2 IZikhronike 19

₁UJehoshafathi, inkosi yakwaJuda, waphindela emuva esigodlweni sakhe eJerusalema, ephephile. ₂UJehu, indodana kaHanani, umboni, waphuma wayomhlangabeza, wafike wathi enkosini uJehoshafathi: “Kungani usiza ababi, uthanda abazonda uSimakade na? Ngakho-ke intukuthelo kaSimakade izokwehlela phezu kwakho. ₃Nokho kufunyaniswe kuwe izinto ezinhle. Ubasusile o-Ashera ezweni, wabhekisa inhliziyo yakho ukuba ifune uNkulunkulu.”

₄UJehoshafathi wahlala eJerusalema, kodwa kamuva wabuye waphuma wahamba phakathi kwabantu, kusukela eBheri Sheba kuya kwelezintaba kwa-Efrayimi; wababuyisela abantu kuSimakade uNkulunkulu wokhokho babo. ₅Wabeka abehluleli ezweni nasemizini yonke yakwaJuda ebiyelweyo, imizi ngemizi. ₆Wathi kubehluleli: “Kubhekisiseni enikwenzayo, ngokuba anihluleleli abantu, kodwa uNkulunkulu onani ekwehluleleni. ₇Ngakho-ke hlalani nimesaba uSimakade, niqaphele enikwenzayo, ngokuba akukho ukungalungi kuSimakade uNkulunkulu wethu, akakhethi buso bamuntu futhi akafunjathiswa.”

₈NaseJerusalema, uJehoshafathi wabeka abanye babaLevi nabaphristi, nezinye zezinhloko zoyise bakwa-Israyeli ukuze behlulele egameni likaSimakade, bathethe amacala. Babuyela eJerusalema. ₉Wabayala wathi: “Niyokwenza kanjalo, nimesabe uSimakade ngeqiniso nangenhliziyo epheleleyo. ₁₀Wonke amacala afika kini evela kubafowenu abahlala emizini yabo phakathi kwegazi negazi, noma phakathi komthetho nomyalo, noma phakathi kwezimiso nezehlulelo, niyakubaxwayisa ngawo ukuba bangabi nacala kuSikamade, nehlelwe yintukuthelo nina nabafowenu. Niyokwenza kanjalo, ningabi nacala.

₁₁“Bheka, u-Amariya, umphristi, nguye onengamele nazo zonke izindaba zikaSimakade. UZebadiya, indodana ka-Ishmayeli, umholi wendlu yakwaJuda, uyokwengamela zonke izindaba eziqondene nenkosi. AbaLevi bayakuba yizikhulu eziniholayo. Yenzani ngesibindi, uSimakade uyakuba nabalungileyo.”