2 Samuweli 24:1-25
24 Kwakhona+ wavutha umsindo kaYehova kuSirayeli, xa lowo waxhokonxa uDavide nxamnye nawo, esithi: “Yiya, ubale+ uSirayeli noYuda.”
2 Ngoko wathi ukumkani kuYowabhi+ intloko yemikhosi yamajoni owayekunye naye: “Nceda, khawutyhutyhe kuzo zonke izizwe zikaSirayeli, ukususela kwaDan ukusa eBher-shebha,+ nize nibhalise abantu,+ ukuze ndilazi inani labantu.”+
3 Kodwa uYowabhi wathi kukumkani: “Ngamana uYehova uThixo wakho angongezelela ebantwini ngokuphindwe kalikhulu kubuninzi babo ngoxa wona kanye amehlo enkosi yam ukumkani ekubona oko. Kodwa ke yona inkosi yam ukumkani, kutheni na ukuze iyoliswe yile nto?”+
4 Ekugqibeleni ilizwi likakumkani laba namandla+ kuYowabhi nakwiintloko zemikhosi yamajoni. Waphuma ke uYowabhi neentloko zemikhosi yamajoni phambi kokumkani ukuze baye kubhalisa+ abantu bakwaSirayeli.
5 Bawela iYordan baza bamisa inkampu eArohere+ ngasekunene kwesixeko esiphakathi entlanjeni, ukuya ngakumaGadi,+ naseYazere.+
6 Emva koko beza eGiliyadi+ nakwilizwe laseTatim-hodeshi baza baqhubeka baya kwaDan-yahan, bajikelezela kwelaseSidon.+
7 Bandula ke bafika kwinqaba yaseTire+ nakuzo zonke izixeko zamaHivi+ nezamaKanan baza beza kufikelela ekupheleni eNegebhi+ yelakwaYuda eBher-shebha.+
8 Ngaloo ndlela balityhutyha lonke elo lizwe yaye beza eYerusalem ekupheleni kweenyanga ezisithoba neentsuku ezimashumi amabini.
9 Ke kaloku uYowabhi wamnika ukumkani inani lobhaliso+ lwabantu; yaye uSirayeli waba ngamakhulu asibhozo amawaka amadoda anobukroti arhola ikrele, namadoda akwaYuda aba ngamakhulu amahlanu amawaka amadoda.+
10 Yaza intliziyo kaDavide yambetha+ emva kokuba ebabalile abantu. Ngoko wathi uDavide kuYehova: “Ndonile+ kakhulu ngoko ndikwenzileyo. Ke kaloku, Yehova, khawuncede, usidlulise isiphoso somkhonzi wakho;+ kuba ndenze ngobudenge obukhulu.”+
11 Kwathi ekuvukeni kukaDavide kusasa, lafika lona ilizwi likaYehova kuGadi+ umprofeti, imboni kaDavide,+ lisithi:
12 “Hamba, uze uthi kuDavide, ‘Utsho uYehova ukuthi: “Ndikubekela izinto ezintathu.+ Khetha enye yazo ukuba ndiyenze kuwe.”’”+
13 Ngako oko wangena uGadi kuDavide waza wamxelela wathi kuye:+ “Ngaba kufanele kuze kuwe iminyaka esixhenxe yendlala elizweni lakho,+ okanye iinyanga ezintathu usaba phambi kweentshaba zakho,+ zona zikusukela, okanye kubekho indyikitya yokufa iintsuku ezintathu elizweni lakho na?+ Ke kaloku yazi uze ubone ukuba ndimphendula ndithini na Lowo undithumileyo.”
14 Ngoko wathi uDavide kuGadi: “Kundibandezela kakhulu oku. Masiwele esandleni sikaYehova,+ kuba zininzi iinceba zakhe;+ kodwa mandingaweli esandleni somntu.”+
15 Wandula ke uYehova wathumela indyikitya yokufa+ kwaSirayeli ukususela kusasa kwada kwalixesha elimisiweyo, kangangokuba kwafa ebantwini ukususela kwaDan ukusa eBher-shebha+ amashumi asixhenxe amawaka abantu.+
16 Yaza ingelosi+ yolulela isandla sayo ngaseYerusalem ukuze iyonakalise; yaye uYehova wazisola+ ngentlekele leyo, waza ke wathi kwingelosi leyo yayisonakalisa ebantwini: “Kwanele! Sithobe ngoku isandla sakho.” Ingelosi leyo kaYehova yayikufuphi nesanda sika-Arawuna+ umYebhusi.+
17 Waza wathi uDavide kuYehova, xa wabona ingelosi eyayixabela abantu, ewe, wathi: “Yabona, ndim owonileyo yaye ndim owenze ububi; kodwa ezi zimvu+—zenze ntoni na? Khawuncede, isandla sakho masibe phezu kwam+ naphezu kwendlu kabawo.”
18 Kamva wangena uGadi kuDavide ngaloo mini waza wathi kuye: “Nyuka, ummisele uYehova isibingelelo esandeni sika-Arawuna umYebhusi.”+
19 Waza wenyuka uDavide ngokwelizwi likaGadi, ngokoko uYehova wayekuyalele.+
20 Xa uArawuna wakhangela phantsi waza wabona ukumkani nabakhonzi bakhe bedlula ngakuye, kwaoko uArawuna waphuma waza waqubuda+ kukumkani ebhekise ubuso bakhe emhlabeni.+
21 Wandula ke uArawuna wathi: “Kutheni na ukuze inkosi yam ukumkani ize kumkhonzi wayo?” Wathi yena uDavide: “Ukuza kuthenga+ kuwe isanda sokwakhela uYehova isibingelelo, ukuze simiswe isibetho+ ebantwini.”
22 Kodwa uArawuna wathi kuDavide: “Mayisithabathe inkosi yam ukumkani+ ize inikele okulungileyo emehlweni ayo. Khawubone iinkomo zomnikelo otshiswayo nesileyi sokubhula nezixhobo zeenkomo zokuba ziinkuni.+
23 Yonk’ into, kumkani, uArawuna uyinika ukumkani.” Waza uArawuna wahlabela mgama wathi kukumkani: “Ngamana uYehova uThixo wakho angabonisa ukukholiswa nguwe.”+
24 Noko ke, ukumkani wathi kuArawuna: “Hayi, kodwa nakanjani na ndiya kusithenga kuwe ngexabiso;+ yaye andiyi kunikela mibingelelo etshiswayo kuYehova uThixo wam ngaphandle kweendleko.”+ Ngako oko uDavide wathenga+ isanda neenkomo ezo ngeeshekele zesilivere ezingamashumi amahlanu.
25 UDavide wamakhela uYehova isibingelelo+ apho waza wanikela imibingelelo etshiswayo nemibingelelo yobudlelane, yaye uYehova wasabela akubongozwa+ ngenxa yelizwe, kangangokuba sanqunyanyiswa isibetho kuSirayeli.
