Izitha ZabakwaJuda NabakwaBhenjamini Ziya KuZerubhabhele
1Kwathi ukuba izitha zamadoda akwaJuda nawakwaBhenjamini zizwe ukuthi labo ababebuye ekuthunjweni sebelakha kabusha ithempeli likaSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, 2zaya kuZerubhabhele nasezinhlokweni zemindeni, zathi kubo: “Masinisize nathi ekwakheni, ngokuba sikhonza uNkulunkulu njengani; besilokhu sethula imihlatshelo kuye kusukela ngezinsuku zika-Esari Hadoni, inkosi yase-Asiriya, okunguyena owasiletha lapha.”
3Kepha uZerubhabhele noJeshuwa nabanye ababeyizinhloko zemindeni yakwa-Israyeli babaphendula bathi: “Aninalo ilungelo lokusisiza ekwakheni indlu kaNkulunkulu wethu; yithina ngokwethu esizomakhela uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli; nguKhoresi, inkosi yasePheresiya, osiyale ukuba senze kanjalo.”
4Abantu bendawo bazama ukubadikibalisa abantu bakwaJuda ababebuye ekuthunjweni, ukuze bayeke ukwakha indu. 5Zafumbathisa izikhulu ukuba zimelane nesu labo ngesikhathi sokubusa kukaKhoresi, inkosi yasePheresiya, kwaze kwaba ngesokubusa kukaDariyu, inkosi yasePheresiya.
Incwadi Yezitha Yokumangalela AbakwaJuda
6Ngesikhathi sokubusa kuka-Ahasheveroshi, esaqala nje ukubusa, izitha zabhala incwadi zimangalela izakhamuzi zakwaJuda naseJerusalema.
7Sekubusa u-Arithahishashitha, inkosi yasePheresiya, uBhishilamu, uMithiredathi, uThabeheli nabo bonke ababebambisene nabo babhalela u-Arithahishashitha, inkosi yasePheresiya, incwadi ngesi-Aramayikhi, bayihumusha.
8URehumi, umbusi noShimishayi, unobhala, babhala incwadi emelana neJerusalema, bayiqondisa enkosini u-Arithahishashitha, ithi: 9URehumi umbusi, umShimshayi unobhala, nabanye, nabo bonke abangani babo, abehluleli nazo zonke izikhulu ezidabuka e-Erekhi, eBhabhele naseShushani ezweni lama-Elamu, 10nazo zonke izizwe ezathunjwa ngu-Osinaphari omkhulu nonamandla wazihlalisa emzini eSamariya nakwezinye izindawo, esifundazweni entshonalanga yeYufrathe.
11Leli yifuzela lencwadi abayithumela ku-Arithahishashitha, inkosi:
“Le ncwadi ivela ezincekwini zakho, amadoda asentshonalanga yeYufrathe.
12“Sifuna ukuyazisa inkosi ukuthi abaJuda abavela ezindaweni zakho sebefike eJerusalema bawakha kabusha umuzi ohlubukayo nomubi. Sebeqedile ukwakha kabusha izingange, nokuvuselela izisekelo.
13“Manje makwazeke enkosini ukuthi uma lo muzi nezingange zawo kwakhiwa kabusha kuphele, abantu bazoyeka ukukhokha intela, imali yendlela, nentela yasebukhosini izokwehla. 14Manje, ngoba thina sikukhonze ngempela nkosi, asifuni le nto yenzeke, asifuni ukubona inkosi idelelwa; ngakho-ke sithumele ukuzokwazisa inkosi ngalokhu, 15ukuze kuphenywe emiqulwini yemilando yokhokho bakho. Uyokuthola kuyo ukuthi lo muzi bewuhlale uwuhlupho, uvukela umbuso, nokuthi kusukela emandulo amakhosi nababusi bezifunda bewubahlalisa lubhojozi. Abantu bakhona bavele bangamambuka, yingakho nje umuzi wabhujiswa. 16Makwazeke enkosini ukuthi uma lo muzi nezingange zawo kwakhiwa kabusha kuphele, ngeke usathola sabelo esifundeni esingaphesheya komfula.”
17Inkosi yathumela le mpendulo:
“KuRehumi, umbusi waseShimishayi, nonobhala nabangani babo abahlala eSamariya, nabo bonke abasentshonalanga yeYufrathe, ngiyanibingelela.
18“Incwadi enisithumelele yona ihunyushiwe ngafundelwa yona. 19Ngiyale ukuba lolu daba lusukunyelwe phezulu, nempela kwatholakala ukuthi kusukela emandulo lo muzi ubuvukela amakhosi, futhi ugcwele abahlubuki nabaphehli bodweshu. 20Kakade kwakubusa amakhosi anamandla eJerusalema, ebusa sonke isifundazwe sasentshonalanga yeYufrathe, eqoqa intela nemali yendlela. 21Ngakho-ke khipha umyalo wokuba labo bantu bayeke ukwakha kabusha umuzi, ngize ngishaye umthetho. 22Qaphelani, ningasichithi isikhathi, funa balimaze umbuso wami! Kungani kuzoyekelelwa umonakalo ukhule, ulimaze amakhosi na?”
23Kwathi ukuba ifuzela lencwadi yenkosi u-Arithahishashitha lifundwe lonke phambi kukaRehumi, noShimishayi umbhali, nabangani babo, baphuthuma baya eJerusalema bayophoqa abaJuda ukuba bayeke ukwakha kabusha umuzi.
24Umsebenzi endlini kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema wawusumile; kwakungasenziwa lutho, kwaze kwaba ngunyaka wesibili wokubusa kukaDariyu, inkosi yasePheresiya.
