< 2 Amakhosi 23 >
1 Inkosi yasithumela, basebebuthanisa kuye bonke abadala bakoJuda labeJerusalema.
2 Inkosi yasisenyukela endlini kaJehova, lawo wonke amadoda akoJuda labo bonke abahlali beJerusalema kanye laye, labapristi labaprofethi, labo bonke abantu kusukela komncinyane kusiya komkhulu, yasifunda endlebeni zabo wonke amazwi ogwalo lwesivumelwano olwaficwa endlini yeNkosi.
3 Inkosi yema-ke ngasensikeni, yenza isivumelwano phambi kweNkosi, sokuhamba emva kweNkosi, lokugcina imilayo yayo lemithetho yayo lezimiso zayo ngenhliziyo yonke langomphefumulo wonke, ukuqinisa amazwi alesisivumelwano abhaliweyo kulolugwalo. Bonke abantu basebesima esivumelwaneni.
4 Inkosi yasilaya uHilikhiya umpristi omkhulu labapristi besigaba sesibili labalindi bombundu womnyango ukuthi bakhuphe ethempelini leNkosi zonke izitsha ezazenzelwe uBhali lesixuku lebutho lonke lamazulu, wazitshisela ngaphandle kweJerusalema eziqintini zeKidroni, wathwalela umlotha wazo eBhetheli.
5 Wasesusa abapristi bezithombe amakhosi akoJuda ayebabekile ukuthi batshise impepha endaweni eziphakemeyo, emizini yakoJuda, lendawo ezizingelezele iJerusalema, lalabo ababetshisa impepha kuBhali, elangeni, lenyangeni, lezinkanyezini, lebuthweni lonke lamazulu.
6 Wakhupha isixuku endlini yeNkosi, ngaphandle kweJerusalema, wasisa esifuleni iKidroni, wasitshisa esifuleni iKidroni, wasichola saba luthuli, waphosela uthuli lwaso emangcwabeni abantwana babantu.
7 Wadiliza izindlu zezinkotshana ezazingasendlini yeNkosi lapho abesifazana ababeselukela khona amaveyili esixuku.
8 Wakhupha bonke abapristi emizini yakoJuda, wangcolisa indawo eziphakemeyo lapho abapristi ababetshisela khona impepha, kusukela eGeba kusiya eBherishebha. Wadiliza indawo eziphakemeyo zamasango ezisekungeneni kwesango likaJoshuwa umbusi womuzi, ezazingakwesokhohlo somuntu esangweni lomuzi.
9 Loba kunjalo abapristi bendawo eziphakemeyo kabenyukelanga elathini leNkosi eJerusalema, kodwa badla izinkwa ezingelamvubelo phakathi kwabafowabo.
10 Wasengcolisa iTofethi elisesihotsheni sendodana kaHinomu ukuze kungabi khona umuntu odabulisa indodana yakhe kumbe indodakazi yakhe emlilweni kuMoleki.
11 Wasesusa amabhiza amakhosi akoJuda ayewanikele elangeni ekungeneni kwendlu yeNkosi, ngasekamelweni likaNathani-Meleki umthenwa elalisekhulusini, wazitshisa inqola zelanga ngomlilo.
12 Lamalathi ayesephahleni lwendlu kaAhazi engaphezulu awenzayo amakhosi akoJuda, lamalathi uManase ayewenzile emagumeni womabili endlu yeNkosi, inkosi yawadiliza yawachoboza iwasusa lapho, yaluphosela uthuli lwawo esifuleni iKidroni.
13 Lendawo eziphakemeyo, ezaziphambi kweJerusalema, ezazingakwesokunene sentaba yokubola, uSolomoni inkosi yakoIsrayeli eyayizakhele uAshitarothi isinengiso samaSidoni, loKemoshi isinengiso samaMowabi, loMilkomu isinengiso sabantwana bakoAmoni, inkosi yazingcolisa.
14 Wasephahlaza insika eziyizithombe, wagamula izixuku, wagcwalisa izindawo zazo ngamathambo abantu.
15 Lelathi lalo elaliseBhetheli, lendawo ephakemeyo, ayenzayo uJerobhowamu indodana kaNebati owenza uIsrayeli ukuthi one, kokubili lelolathi lendawo ephakemeyo wakudiliza, watshisa indawo ephakemeyo, wayichoboza yaba luthuli, watshisa isixuku.
16 Lapho uJosiya ephenduka wabona amangcwaba ayelapho entabeni, wathuma wasekhupha amathambo emangcwabeni, wawatshisela phezu kwelathi, walingcolisa, njengelizwi leNkosi umuntu kaNkulunkulu ayelimemezele, owamemezela lamazwi.
17 Wasesithi: Yisikhumbuzo sani lesiyana engisibonayo? Abantu bomuzi basebesithi kuye: Lingcwaba lomuntu kaNkulunkulu owavela koJuda wamemezela lezizinto ozenzileyo umelene lelathi leBhetheli.
18 Wasesithi: Myekeleni, kakungabi lamuntu othinta amathambo akhe. Basebewayekela amathambo akhe kanye lamathambo omprofethi owavela eSamariya.
19 Njalo lazo zonke izindlu zezindawo eziphakemeyo ezisemizini yeSamariya, amakhosi akoIsrayeli ayezenzile ukuthukuthelisa, uJosiya wazisusa, wenza kizo njengayo yonke imisebenzi ayeyenze eBhetheli.
20 Wasebulala bonke abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo, ababekhonapho, phezu kwamalathi, watshisa amathambo abantu phezu kwawo. Wasebuyela eJerusalema.
21 Inkosi yasilaya bonke abantu isithi: Gcinani iphasika eNkosini uNkulunkulu wenu, njengalokhu kubhaliwe kulolugwalo lwesivumelwano.
22 Ngoba kwakungagcinwanga elinjengaleli iphasika kusukela ensukwini zabehluleli abehlulela uIsrayeli, kumbe kuzo zonke izinsuku zamakhosi akoIsrayeli, kumbe zamakhosi akoJuda.
23 Kodwa ngomnyaka wetshumi lesificaminwembili wenkosi uJosiya lagcinwa leliphasika eNkosini eJerusalema.
24 Ngaphezu kwalokho-ke abalamadlozi, labalumbayo, lamatherafi, lezithombe, lawo wonke amanyala abonakala elizweni lakoJuda leJerusalema, uJosiya wakususa, ukuze aqinise amazwi omlayo ayebhalwe ogwalweni uHilikhiya umpristi alufica endlini yeNkosi.
25 Langaphambi kwakhe kakubanga khona inkosi eyafanana laye eyaphendukela eNkosini ngenhliziyo yayo yonke langomphefumulo wayo wonke langamandla ayo wonke, njengokomlayo wonke kaMozisi. Futhi emva kwakhe kakuvelanga eyafanana laye.
26 Kanti iNkosi kayiphendukanga ekuvutheni kolaka lwayo olukhulu, olaka lwayo eyavuthela ngalo uJuda, ngenxa yazo zonke intukutheliso uManase ayithukuthelisa ngazo.
27 INkosi yasisithi: Ngizamsusa loJuda phambi kwami, njengoba ngasusa uIsrayeli, ngiwulahle lumuzi weJerusalema engawukhethayo, lendlu engathi ngayo: Ibizo lami lizakuba lapho.
28 Ezinye-ke zezindaba zikaJosiya, lakho konke akwenzayo, kakubhalwanga yini egwalweni lwemilando yamakhosi akoJuda?
29 Ensukwini zakhe uFaro Neko inkosi yeGibhithe wenyuka wamelana lenkosi yeAsiriya emfuleni iYufrathi. Inkosi uJosiya yasisiyahlangabezana laye; wayibulalela eMegido eseyibonile.
30 Inceku zakhe zasezimthwala efile ngenqola, zisuka eMegido, zamusa eJerusalema, zamngcwaba engcwabeni lakhe. Abantu belizwe basebethatha uJehowahazi indodana kaJosiya, bamgcoba, bambeka waba yinkosi esikhundleni sikayise.
31 UJehowahazi wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amabili lantathu lapho esiba yinkosi; wabusa inyanga ezintathu eJerusalema. Lebizo likanina lalinguHamuthali indodakazi kaJeremiya weLibhina.
32 Wasesenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi njengakho konke oyise abakwenzayo.
33 UFaro Neko wasembopha eRibila elizweni leHamathi ukuthi angabusi eJerusalema, wahlawulisa ilizwe amathalenta esiliva alikhulu lethalenta legolide.
34 UFaro Neko wasebeka uEliyakhimi indodana kaJosiya ukuthi abe yinkosi esikhundleni sikaJosiya uyise, waphendula ibizo lakhe wathi nguJehoyakhimi. Wasethatha uJehowahazi; wasesiza eGibhithe, wafela khona.
35 UJehoyakhimi wasemnika uFaro isiliva legolide, kodwa wathelisa ilizwe ukuze anike leyomali njengokomlayo kaFaro. Wakhuphisa abantu belizwe isiliva legolide, ngulowo lalowo ngokomthelo wakhe, yokunika uFaro Neko.
36 UJehoyakhimi wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amabili lanhlanu lapho esiba yinkosi; wabusa iminyaka elitshumi lanye eJerusalema. Lebizo likanina lalinguZebida indodakazi kaPhedaya weRuma.
37 Wasesenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi njengakho konke oyise abakwenzayo.
