To The Word – Day 80

₁Ke kaloku uDavide waphinda wabiza awona magorha omkhosi wakwaSirayeli, amashumi amathathu amawaka ewonke, ₂waya nawo eBhali kwaJuda ukuya kulanda khona ityesi yomnqophiso kaThixo, enegama *likaNdikhoyo onamandla onke, ongqendeve phezu kwemifanekiso *yezithunywa ezimaphiko. ₃Baya kwa-Abhinadabhi, omzi wawumi phezu kwentaba, bafika bayithatha bayilayisha enqwelweni entsha. Loo nqwelo yayiqhutywa ngooUza noAhiyo, oonyana baka-Abhinadabhi. ₄Ewe, ityesi yomnqophiso kaThixo bayithatha kwindlu ka-Abhinadabhi ephezu kwentaba, bahamba nayo uAhiyo ekhokele. ₅Babesombela, bexhentsa, bemathontsi ooDavide kunye namaSirayeli onke, bedumisa uNdikhoyo. Kwakubethwa iihapu neekatala, kuduma amagubu, kukhenkceza iintsimbi namacangci.

₆Bathi bakufika ngasesandeni sakwaNakon, zakhubeka iinkabi, waza u-Uza wabamba ityesi kaThixo eyixhasa. ₇Wavutha umsindo kaNdikhoyo ngaku-Uza ngenxa yeso senzo sakhe sokungahloniphi. Ke uThixo wambetha u-Uza wafela apho ngakuloo tyesi kaThixo.

₈Wakhathazeka uDavide, kuba umsindo kaNdikhoyo utyhobozele ku-Uza. Loo ndawo ke kuthiwa yiPereze-uza ukubizwa kwayo unanamhla.

₉Wangenwa kukumoyika uNdikhoyo ngaloo mini uDavide, wathi: “Yaz'ba ingeza njani na kum ityesi kaNdikhoyo?” ₁₀Akavumanga ke uDavide ukuba sayisa kwakhe kwisixeko sikaDavide ityesi kaNdikhoyo, suka wayijika wayisa endlwini kaObhedi-edom umGati. ₁₁Yahlala apho iinyanga zantathu; uNdikhoyo wamthamsanqela uObhedi-edom nomzi wakhe wonke.

₁₂Waxelelwa ukumkani uDavide kwathiwa: “Uwusikelele uNdikhoyo umzi kaObhedi-edom, nezinto zonke anazo, ngenxa yokugcina kwakhe ityesi kaThixo.” Waya kuyilanda ngemincili apho endlwini kaObhedi-edom ke uDavide ityesi kaThixo, wayisa esixekweni sikaDavide. ₁₃Kwakusithiwa loo madoda ayeyithwele ityesi kaNdikhoyo ehambe nje iinyawo zantandathu, uDavide athi makumiwe, enzele uNdikhoyo idini ngenkunzi yenkomo nangethole elityebileyo. ₁₄Wayexhentsa ngamandla phambi koNdikhoyo uDavide, ethe thande nje kuphela isidanga selinen esinqeni. ₁₅Yada yaya kungena eJerusalem ityesi kaNdikhoyo, uDavide namaSirayeli betsho ngentsholo lihlombe, kukhala nezigodlo.

₁₆Ekungeneni kwabo netyesi kaNdikhoyo esixekweni sikaDavide, uMikali, intombi kaSawule, wayebukele ekrobe ngefestile. Wathi ke, akubona ukumkani uDavide exhentsa etyityimba phambi koNdikhoyo, yamtsho wamcekisa entliziyweni yakhe loo nto.

₁₇Bahamba nayo ityesi kaNdikhoyo, baya kuyifaka endaweni yayo kwintente eyenzelwe yona nguDavide. Emva koko ke uDavide wamenzela uNdikhoyo amadini atshiswayo nawobudlelwane. ₁₈Uthe akugqiba ukwenza loo madini atshiswayo nawobudlelwane uDavide wacelela abantu amathamsanqa kuNdikhoyo onamandla onke. ₁₉Emva koko ke wonke umSirayeli, indoda nomfazi, wamnika iqebengwana lesonka, nesuntswana leedatile neleerasentyisi. Kwagodukwa ngumntu wonke.

₂₀Uthe akufika ekhaya uDavide, ezimisele ukusikelela indlu yakhe, umkakhe uMikali intombi kaSawule wamhlangabeza, wathi: “Ngxatsho ke, kumkani wamaSirayeli! Yini, wethu, awabi nazintloni ukuhamba ze nangaphambi kwezicakazana zamaphakathi akho? Ubunjengendlavini, yona ihamba izihluba nje naphi na!”

₂₁UDavide waphendula wathi kuMikali: “Mna into ebendiyenza bendidumisa uNdikhoyo ngokuya bendixhentsa, lo ndityunjwe nguye ukuba ndikhokele amaSirayeli endaweni kayihlo kunye nendlu yakhe. Ndiya kumdumisa uNdikhoyo, ₂₂yaye ndizimisele ukuqhubela phambili ukuba ngothobekileyo. Ungandidela wena, kodwa zona ezaa zicakazana zamantombazana zindihloniphile.”

₂₃Intombi kaSawule uMikali ayizange ibe nanzala de kwayimini yokufa kwayo.

₁Akuba ukumkani ezinzile kwikomkhulu lakhe, *noNdikhoyo emnike ukuphumla kuzo zonke iintshaba ezimnqongileyo, ₂wathetha *nomshumayeli uNatan wathi: “Khangela, mna ndihlala kwibhotwe elakhiwe ngamaplanga omsedare, ukanti yona ityesi kaThixo ihlala nje ententeni!”

₃UNatan wathi kukumkani: “Nantoni na oyicingayo qhubela phambili uyenze, kuba uNdikhoyo unawe.”

₄Ngobo busuku ke lafika kuNatan ilizwi likaNdikhoyo lisithi: ₅“Hamba, uye kuxelela isicaka sam uDavide uthi: ‘Utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi: Ngaba iya kuba nguwe na ondakhela indlu endiya kuhlala kuyo? ₆Ukususela mhla ndawakhupha eJiputa amaSirayeli, kude kube namhlanje, andizange ndihlale endlwini; bendisoloko ndihamba-hamba ndihlala ententeni, nditsho kanye umnquba. ₇Oko ndajikeleza ndihamba namaSirayeli, andizange ndikhalaze kwiinkokheli endaziyalela ukuba zaluse abantu bam, andizange ndizibuze ndithi: Ngani ukuba ningandakheli indlu yomsedare?’

₈“Ke ngoko yithi kuDavide isicaka sam: ‘Utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke ukuthi: Wena Davide ndakuthatha emadlelweni ekwaluseni iigusha, ndakwenza umlawuli wabantu bam amaSirayeli. ₉Ndakukhapha kwiindawo zonke owawuhamba kuzo, ndazisusa zonke iintshaba zakho phambi kwakho. Ngoko ke ngoku igama lakho ndiza kulenza lidume lifane nelabakhulu emhlabeni. ₁₀Abantu bam amaSirayeli ndobabonela indawo abaza kuma kuyo, ndibazinzise, babe nendawo yabo, bangabuye babandezelwe nanini na. Abantu abakhohlakeleyo abayi kuba sabacinezela njengoko bebesenjenjalo ngaphambili, ₁₁ukusukela kwimihla endabamisela abantu bam amaSirayeli iinkokheli. Ndiza kukwenza uphumle kuzo zonke iintshaba zakho.

“ ‘UNdikhoyo utsho kuwe ukuthi nguye ngokwakhe oya kuyizinzisa indlu yakho. ₁₂Yakuphela imihla yakho, xa sewuye kuphumla kooyihlo, ndokuvusela ihlumelo, lithathe isikhundla sakho. Ewe, nditsho omnye woonyana bakho oyinyama negazi lakho. Ndiya kuluzinzisa ulawulo lwakhe. ₁₃Nguye ke oya kulakhela indlu igama lam, ndiluzinzise ulawulo lombuso wakhe ngonaphakade. ₁₄Mna ndiya kuba nguyise kuye, yena abe ngunyana wam, xa onile abantu ndiya kubenza intonga endimohlwaya ngabo nemivumbo endimbetha ngabo. ₁₅Inceba yam ayisayi kuze ishenxe kuye njengokuba ndênjenjalo kuSawule endamsusa esihlalweni ukuze kungene wena. ₁₆Indlu yakho ndiya kuyizinzisa, ubukumkani bakho buhlale buhleli, ulawulo lwakho luhlale ngonaphakade.’ ”

₁₇Ke uNatan waya kuxelela uDavide onke amazwi alo mbono.

₁₈Ke kaloku ukumkani uDavide wangena waya kuhlala phambi *koNdikhoyo, waza wathi: “Kuxa ndingubani mna, Nkosi yam Ndikhoyo? Iyintoni yona indlu yam, ukuba ude uze kundibeka kule ndawo ndikuyo ngoku? ₁₉Kanti ke akwanelanga ukwenjenjalo kuphela, Nkosi yam Ndikhoyo: ngoku uthetha nangekamva lendlu yesicaka sakho. Ngaba le yindlela yakho omphatha ngayo umntu, Nkosi yam Ndikhoyo?

₂₀“Mandithini, mna Davide, ukuthetha nawe, Nkosi yam Ndikhoyo? Kaloku uyabazi ubunjani besicaka sakho. ₂₁Ngenxa yelizwi lakho nangokokuthanda kwakho wenze le nto inkulu kangaka, ngenxa yesithembiso nobubele bakho, waza wayazisa kwisicaka sakho.

₂₂“Yiyo ke loo nto ndithi umkhulu, wena Ndikhoyo Nkosi yam. Akukho onjengawe, kungekho naThixo ngaphandle kwakho, njengoko sazivelayo ngezi zethu iindlebe. ₂₃Ngoobani abanjengabantu bakho amaSirayeli? Kaloku wona asisizwe ekukuphela kwaso ehlabathini esiThixo waso waphumayo waya kuzikhululela abantu bakhe, ukuze azenzele igama ngezigigaba ezimangalisayo, xa wawuqwakanisa izizwe uzigxotha kunye *noothixo bazo, khon' ukuze endaweni yazo kungene abantu owabakhulula kwelaseJiputa. ₂₄Ubazinzisile abantu bakho amaSirayeli, wabenza bangabakho ncakasana ngonaphakade. Wena ke, Ndikhoyo, waba nguThixo wabo.

₂₅“Ngoku ke, Thixo Ndikhoyo, isithembiso osenzileyo ngokuphathelele kwisicaka sakho kunye nendlu yaso mawusigcine ngonaphakade. Yenza ngokwesithembiso sakho ₂₆ukuze igama lakho libalasele ngonaphakade. Nabantu ke botsho bathi: ‘UNdikhoyo onamandla onke nguThixo kaSirayeli.’ Nendlu yesicaka sakho uDavide ke iya kuzinza phambi kwakho.

₂₇“Nguwe kaloku, Ndikhoyo onamandla onke, Thixo wakwaSirayeli, ondityhilele ezi zinto mna sicaka sakho. Nguwe othe: ‘Indlu yakho ndiza kuyakha.’ Yiyo ke loo nto isicaka sakho sibe nobuganga bokwenza kuwe lo mthandazo. ₂₈Nkosi yam Ndikhoyo, wena unguThixo, yaye amazwi akho athembekile. Isicaka sakho usenzele esi sithembiso sihle kangakanana. ₂₉Ndiyakubongoza ke, yithamsanqele indlu yesicaka sakho, ize ihlale ikukhonza njalo. Kaloku, Ndikhoyo, Nkosi yam, kutsho wena ukuba indlu yesicaka sakho uya kuhlala uyithamsanqela ngonaphakade.”

₁Ke kaloku ekuhambeni kwexesha uDavide wawahlasela amaFilistiya, wawoyisa, wabuhlutha ubukhosi esandleni sawo.

₂Ngokunjalo wawoyisa namaMowabhi. Uwalalise phantsi emhlabeni, wathatha intambo, wawalinganisa ngayo, isibini sobude bawo wasibulala, ke sona esesithathu sisonke wasiyeka saphila. AmaMowabhi aba phantsi kukaDavide ke, amnika imirhumo.

₃Kananjalo uDavide walwa nokumkani waseZobha uHadadizere unyana kaRehobhi, xa kanye wayezama ukubuyisela ulawulo lwakhe kummandla womlambo iEfrati. ₄UDavide wathimba iwaka leenqwelo zakhe, kunye namawaka asixhenxe abakhweli-mahashe, ngokunjalo namashumi amabini amawaka amajoni ahamba ngeenyawo. Amahashe ke wawanqumla imisipha, washiya amahashe eenqwelo alikhulu.

₅Athe ke ama-Aram aseDamasko akuzama ukuncedisa uHadadizere ukumkani waseZobha, wasuka uDavide wabulala amashumi amabini anambini amawaka awo. ₆Wasuka ke wabeka amabutho akhe kuwo wonke umbuso wama-Aram aseDamasko, ahlala ephantsi kwakhe, akhupha imirhumo kuye. UDavide wanikwa uloyiso nguNdikhoyo konke apho ahamba khona. ₇UDavide wawahlutha amakhaka egolide awayengawamaphakathi kaHadadizere, waya nawo eJerusalem. ₈Kwiidolophu zikaHadadizere iTebha neBherotayi ukumkani uDavide wathimba intaphane yobhedu.

₉Zaya kutsho naseHamati kukumkani uToyi iindaba zokoyiswa komkhosi kaHadadizere nguDavide. ₁₀Wandulula unyana wakhe uYoram ukuba ase imibuliso yakhe kukumkani uDavide, avuyisane naye ngokoyisa kwakhe uHadadizere owalwa kaninzi-ninzi nokumkani uToyi. UYoram waphathela uDavide izipho ezenziwe ngegolide nangesiliva nangobhedu.

₁₁Ezo zipho uDavide wazinikezela kuNdikhoyo, kwanjengoko wenjenjalo nangesiliva negolide awayeyithimbe kwizizwe zonke azoyisileyo: ₁₂ama-Aram, amaMowabhi, ama-Amon, amaFilistiya, kunye nama-Amaleki. Wanikezela nangamaxhoba awawathimba kukumkani waseZobha uHadadizere unyana kaRehobhi.

₁₃UDavide wazenzela igama ukubuya kwakhe emva kokubulala ishumi elinesibhozo lamawaka amaEdom kwiNtlambo yeTyiwa. ₁₄Wamisa amabutho akhe kulo lonke elase-Edom, aza amaEdom aba phantsi koDavide. UNdikhoyo wamnika uloyiso uDavide konke apho ahamba khona.

₁₅Ke kaloku uDavide walawula uSirayeli ewonke jikelele, ebaphethe kakuhle nangobulungisa bonke abantu bakhe. ₁₆UJowabhi, unyana kaZeruya, wayeyinjengele yomkhosi, uYoshafati, unyana ka-Ahilude, engumthathi-manqaku. ₁₇Ke yena uZadoki, unyana ka-Ahitubhi, noAhimeleki, unyana ka-Abhiyatare, babengababingeleli, uSeraya yena engunobhala. ₁₈UBhenaya, unyana kaJoyada, wayongamele abalindi abangamaKreti namaPleti. Ke bona oonyana bakaDavide bengabacebisi bakakumkani.

₁UDavide wathi: “Ngaba akusekho nampunde na iseleyo kumzi kaSawule? Ndifuna ukuyenzela inceba ngenxa kaJonatan.”

₂Kwakukho isicaka sakwaSawule apho, uZibha igama. Kwathiwa masiye phambi kokumkani. Wasibuza ukumkani sakufika wathi: “UnguZibha wena?”

Saphendula sathi: “Ewe, ndinguye umkhonzi wakho.”

₃Uqhube wathi ukumkani: “Ngaba kusekho impunde ekhoyo endlwini kaSawule? Ndifuna ukubonakalisa inceba kaThixo kuyo.”

UZibha wathi kukumkani: “Ewe, kusekho unyana kaJonatan; nto nje ulimele iinyawo zombini.”

₄Ukumkani wathi kuye: “Uphi apho akhoyo?”

UZibha wathi kukumkani: “Uhlala kwaMakire, unyana ka-Amiyeli, eLodebhare.”

₅Ke ukumkani uDavide wamsusa uMefibhoshete endlwini kaMakire unyana ka-Amiyeli eLodebhare.

₆Akufika phambi kokumkani uDavide, uMefibhoshete unyana kaJonatan unyana kaSawule wathi guqaqa ngobuso, wakhahlela kukumkani. UDavide wathi: “Mefibhoshete!”

Yena wathi: “Ndim, mna sicaka sakho.”

₇Uthe kuye uDavide: “Uze ungoyiki. Ndifuna ukukwenzela inceba ngenxa kayihlo uJonatan. Umhlaba kayihlo-mkhulu uSawule ndifuna ukuwubuyisela kuwe, yaye ndifuna udle etafileni yam lonke ixesha.”

₈Ubuye wakhahlela uMefibhoshete, wathi: “Mhlekazi, uyintoni na umkhonzi wakho ukuba uthathe ingqalelo ngenja efileyo enjengam nje?”

₉Ukumkani wabiza uZibha isicaka sikaSawule, wathi kuye: “Yonke into yakwaSawule inkosi yakho ndiyinika umzukulwana wakhe uMefibhoshete. ₁₀Nguwe ke kunye noonyana bakho nezicaka zakwakho abaza kusebenza kulaa mhlaba wenkosi yakho uSawule, nilimele usapho lwakhe, nilondle ngaloo ndlela. Yena ke uMefibhoshete, umzukulwana wenkosi yakho, wohlala esitya isonka etafileni yam.” Wayeneshumi elinesihlanu loonyana uZibha, kunye namashumi amabini ezicaka.

₁₁UZibha wathi kukumkani: “Isicaka sakho siya kukwenza konke umhlekazi inkosi yam asiyalela isicaka sakhe ukuba sikwenze.” Ke uMefibhoshete wayesitya etafileni kaDavide ngokungathi ungomnye woonyana bakakumkani. ₁₂Wayenomntwana oyinkwenkwe uMefibhoshete, ogama linguMika. Bonke abantu ababehlala kwaZibha baba zizicaka zikaMefibhoshete. ₁₃Yena uMefibhoshete wayehlala eJerusalem, esitya njalo kwitafile kakumkani. Wayelimele kuzo zombini iinyawo.

₁Emva koko wafa ukumkani wama-Amon, kwaza ke esikhundleni sakhe kwalawula uHanun unyana wakhe. ₂Ke uDavide wathi: “Mandimenzele ububele uHanum unyana kaNahashe njengoko wandenzelayo ububele uyise.” Wathuma izigidimi ke uDavide ukuba ziye kukhuza ukumkani uHanum ngenxa kayise.

Athe ke loo madoda kaDavide akufika kwelama-Amon ₃izikhulu zama-Amon zathi kuHanun inkosi yazo: “Ucinga ukuba ngaba uDavide lo unika imbeko kuyihlo ngokuthumela la madoda kuwe, esithi eze kukukhuza? Ayikho loo nto! La madoda ngoongcothoza; athunywe nguDavide ukuza kuhlola esi sixeko ukuze akwazi ukusibhukuqa.”

₄UHanun wasuka wawabamba loo madoda kaDavide, wawagugula iindevu icala elinye, nezambatho zawo wazigumpula embindini kwaya kuthi xhaxhe ezimpundwini, waza ke wawandulula. ₅Uthe ke uDavide akuxelelwa ngoko kwenzekileyo, wathumela izigidimi, zawahlangabeza loo madoda, kuba kaloku ayehlaziswe gqitha. Ukumkani wathi: “Hlalani eJeriko, ningabuyi de zikhule iindevu.”

₆Ke kaloku ama-Amon aqonda ukuba amkhubekisile uDavide, aza aya kuqesha amashumi amabini amawaka amadoda omkhosi ahamba ngeenyawo kuma-Aram kwimimandla yaseBhete-rehobhi naseZobha. Kukumkani waseMahaka aqesha iwaka lamadoda, laza ishumi elinambini lamawaka laqeshwa eTobhi.

₇Akuyiva loo nto uDavide wakhupha uJowabhi nomkhosi wonke wamagorha. ₈Ama-Amon aphuma akha uhlelo lokulwa ngasesangweni lesixeko. Ama-Aram aseZobha nawaseRehobhi, namadoda aseTobhi naseMaka, athi gingqi odwa phaya ethafeni.

₉Ke kaloku uJowabhi wabona ukuba uphahlwe ngumkhosi ngaphambili nangasemva. Ngoko ke wakhetha awona mabutho aphambili kwaSirayeli, wawamisa ajongana nama-Aram. ₁₀Elinye icandelo lomkhosi walinika umntakwabo uAbhishayi, waza wawahlela loo madoda ajongana nama-Amon. ₁₁UJowabhi wathi: “Ukuba athe andongamela ama-Aram la, kofuneka uze kundihlangula; ukanti ke xa ethe akongamela ama-Amon, nam ndoza kukuhlangula. ₁₂Uze uqine, silwe ngobukroti, ngenxa yabantu bethu, nangenxa yezixeko zikaThixo. UNdikhoyo uya kwenza oko kukholekileyo kuye.” ₁₃UJowabhi namabutho akhe bafunza kuwo ama-Aram, aza wona abaleka. ₁₄Athe ke ama-Amon akubona ama-Aram ebaleka, asuka nawo abaleka angena ngaphakathi esixekweni, esaba kuAbhishayi umntakwabo-Jowabhi. Ngoko ke uJowabhi wabuya ekulweni nama-Amon, waya eJerusalem nomkhosi wakhe.

₁₅Akubona ukuba oyisiwe ngamaSirayeli, ama-Aram aphinda aqokelelana. ₁₆Ukumkani uHadadizere wathi makulandwe ama-Aram angaphesheya komlambo iEfrati. Aya kuma eHelam, ekhokelwa nguShobhaki, injengele yomkhosi kakumkani uHadadizere.

₁₇Akuva olo daba uDavide wawuqokelela wonke umkhosi wakwaSirayeli, wawela nawo umlambo iJordan, waya kutsho eHelam. Ama-Aram akha uluhlu lokulwa noDavide, zaza zanqoza. ₁₈Kambe ke ama-Aram aswantsuliswa ngamaSirayeli, waza uDavide wabulala amakhulu asixhenxe amajoni eenqwelo, namashumi amane amawaka amajoni akhwela amahashe. Wangxwelerhwa uShobhaki injengele yomkhosi wawo, waza wafa.

₁₉Zonke iikumkani ezaziphantsi kukaHadadizere zathi zakuqonda ukuba ziyoyiswa ngamaSirayeli, zeza zenza uxolo namaSirayeli, zaba ngaphantsi kwawo.

Ukususela oko ama-Aram oyika ukuwanceda emfazweni ama-Amon.