Ithempeli
1Kwathi ngomnyaka wamakhulu amane namashumi ayisishiyagalombili emva kokuphuma kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli ezweni laseGibithe, ngomnyaka wesine wokubusa kukaSolomoni phezu kwabakwa-Israyeli, ngenyanga kaZivi eyinyanga yesibili, waqala ukwakha indlu kaJehova.
2Indlu inkosi uSolomoni eyayakhela uJehova, ubude bayo babuyizingalo ezingamashumi ayisithupha, nobubanzi bayo babungezingamashumi amabili, nokuphakama kwayo kwakuyizingalo ezingamashumi amathathu. 3Umpheme ngaphambili kwendlu yethempeli wawuyizingalo ezingamashumi amabili ubude bawo maqondana nobubanzi bendlu; ububanzi bawo babuyizingalo eziyishumi ngaphambi kwendlu. 4Wenzela indlu amafasitele anamahele angenakususwa. 5Ngasodongeni lwendlu wakha izimpondo nxazonke ngasezindongeni zendlu nxazonke, ethempelini nasegumbini; wenza amakamelo asezinhlangothini nxazonke; 6uphondo lwangaphansi lwaluyizingalo eziyisihlanu ububanzi balo, noluphakathi lwaluyizingalo eziyisithupha ububanzi balo, nolwesithathu lwaluyizingalo eziyisikhombisa ububanzi balo; ngokuba ngaphandle wenza uqaqa endlini nxazonke, ukuze imishayo ingangeni ezindongeni zendlu.
7Indlu isakhiwa yakhiwa ngamatshe alungiswa enkwalini; akuzwakalanga sando nazembe naphiki* nanto yensimbi, isakhiwa.
8Umnyango wekamelo lohlangothi eliphakathi wawuseceleni lokunene lendlu; kwakhushukwa ngezikhwelo ezishwilayo ukuya ophondweni olungaphakathi, kuphunywe kolungaphakathi kuyiwe kolwesithathu. 9Wakha-ke kanjalo indlu, wayiqeda, wayifulela indlu ngemishayo nangamapulangwe emisedari.* 10Wakha izimpondo zangasendlini yonke, yilolo nalolo lwaba yizingalo eziyisihlanu ukuphakama kwalo; zanamathela endlini ngemithi yemisedari.*
11Izwi likaJehova lafika kuSolomoni, lathi: 12“Kumi kanje maqondana nale ndlu oyakhayo: uma uyakuhamba ngezimiso zami, wenze izahlulelo zami, ugcine yonke imiyalo yami ukuba uhambe ngayo, ngiyakugcwalisa kuwe izwi engalikhuluma kuDavide uyihlo: 13ngiyakuhlala phakathi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, ngingabashiyi abantu bami u-Israyeli.”
14Wakha-ke uSolomoni indlu, wayiqeda. 15Wakha izindonga zendlu ngaphakathi ngamapulangwe emisedari;* kusukela phansi endlini kuze kufike emishayweni yophahla wembesa ngamapulangwe ngaphakathi, wendlala phansi endlini ngamapulangwe emisayipuresi.* 16Wakha futhi izingalo ezingamashumi amabili ngaseceleni lendlu lasemuva ngamapulangwe emisedari* kusukela phansi kuze kufike emishayweni, wazakhela phakathi okwaba yigumbi, okuyindawo engcwelengcwele. 17Indlu yangaphambili yethempeli yayiyizingalo ezingamashumi amane. 18Kwakungumsedari* ngaphakathi endlini, kubaziwe ngezintangazane nangezimbali eziqhakazileyo; konke kwakungumsedari, akubonakalanga tshe khona.
19Walungisa igumbi phakathi endlini ukuba kubekwe khona umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova. 20Phambi kwegumbi kwakuyizingalo ezingamashumi amabili ubude, nezingalo ezingamashumi amabili ngobubanzi, nezingalo ezingamashumi amabili ngokuphakama; wakunameka ngegolide elicwengekileyo, walembesa i-altare imisedari.* 21USolomoni wayinameka indlu phakathi ngegolide elicwengekileyo, walivalela igumbi ngamaketanga egolide; walinameka nalo ngegolide. 22Wanameka-ke yonke indlu ngegolide, yaze yaphelela indlu yonke; ne-altare lonke elalisegumbini walinameka ngegolide.
23Egumbini wenza amakherubi* amabili ngomnqumo, yilelo nalelo liyizingalo eziyishumi ukuphakama kwalo. 24Elinye iphiko lekherubi laliyizingalo eziyisihlanu, nelinye iphiko lekherubi laliyizingalo eziyisihlanu; kusukela esihlokweni selinye iphiko kuze kufike esihlokweni selinye kwakuyizingalo eziyishumi. 25Elinye ikherubi laliyizingalo eziyishumi nalo; amakherubi omabili ayeyisilinganiso sinye nesimo sinye. 26Ukuphakama kwelinye ikherubi kwakuyizingalo eziyishumi, nelinye ikherubi lalinjalo. 27Wawabeka amakherubi phakathi nendlu engaphakathi; amakherubi awelula amaphiko, iphiko lelinye lathinta odongeni, nephiko lelinye ikherubi lathinta odongeni olunye; amaphiko awo athintana phakathi nendlu. 28Wawanameka amakherubi ngegolide.
29Wafekethisa zonke izindonga zendlu nxazonke ngezithombe ezibaziweyo zamakherubi, nangamasundu, nangezimbali eziqhakazileyo ngaphakathi nangaphandle. 30Naphansi endlini wanameka ngegolide, ngaphakathi nangaphandle.
31Wenzela umnyango wegumbi izivalo zomnqumo; ikhothamo nezinsika zomnyango kwakuyizinhlangothi eziyisihlanu. 32Wenza-ke izivalo ezimbili ngomnqumo, wazifekethisa ngamakherubi abaziweyo, nangamasundu, nangezimbali eziqhakazileyo, wazinameka ngegolide, wembesa amakherubi namasundu igolide. 33Wenzela futhi umnyango wethempeli izinsika zomnyango ngomnqumo, ziyizinhlangothi ezine, 34nezivalo ezimbili ngomsayipuresi;* izinxenye zombili zaleso naleso sivalo zasongwa. 35Wazifekethisa ngamakherubi, nangamasundu, nangezimbali eziqhakazileyo, wazinameka ngegolide kukho okubaziweyo.
36Wakha igceke elingaphakathi ngezinhla ezintathu zamatshe abaziweyo, nohla lwemishayo yemisedari.*
37Ngomnyaka wesine isisekelo sendlu kaJehova sase sibekiwe ngenyanga kaZivi. 38Ngomnyaka weshumi nanye ngenyanga kaBuli eyinyanga yesishiyagalombili indlu yaqedwa kukho konke okwayo ngayo yonke imithetho yayo. Wayelokhu akha iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
