To The Word – Day 139

₁Ke kaloku onke amaSirayeli ahlanganiselana kuDavide eHebron, athi: “Mhlekazi, siyazalana; sikwaligazi lakho. ₂Phambili phaya, ngokuya uSawule ebesengukumkani, amaSirayeli ayekhokelwa nguwe xa aya emfazweni. *UNdikhoyo uThixo wakho wathi kuwe: ‘Wena uya kuba ngumalusi wabantu bam amaSirayeli, ube ngumlawuli wabo.’ ”

₃Aya kufika ke amadoda amakhulu akwaSirayeli kukumkani uDavide eHebron, waza wanqophisana nawo phaya eHebron phambi koNdikhoyo, aza ke amthambisa waba ngukumkani wamaSirayeli ngokwesithembiso sikaNdikhoyo esivakaliswe nguSamweli.

₄UDavide namaSirayeli ephela baphuma baya eJerusalem – yiJebhusi ke leyo. Abemi bakhona, amaJebhusi, ₅athi kuDavide: “Akunakuze ungene apha wena!” Kambe ke uDavide wasuka wayithimba inqaba iZiyon, isixeko sikaDavide.

₆UDavide ke wayethe: “Nabani na othe wakhokela xa kuhlaselwa amaJebhusi uya kuba yinjengele.” Ke uJowabhi, unyana kaZeruya, yaba nguye ophumayo, waza ke wenziwa injengele yomkhosi.

₇Waya kuhlala apho kuloo nqaba uDavide, yaza yabizwa ngokuba sisixeko sikaDavide. ₈Wakha isixeko sayijikeleza, esusela kungqameko, waya kuthi ngqu ngodonga olujikelezileyo. Ke yena uJowabhi wasizinzisa isixeko ngokubanzi. ₉UDavide ke waya esomelela ngokomelela, kuba kaloku uNdikhoyo onamandla onke wayenaye.

₁₀Nazi iintloko zamagorha omkhosi kaDavide. Wona ke ekunye namaSirayeli ephela awuxhasa awomeleza umbuso wakhe wada wanabela kulo lonke elo lizwe ngokwesithembiso *sikaNdikhoyo. ₁₁Ewe, nalu uludwe lwamagorha kaDavide:

UJashobham umHakimoni wayeyintloko yamagorha angamashumi amathathu. Walwa namakhulu amathathu amadoda eyedwa, wawabulala onke ngomkhonto wakhe kwidabi elinye.

₁₂Olandelayo nguElazare, unyana kaDodo umAhoyi, engomnye wamagorha amathathu. ₁₃Yena wayekunye noDavide ePasi-damimi mhla ngedabi, amaFilistiya ehlanganisene khona. Ndaweni ithile apho kwakukho intsimi ezele yirhasi, umkhosi waswantsuliswa ngamaFilistiya. ₁₄Kambe ke uElazare namadoda akhe bema baqingqa apho phakathi kuloo ntsimi. Ewe, bahlanganisa babetha kwajub' ugodo kumaFilistiya, waza uNdikhoyo waba ngotshatsheleyo.

₁₅Isithathu kuloo madoda angamashumi amathathu aziintloko zomkhosi kaDavide saya kuye kwiliwa elikumqolomba waseAdulam, lo gama wona umkhosi wamaFilistiya umise kwintili yamaRafa. ₁₆Ngelo xesha uDavide yena wayesezintabeni kwindawo enqabileyo, kukho ibutho lamaFilistiya eBhetelehem. ₁₇UDavide wanxanwa, waza wathi: “Akwaba bekungakho mntu undiphathela amanzi kwelaa qula lingasesangweni eBhetelehem.” ₁₈Loo magorha mathathu ke atyhoboza apho kuloo maFilistiya, aya kukha amanzi apho kwelo qula lingasesangweni leBhetelehem, abuya nawo, awanika uDavide. Kambe ke uDavide wala ukuwasela, ndaweni yaloo nto wawachitha, esenza umnikelo ngawo kuNdikhoyo, esithi: ₁₉“Hayi khona, uThixo makandithintele; soze ndiyenze into enjalo! Ndingaba ndisela igazi lala madoda awakhe ngokubeka ubomi bawo esichengeni sokufa. Ewe, ngokuhamba aye kuwakha aphinde abuye nawo, abubeke esichengeni ubomi bawo.” UDavide wala ukuwasela loo manzi.

Zazinjalo ke izigigaba zaloo magorha mathathu.

₂₀UAbhishayi umntakwabo-Jowabhi yayinguye inkokheli yamashumi amathathu amagorha. Yena ngomkhonto wakhe walwa namadoda angamakhulu amathathu wawabulala, watsho wabalasela njengaloo magorha mathathu. ₂₁Waba yimbalasane njengaloo magorha mathathu, waba yinkokheli yelo qela lingamashumi amathathu, noxa engabandakanywa kuloo magorha mathathu.

₂₂Enye indoda eyayitshatshele ngemisebenzi yobugorha nguBhenaya unyana kaJoyada waseKabhezeli. Yena wabulala iintshatsheli zamaMowabhi ezimbini. Kwakhona ngemini ekwakukhithika ngayo waya kungena emhadini, wabulala khona ingonyama. ₂₃Wabulala umJiputa owayelufafa oluziimitha ezimbini ezinekota ubude. UmJiputa lo wayephethe umkhonto ongangesibonda, uBhenaya wamgqebha ngebhunguza, hlasi loo mkhonto, wamgwaza kwangawo loo mJiputa. ₂₄Zazinjalo ke izigigaba zikaBhenaya unyana kaJoyada; naye wayedume njengaloo magorha mathathu. ₂₅Wayebalasele phakathi kwaloo magorha angamashumi amathathu, kodwa wayengabandakanywanga kuloo magorha mathathu. UDavide wamenza inkokheli yabalindi bokumkani.

₂₆Nanga loo magorha:

₁La ngamadoda awaya kuDavide eZikelage, ngokuya wayegxothiwe nguSawule unyana kaKishe. Yayingamanye kumajoni awayesima nawo edabini. ₂Ayexhobe ngeentolo *neenkwitshi, iinto ezidubula ngazo zozibini esokunene nesasekhohlo. Yayingamadoda endlu kaBhenjamin, izizalwana zikaSawule.

₃Ewe, la madoda iingqwayi-ngqwayi zawo yayinguAhizene noYowashe, oonyaba bakaShemawa waseGibheya; wona inguYeziyeli noPelete, oonyana baka-Azemavete; uBheraka, uYehu waseAnatoti, ₄noIshmaya waseGibheyon, igorha kulaa mashumi mathathu elaliyingqwayi-ngqwayi yawo; uJeremiya, uYaziyeli, uYohanan, uYozabhadi waseGedera, ₅uEluzayi, uJerimoti, uBheliya, uShemariya, noShefatiya umHarufi, ₆uElikana, uYeshiya, uAzarele, uYowezere, noYashobhewam, amaKora; ₇noYowela noZebhadiya oonyana bakaJeroham zaseGedore.

₈Namanye kumaGadi awelela kuDavide ngoko asenqabeni yakhe entlango. Yayingamatsha-ntliziyo aqule aligangatha, iinto ezinesandla ngakumkhonto nekhaka. Yayizizinto ezibuso bungwanyalala okwengonyama, izinto ezisantya ngathi yimbabala yentaba.

₉Ayekhokelwa nguEzere, esalekelwa nguObhadiya, kulandele uEliyabhi, ₁₀owesine inguMismana, owesihlanu inguJeremiya, ₁₁uAtayi ingowesithandathu, uEliyeli ingowesixhenxe, ₁₂owesibhozo inguYohanan, uElizabhadi ingowethoba, ₁₃uJeremiya ingoweshumi, oweshumi elinanye inguMakebhanayi.

₁₄La maGadi yayiziingqwayi-ngqwayi zomkhosi, nelona tyutyusi kuwo sasingeyontanga yalo nekhulu, noyena makhonya kuwo engeyontanga yalo newaka. ₁₅Ngawo la awela umlambo iJordan ngenyanga yokuqala, ingazele iphuphuma, aza abaswantsulisa bonke ababemi kwiintili zayo empuma nasentshona.

₁₆Kananjalo namanye amaBhenjamin ekunye nabathile bakwaJuda awelela kuDavide ngoko asenqabeni yakhe. ₁₇UDavide waphuma wawahlangabeza, wathi kuwo: “Ukuba ngaba nize ngoxolo apha kum, ngenjongo yokundincedisa, ndiyanamkela, singamanyana. Kambe ke, ukuba kuthe kanti nize ngeenjongo zokundintama ezintshabeni zam, ngoku ndingasenanxa namntu, ngamana anganibona uThixo woobawo, anibuyekeze.”

₁₈Ke uMoya wehla phezu koAmasayi ingqwayi-ngqwayi yaloo mashumi mathathu, waza wathi:

Ngoko ke uDavide wawamkela, wawenza iingqwayi-ngqwayi zamabutho okuhlasela.

₁₉Namanye kumadoda akwaManase awelela kuDavide xa wayekunye namaFilistiya, besilwa noSawule. Kambe ke yena naloo madoda akhe zange bade bawancedise amaFilistiya lawo, kuba athi akuba ethetha-thethene, umlawuli wawo wamgxotha, esithi: “Le nto ingangumngcipheko kwakuthi – hleze asuke akreqe kuthi, axhase inkosi yakhe uSawule.”

₂₀Ke ekuyeni kwakhe eZikelage, nanga amaManase azibandakanya noDavide: uAdena, uYozabhadi, uYediyali, uMikayeli, uJozabhadi, uElihu, noZiletayi, iingqwayi-ngqwayi zamabutho akwaManase. ₂₁UDavide amnceda kumabutho ahlaselayo. Kaloku onke ayengoompondo-zihlanjiwe, eziingqwayi-ngqwayi emkhosini wakhe. ₂₂Amadoda aphikela ukuwelela kuDavide mihla le, wada ke wanomkhosikazi owomeleleyo.

₂₃La ngamanani amadoda omkhosi awazibandakanya noDavide eHebron, ukuze umbuso kaSawule awubhukuqe uwele kuDavide ngokomlomo *kaNdikhoyo:

₃₈Onke la yayingamajoni azinikelayo ukuze angene emabuthweni. Wona aya eHebron ezimisele ukuba uDavide amenze ukumkani phezu kwakhe ewonke uSirayeli. Ewe, amaSirayeli xa ewonke jikelele ayemoya mnye wokuba uDavide abe ngukumkani wawo. ₃₉Loo madoda ke ahlala iintsuku zantathu apho esitya esela oko akulungiselelwe ngamawabo. ₄₀Kaloku noogxa bawo ababevela kwaIsakare, kwaZebhulon, nakwaNafetali, beza nokutya, bekuthwele ngeedonki, iinkamela, iimeyile, neenkabi zeenkomo. Ukutya kwakudlal' abantwana: umgubo wengqolowa, amaqebengwane amakhiwane naweerasentyisi, iwayini, amafutha omnquma, iinkomo, neegusha. Kaloku yayiyimincili kwaSirayeli.

₁Ke kaloku uDavide wathetha-thethana namaphakathi akhe onke, lawo aphethe amajoni aliwaka nalawo aphethe alikhulu. ₂Kananjalo wabhekisa kwibandla likaSirayeli liphelele, wathi: “Xa nibona kufanelekile, futhi kuyintando *kaNdikhoyo uThixo wethu, masiwagqogqe amawethu kuyo yonke imimandla yakwaSirayeli, singabashiyi ababingeleli nabaLevi abakwalapho kwezo dolophu ngokunjalo nasemaphandleni, bonke mabeze kuzibandakanya nathi. ₃Kambe masiyibuyise ityesi kaThixo wethu, kuba kakade asizange sibuzise kuye ngalo lonke ithuba lolawulo lukaSawule.” ₄Xa lilonke ibandla lavumelana kwezi mbono, kuba le nto yafumaneka ilungile kumntu wonke.

₅Ngoko ke uDavide wahlanganisa uSirayeli wonke jikelele ukusukela kumlambo iShikore kwelaseJiputa kuye kwinkalo yaseHamati, ukuze kulandwe ityesi kaThixo eKiriyati-yarim. ₆UDavide namaSirayeli ewonke waya eBhala kwaJuda (eKiriyati-yarim) ukuze ithathwe khona ityesi kaThixo leyo ibizwa ngegama lakhe uNdikhoyo. Ke yena ungqendeve phakathi *kwezithunywa ezimaphiko.

₇Bayithatha ke ityesi kaThixo endlwini ka-Abhinadabhi, beyithwele ngenqwelo entsha, ikhokelwa ngu-Uza noAhiyo. ₈UDavide namaSirayeli ephela babebhiyoza ngamxhelo mnye phambi koThixo, becula iingoma, bekhalisa iihaphu, iikatala, amagubu, amacangci, namaxilongo.

₉Bathi bakufika ngasesandeni sikaKidon, zakhubeka iinkabi, waza u-Uza wayibamba ityesi yomnqophiso eyixhasa. ₁₀Wavutha umsindo kaNdikhoyo ngaku-Uza, waza wambetha wafa, kuba eyichukumise ngesandla ityesi leyo. Ngoko ke wafa ngoko nangoko ebulawa nguThixo.

₁₁Wakhathazeka uDavide, kuba umsindo kaNdikhoyo utyhobozele ku-Uza. Loo ndawo ke kwathiwa yiPereze-uza ukubizwa kwayo unanamhla.

₁₂Wangenwa kukoyika uThixo ngaloo mini uDavide, wathi: “Yaz'ba ndingayithabathela njani na kum ityesi kaThixo?” ₁₃Ngoko ke wayiyeka ityesi leyo, akabi sayibeka kwisixeko sikaDavide. Ndaweni yaloo nto wayibeka endlwini kaObhedi-edom umGati. ₁₄Yahlala apho ke ityesi kaThixo, kuloo mzi kaObhedi-edom, iinyanga zantathu. Ke uNdikhoyo wayithamsanqela indlu kaObhedi-edom nento yonke anayo.

₁Ukumkani uHiram waseTire wathumela izigidimi kuDavide, ziphethe izibonda zomsedare, zihamba neengcibi zamatye nabachweli, ukuze bakhele uDavide ibhotwe. ₂Ke uDavide waqonda ukuba *uNdikhoyo umzinzisile wangukumkani kwaSirayeli, eqonda nokuba umbuso wakhe uwuphakamise kakhulu ngenxa yabantu bakhe amaSirayeli.

₃Apho eJerusalem ke uDavide wathatha abanye abafazi, waza ke wazala abanye oonyana neentombi. ₄Nanga amagama abantwana bakhe abazelwe eJerusalem: nguShamuwa, uShobhabhi, uNatan, uSolomon, ₅uIbhare, uElishuwa, uElipelete, ₆uNoga, uNifege, uYafiya, ₇uElishama, uBheliyada, noElifelete.

₈Zakuvakala kumaFilistiya iindaba zokuba uDavide uthanjiswe waba ngukumkani wakwaSirayeli, akhupha umkhosi wawo, emfuna. Uthe akuyiva loo nto uDavide wasuka waya kuwahlangabeza. ₉Afika ke amaFilistiya ayihlasela intili yamaRafa, ₁₀waza uDavide wabuzisa kuThixo wathi: “Kufuneka ndiwahlasele na amaFilistiya? Ngaba uza kuwanikela esandleni sam na?”

UNdikhoyo wathi kuye: “Ewe, wahlasele; ndowanikela esandleni sakho amaFilistiya.”

₁₁Waphuma nomkhosi wakhe ke uDavide, waya eBhali-perazim, apho wafika wawoyisa amaFilistiya. Wavakala esithi: “Njengokutyhoboza kwamanzi uThixo wenjenjalo ukuzikhukulisa iintshaba zam ngesandla sam.” Ngoko ke loo ndawo kwathiwa yiBhali-perazim. ₁₂Ke kaloku amaFilistiya abashiya apho *oothixo bawo, waza uDavide wayalela ukuba batshiswe.

₁₃Aphinda ke amaFilistiya ayihlasela loo ntili, ₁₄waza uDavide wabuzisa kuThixo kwakhona, ke yena uThixo wathi kuye: “Sukuya ngqo kuwo, koko warhawule, uze uwahlasele phaya ngakwimithi yebhalsam. ₁₅Uze uthi nje ukuba uve isingqisho phaya kwiincopho zemithi yebhalsam, uphume ungene kuwo, kuba lowo yoba ngumqondiso wokuba uThixo uhamba phambi kwakho, uza kuwuqwakanisa umkhosi wamaFilistiya.” ₁₆UDavide ke wenza ngokomyalelo kaThixo, baza ke bawuvuthulula umkhosi wamaFilistiya, ukusuka eGibhiyon kuye kutsho eGezere.

₁₇Udumo lukaDavide ke lwanabela kuzo zonke izizwe, uNdikhoyo wazitsho zamhlonela.

₁Emva kokuba uDavide ezenzele izakhiwo kwisixeko sikaDavide, walungisa indawo yokuhlala ityesi kaThixo, waza wamisa intente ukuze ihlale kuyo. ₂UDavide wathi: “Le tyesi kaThixo ayinakuthwalwa mntu wumbi ngaphandle kwabaLevi, kuba ngabo abanyulwayo *nguNdikhoyo ukuze bayithwale balungiselele endlwini yakhe kude kube ngunaphakade.”

₃UDavide wawaqokelela onke amaSirayeli, wawahlanganisela eJerusalem ukuze kubuyiswe ityesi kaNdikhoyo, iziswe kuloo ndawo wayeyilungiselele yona. ₄Wayiqokelela yonke inzala ka-Aron nabaLevi:

₁₁UDavide wabiza ababingeleli uZadoki noAbhiyatare, nabaLevi u-Uriyeli, uAsayiya, uJoweli, uShemaya, uEliyeli, noAminadabhi. ₁₂Wathetha nabo wathi: “Nini abaziinkulu zendlu kaLevi. Nina ke nabaLevi bonke zihlambululeni, ukuze nibuyise ityesi kaNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli, ize endaweni endiyilungiselele yona. ₁₃Kwakungenxa yokuba yayingeziswanga nini baLevi kuqala, ukuze nje uNdikhoyo uThixo wethu asivukele ngomsindo. Sasingazange sibuzise kuye ngendlela efanelekileyo yokuyizisa.” ₁₄Ngoko ke ababingeleli nabaLevi bazihlambulula ukuze babuyise ityesi kaNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli. ₁₅AbaLevi bayithwala ityesi kaThixo, beyiphethe ngezibonda, beyixwaye emagxeni ngokomyalelo kaMosis awawenza ngokwelizwi likaNdikhoyo.

₁₆UDavide wayalela izikhulu zabaLevi, wathi mazimise abanye kumawabo babe ziimvumi, bamemelele becula iingoma bekhatshwa zizikhalisi: imirhubhe, iihapu, namacangci.

₁₇Ngoko ke abaLevi banyula uHeman unyana kaJoweli, nakubantakwabo uAsafu unyana kaBherekiya, baza kubantakwabo oonyana bakaMerari banyula uEtan unyana kaKushaya, ₁₈kunye nabantakwabo abanezikhundla ezinganeno: uZekariya, uYaziyeli, uShemiramoti, uYehiyeli, u-Uni, uEliyabhi, uBhenaya, uMaseya, uMatitiya, uElifele, uMikeneya, uObhedi-edom, noYehiyeli, abagcini-masango.

₁₉Ke zona iimvumi, uHeman, uAsafu, noEtan, babeza kukhalisa amacangci obhedu. ₂₀Aba babeza kukhalisa iihapu ezilizwi liyisoprano: uZakariya, uHaziyeli, uShemiramoti, uYehiyeli, u-Uni, uEliyabhi, uMaseya, noBhenaya, ₂₁kunye noMatitiya, uElifele, uMikeneya, uObhedi-edom, uYehiyeli, noAzaziya, bona babeza kudlala iihapu ezilizwi liyibhesi. ₂₂UKenaniya inkulu yabaLevi yayinguye umphathi wekwayala, ingumsebenzi wakhe lowo, kuba kakade wayeyingcali kwelo cala.

₂₃UBherekiya noElikana babengabagcini-masango, besalusa ityesi kaThixo. ₂₄Aba ke babeza kukhalisa amaxilongo phambi kwetyesi kaThixo: uShebhaniya, uYoshafati, uNataniyeli, uAmasayi, uZekariya, uBhenaya, noElizere. UObhedi-edom noYehiya nabo babengabagcini-masango, besalusa ityesi kaThixo.

₂₅Ke kaloku uDavide, namadoda amakhulu akwaSirayeli, kunye neengqwayi-ngqwayi zomkhosi, benyuka baya kuthatha ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo eyayisendlwini kaObhedi-edom. Babehamba benemincili ₂₆ngenxa yokuba uThixo ebancedile abaLevi ababethwele ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo, kwenziwa umbingelelo ngeenkunzi zeenkomo ezisixhenxe, neenkunzi zeegusha ezisixhenxe. ₂₇Ke uDavide nabaLevi ababethwele ityesi, ngokunjalo neemvumi kunye noKenaniya owayengumphathi-kwayala, bonke babethe wambu iminweba yelinen entle kunene. Kananjalo ke uDavide wayefake *nesidanga esenziwe ngelinen. ₂₈Ngoko ke wonke uSirayeli waya kuyithatha wayibuyisa ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo, ehamba ekhwaza ekhalisa nezigodlo zenkunzi yegusha, amaxilongo, amacangci, iihapu, nemirhubhe.

₂₉Ekungeneni kwabo netyesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo esixekweni sikaDavide uMikali intombi kaSawule wayebukele, ekrobe ngefestile. Wathi ke, akubona ukumkani uDavide exhentsa ebhiyoza, yamtsho wamcekisa entliziyweni yakhe loo nto.