Eyokuqala EyemiLando 21:1-30
21 USathane* wamelana labako-Israyeli wabangela ukuthi uDavida abale abantu.+
2 UDavida watshela uJowabi+ lezinduna zabantu wathi: “Hambani liyebala abantu bako-Israyeli kusukela eBheri-shebha kuze kuyefika koDani,+ beseliphenduka lizongitshela ukuze ngazi ukuthi bangaki.”
3 Kodwa uJowabi wathi: “Kwangathi uJehova angandisa abantu bakhe ngokuphindwe ka-100. Nkosi yami, angithi bonke bavele bazinceku zakho. Manje kungani inkosi yami ifuna ukwenza into enje? Kungani kumele yenze abantu bako-Israyeli babe lecala?”
4 Lanxa kunjalo ilizwi lenkosi lakhulela elikaJowabi. Ngakho uJowabi wasuka walibhoda lonke elako-Israyeli wasephenduka eJerusalema.+
5 Wafika wanika uDavida inani labantu ababebhaliwe. Amadoda ako-Israyeli ayehlome ngezinkemba ayengu-1 100 000, njalo koJuda kwakulangu-470 000 ayehlome ngezinkemba.+
6 Kodwa abakoLevi labakoBhenjamini abazange babhaliswe+ ngoba uJowabi kazange akuthande lokho inkosi eyayimtshele ukuthi akwenze.+
7 Okwenziwa nguDavida kwakukubi kakhulu kuNkulunkulu weqiniso, yikho wabajezisa abako-Israyeli.
8 UDavida wasesithi kuNkulunkulu weqiniso: “Ngonile+ kakhulu ngokwenza lokhu. Ngicela uyixolele inceku yakho+ ngoba yenze ubuthutha obukhulu.”+
9 Ngakho uJehova wakhuluma loGadi+ umboni kaDavida wathi:
10 “Hamba uyekuthi kuDavida, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova: “Ngizakunika izinto ezintathu, wena ubusukhetha okukodwa phakathi kwazo ofuna ngikwehlisele khona.”’”
11 UGadi wafika kuDavida wathi: “Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova, ‘Ukhetha kuphi?
12 Ukuthi kube lendlala+ okweminyaka emithathu, kumbe ukuthi izitha zakho zikuhlasele ngenkemba+ okwenyanga ezintathu zikwehlule, loba ukuthi uJehova ahlasele ilizwe ngenkemba yakhe, kube lesifo esibulalayo+ okwensuku ezintathu ingilosi kaJehova ibulala abantu+ kulo lonke elako-Israyeli?’ Cabangisisa ukuthi ufuna ngimphendule ngithini lowo ongithumileyo.”
13 UDavida wasesithi kuGadi: “Into le iyangikhathaza kakhulu, ngicela ukuthi ngingaweli ezandleni zabantu.+ Kungcono ngiwele esandleni sikaJehova ngoba isihawu sakhe sikhulu kakhulu.”+
14 Ngakho uJehova wehlisela abantu bako-Israyeli isifo esibulalayo.+ Kwafa abantu abangu-70 000.+
15 Phezu kwalokho uNkulunkulu weqiniso wathuma ingilosi ukuthi iyetshabalalisa iJerusalema, kodwa yathi isizakwenza njalo uJehova wabona umonakalo owawehlele abantu wezwa ubuhlungu,*+ wasesithi engilosini eyayibulala abantu: “Sekwanele,+ yehlisa isandla sakho.” Ngalesosikhathi ingilosi kaJehova yayiseduze lesiza* sika-Onani+ umJebusi.+
16 UDavida wathi ephakamisa amehlo wabona ingilosi kaJehova imi phakathi komhlaba lamazulu, ithwele inkemba,+ yelulele isandla sayo eJerusalema. UDavida labadala bazilahla phansi bathi mbo ngobuso emhlabathini+ begqoke izembatho zamasaka.+
17 UDavida wasesithi kuNkulunkulu weqiniso: “Awu Jehova Nkulunkulu wami, ayisimi yini engithe abantu babalwe? Mina yimi engonileyo futhi yimi engenze icala.+ Pho izimvu lezi zona zoneni? Ngicela isandla sakho sehlele phezu kwami labendlu kababa, kodwa ungehliseli umkhuhlane lo ebantwini bakho.”+
18 Ingilosi kaJehova yasitshela uGadi+ ukuthi ayetshela uDavida ukuthi ahambe ayekwakhela uJehova i-alithare esizeni sika-Onani umJebusi.+
19 UDavida wasuka wayakwenza lokho uGadi ayemtshele khona ethunywe nguJehova.
20 Ngalesosikhathi u-Onani wayebhula ingqoloyi. Watshibilika wabona ingilosi, amadodana akhe amane asecatsha.
21 Wathi ekhangela wabona uDavida esiza kuye, wahle waphuma esizeni waguqa phambi kwakhe wathi mbo phansi ngobuso.
22 UDavida wathi ku-Onani: “Ngithengisela* isiza sakho, ngifuna ukwakhela uJehova i-alithare. Ngithengisela sona ngentengo yaso epheleleyo ukuze umkhuhlane lo oqeda abantu uphele.”+
23 Kodwa u-Onani wathi kuDavida: “Sithathe sibe ngesakho. Inkosi yami kayenze lokho ekubona kukuhle. Nanzi inkomo zomnikelo wokutshiswa lesileyi sokubhula+ esizakuba zinkuni zokubasa umlilo. Nansi lengqoloyi ezakuba ngumnikelo wamabele. Konke lokhu ngiyakunika.”
24 INkosi uDavida yathi ku-Onani: “Hatshi ngizasithenga kuwe ngentengo yaso epheleleyo, ngoba ngeke ngithathe okungokwakho ngikunike uJehova futhi angisoze nginikele imihlatshelo yokutshiswa engingazange ngiyibhadalele lutho.”+
25 Ngakho uDavida wathenga isiza sika-Onani ngamashekheli* egolide angu-600,
26 wasesakhela uJehova i-alithare+ endaweni leyo, wanikela imihlatshelo yokutshiswa lemihlatshelo yobudlelwano. Wabiza uJehova, yena wamphendula ngomlilo+ owehlela e-alithareni lomnikelo wokutshiswa uvela ezulwini.
27 UJehova wasetshela ingilosi+ ukuthi ibuyisele inkemba yayo esikhwameni.
28 UDavida wabona ukuthi uJehova wayemphendulile esizeni sika-Onani umJebusi, yikho wayesehlala enikela khona imihlatshelo.
29 Ngalesosikhathi ithabanikeli likaJehova elalenziwe nguMosi enkangala kanye le-alithare leminikelo yokutshiswa kwakusendaweni ephakemeyo eGibhiyoni.+
30 Kodwa uDavida wehluleka ukuya khona ukuze ayebuza kuNkulunkulu ngoba wayesesaba inkemba yengilosi kaJehova.
Amabala angaphansi
^ Ezinye inguqulo zithi, “Umphikisi.”
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Kumbe, “wazisola.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “Nginika.”
^ Ishekheli yayilingana lamagremu angu-11,4. Khangela iSengezo ku-B14.
