Bible Reading Plan – Day 258

₁Ezi ziziganeko zexesha likakumkani uAsuwerosi, ukumkani owayelawula amaphondo alikhulu elinamashumi amabini anesixhenxe, eqalela eIndiya, athi xhaxhe ngeKushe. ₂Ikomkhulu likakumkani uAsuwerosi lowo lalisebhotwe eSusa. ₃Ke kaloku kunyaka wakhe wesithathu elawula wenza itheko ewonga izikhulu namaphakathi akhe. Kwelo theko ke zazikho neengqwayi-ngqwayi zomkhosi wamaPeshiya namaMedi, kunye namatshawe nezikhulu zamaphondo.

₄Yaba ziintsuku ezininzi ezilikhulu elinamashumi asibhozo esenza umboniso ngaloo ntaphane yobutyebi bombuso wakhe kunye nobukhazikhazi bobungangamsha nobuhandiba bakhe. ₅Zithe ke zakuphela ezo ntsuku, ukumkani wenza elinye itheko elathatha isixhenxe seentsuku, lona elenzela kumyezo ongaphakathi apho ebhotwe. Lona ke wayelenzela umntu wonke, kusukela koyena uphantsi kuye koyena mkhulu, bonke ababelapho kwibhotwe laseSusa. ₆Lo myezo ke wawuhonjisiwe, uqhelezela, kujinga amalaphu amhlophe naluhlaza. La malaphu ayeqhinwe ngemisonto emhlophe nemfusa, ebotshelelwe kumakhonkco esiliva anxityelelwe kwiintsika ezakhiwe ngelitye elimhlophe lemabhula. Kwakukho nezitulo ezimfuma-mfuma zegolide nesiliva, zikwinkundla eyandlalwe ngamatye abomvu, namhlophe, nabengezelayo, namanye angamabala-bala. ₇Kwathungwa iwayini kwiindebe zegolide iyileyo yahlukile kwenye, yabe ke newayini leyo ingeninzi izizantyala-ntyala ngokwezinwe zikakumkani. ₈Ngokomyalelo kakumkani ke wonke umntu kwezo ndwendwe wavunyelwa ukuba ayisele ngendlela yakhe, njengoko ukumkani wayeyalele iinjoli zewayini ukuba zithungele umntu ngamnye ngangoko afuna ngako.

₉Ke kaloku nokumkanikazi uVashiti wenzela amakhosikazi itheko kwalapho ebhotwe kwakumkani uAsuwerosi.

₁₀Kuthe ke ngosuku lwesixhenxe, xa kanye ukumkani uAsuwerosi wayenomqhele yiwayini, suka wabiza amaphakathi akhe asebhotwe asixhenxe: uMehuman, uBhizeta, uHabhona, uBhigeta, uAbhageta, uZetare, noKakasi. ₁₁Wona wawayalela ukuba ezise ukumkanikazi uVashiti, ammise phambi kwakhe evathile, ethwele iqhiya yobukumkanikazi, khon' ukuze aqhayise ngobo bunzwakazi bakhe ebantwini ndawonye nezikhulu zakhe. Kaloku wayeyinzwakazi ethi ndijonge. ₁₂Kambe ke amaphakathi lawo athe akuwudlulisa loo myalelo kakumkani, suka ukumkanikazi uVashiti wala ukuza. Hayi ke, yeka ukuvutha kukakumkani ngumsindo.

₁₃Njengoko yayilisiko ukuba ukumkani athetha-thethane neengcali kwimicimbi yomthetho nobulungisa, naye ke wadlan' iindlebe namadoda azizilumko awuqondayo umthetho, ₁₄engawona ayintong' esekhosi kakumkani: uKashena, uShetare, uAdemata, uTashishe, uMeresi, uMasena, noMemukan. La madoda asixhenxe ayezizikhulu zamaPeshiya namaMedi, esondele ngendlela eyodwa kukumkani, futhi ekwezona zikhundla ziphambili apho embusweni.

₁₅Ukumkani wabuza wathi: “Ngokomthetho makwenziwe ntoni ngokumkanikazi uVashiti? Kaloku yena akawuthobelanga umyalelo kakumkani uAsuwerosi awuxelelwe ngamaphakathi.”

₁₆Ke uMemukan wamphendula ukumkani lowo zikho nezinye izikhulu, wathi: “Ukumkanikazi uVashiti lo akonanga ukumkani kuphela, koko uzonile zonke izikhulu nabo bonke abantu bamaphondo onke kakumkani uAsuwerosi. ₁₇Ngoko ke esi simo sokumkanikazi siza kwaziwa ngabo bonke abanye abafazi, baze ke nabo bawadele amadoda abo, besithi: ‘Nkqu nokumkani uAsuwerosi ngokwakhe wathi akuyalela ukuba ukumkanikazi uVashiti eziswe phambi kwakhe wasuka wala ukumkanikazi ukuza.’ ₁₈Kunamhlanje-nje bonke abafazi bezikhulu zamaPeshiya namaMedi abevileyo ngesi simo sikakumkanikazi baza kwenza kwangolo hlobo kwizikhulu zikakumkani. Ngenxa yalo mzekelo ukungevisisani nentswela-mbeko soze ziphinde ziphele.

₁₉“Ngoko ke xa kukholekile kukumkani, umhlekazi makenze isihlokomiso ngokwasemthethweni, agunyazise ukuba sibhalwe kwimithetho yamaPeshiya namaMedi engenakuguqulwa. Isihlokomiso eso masimvalele ukumkanikazi uVashiti angaze aphinde athi cakatha kwibhotwe likakumkani uAsuwerosi. Kananjalo ke, ukumkani esi sikhundla sikaVashiti makasinikezele kumntu wumbi olungileyo kunaye. ₂₀Xa sithe sabhengezwa esi sihlokomiso sikakumkani kuwo wonke loo mmandla wakhe ubanzi kangakanana, bonke abafazi baya kutsho bawahlonele amadoda abo, kuqalela koyena uphantsi kuye koyena uphezulu.”

₂₁Ke kaloku ukumkani ndawonye nezikhulu zakhe baneliseka leli cebiso, waza ke ukumkani wenza ngokwecebiso likaMemukan. ₂₂Wathumela iincwadi kuzo zonke iindawo eziphantsi kokumkani, incwadi nganye ibhalwe ngolwimi nendlela yokubhala yephondo ngalinye, esithi yonke indoda mayibe ngumlawuli endlwini yayo, ithethe ngokubona kwayo.

₁Ke kaloku wakuba uthothile umsindo kakumkani uAsuwerosi, wamkhumbula uVashiti nesenzo sakhe, ngokunjalo nesihlokomiso awasikhuphayo ngenxa yakhe. ₂Ke izicaka ezazimququzelela ukumkani zathi kuye: “Makhe kwenziwe uphando, kukhangelelwe ukumkani iintombi-nto ezintle kunene. ₃Ukumkani makamisele abaphathi kwiphondo ngalinye elikumbuso wakhe, baze ke ezo nzwakazi zeentombi bazizise kwinkundla yabafazi ebhotwe eSusa. Zona ezo ntombi mazigcinwe nguHegayi iphakathi likakumkani elijongene nabafazi. Zothatha ithuba ke zizilungisa ngezithambiso zobuhle. ₄Ke intombi ethe yamkholisa ukumkani yoba ngukumkanikazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti.” Eli cebiso ke lamkeleka kukumkani, waza walisebenzisa.

₅Ke kaloku apho komkhulu eSusa kwakukho umJuda wendlu kaBhenjamin ogama linguModekayi unyana kaJayire, kaShimeyi, kaKishe. ₆Yena ke wathinjwa ngukumkani uNebhukadenezare eJerusalem waya naye eBhabheli engomnye wâbo babethinjwe noJoyakin ukumkani wakwaJuda. ₇UModekayi lo ke wayenomzala ogama linguHadasa awayeze naye apho eBhabheli kuba eyinkedama engenatata namama. Le ntombi ke, egama limbi lalinguEstere, yayimile kakuhle iyinzwakazi. UModekayi lo ke wayithatha njengomntwana wakhe yakuba iswelekelwe nguyise nonina.

₈Uthe ke wakuba ubhengeziwe umyalelo nesihlokomiso sikakumkani kweziswa iintombi ezininzi apho komkhulu eSusa, zanikezelwa ukuba zigcinwe nguHegayi. NoEstere ke wasiwa apho ebhotwe, waselugcinweni lukaHegayi owayejongene nenkundla yababhinqileyo. ₉Le ntombi inguEstere ke yamkholisa ngokupheleleyo. Ngoko nangoko ke wayixhasa ngezinto zobuhle, eyityisa ooni nooni. Wamnikezela esandleni sabafazi abasixhenxe abâkhethwa kwalapho komkhulu, waza ke uEstere nâbo bafazi bahlaliswa kwawona magumbi aphambili kwelo cala lababhinqileyo.

₁₀Ke kaloku uEstere lo wayengazange azichaze imvelaphi nohlanga lwakhe, kuba uModekayi wayethe makangazixeli. ₁₁Mihla le uModekayi wayesoloko ehamba-hamba apho ngakuloo nkundla, eze kuqonda ukuba kuqhubeka ntoni na ngoEstere.

₁₂Phambi kokuba intombi iye kukumkani uAsuwerosi kwakufuneka ithathe ishumi elinambini leenyanga iphathwe ngemigqalisela yobuhle eyayimiselwe ababhinqileyo. Iinyanga ezintandathu yayithambisa amafutha emore, ngezinye ezintandathu ithambise ubulawu neziqholo. ₁₃Lo mcimbi ke wawuqhutywa ngolu hlobo ukuze intombi leyo isiwe kukumkani: nantoni na eyifunayo yayiyinikwa, iyithathe apho kwelo cala lababhinqileyo, iye nayo kwibhotwe likakumkani. ₁₄Yayingena khona ngorhatya, ize kusasa ibuyele kwelinye icala kwalapho kwelababhinqileyo, ngoku ibe sesandleni sikaShashagazi, iphakathi likakumkani elalijongene namaqadi. Ke kaloku emva koko yayingaphindeli kukumkani ngaphandle kokuba abe ukholisiwe yiyo. Xa kunjalo ke wayeyibiza ngegama.

₁₅Lithe ke lakufika ithuba likaEstere (intombi leyo eyayigcinwe nguModekayi, iyintombi kayisekazi uAbhihayili) ukuba aye kuvela phambi kokumkani, yena akafunanga nto yimbi ngaphandle kwezo zinto wayezicetyiswe nguHegayi iphakathi likakumkani elalijongene nenkundla yababhinqileyo. Ke yena uEstere wamkholisa wonke umntu owambonayo. ₁₆UEstere ke wasiwa kukumkani uAsuwerosi phakathi ebhotwe apho wayehlala khona ngoTebhete inyanga yeshumi kunyaka wesixhenxe wolawulo lukakumkani uAsuwerosi.

₁₇Ke kaloku ukumkani lowo wakhangwa ngendlela eyodwa nguEstere lowo; ewe, kuzo zonke ezo ntombi ayikho eyawelwa ngukumkani njengoEstere lowo, yena wamkholisa ngokugqithisileyo. Ngoko ke ukumkani wathwesa uEstere iqhiya yobukumkanikazi, wamfaka esikhundleni sikaVashiti. ₁₈Ukumkani ke wenzela izikhulu namaphakathi akhe itheko elikhulu egameni likaEstere. Wamisela iholide kuwo onke amaphondo awayephantsi kwakhe, wasasaza izipho zazininzi, ziphuma esandleni sikakumkani.

₁₉Zathi xa zihlanganisene okwesibini ezo ntombi waye yena uModekayi ehleli ngasesangweni apho kwakumkani. ₂₀Ke yena uEstere wahlala eyifihlile imvelaphi yakhe ndawonye nobuhlanga bakhe kanye ngaloo ndlela wayeyalelwe ngayo nguModekayi. Kaloku nangoku wahlala esephantsi kweengcebiso zikaModekayi kwanjengoko wayesenza ukumkhulisa kwakhe.

₂₁Ke kaloku ngelo thuba uModekayi wayesesangweni apho kwakumkani, uBhigetan noTereshe, isibini samaphakathi kakumkani esasilinda amasango, bobabini basuka bacaphuka, baza baceba ukwenza iyelenqe lokubulala ukumkani uAsuwerosi. ₂₂Ke uModekayi walibhaqa elo yelenqe, waza waxelela ukumkanikazi uEstere, owathi yena waxelela ukumkani egameni likaModekayi. ₂₃Lithe ke lakufunyaniswa ubunyani balo elo yelenqe, loo maphakathi mabini athathwa abulawa ngokuxhonywa. Yonke ke le ngcombolo yabhalwa encwadini yeembali nokumkani ngokwakhe ekhona.

₁Ke kaloku emva kwezo ziganeko ukumkani uAsuwerosi wawonga uHaman unyana kaHamedata um-Agagi, wamphakamisa wamnika esona sihlalo siphezulu kunazo zonke ezinye izikhulu. ₂Zonke izicaka zikakumkani apho esangweni zaguqa zakhahlela kuHaman ngokomyalelo kakumkani ngoHaman lowo. Kambe ke yena uModekayi zange aguqe akhahlele apho kuHaman.

₃Ke izicaka zikakumkani ezazilapho esangweni zabuza uModekayi zathi: “Ngani ukuba wena ungawuthobeli umyalelo kakumkani?” ₄Mihla le zazithetha naye ngale nto, kodwa yena engavumi ukuthobela loo myalelo. Ngoko zamxelela uHaman ngoModekayi lowo, zifuna ukuqonda ukuba sonyanyezelwa na eso simo sikaModekayi, njengoko wayezixelele ukuba yena ungumJuda.

₅UHaman akuqonda ukuba uModekayi akavumi ukuguqa akhahlele kuye, wasuka wanomsindo. ₆Kodwa wathi, akuluqonda uhlanga lukaModekayi, akayithanda into yokuba abulale uModekayi yedwa. Ngoko ke uHaman wazama indlela yokulutshabalalisa lonke uhlanga lukaModekayi – amaJuda – kubo bonke ubukumkani buka-Asuwerosi.

₇Kuthe ke kunyaka weshumi elinambini kakumkani uAsuwerosi, ngenyanga yokuqala uNisan, kwenziwa ipuri (liqashiso ke elo), kukhethwa usuku nenyanga. Elo qashiso ke laphuma nenyanga yeshumi elinambini uAdari.

₈UHaman wathetha nokumkani uAsuwerosi wathi: “Kukho uhlanga oluthe saa phakathi kwabantu bonke kuwo onke amaphondo ombuso wakho. Aba bantu bahleli bezikhethile kwabanye abantu. Amasiko abo ahlukile kuwo onke awabanye abantu, nemithetho kakumkani abayithobeli. Ngoko ke asinto intle ukuba ukumkani abanyamezele aba bantu. ₉Xa kukholekile kuwe, kumkani, makubhalwe phantsi batshatyalaliswe. Ke mna ndiza kukhupha iikhilogram zesiliva ezingaphezu kwamakhulu amathathu anamashumi amane amawaka, ndizinikezele ezandleni zabagcina oovimba bakomkhulu, ukuze zigcinwe kubo.”

₁₀Ngoko ke ukumkani wakhupha umsesane wakhe emnweni, wawunika uHaman unyana kaHamedata um-Agagi owayelutshaba lwamaJuda. ₁₁Ukumkani wathi kuHaman: “Yeyakho kaloku imali leyo; yenza ngokubona kwakho mayela nolu hlanga.”

₁₂Ke kaloku ngosuku lweshumi elinesithathu kwinyanga yokuqala babizwa oonobhala bakomkhulu. Basixelelwa isihlokomiso esasiphuma kuHaman, sisiya kwiirhuluneli zikakumkani, nabalawuli kunye nezikhulu zamaphondo awahlukeneyo abantu ngabantu. Kwathiwa mabasibhale kwangezo lwimi zahlukeneyo zeentlanga ngeentlanga. Ezi zaziso ke zabhalwa egameni likakumkani uAsuwerosi ngokwakhe, zaza zanyatheliswa ngomsesane wakhe. ₁₃Ezo ncwadi ke zanikezelwa kwizigidimi ezathunywa kuwo onke amaphondo ombuso kakumkani. Zaziyalela ukuba onke amaJuda, amadala kwanamanci, abafazi nabantwana, makabulawe atshatyalaliswe atshitshiswe ngamini-nye – umhla weshumi elinesithandathu kwinyanga yeshumi elinambini uAdare – ke zona iimpahla neento zawo zonke zithathwe zibe ngamaxhoba. ₁₄Ikopi yesi sihlokomiso ke yayiza kubekwa ibe ngumthetho kwiphondo ngalinye, ibhengezwe kubantu beentlanga ngeentlanga, khon' ukuze bahlale belulindele olo suku.

₁₅Ke kaloku yaba ngamaxhaphetshu, izigidimi zikakumkani zibhengeza eso sihlokomiso sasiphuma kukumkani komkhulu eSusa. Ke ukumkani noHaman bahlala phantsi basela, sabe sona isixeko esiyiSusa sididekile.