Izazi ezivela epumalanga
1Ngemva kobana uJesu abelethwe eBhethelehema eseJudiya emihleni yokubusa kwekosi uHerode, kweza izazi eJerusalema zivela epumalanga. 2Zabuza zathi: “Uphi obelethwe bona abe yikosi yamaJuda na? Sibone ikwekwezakhe lokha nayiphuma ngepumalanga, nje-ke size bona sizomkhothamela.”
3Kwathi bona ikosi uHerode izwe lokho, yawurubajeka, neJerusalema loke lawurubajeka nayo. 4Sele ibizele ndawonye boke abaphathi babaphristi kanye nabafundisi bomthetho, yababuza bonyana uKrestu ubelethelwephi. 5Bayiphendula bathi: “NgeBhethelehema eseJudiya ngombana lokhu ngilokho umphorofidi atlole ngakho nasithi,
6“ ‘Wena Bhethelehema esenarheni yakwaJuda,
awusingomncancani hlangana nababusi bakwaJuda
ngombana kuwe kuzokuvela umbusi
ozokuba ngumelusi wabantu bami u-Israyeli.’ ”
7Yeke uHerode wabizela izazi zepumalanga ngasese wazibuza isikhathi ikwekwezi evele ngaso. 8Wazithumela eBhethelehema wathi: “Khambani niyokufunisisa kuhle ngomntwana; nithi ningamfumana, ningazise, khona nami ngizakuya ngiyomkhothamela.”
9Ngemva kobana sele zizwe ikosi, zangena indlela. Qala, ikwekwezi ebeziyibone ngepumalanga yakhamba phambi kwazo beyayokujama ngehla kwendawo lapha bekunomntwana khona. 10Kwathi lokha nazibona ikwekwezi, zajabula khulu. 11Zathi nazingena ngekumbeni, zabona umntwana anonina uMariya, yeke zakhothama zamlotjha. Zavula amagugwazo zamkhunga ngezipho: igolide, itjhwalo nemire.
12Sele ziyelelisiwe ebhudangweni kobana zingabuyeli emuva kuHerode, zaya enarheni yekhabo zikhamba ngenye indlela.
Ukubalekela eGibhide
13Kwathi bona izazi zikhambe, ingilozi kaSomnini yazibonakalisa kuJosefa ngebhudango yathi: “Vuka uthathe umntwana nonina nibalekele eGibhide. Hlalani lapho benginitjele ngombana uHerode uzokufunana nomntwana kobana ambulale.” 14Yeke wavuka, wathatha umntwana nonina, wakhamba ebusuku waya eGibhide, 15lapha ahlala khona uHerode wabe wafa. Kwazaliseka bunjalo-ke okwatjhiwo nguSomnini ngomphorofidi wathi: “Ngabiza indodanami kobana iphume eGibhide.”
Ukubulawa kwabantwana
16Kwathi bona uHerode alemuke bonyana izazi zepumalanga zimkhohlisile, wasilingeka. Wakhupha umyalo bona kubulawe boke abantwana ababesana eBhethelehema neendaweni ezihlanu kwayo, kusukela eminyakeni emibili nengaphasi. Lokhu kwenzeka malungana nalokho akuzwa ngezazi. 17Ngaleyondlela kwazaliseka lokho okwatjhiwo ngomphorofidi uJoromiya nasithi:
18“Ilizwi lizwakele eRama,
ukulila okukhulu nokutlhuwa;
uRarheli ulilela abantwabakhe,
akafuni nokutjhiriywa
ngombana bangasekho.”
Ukubuya eGibhide
19Ngemva kokuhlongakala kwakaHerode, ingilozi kaSomnini yazibonakalisa kuJosefa ngebhudango eGibhide, 20yathi: “Vuka, uthathe umntwana nonina, ubuyele enarheni yakwa-Israyeli ngombana labo egade balinga ukubulala umntwana baphangalele.” 21Yeke wavuka, wathatha umntwana nonina, babuyela enarheni yakwa-Israyeli.
22Kodwana kwathi bona uJosefa ezwe bonyana u-Aritjhilawosi uthethe isihlalo sakayise uHerode eJudiya, wesaba ukuya lapho. Sele ayeleliswe ebhudangweni, waya esifundeni seGalile, 23wayokuhlala edorobheni okuthiwa yiNazaretha. Yeke-ke okwatjhiwo baphorofidi kwazaliseka nabasithi: “Uzakubizwa bona umNazaretha.”
