2 YOOKUMKANI 23

₁Ke ukumkani uJosiya wawaqokelela onke amadoda amakhulu akwaJuda nawaseJerusalem. ₂Wahamba waya endlwini *kaNdikhoyo kunye namadoda akwaJuda, nabantu baseJerusalem, ababingeleli nabashumayeli. Ewe, waqokelela umntu wonke, eqalela komncinci aye komdala. Wabafundela onke amazwi encwadi yomnqophiso, leyo yayifunyenwe endlwini kaNdikhoyo. ₃Ukumkani wema ngasentsikeni, wawuhlaziya umnqophiso kunye noNdikhoyo, ethembisa ukulandela uNdikhoyo, ayithobele imiyalelo, imiqathango, nemimiselo yakhe, oko ekwenza ngomxhelo wakhe wonke, ngokwamazwi aloo mnqophiso wawubhalwe apho encwadini. Nabantu ke bathembisa bazibophelela apho emnqophisweni.

₄Ukumkani wayalela umbingeleli omkhulu uHilekiya, nababingeleli abanganeno kwakhe, nabagcini-mnyango, ukuba bazisuse apho endlwini kaNdikhoyo zonke izinto ezazenzelwe uBhali noAshera neenkwenkwezi. Zonke ezo zinto wazitshisela ngaphandle kweJerusalem kwezo ntili zeKedron; ke lona uthuthu waluthatha walusa eBhetele. ₅Wabadenda abo babingeleli banqula *izithixo, abo babemiselwe ngookumkani bakwaJuda ukuze benze iziqhumiso kwiindawo eziphakamileyo zonqulo kwiidolophu zakwaJuda, nakwezo zingqonge iJerusalem. Abo ke babesenzela uBhali iziqhumiso, besenzela ilanga, inyanga, nazo zonke iinkwenkwezi ezisesibhaka-bhakeni. ₆Intsika ka-Ashera wayincothula endlwini kaNdikhoyo, wayisa kwintili yeKedron ngaphandle kweJerusalem, wayitshisela khona. Wayisila yaluthuli, waza olo thuli lwayo walusarhaza phezu kwamangcwaba abantu. ₇Wawachitha amagumbi awayehlala amahenyu apho endlwini kaNdikhoyo, apho abafazi babezalukela khona iimpahla zika-Ashera.

₈UJosiya wabaqokelela bonke ababingeleli kwiidolophu zakwaJuda, waza wazibhangisa iindawo eziphakamileyo zonqulo, eqalela eGebha, wathi xhaxhe ngeBheshebha, ndawo ezo babeqhumisa kuzo ababingeleli abo. Wazidiliza izibingelelo emasangweni phaya, ekungeneni kwisango likaYoshuwa unolali elingasekhohlo kwisango lesixeko. ₉Nangona ababingeleli beendawo eziphakamileyo zonqulo babengasebenzi kwiqonga likaNdikhoyo eJerusalem, kodwa babesitya isonka esinganyuswanga kunye noogxa babo abangababingeleli.

₁₀UJosiya wayibhangisa iTofeti eyayikwintili yeBhen-hinom, ukuze ingabi sasetyenziselwa ukwenzela uMoleki amadini ngabantwana. ₁₁Apho esangweni elingena endlwini kaNdikhoyo wawasusa loo mahashe ayenikezelwe ngookumkani bakwaJuda elangeni. Ayesenkundleni ngakwigumbi legosa ekwakuthiwa nguNatan-meleki. Neenqwelo ezazinikezelwe kwilanga wazitshisa.

₁₂Wawadiliza amaqonga awayakhiwe ngookumkani bakwaJuda ngaphezu kwegumbi eliphezulu lika-Ahazi, kunye naloo maqonga wawakhayo uManase kwiinkundla zombini zendlu kaNdikhoyo. Ewe, wawasusa wawadiliza ayimvuthuluka yenkunkuma awayiphosa kwintili yeKedron. ₁₃Ke kaloku ukumkani wazixabhela neendawo eziphakamileyo zonqulo ezazikwimpuma yeJerusalem, ngezantsi kwenduli yomonakalo, ezo uSolomon ukumkani wamaSirayeli wayezakhele uAshtoreti isikizi lesithixokazi samaSidon, neendawo eziphakamileyo zonqulo zikaKemoshe, isikizi lesithixo samaMowabhi, nesikaMilikom isikizi lesithixo sama-Amon. ₁₄UJosiya wazaphula iintsika zamatye, waza wazigawula iintsika zika-Ashera, waza ezo ndawo zazo wazigquma ngamathambo abantu.

₁₅Walidiliza neqonga eliseBhetele, loo ndawo yonqulo yayenziwe nguJerobhowam unyana kaNebhati, lowo walukuhlela amaSirayeli esonweni, konke nje wakutshabalalisa, loo ndawo yonqulo wayitshisa wayisila yaluthuli, ngokunjalo nentsika ka-Ashera wayitshisa. ₁₆UJosiya wakhangela ngapha nangapha waza wabona amangcwaba awayelapho kwelo thambeka, wathi makakhutshwe kuwo amathambo, waza wawatshisela eqongeni ukulixabhela ngokwelizwi likaNdikhoyo elavakaliswa ngumfo wakwaThixo owazixelayo kwangaphambili ezo zinto.

₁₇Ukumkani wathi: “Elaa litye lengcwaba ndilibonayo lelikabani?”

Amadoda eso sixeko athi kuye: “Eliya lingcwaba lomfo wakwaThixo owayevela kwaJuda, waza waxela ezi zinto uzenzileyo mayela neli qonga laseBhetele.”

₁₈Wathi: “Liyekeni ke; makungaze kubekho mntu uwachukumisayo amathambo akhe.” Ngoko ke bawayeka amathambo akhe kunye nalawo omshumayeli owayevela eSamariya.

₁₉Kwanjengoko wenzayo eBhetele uJosiya wazisusa wazixabela zonke izibingelelo ezindaweni eziphakamileyo zonqulo, ezo zazakhiwe ngookumkani bakwaSirayeli kwiidolophu zaseSamariya, nto leyo eyawuxhokonxayo umsindo kaNdikhoyo. ₂₀UJosiya wababulalela apho emaqongeni bonke ababingeleli bezo ndawo zonqulo, watshisa amathambo omntu kuloo maqonga. Waza ke wabuyela eJerusalem.

₂₁Ke kaloku ukumkani wabanika umyalalelo bonke abantu othi: “Yenzani *iPasika *kaNdikhoyo uThixo wenu njengoko kubhaliweyo kule ncwadi yomnqophiso.” ₂₂IPasika le ke yayingazange yenziwa, kwaukususela kwimihla yeenkokheli ezazikhokela uSirayeli, ingazange yenziwa nakwimihla yookumkani bakwaSirayeli, ngokunjalo nakweyâbo bakwaJuda. ₂₃Kambe ke ngonyaka weshumi elinesibhozo kakumkani uJosiya yabhiyozelwa iPasika kaNdikhoyo eJerusalem.

₂₄Ngaphezu koko ke uJosiya wazibhangisa zonke izangoma namagqirha, nayo yonke imilonde-khaya nemifanekiso ezizithixo, nazo zonke izinto ezingamasikizi ezazifumaneka ezweni lakwaJuda naseJerusalem. Yonke ke loo nto wayenza efezekisa imiqathango yomthetho eyayibhalwe kuloo ncwadi yayifunyenwe ngumbingeleli uHilekiya endlwini kaNdikhoyo. ₂₅Ngaphambili nasemva kwakhe uJosiya wayengazange abekho, engaphindanga wakhona, ukumkani owayezinikezele kuNdikhoyo njengaye, loo nto eyenza ngomxhelo wakhe uphela, nangamandla akhe, njengoko usitsho umthetho kaMosis.

₂₆Nakuba kunjalo ke kodwa, yena uNdikhoyo akajikanga kwingcwangu yomsindo wakhe owawuvutha ngakuJuda, ngenxa yezinto awayemxhokonxe ngazo uManase. ₂₇Ngoko ke uNdikhoyo wathi: “Ndiza kumgxotha phambi kwam uJuda kwanjengoko ndenzayo kuSirayeli; ewe, ndoyibukula iJerusalem, isixeko endasinyulayo, nditsho nkqu nayo le ndlu endandithethe ngayo ndathi: ‘Lohlala kuyo igama lam.’ ”

₂₈Ke zona ezinye zeziganeko zolawulo lukaJosiya, nayo yonke imizabalazo yakhe, nâzo encwadini yeembali zookumkani bakwaJuda.

₂₉Ke kaloku ngaloo mihla kakumkani uJosiya ukumkani waseJiputa uNeko wanyuka waya kuncedisa ukumkani waseAsiriya ngakumlambo iEfrati. Ukumkani uJosiya waphuma nomkhosi wakhe wamhlangabeza. Kodwa ke uNeko lowo wagagana naye eMegido, wamosela wafa. ₃₀Ke amaphakathi akhe awuthatha umzimba kaJosiya apho eMegido, awuthwala ngenqwelo, aya nawo eJerusalem, afika amfaka engcwabeni lakhe. Abemi belizwe ke bathatha uYowahazi unyana kaJosiya, bamthambisa bammisela wangukumkani esikhundleni sikayise.

₃₁Ukuqala kwakhe ukulawula uYowahazi wayeneminyaka emashumi mabini anantathu, walawula apho eJerusalem iinyanga zantathu. Unina yayinguHamutali intombi kaJeremiya okhaya laliseLibhena. ₃₂Naye wathatha ikhondo looyise-mkhulu ngokwenza okubi emehlweni kaNdikhoyo. ₃₃Ukumkani waseJiputa uNeko wamkhonkxa ngamatyathanga eRibhela, umhlaba waseHamati, waza ke akabi nako ukulawula apho eJerusalem. Kananjalo uJuda wammisela irhafu yeekhilogram zesiliva ezimawaka mathathu makhulu mane, kunye neekhilogram zegolide ezimashumi mathathu anane.

₃₄Ke kaloku ukumkani waseJiputa uNeko lowo wathatha unyana kaJosiya uEliyakim wammisela wangukumkani esikhundleni sikayise, igama lakhe elo walijika wathi nguJoyakim. Ke yena uYowahazi wamfudusela eJiputa, apho wafela khona. ₃₅UJoyakim wayeyikhupha loo siliva naloo golide yayimiselwe ngukumkani waseJiputa. Loo mrhumo ke wawukhupha ngokurhafisa abantu belizwe lakhe, bekhupha isiliva negolide ngokwezinto abanazo.

₃₆UJoyakim waqalisa ukulawula eneminyaka emashumi mabini anantlanu, waza ke walawula eJerusalem iminyaka elishumi elinanye. Unina yayinguZebhida intombi kaPedaya waseRuma. ₃₇Wênza okubi emehlweni *kaNdikhoyo; naye wathatha ikhondo looyise-mkhulu.