Eyesibili EyamaKhosi 23:1-37
23 Inkosi yathumela ilizwi yathi kubizwe bonke abadala bakoJuda labeJerusalema.+
2 Yaya endlini kaJehova ilamadoda wonke akoJuda labantu bonke abahlala eJerusalema, labaphristi labaphrofethi. Yahamba labo bonke nje abantu, abancane labakhulu, yasibabalela wonke amazwi ayesebhukwini+ lesivumelwano+ elalitholakale endlini kaJehova.+
3 Inkosi yama eceleni kwensika yenza isivumelwano* phambi kukaJehova,+ esokuthi izalandela uJehova njalo ilalele imilayo yakhe lezikhumbuzo zakhe kanye lemithetho yakhe ngenhliziyo yonke langomphefumulo* wonke. Yathembisa ukuthi izakwenza konke okusemazwini esivumelwano ayebhalwe ebhukwini lelo. Bonke abantu bavuma ukuthi labo bazasigcina isivumelwano lesi.+
4 Inkosi yasitshela uHilikhiya+ umphristi omkhulu, labaphristi abasesigabeni sesibili, labalindi beminyango ukuthi bakhiphele phandle kwethempeli likaJehova zonke izitsha ezazenzelwe uBhali lesithombe sika-Ashera*+ lalo lonke ibutho elisemazulwini.* Inkosi yatshisa izitsha lezo phandle kweJerusalema emasimini ayesesigodini seKhidroni, yasithatha umlotha wazo yahamba lawo eBhetheli.+
5 Yaxotsha abaphristi babonkulunkulu bezizweni emisebenzini yabo, labo ababebekwe ngamakhosi akoJuda ukuthi batshise imihlatshelo ezindaweni eziphakemeyo* emadolobheni akoJuda lasezindaweni eziseduze kweJerusalema. Yasusa lalabo ababetshisa imihlatshelo bekhonza uBhali, lelanga, lenyanga, lamaqembu ezinkanyezi kanye lalo lonke ibutho elisemazulwini.*+
6 Inkosi yakhipha isithombe sika-Ashera*+ endlini kaJehova yasisa phandle kweJerusalema esigodini seKhidroni. Yafika yasitshisa+ yasichola saba yimpuphu, yasithela impuphu leyo phezu kwamangcwaba abantu.+
7 Yadiliza lezindlu zamawule esilisa+ ezazisethempelini likaJehova, lapho okwakulabesifazana ababethunga amatende okukhonzela isithombe sika-Ashera.*
8 Ngemva kwalokho iNkosi uJosiya yasusa bonke abaphristi emadolobheni akoJuda futhi yangcolisa izindawo eziphakemeyo abaphristi laba ababesenzela kuzo imihlatshelo ukuze kungaqhubeki kukhonzelwa kuzo, kusukela eGebha+ kusiya eBheri-shebha.+ Yadiliza izindawo eziphakemeyo ezazisegedini likaJoshuwa umphathi wedolobho, lezo ezazisesandleni senxele nxa ungena egedini ledolobho.
9 Abaphristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo abazange basebenze e-alithareni likaJehova eJerusalema,+ kodwa babesidla isinkwa esingelamvubelo ndawonye labafowabo.
10 Inkosi yangcolisa leThofethi+ esesigodini samadodana kaHinomi*+ ukuze kungabi lomuntu otshisa indodana yakhe loba indodakazi yakhe esenza ngayo umhlatshelo kuMolekhi.+
11 Yathi amabhiza ayenikelwe elangeni ngamakhosi akoJuda angasangeni endlini kaJehova ngentuba eyayiseceleni kwendlu yokudlela kaNathani-meleki, owayeyisiphathamandla sesigodlweni. Indlu le yayilapho okwakulevurandi khona. Izinqola ezazinikelwe elangeni+ yazitshisa ngomlilo.
12 Inkosi yadiliza lama-alithare ayeyakhiwe ngamakhosi akoJuda ephahleni+ lwendlu ka-Ahazi ephezulu. Yadiliza lama-alithare ayeyakhiwe nguManase emagumeni womabili endlu kaJehova.+ Yawachoboza yathatha izicucu zawo yayazihaza esigodini seKhidroni.
13 Inkosi yangcolisa izindawo eziphakemeyo ezaziphambi kweJerusalema eningizimu kwentaba yokudiliza* ukuze kungaqhubeki kukhonzelwa kuzo. Izindawo lezo eziphakemeyo zazakhiwe nguSolomoni inkosi yako-Israyeli esakhela u-Ashithorethi unkulunkulukazi weSidoni owenyanyekayo, loKhemoshi unkulunkulu wamaMowabi owenyanyekayo, loMilikhomu+ unkulunkulu wama-Amoni owenyanyekayo.+
14 Yadiliza insika ezikhonzwayo, yagamula izithombe zika-Ashera,*+ yasilahlela amathambo abantu endaweni lezo.
15 Yadiliza le-alithare elaliseBhetheli endaweni ephakemeyo eyayakhiwe nguJerobhowami indodana kaNebhathi owabangela ukuthi abako-Israyeli bone.+ Yathi isidilize i-alithare lelo lendawo ephakemeyo, yatshisa indawo ephakemeyo yayichoboza yasala iyizicucu, yasitshisa lesithombe sika-Ashera.*+
16 INkosi uJosiya yathi ithalaza yabona amangcwaba entabeni, yasisithi kuthathwe amathambo ayesemangcwabeni lawo, yawatshisa phezu kwe-alithare yalingcolisa ukuze kungaqhubeki kukhonzelwa kulo. Yenza njengoba nje uJehova wayetshilo esebenzisa umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso owaphrofetha ukuthi lokho yikho okwakuzakwenzakala.+
17 Inkosi yabuza yathi: “Lilitshe lengcwaba likabani leliyana engilibonayo?” Amadoda edolobho aphendula athi: “Lingcwaba lomuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso owayevela koJuda+ owaphrofetha ngalokho okwenze e-alithareni eliseBhetheli.”
18 Ngakho inkosi yathi: “Amathambo akhe lingawathinti, liwayekele enjalo.” Yikho abawathintanga amathambo akhe kanye lamathambo omphrofethi owayevela eSamariya.+
19 UJosiya wadiliza zonke izindlu zokukhonzela ezazisezindaweni eziphakemeyo emadolobheni eSamariya.+ Izindlu lezo zazakhiwe ngamakhosi ako-Israyeli ethukuthelisa uNkulunkulu. Wenza kuzo lokho ayekwenze eBhetheli.+
20 Bonke abaphristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo ababelapho wabatshisela phezu kwama-alithare lawo njalo watshisa amathambo abantu phezu kwawo.+ Ngemva kwalokho wabuyela eJerusalema.
21 Inkosi yatshela abantu bonke yathi: “Yenzelani uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu iPhasika,+ njengoba kubhaliwe ebhukwini leli lesivumelwano.”+
22 Kwakungakaze kwenziwe iPhasika elinjalo kusukela ngensuku zabahluleli ababesahlulela abako-Israyeli lakuzo zonke insuku zamakhosi ako-Israyeli lawakoJuda.+
23 Kodwa ngomnyaka wesi-18 wokubusa kweNkosi uJosiya benzela uJehova iPhasika leli eJerusalema.
24 UJosiya wasusa elizweni izangoma, labalomoya wokutshela abantu ngekusasa,+ lezithombe zetherafimu,*+ lezithombe ezenyanyekayo* lazo zonke izinto ezenyanyekayo ezaziselizweni lakoJuda laseJerusalema. Wayefuna ukwenza lokho okwakutshiwo nguMthetho+ owawubhalwe ebhukwini elatholwa ngumphristi uHilikhiya endlini kaJehova.+
25 Akuzange kube lenkosi ngaphambi kwakhe eyabuyela kuJehova ngenhliziyo yonke langomphefumulo* wonke+ langamandla wonke, ilandela konke okuseMthethweni kaMosi. Langemva kwakhe akuzange kube lenkosi enjengaye.
26 Lanxa kunjalo uJehova waqhubeka ebathukuthelele kakhulu abantu bakoJuda ngenxa yazo zonke izinto ezimbi uManase ayezenzile emthukuthelisa.+
27 UJehova wathi: “Ngizasusa abakoJuda phambi kwami+ njengoba nje ngisuse abako-Israyeli+ futhi ngizalilahla idolobho leli engalikhethayo, idolobho leJerusalema kanye lendlu yami engakhuluma ngayo ngathi: ‘Ibizo lami lizahlala khona kuze kube nini lanini.’”+
28 Yonke imbali kaJosiya lakho konke akwenzayo kubhaliwe ebhukwini lembali yamakhosi akoJuda.
29 Ngensuku zikaJosiya, uFaro Nekho inkosi yeGibhithe wasuka esiyakulwa lenkosi ye-Asiriya emfuleni uYufrathe. INkosi uJosiya yasuka isiyakulwa laye kodwa uNekho wathi eyibona wayibulala eMegido.+
30 Ngakho izinceku zikaJosiya zathwala isidumbu sakhe ngenqola yempi zisuka eMegido zaya eJerusalema zafika zamngcwaba engcwabeni lakhe. Abantu belizwe bathatha uJehowahazi indodana kaJosiya bamgcoba ukuthi abe yinkosi esikhundleni sikayise.+
31 UJehowahazi+ wayeleminyaka engu-23 ngesikhathi esiba yinkosi njalo wabusa eJerusalema okwenyanga ezintathu. Unina kwakunguHamuthali+ indodakazi kaJeremiya waseLibhina.
32 Waqalisa ukwenza okubi phambi kukaJehova elandela konke okwakusenziwa ngokhokho bakhe.+
33 UFaro Nekho+ wambopha wamvalela ejele eRibhila+ elizweni leHamathi ukuze angabusi eJerusalema. Ngemva kwalokho wathi abantu belizwe babhadale amathalenta* esiliva angu-100 lethalenta elilodwa legolide.+
34 UFaro Nekho wathi esenze njalo wathatha u-Eliyakhimu indodana kaJosiya wambeka ukuthi abe yinkosi esikhundleni sikayise uJosiya, wamtshintsha ibizo waba nguJehoyakhimu. Kodwa wathatha uJehowahazi wahamba laye eGibhithe+ lapho afela khona.+
35 UJehoyakhimu wanika uFaro isiliva legolide, yikho kwasekumele abhadalise abantu umthelo ukuze athole isiliva leso esasifunwa nguFaro. Wabhadalisa umuntu ngamunye elizweni isiliva legolide ayelenelisa ukuze alinike uFaro Nekho.
36 UJehoyakhimu+ wayeleminyaka engu-25 ngesikhathi esiba yinkosi futhi wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka engu-11.+ Unina kwakuthiwa nguZebhida indodakazi kaPhedaya weRuma.
37 Waqhubeka esenza okubi phambi kukaJehova,+ elandela konke okwakusenziwa ngokhokho bakhe.+
Amabala angaphansi
^ Kumbe, “yavuselela isivumelwano.”
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Lapha kutshiwo ilanga lenyanga lezinkanyezi.
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Lapha kutshiwo ilanga lenyanga lezinkanyezi.
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala ebaleni elithi, “IGehena.”
^ Lapha kutshiwo intaba yama-oliva, ikakhulu icele eliseningizimu elibizwa langokuthi yintaba yamacala.
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Ibala lesiHebheru elisetshenziswe lapha lingabe lihambelana lebala elitsho ubulongwe futhi lisetshenziswa nxa kukhulunywa ngento enyanyisayo.
^ Kumbe, “labonkulunkulu bemuli.”
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Ithalenta lalingamakhilogremu angu-34,2. Khangela iSengezo ku-B14.
