< 2 Amakhosi 1 >
1 UMowabi wasevukela uIsrayeli emva kokufa kukaAhabi.
Ngemva kokufa kuka-Ahabi, amaMowabi ahlamukela u-Israyeli.
2 UAhaziya wasesiwa eminxibeni yewindi ekamelweni lakhe eliphezulu eliseSamariya, wagula. Wathuma izithunywa, wathi kuzo: Hambani liyebuza kuBhali-Zebhubi unkulunkulu weEkhironi ukuthi ngizasila yini emkhuhlaneni lo.
U-Ahaziya wayewele embotsheni yendlu yakhe engaphezulu eSamariya walimala. Wathumela izithunywa, wathi kuzo, “Hambani liyebuza kuBhali-Zebhubhi, unkulunkulu wase-Ekroni, ukuthi kambe ngizasila yini kulokhu kulimala na.”
3 Kodwa ingilosi yeNkosi yathi kuElija umTishibi: Sukuma, wenyuke ukuhlangabeza izithunywa zenkosi yeSamariya, uthi kizo: Kungenxa yokuthi kakulaNkulunkulu yini koIsrayeli ukuthi lihambe liyebuza kuBhali-Zebhubi unkulunkulu weEkhironi?
Kodwa ingilosi kaThixo yathi ku-Elija umThishibi, “Suka uyehlangabeza izithunywa zenkosi yaseSamariya uyezibuza ukuthi, ‘Kambe yikuthi akuselaNkulunkulu ko-Israyeli na ukuze uyehlahlula kuBhali-Zebhubhi, unkulunkulu wase-Ekroni?’
4 Ngakho-ke itsho njalo iNkosi: Umbheda owenyukele kuwo kawuyikwehla kuwo, ngoba uzakufa lokufa. UElija wasehamba.
Ngakho uThixo uthi: ‘Awuyikusuka kulowombheda ogulela kuwo. Ngempela uzakufa!’”
5 Lapho izithunywa sezibuyele kuyo, wathi kuzo: Kungani selibuyile?
Ekubuyeleni kwezithunywa enkosini, yazibuza yathi, “Kungani selibuyile na?”
6 Zasezisithi kuyo: Umuntu wenyukile ukusihlangabeza, wathi kithi: Hambani libuyele enkosini elithumileyo, lithi kuyo: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Kungenxa yokuthi kakulaNkulunkulu koIsrayeli yini ukuthi uthumele ukubuza kuBhali-Zebhubi unkulunkulu weEkhironi? Ngakho umbheda owenyukele kuwo kawuyikwehla kuwo, ngoba sibili uzakufa.
Izithunywa zaphendula zathi, “Kulendoda esihlangabezileyo yathi kithi, ‘Buyelani enkosini elithumileyo liyeyitshela ukuthi, “Ilizwi likaThixo lithi: Kungenxa yokuthi akulaNkulunkulu yini ko-Israyeli okubangele ukuthi uthumele abantu ukuyahlahlula kuBhali-Zebhubhi, unkulunkulu we-Ekroni na? Ngakho awuyikuvuka kulowombheda olele kuwo. Ngempela uzakufa!”’”
7 Yasisithi kuzo: Besinjani isimo salowomuntu owenyukele ukulihlangabeza, wakhuluma kini lamazwi?
Inkosi yabuza izithunywa yathi, “Ngumuntu onjani lowo olihlangabezileyo waselitshela lokhu?”
8 Basebesithi kuyo: Ubeyindoda eloboya, ebophe ngozwezwe lwesikhumba ekhalweni lwayo. Yasisithi: NguElija umTishibi.
Izithunywa zaphendula zathi, “Yindoda ebigqoke isigqoko soboya ekhalweni ibophe ngozwezwe.” Inkosi yathi, “Lowo ngu-Elija umThishibi.”
9 Inkosi yasithuma kuye induna yabangamatshumi amahlanu labangamatshumi amahlanu bayo. Yasisenyukela kuye; khangela-ke, wayehlezi engqongeni yentaba; yathi kuye: Muntu kaNkulunkulu, inkosi ithe: Yehla.
Inkosi yasithumela ku-Elija induna yebutho labantu bayo abangamatshumi amahlanu. Induna yebutho yakhwela yaya ku-Elija, owayehlezi phezu koqaqa, yafika yathi kuye, “Muntu kaNkulunkulu, inkosi ithi, ‘Yehla!’”
10 UElija wasephendula wathi enduneni yabangamatshumi amahlanu: Uba-ke ngingumuntu kaNkulunkulu, kakwehle umlilo ovela emazulwini uqothule wena labangamatshumi amahlanu bakho. Wasusehla umlilo uvela emazulwini, wayiqothula yona labangamatshumi amahlanu bayo.
U-Elija ephendula induna yebutho wathi, “Nxa ngingumuntu kaNkulunkulu, kakwehle umlilo ovela ezulwini ukuqothule wena kanye labantu bakho abangamatshumi amahlanu!” Lakanye wehla umlilo uvela ezulwini wayiqothula induna yebutho kanye labantu bayo.
11 Yasibuya ithuma kuye enye induna yabangamatshumi amahlanu labangamatshumi amahlanu bayo. Yasiphendula yathi kuye: Muntu kaNkulunkulu, itsho njalo inkosi: Yehla masinyane.
Ngokubona lokho inkosi yathuma ku-Elija eyinye induna yebutho lamanye amadoda angamatshumi amahlanu. Induna yathi ku-Elija, “Muntu kaNkulunkulu, inkosi ithi, ‘Yehla khathesi.’”
12 UElija wasephendula wathi kubo: Uba ngingumuntu kaNkulunkulu, kakwehle umlilo ovela emazulwini uqothule wena labangamatshumi amahlanu bakho. Wasusehla umlilo kaNkulunkulu uvela emazulwini, wayiqothula yona labangamatshumi amahlanu bayo.
U-Elija waphendula wathi, “Nxa ngingumuntu kaNkulunkulu, kakwehle umlilo ovela ezulwini ukuqothule wena kanye labantu bakho!” Ngakho umlilo kaNkulunkulu wehla uvela ezulwini waqothula izinduna zamabutho ezakuqala zombili kanye labo bonke abantu bayo abangamatshumi amahlanu.
13 Yasithuma futhi induna yabangamatshumi amahlanu besithathu labangamatshumi amahlanu bayo. Leyonduna yesithathu yabangamatshumi amahlanu yasisenyuka yeza yawa ngamadolo ayo phambi kukaElija, yamncenga yathi kuye: Muntu kaNkulunkulu, ake ibe ligugu impilo yami lempilo yalezi inceku zakho ezingamatshumi amahlanu emehlweni akho.
Ngakho inkosi yathuma induna yebutho yesithathu labantu bayo abangamatshumi amahlanu. Induna yebutho yesithathu yakhwela yafika yaguqa ngamadolo phambi kuka-Elija yamncenga yathi, “Muntu kaNkulunkulu, akube lesihawu ngempilo yami leyamadoda la angamatshumi amahlanu, thina sizinceku zakho!
14 Khangela, wehla umlilo uvela emazulwini, waqothula induna ezimbili zabangamatshumi amahlanu zokuqala labangamatshumi amahlanu azo; ngakho-ke kayibe ligugu impilo yami emehlweni akho.
Angithi uyabona, umlilo wehle uvela ezulwini waqothula izinduna zamabutho lamadoda angamatshumi amahlanu induna nganye. Kodwa manje akunakekele impilo yami!”
15 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasisithi kuElija: Yehla laye, ungamesabi. Wasesukuma, wehla laye waya enkosini;
Ingilosi kaThixo yathi ku-Elija, “Yehla kanye layo induna; ungayesabi.” Ngakho u-Elija wasukuma wehla kanye lenduna waya enkosini.
16 wathi kuyo: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngenxa yokuthi uthume izithunywa ukuyabuza kuBhali-Zebhubi, unkulunkulu weEkhironi, kungenxa yokuthi kakulaNkulunkulu koIsrayeli yini, ukubuza ilizwi lakhe? Ngakho-ke umbheda owenyukele kuwo kawuyikwehla kuwo, ngoba uzakufa lokufa.
Wasesithi enkosini, “Ilizwi likaThixo lithi: Kungenxa yokuthi akulaNkulunkulu yini ko-Israyeli ukuze uthume izithunywa ukuthi ziyohlahlula kuBhali-Zebhubhi, unkulunkulu we-Ekroni na? Ngenxa yesenzo sakho lesi, awuyikuvuka kulowombheda olele kuwo. Ngempela uzakufa!”
17 Wasesifa njengokwelizwi leNkosi uElija ayelikhulumile. UJehoramu wasesiba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe, ngomnyaka wesibili kaJoramu indodana kaJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda, ngoba wayengelandodana.
Lakanye wafa, njengelizwi likaThixo elakhulunywa ngu-Elija. Njengoba u-Ahaziya wayengelandodana, ubukhosi bakhe bathathwa nguJoramu owaba yinkosi ngomnyaka wesibili wokubusa kukaJehoramu indodana kaJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda.
18 Ezinye-ke zezindaba zikaAhaziya, azenzayo, kazibhalwanga yini egwalweni lwemilando yamakhosi akoIsrayeli?
Konke okwembali yokubusa kuka-Ahaziya, kanye lakwenzayo, akulotshwanga yini egwalweni lwembali yamakhosi ako-Israyeli na?