< 2 Amakhosi 22 >
1 UJosiya wayeleminyaka eyisificaminwembili lapho esiba yinkosi; wabusa iminyaka engamatshumi amathathu lanye eJerusalema. Lebizo likanina lalinguJedida indodakazi kaAdaya weBhozikhathi.
2 Wasesenza okulungileyo emehlweni eNkosi, wahamba ngayo yonke indlela kaDavida uyise, kaze aphambukela ngakwesokunene langakwesokhohlo.
3 Kwasekusithi ngomnyaka wetshumi lesificaminwembili wenkosi uJosiya, inkosi yathuma uShafani indodana kaAzaliya indodana kaMeshulamu, umabhalane, endlini yeNkosi, esithi:
4 Yenyukela kuHilikhiya umpristi omkhulu ukuthi ahlanganise imali elethwe endlini yeNkosi, abalindi bombundu womnyango ababeyiqoqe ebantwini.
5 Kabayinikele esandleni sabenzi bomsebenzi abamiswe phezu kwendlu yeNkosi, kabayinike abenzi bomsebenzi osendlini yeNkosi, ukulungisa izikhala zendlu,
6 kubabazi, lakubakhi, lakubabazi bamatshe, lokuthenga amapulanka lamatshe abaziweyo ukulungisa indlu.
7 Kodwa akubalelwananga labo imali eyayinikelwe esandleni sabo ngoba benza ngokuthembeka.
8 UHilikhiya umpristi omkhulu wasesithi kuShafani umabhalane: Sengifice ugwalo lomlayo endlini yeNkosi. UHilikhiya wasenika uShafani ugwalo, waselufunda.
9 UShafani umabhalane wasefika enkosini, wabuyisela ilizwi enkosini wathi: Izinceku zakho seziyithulule imali eficwe endlini, zayinikela esandleni sabenzi bomsebenzi abamiswe phezu kwendlu yeNkosi.
10 UShafani umabhalane wasebika enkosini esithi: UHilikhiya umpristi unginike ugwalo. UShafani waselufunda phambi kwenkosi.
11 Kwasekusithi inkosi isizwile amazwi ogwalo lomlayo, yadabula izigqoko zayo.
12 Inkosi yasilaya uHilikhiya umpristi loAhikhamu indodana kaShafani loAkhibhori indodana kaMikhaya loShafani umabhalane loAsaya inceku yenkosi, isithi:
13 Hambani liyengibuzela eNkosini mina labantu loJuda wonke mayelana lamazwi alolugwalo oluficiweyo; ngoba yinkulu intukuthelo yeNkosi esesiyibaselwe, ngoba obaba kabawalalelanga amazwi alolugwalo, ukwenza konke okubhaliweyo mayelana lathi.
14 Ngakho uHilikhiya umpristi loAhikhamu loAkhibhori loShafani loAsaya baya kuHulida umprofethikazi umkaShaluma indodana kaTikiva indodana kaHarihasi, umgcini wezigqoko. Wayehlala-ke eJerusalema esiGabeni seSibili. Basebekhuluma laye.
15 Wasesithi kibo: Itsho njalo iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Mtsheleni lowomuntu olithume kimi:
16 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, ngizakwehlisela okubi kulindawo laphezu kwabakhileyo bayo, wonke amazwi ogwalo inkosi yakoJuda elufundileyo.
17 Ngenxa yokuthi bangidelile, batshisela abanye onkulunkulu impepha, ukuze bangithukuthelise ngawo wonke umsebenzi wezandla zabo. Ngakho intukuthelo yami izavutha imelene lale indawo, ingacitshwa.
18 Kodwa enkosini yakoJuda elithumileyo ukubuza eNkosini, lizakutsho njalo kuyo: Itsho njalo iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Mayelana lamazwi eliwezwileyo:
19 Ngoba inhliziyo yakho ibithambile, wazithoba phambi kweNkosi, lapho usizwa engikukhulume ngimelene lalindawo labakhileyo bayo, ukuthi bazakuba yincithakalo lesiqalekiso, wadabula izigqoko zakho, wakhala inyembezi phambi kwami, lami-ke ngizwile, kutsho iNkosi.
20 Ngakho, khangela, ngizakubuthela kuboyihlo, njalo uzabuthelwa engcwabeni lakho ngokuthula, lamehlo akho kawayikubona bonke ububi engizabehlisela phezu kwalindawo. Basebebuyisela ilizwi enkosini.
