyazifakaza imelene labo, balandela ize, baba yize, balandela izizwe ezazibahanqile, iNkosi eyayibalaye ngazo ukuthi bangenzi njengazo.
and they rejected His statutes, and His covenant that He made with their fathers, and His testimonies wherewith He testified against them; and they went after things of nought, and became nought, and after the nations that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them that they should not do like them;
16 Bayitshiya yonke imilayo yeNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo, bazenzela izithombe ezibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa, amathole amabili, benza isixuku, bakhothamela lonke ibutho lamazulu, bakhonza uBhali.
and they forsook all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal;
17 Benza amadodana abo lamadodakazi abo adabule emlilweni, benza ukuvumisa, benza imilingo, bazithengisela ukwenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi ukuyithukuthelisa.
and they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and gave themselves over to do that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him;
18 Ngakho iNkosi yamthukuthelela kakhulu uIsrayeli, yabasusa ebusweni bayo; kakusalanga loyedwa ngaphandle kwesizwe sakoJuda kuphela.
that the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of His sight; there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
19 Laye uJuda kayigcinanga imilayo yeNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo, kodwa bahamba ngezimiso zikaIsrayeli abazenzayo.
Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they practised.
20 INkosi yasiyala yonke inzalo yakoIsrayeli, yayihlupha, yayinikela esandleni sabaphangi, yaze yabalahla yabasusa phambi kwayo.
And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until He had cast them out of His sight.
21 Ngoba yamdabula uIsrayeli imsusa endlini kaDavida, basebebeka uJerobhowamu indodana kaNebati ukuthi abe yinkosi. UJerobhowamu wamqhuba wamphambula uIsrayeli ekulandeleni iNkosi, wabenza bona isono esikhulu.
For He rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king; and Jeroboam drew Israel away from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin.
22 Ngoba abantwana bakoIsrayeli bahamba ngazo zonke izono zikaJerobhowamu azenzayo, kabasukanga kuzo,
And the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;
23 iNkosi yaze yamsusa uIsrayeli phambi kwayo njengokutsho kwayo ngesandla sazo zonke inceku zayo abaprofethi. Ngakho uIsrayeli wathunjwa wasuswa elizweni lakhe wasiwa eAsiriya kuze kube lamuhla.
until the LORD removed Israel out of His sight, as He spoke by the hand of all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria, unto this day.
24 Inkosi yeAsiriya yasiletha abantu abavela eBhabhiloni labavela eKutha labavela eAva labavela eHamathi labavela eSefavayimi, yabahlalisa emizini yeSamariya esikhundleni sabantwana bakoIsrayeli, badla ilifa leSamariya, bahlala emizini yayo.
And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Avva, and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.
25 Kwasekusithi ekuqaleni kokuhlala kwabo khona kabayesabanga iNkosi; ngakho iNkosi yathumela izilwane phakathi kwabo ezabulala abanye babo.
And so it was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the LORD; therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them.
26 Ngakho bakhuluma enkosini yeAsiriya besithi: Izizwe owazisusayo wazihlalisa emizini yeSamariya kaziwazi umkhuba kaNkulunkulu walelolizwe; ngakho uthumele izilwane phakathi kwazo, khangela-ke ziyazibulala, ngoba kaziwazi umkhuba kaNkulunkulu walelolizwe.
Wherefore they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying: 'The nations which thou hast carried away, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land; therefore He hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.'
27 Inkosi yeAsiriya yasilaya isithi: Yisani khona omunye wabapristi elabathumbayo besuka lapho; kabayehlala khona, kabafundise umkhuba kaNkulunkulu walelolizwe.
Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying: 'Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.'
28 Ngakho omunye wabapristi ababebathumbe besuka eSamariya weza wahlala eBhetheli, wabafundisa ukuthi bangayesaba njani iNkosi.
So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Beth-el, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.
29 Loba kunjalo zonke izizwe zenza onkulunkulu bazo, zabafaka ezindlini zezindawo eziphakemeyo amaSamariya azenzayo, yileso laleso isizwe emizini yazo ezihlala kuyo.
Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt.
30 Labantu beBhabhiloni benza uSukothi-Benothi, labantu beKuthi benza uNerigali, labantu beHamathi benza uAshima,
And the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,
31 lamaAvi enza uNibazi loTaritaki, lamaSefavayimi ayetshisa abantwana bawo emlilweni esenzela uAdrameleki loAnameleki onkulunkulu beSefavayimi.
and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
32 Babeyesaba leNkosi, bazenzela abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo kwabaphansi kakhulu babo, ababebasebenzela ezindlini zezindawo eziphakemeyo.
So they feared the LORD, and made unto them from among themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.
33 Babeyesaba iNkosi, njalo babekhonza onkulunkulu babo njengomkhuba wezizwe ezabathumbayo besuka lapho.
They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.
34 Kuze kube lamuhla benza njengemikhuba yakuqala. Kabayesabi iNkosi, kabenzi njengezimiso zabo lanjengezimiselo zabo lanjengomlayo lanjengomthetho iNkosi eyakulaya abantwana bakaJakobe, owamutha ibizo elithi uIsrayeli.
Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law or after the commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom He named Israel;
35 INkosi eyenza isivumelwano labo, yabalaya isithi: Kaliyikwesaba abanye onkulunkulu, lingabakhothameli, lingabasebenzeli, lingabahlabeli.
with whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying: 'Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow down to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them;
36 Kodwa iNkosi eyalenyusa elizweni leGibhithe ngamandla amakhulu langengalo eyeluliweyo, yona lizayesaba njalo yona lizayikhothamela njalo yona lizayihlabela.
but the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, Him shall ye fear, and Him shall ye worship, and to Him shall ye sacrifice;
37 Lezimiso lezimiselo lomlayo lomthetho eyalibhalela khona, lizaqaphelisa ukukwenza zonke izinsuku, lingesabi abanye onkulunkulu.
and the statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment, which He wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods;
38 Lesivumelwano engasenza lani lingasikhohlwa, lingesabi abanye onkulunkulu.
and the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods;
39 Kodwa iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu lizayesaba; yona-ke izalikhulula esandleni sezitha zenu zonke.
but the LORD your God shall ye fear; and He will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.'
40 Loba kunjalo kabalalelanga, kodwa benza njengomkhuba wabo wakuqala.
Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner.
41 Lezizizwe zayesaba-ke iNkosi, kodwa zakhonza izithombe zazo ezibaziweyo; bobabili abantwana bazo labantwana babantwana bazo, njengokwenza kwaboyise benza labo kuze kube lamuhla.
So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images; their children likewise, and their children's children, as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.
