UJosiya ubusa kwaJuda
1UJosiya gade aneminyaka ebunane lokha nakathoma ukubusa. Wabusa eJerusalema iminyaka ematjhumi amathathu nanye. Ibizo lakanina gade kunguJedida indodakazi ka-Adaya weBhotsikhati. 2Wenza okulungileko phambi kwakaSomnini, wakhamba endleleni kayisemkhulu uDavida, akhange abe namabatha.
Ukufunyaneka kwencwadi yomthetho
3Emnyakeni wetjhumi nabunane wokubusa kwekosi uJosiya, wathumela umabhalana uTjhafani umsa ka-Atsaliya omsa kaMetjhulami ethempelini lakaSomnini, wathi: 4“Yenyukela kuRhilikhiya umphristi omkhulu, umtjele alungise imali eyalethwa ethempelini lakaSomnini, abalindi besango abayibuthelela ngokuyithatha ebantwini. 5Akayibeke ezandleni zamadoda aziinsebenzi ezengamele umsebenzi wethempeli lakaSomnini ukuze akhokhele iinsebenzi ezivuselela ithempeli, 6okutjho abafuleli, abakhi nababeki bamatje; godu athenge iingodo namatje acoziweko bona kuvuselelwe ithempeli. 7Kodwana akhange bebazitshwenye ngokwenza ilandelelo ngemali leyo ngombana benza koke ngokwethembeka.”
8URhilikhiya umphristi omkhulu wathi kuTjhafani umabhalana: “Ngifunyene nasi incwadi yomthetho ethempelini lakaSomnini.” Yeke wayinikela uTjhafani bona ayifunde.
9UTjhafani umabhalana waya ekosini wafese wabika wathi: “Iinceku zakho ziyikhuphile imali ngekasini egade lingethempelini, zayinikela iinsebenzi nabaphathi ethempelini.”
10Godu wabikela ikosi wathi: “URhilikhiya umphristi unginikele incwadi.” Nje-ke wafunda incwadi leyo phambi kwakaJosiya ikosi.
11Kuthe lokha ikosi nayizwa amezwi wencwadi yomthetho, yatlebhula izambatho zayo. 12Yayala uRhilikhiya umphristi, u-Arhikhamu umsa kaTjhafani, u-Akibori umsa kaMikaya, uTjhafani umabhalana kanye no-Asaya isandla sekosi yathi: 13“Khambani niyongibuzela kuSomnini, nibuzele abantu kanye noJuda woke ngalokho okutlolwe encwadini efunyenweko le. Ubukhali bakaZimu buyavutha phezu kwethu ngenca yabobaba abangakhange balalele amezwi wencwadi le. Akhange benze njengombana kutlolwe lapho bona sikwenze.”
14URhilikhiya umphristi kanye no-Arhikhamu, u-Akibori, uTjhafani kanye no-Asaya baya bayokukhuluma nomphorofidikazi uRhulda ogade amfazi kaTjhalumu umphathi wompherho. (UTjhalumu gade amsa kaTikhiva omsa kaRharirhasi.) URhulda gade ahlala engcenyeni etja yeJerusalema. Kuthe sele bamtjele koke, 15wabathumela emuva kobathumileko nomlayezo naku obuya kuSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli wathi: 16“Nakhu okwatjhiwo nguSomnini uZimu, ‘Ngizokwehlisela ihlekelele phezu kwendawo le naphezu kwabantu bayo, ukuya ngakho koke okutlolwe encwadini ikosi yakwaJuda eyifundileko. 17Ngizokwenza lokhu ngombana bangihlubukile bebatjhisela abosingazimu itjhwalo ukuze bangithukuthelise ngazo zoke iinthombe abazenze ngezandla zabo. Yeke ubukhali bami ngendawo le buyavutha begodu abusoze bacinywa mumuntu.’
18“Ikosi yakwaJuda enithumileko leyo bona nizoyibuzela kuSomnini uZimu, itjeleni naku umlayezwayo: Nakhu okwatjhiwo nguSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli, ‘Uwalalele kuhle amezwi wencwadi le. 19Ihliziywakho ithintekile bewazithoba phambi kwami, mina Somnini, lokha nawuzwa lokho engikutjhwileko ngendawo le nangabantu bayo, okutjho bona kuzokuba yindawo eligagadu ngendlela abantu abayihlolozela ngayo. Iye, utlebhulile izambatho zakho bewalila phambi kwami. Njengombana wenze lokhu, ngehlangothini lami, umthandazwakho uzwakele.’ La mamezwi kaSomnini.
20“Begodu uSomnini wathi, ‘Lokha nangizokubuthelela naboyihlomkhulu, ngiqinisile bona uzokubulungwa ngokuthula. Amehlwakho akasoze abona yoke ihlekelele engizoyehlisela phezu kwendawo le.’ ”
Nje-ke bathatha umlayezo womphorofidikazi loyo babuyela nawo ekosini.
