1 UMakhabhizi 15

₁U-Antiyokhusi indodana kaDemetriyu, wathumela incwadi kuSimoni, kubaphristi neziphathimandla zabaJuda, nasesizweni sonke, ivela eziqhingini zolwandle; ₂nakhu eyayikuqukethe: “Inkosi u-Antiyokhusi kuSimoni umphristi omkhulu nombusi, namaJuda nesizwe sonke, ngiyanibingelela. ₃Kukhona izidlwangudlwangu ezithize esezithathe amandla embusweni wokhokho bethu, ngakho-ke ngizimisele ukuba ngiwubuyise umbuso ukuze ube njengoba wawunjalo ngezikhathi eziphambili futhi sengiwaqoqile amabutho akhokhelwayo akwamanye amazwe ngawanika imikhumbi yempi, ₄ngizimisele nokuba ngehlele ezweni ukuze ngiqhubeke ngibhekane nalabo abachithe izwe lethu nalabo ababhubhise imizi eminingi embusweni wami. ₅Ngakho-ke nami ngiyakuqinisa okwashiwo ngamakhosi angaphambi kwami kokunikhulula ukuba ningakhokhi ntela, nokunikhulula nakwezinye izimali enanizikhokha. ₆Ngiyanivumela ukuba nenze eyenu imali ibe yimali yezwe lenu, ₇futhi ngilinikeza inkululeko iJerusalema kanye nendawo engcwele. Zonke izikhali enizenzileyo nezinqaba enizakhileyo futhi eseninazo manje, konke lokho kungokwenu. ₈Zonke izikwelethu eninazo esikhwameni senkosi nanoma yiziphi ezinye ezisazokwenzeka ngiyazesula kusuka manje kuze kube nini nini. ₉Lapho sesiwubuyisile umbuso wethu, siyokunikeza ukuhlonishwa okukhulu wena kanye nesizwe sakho nethempeli, ukuze udumo lwakho lubonakale emhlabeni wonke.”

₁₀Ngomnyaka we-174 u-Antiyokhusi wathumela walihlasela izwe lawokhokho bakhe. Wonke amabutho abuthana kuye, uThurufoni waze wasala nambalwa kakhulu. ₁₁U-Antiyokhusi wamlandela, uThurufoni owabaleka waze wayofika eDora, elingasolwandle; ₁₂ngokuba wayazi ukuthi izinhlupheko zimkakile, futhi wayeshiywe nangamabutho akhe. ₁₃Ngakho-ke u-Antiyokhusi wakanekisa ngaseDora ehamba namabutho ayeyi-120 000 kanye nezi-8 000 zamabutho agibele amahhashi. ₁₄Wawuzungeza umuzi, nemikhumbi yafika ukuzokwelekelela iqhamuka ngasolwandle; wawucindezela umuzi ngasezweni nangasolwandle, futhi kavumelanga muntu ukuba aphume noma angene kuwo.

₁₅Kwase kufika oNumeniyase nabangani bakhe bevela eRoma, bephethe izincwadi eziya emakhosini nasemazweni, okwakubhalwe lokhu okulandelayo kuzo: ₁₆“ULusiyase inxusa lamaRoma uyayibingelela inkosi uPhitholemi. ₁₇Izithunywa zabaJuda zifikile kithi njengabangani nomana bethu ukuzovuselela ubungani bethu obudala kanye nesivumelwano. Bathunywe ngumphristi omkhulu uSimoni nayisizwe sabaJuda ₁₈futhi bafike bephethe nesihlangu segolide esisisindo saso siyinkulungwane yomina. ₁₉Ngakho-ke sinqumile ukuba sibhalele amakhosi kanye namazwe ukubazisa ukuthi bangaze bazama ukubalimaza noma bahlasele imizi yabo kanye nezwe labo, noma benze isivumelwano nalabo abalwa nabo. ₂₀Ngakho-ke sikubone kukuhle kithi ukuba sisamukele isihlangu kubo. ₂₁Ngakho-ke uma kukhona ontamo lukhuni ababalekele kini bevela ezweni labo, babuyiseleni kumphristi omkhulu uSimoni, ukuze abajezise njengokomthetho wabo.”

₂₂Inxusa labhala incwadi efanayo liyibhalela inkosi uDemetriyu kanye no-Attalusi no-Ariyarathesi kanye no-Arisakesi, ₂₃nakuwo onke amazwe, iSampasameyi, iSpartani, iDeloni, iMundoni, iSikuyoni, iKhariyani, iSamoni, iPhamfiliya, iLukiyani, iHalikarnasusi, iRodoni, iPhaselida, iKosi, iSideni, i-Aradoni, noGoritunani, iKinidoni, iKhuphro naseKhurene. ₂₄Bathumela ikhophi yalezi zinto kumphristi omkhulu uSimoni.

₂₅Nokho Inkosi u-Antiyokhusi yalihlasela iDora okwesibili, iqhubeka njalo ithumela amabutho ukulihlasela nokwenza imishini yempi yokudiliza ugange, yamvalela uThurufoni ayamvumela ukuba aphume nokuba angene. ₂₆USimoni naye wathumela ku-Antiyokhusi amabutho ayizi-2 000 ayewaqokile ukuba ayolekelela empini, kanye nesiliva negolide nezinto eziningi zempi. ₂₇Kodwa wenqaba ukuzamukela, futhi wazephula zonke izethembiso ayezenze ngaphambili kuSimoni, kwaba khona ukwahlukana okukhulu kubo. ₂₈Wathumela u-Athenobiyosi omunye wabangani bakhe, ukuba axoxe naye babonisane, ethi: “Nguwe ophethe iJopha neGazara kanye nenqaba eseJerusalema, okuyimizi yombuso wami. ₂₉Wenzile incithakalo ezifundeni zayo, wenza umonakalo omkhulu ezweni, futhi udlile izindawo eziningi embusweni wami. ₃₀Ngakho-ke, buyisa yonke imizi owayithathayo kanye nemali yentela yezindawo ozinqobile ezingaphandle kwemingcele yaseJudiya; ₃₁uma kungenjalo ngikhokhele amathalente angama-500 esiliva ngenxa yomonakalo owenzileyo namanye amathalente angama-500 ngaphezulu angawentela oyithathile kule mizi. Uma kungenzeki lokhu sizokuza sizonihlasela.”

₃₂Ngakho-ke u-Athenobiyosi, umngani wenkosi wafika eJerusalema, ebona ubukhazikhazi bukaSimoni, kanye namabhodi acakwe ngegolide nangesiliva, nobuhle bombuso wakhe, wamangala kakhulu. Lapho esebika kuye umlayezo wenkosi, ₃₃uSimoni waphendula wathi kuye: “Asithathe lizwe lamuntu nampahla yamuntu okungekhona okwethu, kodwa lokho okuyifa lokhokho bethu, elalithathiwe ngokungafanele ngezikhathi ezedlule yizitha zethu. ₃₄Manje njengoba sesilitholile ithuba siyakubambelela kulokho okuyifa lokhokho bethu. ₃₅Mayelana neJopha neGazara, okufunayo, le mizi beyenza umonakalo omkhulu phakathi kwabantu bezwe; ngayo siyokukunikeza amathalente ayikhulu.”

U-Athenobiyosi kaphendulanga nangelilodwa leli, ₃₆kodwa wabuyela emuva enkosini ethukuthele wayilandisa onke lawa mazwi, nangabo bonke ubukhazikhazi bukaSimoni nangakho konke akubonile. Inkosi nayo yathukuthela yagana unwabu.

₃₇Ngasona leso sikhathi uThurufoni wangena emkhunjini waphumelela ukuphunyuka wabaleka waya e-Orithosiya. ₃₈Inkosi yase yenza uKhendebheyusi waba ngumkhuzi omkhulu wempi emazweni angasogwini, yamnikeza amabutho kanye nalawo agibele amahhashi. ₃₉Yamyala ukuba ayokanekisa abhekane neJudiya, nokuba akhe iKhedroni aqinise amasango alo, alwe nabantu balo; inkosi yona yalandela uThurufoni. ₄₀Ngakho-ke uKhendebheyusi wafika eJamniya waqala ukuchukuluza abantu nokuhlasela iJudiya nokuthumba abantu nokubabulala. ₄₁Walakha iKhedroni wabeka kulo abagibele amahhashi kanye namabutho, ukuze akwazi ukuphuma lapho ahlasele ezindaweni eziphakeme zaseJudiya, njengoba inkosi yayiyalile.