Eyokuqala EyamaKhosi 13:1-34
13 UJerobhowami wathi emi eceleni kwe-alithare+ elaliseBhetheli etshisa umhlatshelo, kwafika umuntu kaNkulunkulu+ evela koJuda ethunywe nguJehova.
2 Umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso wakhuluma ilizwi likaJehova elimayelana le-alithare, wamemeza wathi: “Alithare, wena alithare! Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova: ‘Endlini kaDavida kuzazalwa umntwana ongumfana okuzathiwa nguJosiya!+ Uzanikela phezu kwakho abaphristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo,* labo abatshisa imihlatshelo phezu kwakho futhi uzatshisa amathambo abantu phezu kwakho.’”+
3 Ngalelolanga wabanika isibonakaliso wathi: “Nansi isibonakaliso esikhulunywe nguJehova: I-alithare lizadabuka phakathi, umlotha* ophezu kwalo uchitheke.”
4 INkosi uJerobhowami yathi isizwa lokho umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso ayekukhuluma mayelana le-alithare elaliseBhetheli, yelula isandla sayo isisusa e-alithareni yamkhombela yathi: “Mbambeni!”+ Khonokho nje isandla eyayiselule sahle soma, yehluleka ukusibuyisela emuva.+
5 I-alithare ladabuka phakathi umlotha wachitheka, njengoba nje umuntu kaNkulunkulu wayetshilo ngesikhathi ekhuluma ilizwi likaJehova.
6 Inkosi yathi emuntwini kaNkulunkulu weqiniso: “Ngicela uncenge uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ukuthi abe lomusa kimi, ungithandazele ukuthi isandla sami sisiliswe.”+ Ngakho umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso wancenga uJehova futhi isandla senkosi sabuyela saba njengakuqala.
7 Inkosi yasisithi emuntwini kaNkulunkulu weqiniso: “Asihambe sonke emzini wami siyekudla besengikunika isipho.”
8 Kodwa umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso waphendula inkosi wathi: “Lanxa unganginika ingxenye yendlu yakho, angisoze ngihambe lawe ngiyekudla isinkwa loba nginathe amanzi endaweni le,
9 ngoba nanku engikutshelwe nguJehova, uthe: ‘Akumelanga udle isinkwa loba unathe amanzi futhi akumelanga uphenduke ngendlela ohambe ngayo.’”
10 Ngakho wasuka wabuyela ngenye indlela, kazange ahambe ngendlela ayebuye ngayo eBhetheli.
11 Kwakulomunye umphrofethi owayesegugile owayehlala eBhetheli. Amadodana akhe afika ngekhaya amtshela konke okwakwenziwe ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso ngalelolanga eBhetheli kanye lamazwi ayewatshele inkosi. Athi esemlandisele,
12 yena wawabuza wathi: “Uhambe ngayiphi indlela?” Amadodana akhe asemtshengisa indlela umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso owayevela koJuda ayehambe ngayo.
13 Umphrofethi owayesegugile wasesithi emadodaneni akhe: “Bophelani isihlalo kubabhemi.” Abophela isihlalo kubabhemi wakhe wasegada.
14 Walandela umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso wamthola ehlezi ngaphansi kwesihlahla esikhulu, wathi kuye: “Nguwe yini umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso ovela koJuda?”+ Yena waphendula wathi: “Ye yimi.”
15 Wathi kuye: “Asihambe sonke emzini wami siyekudla.”
16 Kodwa yena wathi: “Angisoze ngihambe lawe loba ngingene emzini wakho futhi angisoze ngidle isinkwa loba nginathe amanzi endaweni le
17 ngoba uJehova ungitshele wathi, ‘Akumelanga udle isinkwa kumbe unathe amanzi kuleyondawo, futhi akumelanga uphenduke ngendlela ohambe ngayo.’”
18 Umphrofethi owayesegugile wamphendula wathi: “Lami ngingumphrofethi njengawe. Ingilosi ingitshele ilizwi elivela kuJehova yathi, ‘Mphendukise abuye endlini yakho azokudla isinkwa anathe lamanzi.’” (Kodwa wayeqamba amanga.)
19 Ngakho wabuyela laye wayakudla isinkwa wanatha lamanzi emzini wakhe.
20 Bathi besahlezi etafuleni, ilizwi likaJehova lafika kumphrofethi owayemphendukisile,
21 waphakamisa ilizwi wathi emuntwini kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, “Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova: ‘Ngenxa yokuthi awulilalelanga ilizwi likaJehova futhi awuwugcinanga umlayo uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho akunike wona,
22 wabuyela wayakudla isinkwa wanatha lamanzi endaweni obutshelwe ukuthi ungadli kuyo lokuthi unganathi amanzi, isidumbu sakho asisoze singcwatshwe emathuneni abokhokho bakho.’”+
23 Umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso wathi esedlile isinkwa futhi wanatha, umphrofethi owayesekhulile wabophela isihlalo kubabhemi ukuze umuntu kaNkulunkulu* agade ahambe.
24 Ngakho wasuka wahamba kodwa wahlangana lesilwane endleleni sambulala.+ Isidumbu sakhe saqhubeka sithe dandalazi emgwaqweni. Ubabhemi wayemi eceleni kwaso, lesilwane silokhu simi khonapho.
25 Kwadlula amanye amadoda khonapho asebona isidumbu sisemgwaqweni, lesilwane simi eceleni kwaso. Yikho afika akhuluma ngakho edolobheni okwakuhlala kulo umphrofethi owayesegugile.
26 Umphrofethi owayephendukise umuntu kaNkulunkulu emgwaqweni wakuzwa lokho wasesithi: “Ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso ongalilalelanga ilizwi likaJehova.+ Yikho uJehova emnikele esilwaneni ukuthi simdabudabule simbulale, njengoba nje uJehova ubemtshelile.”+
27 Wasesithi emadodaneni akhe: “Bophelani isihlalo kubabhemi.” Ngakho amadodana akhe asibophela isihlalo kubabhemi,
28 umphrofethi wasuka wahamba. Wathola isidumbu sisemgwaqweni, ubabhemi lesilwane kumi eceleni kwaso. Isilwane sasingasidlanga isidumbu futhi lobabhemi sasingamlimazanga.
29 Umphrofethi waphakamisa isidumbu somuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso wasibeka phezu kukababhemi, wasebuyela laso edolobheni ukuze ayemlilela njalo amngcwabe.
30 Ngakho wamngcwaba ethuneni lakhe njalo baqhubeka bemkhalela besithi: “Maye umfowethu!”
31 Wathi esemngcwabile watshela amadodana akhe wathi: “Nxa ngingafa kumele lingingcwabe lapho okungcwatshwe khona umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso. Kumele lifake amathambo ami eceleni kwawakhe.+
32 Ilizwi likaJehova alikhulume mayelana le-alithare eliseBhetheli kanye lazo zonke izindlu zokukhonzela ezisezindaweni eziphakemeyo+ emadolobheni eSamariya lizagcwaliseka loba sekutheni.”+
33 Lanxa kwenzakala konke lokhu, uJerobhowami kazange atshiye okubi ayekwenza. Waqhubeka ebeka abaphristi ayebakhetha ebantwini nje+ ukuthi basebenze ezindaweni eziphakemeyo. Wayefaka loba ngubani owayefuna ukuba ngumphristi, esithi: “Laye kabe ngumphristi ezindaweni eziphakemeyo.”+
34 Isono lesi esasisenziwa ngabendlu kaJerobhowami+ senza batshabalaliswa bonke baphela du.+
Amabala angaphansi
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Kumbe, “umlotha ohlangene lamafutha.” Lapha kutshiwo umlotha owawuhlangene lamafutha emihlatshelo.
^ NgesiHebheru, “umphrofethi ayemphendukisile.”
