Incwadzi Yesibili YaSamuweli 24:1-25
24 Intfukutselo yaJehova yaphindze yavutsela ema-Israyeli+ ngesikhatsi lotsite akhutsata Davide* atsi: “Hamba uyobala+ ema-Israyeli nemaJuda.”+
2 Ngako inkhosi yatsi kuJowabe,+ indvuna yelibutfo lebeyikanye nayo: “Ngicela uhambe uye kuto tonkhe tive taka-Israyeli, kusukela kaDani kuya eBherisheba,+ futsi ubhalise bantfu khona ngitowati kutsi bangakhi.”
3 Kodvwa Jowabe watsi enkhosini: “Shengatsi Jehova Nkulunkulu wakho angenta labantfu baphindzeke emahlandla langu-100 futsi shengatsi inkhosi yami ingakubona loko. Kodvwa kungani inkhosi yami ifuna kwenta lentfo lenjena?”
4 Kodvwa livi lenkhosi ngilo lelevakala kunelaJowabe kanye neletindvuna telibutfo. Ngako Jowabe kanye netindvuna telibutfo baphuma enkhosini bahamba bayobala bantfu baka-Israyeli.+
5 Bewela iJordane futsi bamisa emathende e-Aroyeri+ ngesekudla* salelidolobha, emkhatsini wesihosha nawubheka ngakaGadi, bendlulela naseJazeri.+
6 Ngemuva kwaloko bendlulela kaGileyadi+ naseveni laThathimu-hodishi base bachubekela eDani-jani, baya naseSidoni.+
7 Babese bendlulela endzaweni levikelekile yaseThire+ nakuwo onkhe emadolobha emaHivi+ newemaKhenani futsi bagcina befike eNegebhu+ yakaJuda eBherisheba.+
8 Ngako, bahamba lonkhe live bagcine bafike eJerusalema ngemuva kwetinyanga letingu-9 nemalanga langu-20.
9 Jowabe wabese uniketa inkhosi linani lebantfu lababhaliswa. Libutfo lema-Israyeli lebelihlome ngetinkemba belingu-800 000, kantsi lakaJuda lona belingu-500 000.+
10 Kodvwa Davide watisola+ kakhulu ngemuva kwekubala labantfu. Wabese utsi kuJehova: “Ngone+ kakhulu ngekutsi ngente loku. Ngicela nyalo ucolele inceku yakho ngeliphutsa+ lelentile Jehova, ngoba ngente bulima+ lobukhulu.”
11 Ngesikhatsi Davide avuka ekuseni, livi laJehova lefika kuGadi+ umphrofethi, lobekangumboni wemibono waDavide, latsi:
12 “Hamba uye kuDavide ufike utsi: ‘Naku lokushiwo nguJehova: “Ngikuniketa tintfo letintsatfu longakhetsa kuto. Khetsa kunye kuloku lengitakuletsela kona.”’”+
13 Ngako Gadi waya kuDavide wafike watsi: “Ufuna kube neminyaka lengu-7 yendlala yini eveni lakho?+ Nobe ufuna kubalekela titsa takho tinyanga letintsatfu natikucosha?+ Nobe ufuna kube nesifo lesibulalako emalanga lamatsatfu eveni lakho?+ Yicabangisise imphendvulo lekufanele ngiyibuyisele kuLoyo longitfumile.”
14 Ngako Davide watsi kuGadi: “Lendzaba ingicindzetela kakhulu. Ngicela simane siwele esandleni saJehova+ ngobe umusa wakhe mkhulu;+ kodvwa ungangivumeli kutsi ngiwele esandleni semuntfu.”+
15 Ngemva kwaloko, Jehova watfumela sifo lesibulalako+ ka-Israyeli kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba sikhatsi lesibekwe nguye, kwafa bantfu labangu-70 000+ kusukela kaDani kuya eBherisheba.+
16 Ngesikhatsi ingilosi yelulela sandla sayo eJerusalema kuze iyibhubhise, Jehova watisola* ngalenhlekelele+ futsi watsi kulengilosi lebeyiletse lembhubhiso kubantfu bakhe: “Sekwenele! Nyalo sale wehlisa sandla sakho.” Lengilosi yaJehova beseyisedvute nelibala lekubhulela la-Arawuna+ umJebhusi.+
17 Ngesikhatsi Davide abona lengilosi lebeyibulala labantfu, watsi kuJehova: “Ngimi lowonile futsi ngimi lowente lokubi; kodvwa letimvu+ tona tenteni? Ngicela sandla sakho simelane nami kanye nendlu yababe.”+
18 Ngako Gadi wefika kuDavide ngalelolanga futsi watsi kuye: “Khuphuka uyokwakhela Jehova li-al’thare ebaleni lekubhulela la-Arawuna umJebhusi.”+
19 Ngako Davide wakhuphuka njengobe Jehova abeshito asebentisa Gadi.
20 Watsi Arawuna nakabuka entansi abona inkhosi kanye netinceku tayo beta ngakuye, ngekushesha waphumela ngephandle futsi waguca embikwenkhosi buso bakhe batsintsa phansi.
21 Arawuna wabuta watsi: “Kungani inkhosi yami ite encekwini yayo?” Davide waphendvula watsi: “Ngitele kutotsenga libala lakho lekubhulela kuze ngakhele Jehova li-al’thare, mhlawumbe sishayo lesehlele bantfu singancamuka.”+
22 Kodvwa Arawuna watsi kuDavide: “Ngicela inkhosi yami ilitsatse bese inikela kuNkulunkulu ngaloko lekubona kukahle.* Nati tinkhomo temnikelo wekushiswa nesihliphi sekubhula kanye nemajoka latawuba tinkhuni.
23 Tonkhe letintfo Arawuna utinika wena nkhosi.” Arawuna wabese utsi enkhosini: “Shengatsi Jehova Nkulunkulu wakho angaba nemusa kuwe.”
24 Nobe kunjalo, inkhosi yatsi ku-Arawuna: “Cha, kufanele ngititsenge kuwe ngentsengo letsite. Angeke nginikele kuJehova Nkulunkulu wami imihlatjelo yekushiswa lengingakayitsengi.” Ngako Davide watsenga lelibala lekubhulela kanye netinkhomo ngemashekeli elisiliva langu-50.*+
25 Davide wabese wakhela Jehova li-al’thare+ lapho futsi wenta imihlatjelo yekushiswa neyekuthula kulo. Jehova wakulalela kuncuselwa kwalelive+ futsi sishayo lebesehlele ema-Israyeli sancamuka.
Imibhalo lengentansi
^ Nobe “ngesikhatsi Davide achukulutwa.”
^ Nobe “eningizimu.”
^ Nobe “weva buhlungu.”
^ NgesiHebheru kutsi, “lokuhle emehlweni ayo.”
^ Lishekeli belingemagremu langu-11.4 (0.367 oz t). Fundza Sandzisanchazo B14.
