UJosiya Nabantu Benza Isivumelwano KuSimakade
1Inkosi uJosiya yathumela ukuba kubizwe amalunga wonke akwaJuda nawaseJerusalema. 2Inkosi yenyukela endlini kaSimakade, bonke abantu bakwaJuda, nababakhe eJerusalema bekanye nayo, nabaphristi nabaphrofethi, yebo, bonke abantu, abancane nabadala, yafunda wonke amazwi encwadi yesivumelwano eyayitholakele endlini kaSimakade, bonke abantu bezwa. 3Inkosi yema ngasensikeni, yenza isivumelwano phambi kukaSimakade ukuthi izomlandela, igcine imiyalo yakhe, ubufakazi bakhe, nezimiso zakhe ngenhliziyo yayo yonke, nangomphefumulo wayo wonke, nokuthi iyogcina wonke amazwi alesi sivumelwano esibhalwe kule ncwadi. Bonke abantu basamukela isivumelwano.
UJosiya Wenza Uguquko Endlini KaSimakade
4Inkosi yayala uHilikiya umphristi omkhulu, nabaphristi besigaba sesibili, abalindimnyango, ukuba bakhiphe ethempelini likaSimakade zonke izinto ezazenzelwe uBhali no-Ashera, nebandla lonke lasezulwini. Yazishisa ngaphandle kweJerusalema, emasimini aseKidroni, umlotha wakho wayiswa eBhethele. 5Yabulala abaphristi bezithombe, amakhosi akwaJuda ayebaqokile ukuba bashise impepho ezindaweni eziphakemeyo emizini yakwaJuda, nxazonke zeJerusalema, kanye nalabo ababeshisa impepho kuBhali, kulo ilanga, inyanga, izinkanyezi nalo lonke ibandla lasezulwini. 6Yamkhiphela ngaphandle kweJerusalema u-Ashera, endlini kaSimakade, yamshisa emfudlaneni iKidroni, yamgaya waba luthuli, yalahla umlotha wakhe emangcwabeni amadodana abantu. 7Yadiliza izindlu zezifebe zesilisa ezazisendlini kaSimakade, lapho abesifazane babelukela khona amathende ka-Ashera.
8Yabakhipha bonke abaphristi emizini yakwaJuda, yazingcolisa izindawo eziphakemeyo, lapho labo baphristi babeshisela khona impepho, kusukela eGebha kuze kube seBheri Sheba. Yazidiliza izindawo eziphakemeyo emasangweni asesikhaleni sesango likaJoshuwa, umphathimuzi, ezazingakwesokhohlo somuntu ngasesangweni lomuzi. 9Abaphristi basezindaweni eziphakemeyo babengenyukeli e-althare likaSimakade eJerusalema, kodwa badla isinkwa esingenamvubelo phakathi kwabafowabo.
10Yangcolisa iThofethi esigodini sabantwana bakwaHinomu ukuze kungabe kusaba bikho odabulisa indodana noma indodakazi yakhe emlilweni kaMolokhi. 11Yasusa namahhashi amakhosi akwaJuda ayenikele ngawo kulo ilanga, ngasendleleni yokungena endlini kaSimakade, ngasekamelweni likaNathani Meleki, induna eyayisePhariwarimi, yashisa izinqola zelanga ngomlilo.
12Ama-althare ayesophahleni lwekamelo eliphezulu lika-Ahazi, elalakhiwe ngamakhosi akwaJuda, nama-althare ayenziwe nguManase emagcekeni omabili endlu kaSimakade, inkosi yawadiliza, yasuka yagijima, yalahla umlotha emfudlaneni iKidroni. 13Inkosi yangcolisa izindawo eziphakemeyo ezaziphambi kweJerusalema, ngakwesokunene sentaba Yokonakala, inkosi uSolomoni yakwa-Israyeli eyayizakhele u-Ashitharothi isinengiso samaSidoni, noKhemoshi isinengiso sabakwaMowabi noMilikhomu isinengiso sabakwa-Amoni. 14Yaphahlaza izinsika, yanquma o-Ashera, yagcwalisa izindawo zabo ngamathambo abantu.
15I-althare elaliseBhethele, nendawo ephakemeyo eyenziwa nguJerobhowamu, indodana kaNebhathi, owonisa u-Israyeli, nalelo althare nendawo ephakemeyo yakudiliza, yayishisa indawo ephakemeyo, yayiqothisisa yaba ngumlotha, yashisa no-Ashera. 16UJosiya waphenduka wabona amathuna ayelapho entabeni; wathumela, wawakhipha amathambo emathuneni, wawashisa e-althare, walingcolisa njengokusho kwezwi likaSimakade elamenyezelwa ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu owayememezela lezi zinto.
17Wayesethi: “Yisikhumbuzo sani lesi engisibonayo na?”
Abantu bomuzi bathi kuye: “Yithuna lomuntu kaNkulunkulu owayevela kwaJuda, owamemezela lezi zindaba osuzenzile nge-althare laseBhethele.”
18Wathi: “Myekeni; mawanganyakaziswa muntu amathambo akhe.”
Base bewayeka amathambo akhe nalawo omphrofethi owayevela eSamariya.
19 UJosiya wazisusa nazo zonke izindlu zezindawo eziphakemeyo ezazisemizini eSamariya, lezo ezazakhiwe ngamakhosi akwa-Israyeli amcunula ngazo uSimakade, wenza kuzo njengoba ayenze eBhethele. 20 Wabulala bonke abaphristi basezindaweni eziphakemeyo lapho kwakunama-althare khona, washisa amathambo abantu phezu kwawo, wayesebuyela eJerusalema.
21 Inkosi yayisiyala bonke abantu, yathi: “Yenzelani uSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu iphasika njengalokhu kulotshiwe kule ncwadi yesivumelwano.”
22Lalingakaze ligcinwe iphasika kusukela emihleni yabehluleli ababehlulela u-Israyeli, nasemihleni yawo wonke amakhosi akwa-Israyeli nawakwaJuda. 23 Kwathi ngonyaka we-18 wokubusa kwenkosi uJosiya, lagcinwa leli phasika kuSimakade eJerusalema.
24Abanamadlozi, abathakathi, amatherafi, izithombe nazo zonke izinengiso ezazibonakala kwaJuda naseJerusalema, uJosiya wakususa ukuze afeze amazwi omthetho alotshwe encwadini uHilikiya, umphristi, ayeyithole endlini kaSimakade. 25Kwakungakaze kube khona nkosi enjengaye ngaphambi kwakhe, eyaphendukela kuSimakade ngayo yonke inhliziyo yayo, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wayo, nangawo wonke amandla ayo nanjengakho konke okwakushiwo ngumthetho kaMose, ngisho nangasemva kwakhe akuvelanga enjengaye.
26 Nokho uSimakade akaphendukanga entukuthelweni enkulu ayemthukuthelele ngayo uJuda, nangokuchukuluza uManase achukuluza ulaka lwakhe ngakho. 27 USimakade wathi: “Naye uJuda ngiyakumsusa ebusweni bami njengoba ngenzile ku-Israyeli, lo muzi engawukhethayo, iJerusalema, nendlu engathi ngayo iGama lami liyakuba lapho, ngizakuwulahla.”
28Ezinye izindaba zikaJosiya, nakho konke akwenzayo, akulotshiwe yini encwadini yezindaba zemihla ngemihla yamakhosi akwaJuda na?
Ukukhothama KukaJosiya
29 Emihleni yokubusa kukaJosiya uFaro Nekho, inkosi yaseGibhithe, yakhuphukela enkosini yase-Asiriya ngasemfuleni iYufrathe. Inkosi uJosiya yakhuphuka ukuyoyihlangabeza; kwaba ukuyibona nje, yayibulala eMegido. 30 Izinceku zikaJosiya zasithatha ngenqola isidumbu sakhe eMegido, zasibuyisela eJerusalema, zasimbela edlinzeni layo. Abantu bezwe base bethatha uJehowahazi, indodana kaJosiya, bamgcoba, bambeka waba yinkosi esikhundleni sikayise.
UJehowahazi Uyinkosi KwaJuda
31 UJehowahazi wayeneminyaka engama-23 lapho eba yinkosi, wabusa izinyanga ezintathu eJerusalema. Igama likanina kwakunguHamuthali, indodakazi kaJeremiya waseLibhina. 32 Wenza okubi emehlweni kaSimakade, njengakho konke okwenziwe ngokhokho bakhe. 33 UFaro Nekho wamvimbezela eRibhila eHamathi, ukuze angabe esabusa eJerusalema; izwe walithelisa intela engamathalenta esiliva ayikhulu nethalenta legolide. 34 UFaro Nekho wabeka u-Eliyakimi, enye indodana kaJosiya, waba yinkosi esikhundleni sikayise. Wamguqula igama kwaba nguJehoyakimi. Wamsusa uJehowahazi eRibhila wamyisa eGibhithe, waze wakhothamela khona. 35 UJehoyakimi wanika uFaro isiliva negolide; wathelisa izwe ukuze anike uFaro imali njengokusho kwakhe. Wakhiphisa abantu ababehlala ezweni isiliva negolide, ukuze akunike uFaro Nekho.
UJehoyakimi Uyinkosi KwaJuda
36 UJehoyakimi wayeneminyaka engama-25 lapho eba yinkosi, wabusa iminyaka eli-11 eJerusalema. Igama likanina kwakunguZebhida, indodakazi kaPhedaya waseRuma. 37 Wenza okubi emehlweni kaSimakade njengakho konke okwenziwa okhokho bakhe.
