Isidiribe sakaNabhothi
1Emva kwalokho kwaba nesigemegeme esilandelako: UNabhothi umJizriyela gade anesidiribe. Isidiribesi gade siseJizriyela hlanu kwesigodlo saka-Arhabi ikosi yeSamariya.
2U-Arhabi wathi kuNabhothi: “Nginikela isidiribe sakho ngifuna ukusenza isivande semirorho ngombana sihlanu kwakwami. Esikhundleni sesidiribe sakho ngizakunikela esingcono, namkha nawuthandako ngizakukhokhela sona ngentengo elingeneko.”
3Kodwana uNabhothi wathi: “UZimu angeze avuma bonyana ngikunikele ilifa labobamkhulu.”
4U-Arhabi waya kwakhe adanile begodu agcwele ipotjwana ngebanga lamezwi wakaNabhothi umJiziriyela nathi: “Ulale ulahlile ngelifa labobamkhulu.” Walala embhedenakhe aqumbelene bewala nokugoma.
5Umkakhe u-Izebeli wangena wambuza wathi: “Udaniswe yini? Awugomilini?”
6Waphendula wathi: “Ngombana ngithe kuNabhothi umJizriyela, ‘Ngithengisela isidiribe sakhwesi; nawuthandako, ngizakunikela esinye isidiribe esikhundleni salesi.’ Kodwana wathi kimi, ‘Ulale ulahlile.’ ”
7U-Izebeli umkakhe wathi: “Njengekosi, angithi unamandla phezu kwaka-Israyel? Vuka ugome! Yenama! Mina ngizakufumanela isidiribe sakaNabhothi umJizriyela.”
8Watlola iincwadi ebizweni laka-Arhabi, bewazifaka netshwayo lakhe, wazithumela kubaphathi neenkhulu ezihlala noNabhothi edorobheni lakhe. 9Eencwadinapho watlola ukuthi:
Memezelani ilanga lokuzila ukudla bese nibeka uNabhothi endaweni ephakamileko hlangana nabantu. 10Kodwana bekani iinrhwirirhwiri ezimbili ngaphambi kwakhe bese nithi azifakaze zithi, “UNabhothi uthuke uZimu kanye nekosi.” Ngemva kwalokho bese nimkhuphela ngaphandle komuzi, nimkghadlhe ngamatje nimbulale.
11Yeke abaphathi kanye neenkhulu ezihlala edorobheni lakaNabhothi zenza njengombana u-Izebeli atjhwile eencwadini abatlolele zona. 12Bamemezela ukuzila ukudla bese babeka uNabhothi endaweni ephakamileko hlangana nabantu. 13Kwase kuza iinrhwirirhwiri ezimbili zazokuhlala phambi kwakhe zammangalela phambi kwabantu zathi: “UNabhothi uthuke uZimu kanye nekosi.”
Bamdumela-ke bamkhuphela ngaphandle kwedorobho bamkghadlha ngamatje bambulala. 14Bathumela ilizwi ku-Izebeli bathi: “UNabhothi ukghadlhwe ngamatje begodu uhlongakele.”
15Kuthe ngemva kobana u-Izebeli ezwe bonyana uNabhothi ukghadlhwe ngamatje bewahlongakala, wathi ku-Arhabi: “Sikima khona nje, uthathe isidiribe sakaNabhothi umJizriyela owala ukukuthengisela sona. Akasaphili, selahlongakele.”
16Kwathi bona u-Arhabi ezwe bonyana uNabhothi uhlongakele, weqa, wehlela esidiribeni sakaNabhothi umJizriyela, wasithatha. 17Ilizwi lakaSomnini lafika ku-Eliya umTitjhibe lathi: 18“Yeqa khona nje uyokuhlangabeza u-Arhabi ikosi yakwa-Israyeli, obusa eSamariya. Gadesi nje usesidiribeni sakaNabhothi, lapha ehlele khona kobana asithathe. 19Ufike uthi kuye, ‘Nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini: Angithi ubulele umuntu bewamthathela nepahlakhe?’ Bese uthi kuye godu, ‘Nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini: Lapha izinja ziqabhe khona iingazi zakaNabhothi, zizakuqabha nezakho, iye ngitjho iingazi zakho!’ ”
20Kuthe u-Arhabi nabona u-Eliya wathi: “Sewungifumene-ke njalo sitha sami ndina!”
Waphendula wathi: “Vele ngikufumene ngombana uzithengisile ngokwenza okumbi phambi kwakaSomnini. 21USomnini uthi, ‘Ngizokwehlisela ihlekelele. Ngizakurhurhula iinzukulwana zakho njengamanzi narhurhula amabibi. Ngirhayile koke okuduna, okukhulu nokuncani kwaka-Arhabi kwa-Israyeli. 22Indlwakho ngizayenza njengeyakaJerobhowamu umsa kaNebathi neyakaBhatjha umsa ka-Arhiya ngombana ungisilingile bewabangela no-Israyeli bonyana one.’ 23Malungana no-Izebeli uthi uSomnini, ‘Izinja zizakurhiribidela u-Izebeli endundumeni yeJizriyela.’ 24Abantu baka-Arhabi abafele edorobheni bazakudliwa zizinja, kuthi abafele emrhuleni badliwe madlanga.”
25Iye, azange khekube nendoda efana no-Arhabi owazithengisa ngokwenza okumbi phambi kwakaSomnini ahlohlolozelwa ngu-Izebeli umkakhe. 26Wazirhubutjha khulu ngokudlhemadlhema ngemva kwamanyala wabosingazimu, njengama-Amori uSomnini awaqotjha phambi kwama-Israyeli.
27Lokha u-Arhabi nezwa amagama lawo, wadabula izambatho zakhe, wembatha inzilo bewazila nokudla. Walala ngazo wazulazula athobekile. 28Ilizwi lakaSomnini lafika ku-Eliya umTitjhibe lathi: 29“Umbonile u-Arhabi bonyana uzithobe kangangani phambi kwami? Njengombana azithobe kangaka nje, angeze ngisamehlisela ihlekelele epilwenakhe, esikhundleni salokho ngizayehlisela endlinakhe emalangeni wokubusa kwendodanakhe.”
