2 AMakhosi 16

₁Ngonyaka we-17 wokubusa kukaPheka, indodana kaRemaliya, u-Ahazi, indodana kaJothamu, waba yinkosi kwaJuda. ₂Wayeneminyaka engama-20, ngesikhathi eqala ukubusa. Wabusa iminyaka eli-16 eJerusalema. Akakwenzanga okulungile phambi kukaSimakade, uNkulunkulu wakhe, njengoDavide, ukhokho wakhe. ₃Kepha wahamba ngendlela yamakhosi akwa-Israyeli, waze wadabulisa nendodana yakhe emlilweni, njengezinengiso zabezizwe uSimakade abaxosha phambi kwabantu bakwa-Israyeli. ₄Wahlaba, washisa nempepho ezindaweni eziphakemeyo, emagqumeni naphansi kwazo zonke izihlahla eziluhlaza.

₅Ngaso leso sikhathi kwakhuphuka uRezini, inkosi yase-Aramu, noPheka, indodana kaRemaliya, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, bahlasela iJerusalema. Bamvimbezela u-Ahazi, kodwa abakwazanga ukumnqoba. ₆Ngaleso sikhathi uRezini, inkosi yase-Aramu, wabuyisela i-Elathi e-Aramu, wabaxosha abaJuda e-Elathi, kwase kufika ama-Aramu nabakwa-Edomi bahlala kulo kuze kube namuhla.

₇U-Ahazi wathumela izithunywa kuThigilathi Phileseri, inkosi yase-Asiriya, wathi: “Mina ngiyinceku yakho nendodana yakho; khuphuka ungisindise esandleni senkosi yase-Aramu, nasesandleni senkosi yakwa-Israyeli, abangivukele.”

₈U-Ahazi wathatha isiliva negolide alithola endlini kaSimakade nasengcebeni yesigodlo, walithumela enkosini yase-Asiriya, laba yisipho sayo. ₉Inkosi yase-Asiriya yamlalela; yakhuphuka yayohlasela iDamaseku, yalidla, yathumba abantu bakhona, yabasa eKhiri, yambulala uRezini.

₁₀Inkosi u-Ahazi yaya eDamaseku yayohlangabeza uThigilathi Phileseri, inkosi yase-Asiriya, yabona i-althare elaliseDamaseku. Inkosi u-Ahazi yathumela ku-Uriya, umphristi, imtshela nge-althare, isimo salo, nokuthi injani indlela elenziwe ngayo, nakho konke okwakukulo.

₁₁U-Uriya, umphristi, walakha i-althare njengokwemiyalelo yenkosi u-Ahazi eyayimthumelele yona iseDamaseku, yaze yabuya inkosi u-Ahazi eDamaseku. ₁₂Inkosi isibuyile eDamaseku, yalibona i-althare, yasondela kulo, yanikela kulo. ₁₃Yashisa umnikelo wayo wokushiswa, nomnikelo wayo wempuphu, yathulula umnikelo wayo wokuphuzwayo, yafafaza igazi leminikelo yokuthula e-althare. ₁₄Kepha i-althare lethusi elaliphambi kukaSimakade, yalisusa phambi kwendlu naphakathi kwe-althare nendlu kaSimakade, yalibeka ohlangothini olungasenyakatho lwe-althare layo.

₁₅Inkosi u-Ahazi yamyala u-Uriya, umphristi, yathi: “E-althare elikhulu shisa umnikelo wokushiswa wasekuseni, umnikelo wokusanhlamvu wakusihlwa, umnikelo wokushiswa wenkosi, nomnikelo wayo wokusanhlamvu nomnikelo wokushiswa wabo bonke abantu abasezweni: umnikelo wabo wokusanhlamvu, neminikelo yabo yokuphuzwayo. Ulifafaze ngalo lonke igazi lomnikelo wokushiswa, nalo lonke igazi lomhlatshelo, kodwa i-althare lethusi lizokuba ngelami, ukubuza izinto kulo.”

₁₆U-Uriya, umphristi, wenza konke njengokuyala kwenkosi u-Ahazi.

₁₇Inkosi yazinquma izisekelo zezinqe, yawususa umcengezi wokugezela, ulwandle olwaluphezu kwezinkabi zethusi yalwehlisa, yalubeka endaweni eyayigandaywe ngamatshe. ₁₈Indlela esibekelweyo yesabatha eyayakhiwe ngaphakathi esigodlweni, nendlela yangaphandle inkosi eyayingena ngayo, yakususa endlini kaSimakade; ngenxa yenkosi yase-Asiriya.

₁₉Ezinye izindaba zika-Ahazi azenzayo, azilotshiwe yini encwadini yezindaba zemihla ngemihla yamakhosi akwaJuda na? ₂₀U-Ahazi walalaliswa kokhokho bakhe, wembelwa kokhokho bakhe emzini kaDavide. UHezekiya, indodana yakhe, waba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.