2 IINKRONIKE 15

₁U-Azariya umsa ka-Odedi ogade ehlelwe muMoya kaZimu phezu kwakhe, ₂waphuma wayokuhlangabeza u-Asa wathi kuye: “Lalela lapha wena Asa nani noke bantu bakwaJuda nebakwaBhenjamini. USomnini uzakuba nani nanizibandakanya naye. Nanifuna ubuso bakhe, uzanitjheja. Kodwana nanimfulathelako, naye uzanifulathela. ₃U-Israyeli uhlezi isikhathi eside anganaZimu owazisako, anganamphristi ongamfundisa begodu anganamthetho. ₄Kodwana ematshwenyekweni wabo baphendukela kuSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli, bamfuna bebamfumana. ₅Ngesikhatheso bekungakaphephi ukukhamba enarheni ngombana gade kunomguruguru omkhulu phakathi kwabahlali beendawo. ₆Abantu gade baqhulana: isizwe nesizwe, idorobho nedorobho. Lokhu kwenzeka ngombana nguZimu owabahlangahlanganisa ngemihlobo yoke yamatshwenyeko. ₇Kodwana wena, qina, ungapheli amandla ngombana uzakuba nomvuzo ngomsebenzakho.”

₈Lokha u-Asa nezwa amezwi lawo nesiphorofido esamenyezelwa mphorofidi, waqina amandla. Wasusa izinto ezinyenyisako enarheni yoke yakwaJuda nakwaBhenjamini nemadorobheni awathumba emibundwini yakwa-Efrayimu. Wavuselela i-aldari lakaZimu elalingaphambi kwamathuri wethempeli lakaSomnini. ₉Wabuthela ndawonye woke uJuda noBhenjamini neenkhonzi ezivela kwa-Efrayimu, kwaManase nakwaSimiyoni ebezihlala hlangana nabo. Iye, inengi labantu leza kuye livela kwa-Israyeli ngemva kokubona bonyana uSomnini uZimakhe bekanaye. ₁₀Bahlangana eJerusalema enyangeni yesithathu yomnyaka wetjhumi nahlanu wokubusa kwaka-Asa. ₁₁Ngesikhatheso bathatha ipango ebe bayithumbile benzela ngayo uSomnini umhlabelo ngamakhulu alikhomba weenkomo neenkulungwana ezilikhomba zezimvu neembuzi. ₁₂Bangena esivumelwaneni sokufuna uSomnini uZimu waboyisemkhulu ngokuphelela kweenhliziyo nemiphefumulwabo. ₁₃Boke ebebangayingeni yokufuna uSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli, bebazokubulawa, omkhulu nomncani namkha kuyindoda namkha umfazi. ₁₄Benza isifungo kuSomnini ngelizwi elikhulu, barhuwelela bavuthela iimporompita neempalapala. ₁₅Boke abantu bakwaJuda bathokoza ngesifungo sabeso.

Ngebanga lokobana bafunga ngeenhliziyo zabo ezipheleleko bebafuna uZimu ngokuzimisela kwabo koke, yeke wafunyanwa ngibo bewabapha ukuphumula mahlangothi woke.

₁₆Ikosi u-Asa godu yasusa nogogwayo uMaka esikhundleni sakhe sobundlovukazi ngombana wenza isithombe esinyenyisako saka-Atjhera. Yagawula isithombeso, yasihlahlela beyasitjhisela esikhisini iKhidroni. ₁₇Nanyana ingazange isuse iindunduma ezazikwa-Israyeli, kodwana ihliziywayo beyiphelele kuSomnini ipilwayo yoke. ₁₈Yaletha izipho ezikhethekileko zakayise nezayo ngethempelini lakaZimu: isiliva negolide kanye nenye ipahla.

₁₉Azange kusaba nepi bekwaba mnyaka wamatjhumi amathathu nahlanu wokubusa kwaka-Asa.