2 IZikhronike 26

₁Bonke abantu bakwaJuda bathatha u-Uziya owayeneminyaka eli-16, bambeka inkosi esikhundleni sikayise u-Amaziya. ₂Esekhotheme uyise, u-Uziya wakha i-Elathi walibuyisela kwaJuda.

₃U-Uziya wayeneminyaka eli-16 ngesikhathi eba yinkosi, wabusa iminyaka engama-52 eJerusalema. Igama likanina kwakunguJekhiliya waseJeruselama. ₄Wenza okuhle phambi kukaSimakade, njengakho konke u-Amaziya uyise ayekwenzile. ₅Wayelokhu efune uNkulunkulu ngesikhathi sikaZakhariya owamfundisa ukwesaba uNkulunkulu. Ngemihla ayemfuna ngayo uSimakade, uNkulunkulu wambusisa kakhulu.

₆Waphuma wayokulwa namaFilisti, wadiliza ugange eGathi, ugange eJabhine, nogange e-Ashidodi, wakha imizi e-Ashidodi naphakathi kwamaFilisti. ₇UNkulunkulu wamsiza kumaFilisti, nakwabase-Arabhiya ababehlala eGuri Bhari nakumaMehuni. ₈Abakwa-Amoni bathela intela ku-Uziya. Igama lakhe laduma laze layofika eGibhithe, ngokuba wakhombisa ukudlondlobala ngamandla.

₉U-Uziya wakha imibhoshongo eJerusalema ngasesangweni leGumbi, nangasesangweni leSigodi nangaseNqutshini. ₁₀Wakha imibhoshongo ehlane, wemba imithombo yamanzi eminingi, ngokuba wayenemfuyo eningi ehlanzeni nasethafeni; wayenabalimi nabaphathi bezivini ezintabeni naseKharmeli, ngoba wayengothanda umhlabathi.

₁₁U-Uziya wayenamabutho ayephuma ukuyokulwa izimpi ngamaviyo njengokudidiyelwa kwawo nguJehiyeli, umbhali, uMahaseya, umbusi, benganyelwe nguHananiya, enye yezinduna zenkosi. ₁₂Inani lazo zonke izinhloko zoyise, amaqhawe anamandla, kwakuyizi-2 600. ₁₃Zaziphethe amabutho anamandla ayizi-307 500, ayelwa ngokuzinikela okukhulu ukuba asize inkosi ezitheni. ₁₄U-Uziya wawalungisela wonke amabutho akhe izihlangu, imikhonto, izigqoko, amabhantshi, iminsalo namatshe ezindwayimane. ₁₅EJerusalema wakha imishini yempi eyasungulwa ngokuhlakanipha, wayibeka phezu kwemibhoshongo nasezingosini ezithile, ukuze kuphonswe ngayo imicibisholo namatshe amakhulu. Igama lakhe laduma kude naseduze ngokuba wasizwa ngokumangalisayo waze waba namandla amakhulu.

₁₆Kepha lapho esenamandla, inhliziyo yakhe yaqala ukuzikhukhumeza, waze waziphatha kabi, akethembeka kuSimakade uNkulunkulu, wangena ethempelini likaSimakade washisa impepho e-althare lempepho. ₁₇U-Azariya, umphristi, nabaphristi bakaSimakade abangama-50 ababenaye, amadoda anamandla, bangena nabo bamlandela. ₁₈Bamelana nenkosi u-Uziya, bathi kuyo: “Awufanele ngokwakho, Uziya, ukushisela uSimakade impepho; lokho kungokwabaphristi, abangamadodana ka-Aroni, abangcweliselwe ukushisa impepho. Phuma endaweni engcwele, ngokuba wenze okubi; awuyukufumana ludumo oluvela kuSimakade uNkulunkulu.”

₁₉U-Uziya wathukuthela. Ngesikhathi ethukuthelela abaphristi, wayephethe isitsha sempepho esandleni sakhe ukuze ashise impepho, ngakho-ke kwavela uchoko ebunzini lakhe, phambi kwabaphristi, endlini kaSimakade, eceleni kwe-althare lempepho. ₂₀U-Azariya, umphristi omkhulu, nabo bonke abanye abaphristi bambuka; bheka, wayenochoko ebunzini lakhe. Bamkhipha lapho ngokushesha; naye uqobo washesha waphuma, ngokuba wabona ukuthi uSimakade umshayile.

₂₁U-Uziya, inkosi, waba nochoko waze waficwa lusuku lokufa kwakhe. Wayehlala endlini eyehlukanisiwe kwezinye, ngokuba enochoko. Wanqatshelwa ukuba angene endlini kaSimakade, ngokuba wayenochoko. UJothamu, indodana yakhe, wengamela indlu yenkosi, futhi wehlulela abantu bezwe.

₂₂Ezinye izindaba zika-Uziya, ezakuqala nezakamuva, zilotshiwe ngu-Izaya umphrofethi, indodana ka-Amose. ₂₃U-Uziya wayeselaliswa nokhokho bakhe; bammbela kokhokho bakhe eduze kwensimu yamadlinza amakhosi, ngokuba bathi: “Ungonochoko.”

UJothamu, indodana yakhe, waba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.