2 IZikhronike 7

₁Kwathi lapho uSolomoni eseqedile ukukhuleka, kwehla umlilo ezulwini, wadla umnikelo wokushiswa nemihlatshelo; inkazimulo kaSimakade yagcwalisa indlu. ₂Abaphristi abakwazanga ukungena endlini kaSimakade, ngokuba inkazimulo kaSimakade yayiyigcwalisile indlu kaSimakade. ₃Ngesikhathi abantu bakwa-Israyeli bebona ukwehla komlilo, nenkazimulo kaSimakade iphezu kwendlu, bakhothama bathi mbo ngobuso emhlabathini, phezu kwendawo eyayigandayiwe, bakhuleka, bambonga uSimakade, ngokuba muhle nangokuba umusa wakhe umi phakade. ₄Inkosi nabo bonke abantu banikela ngomhlatshelo phambi kukaSimakade. ₅Inkosi uSolomoni yanikela ngomhlatshelo wezinkunzi eziyizi-22 000, nezimvu eziyizi-120 000. Inkosi nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli, bayibusisa kanjalo-ke indlu kaNkulunkulu. ₆Abaphristi nabaLevi bema ngokwezikhundla zabo, bephethe izinto ezishaywayo ezazenziwe nguDavide, inkosi, ukuba babonge uSimakade, ngokuba umusa wakhe umi phakade, ngesikhathi uDavide edumisa ngezandla zabo; abaphristi babeshaya amacilongo phambi kwabo, wonke u-Israyeli wayemile.

₇USolomoni wangcwelisa ingaphakathi legceke elaliphambi kwendlu kaSimakade, wanikela lapho ngeminikelo yokushiswa namanoni eminikelo yokuthula, ngokuba i-althare lethusi ayelenzile uSolomoni lalingeke lanele ukwenzela umnikelo wokushiswa, owokusanhlamvu namanoni.

₈Ngaleso sikhathi uSolomoni wagubha umkhosi izinsuku eziyisikhombisa, wonke u-Israyeli enaye, eyibandla elikhulu kakhulu, kusukela eLebo Hamathi kuze kube semfuleni eGibhithe. ₉Kwathi ngosuku lwesishiyagalombili benza umhlangano ozothileyo ngokuba begcinile ukubusiswa kwe-althare izinsuku eziyisikhombisa nomkhosi izinsuku eziyisikhombisa. ₁₀Ngosuku lwama-23 lwenyanga yesikhombisa, uSolomoni wabamukisa abantu ukuba baphindele emathendeni abo. Babethokoza benezinhliziyo ezenamileyo ngobuhle uSimakade ayebenzele uDavide, uSolomoni no-Israyeli abantu bakhe.

₁₁USolomoni waqeda ukwakha indlu kaSimakade nesigodlo senkosi; konke ayekufisa enhliziyweni yakhe ukuba akwenze endlini kaSimakade nasesigodlweni sakhe, waphumelela ukukwenza. ₁₂USimakade wabonakala kuSolomoni ebusuku, wathi kuye: “Ngiwuzwile umkhuleko wakho, ngiyikhethile le ndawo ukuba ibe ngeyami, ibe yindlu yomhlatshelo.

₁₃“Uma ngivala izulu, imvula ingani, noma ngiyala isikhonyane ukuba sidle okusezweni, noma ngithumela ubhubhane kubantu bami, ₁₄bazithobe abantu bami ababizwa ngegama lami, bakhuleke, bafune ubuso bami, baphenduke ezindleleni zabo ezimbi, ngiyakuzwa ngisezulwini, ngithethelele isono sabo, ngiphilise izwe labo. ₁₅Manje amehlo ami ayakuvuleka, izindlebe zami zilalele umkhuleko owenziwa kule ndawo. ₁₆Le ndlu ngiyiqokile ngayingcwelisa ukuba igama lami libe kuyo kuze kube phakade. Amehlo ami nenhliziyo yami kuyakuba kuyo njalo.

₁₇“Wena-ke, uma uyakuhamba phambi kwami njengoba kuhambe uDavide, uyihlo, ukwenze konke engikuyale ngakho, ugcine izimiso nezehlulelo zami, ₁₈ngiyakusimisa isihlalo sobukhosi sombuso wakho njengoba ngenza kuDavide, uyihlo, ngathi: ‘Akuseyukwesweleka umuntu ovela kuwe ukuba abe ngumbusi kwa-Israyeli.’

₁₉“Kepha uma ningifulathela, nilahle izimiso zami nemiyalo yami engikubeke phambi kwenu, nihambe niyokhonza abanye onkulunkulu, nikhuleke kubo, ₂₀ngiyakubasiphula ezweni lami engibanike lona, nale ndlu engiyingcwelisele igama lami ngiyakuyilahla, isuke phambi kwami, ngiyenze isaga nesifengqo phakathi kwabantu bonke. ₂₁Le ndlu ephakeme kangaka, kuyothi bonke abedlula ngakuyo bakhexe imilomo, bathi: ‘Kungani uSimakade enze kanje kuleli lizwe nakule ndlu na?’

₂₂“Bayakuphendula, bathi: ‘Kungokuba bamshiya uSimakade uNkulunkulu wokhokho babo owabakhipha eGibhithe, babambelela kwabanye onkulunkulu, bakhuleka kubo, babakhonza, ngakho-ke ubehlisele konke lokhu okubi.’ ”