2 iziKronike 7

₁USolomoni eseqedile ukukhuleka, kwehla umlilo ezulwini, wadla umnikelo wokushiswa nemihlatshelo; inkazimulo kaJehova yagcwalisa indlu. ₂Abapristi babengenakungena endlini kaJehova, ngokuba inkazimulo kaJehova yagcwalisa indlu kaJehova. ₃Lapho abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bebona ukwehla komlilo, nenkazimulo kaJehova iphezu kwendlu, bakhothama phansi ngobuso phezu kwendawo egandaywe ngamatshe, bakhuleka, babonga uJehova, ngokuba muhle nangokuba umusa wakhe umi phakade. ₄Inkosi nabo bonke abantu base benikela ngomhlatshelo phambi kukaJehova. ₅Inkosi uSolomoni yanikela ngomhlatshelo wezinkunzi eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nambili nezimvu eziyizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amabili. Inkosi nabo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahlambulula-ke indlu kaJehova. ₆Abapristi bema njengezikhundla zabo kanye namaLevi, benezinto zokubethwa ayezenzile uDavide inkosi ukuba babonge uJehova, ngokuba umusa wakhe umi phakade, lapho uDavide edumisa ngezandla zabo; abapristi bakhalisa amacilongo ngaphambi kwabo, esemi wonke u-Israyeli.

₇USolomoni wangcwelisa ingaphakathi legceke elalingaphambi kwendlu kaJehova, ngokuba wanikela lapho ngeminikelo yokushiswa namanoni eminikelo yokuthula, ngokuba i-altare lethusi ayelenzile uSolomoni lalingenakwanela umnikelo wokushiswa, nomnikelo wempuphu, namanoni.

₈USolomoni wagubha-ke umkhosi ngaleso sikhathi izinsuku eziyisikhombisa, wonke u-Israyeli enaye, ibandla elikhulu kakhulu, kusukela ekuyeni eHamati kuze kube semfuleni waseGibithe. ₉Ngosuku lwesishiyagalombili benza umhlangano ozothileyo ngokuba ukuhlanjululwa kwe-altare bakwenza izinsuku eziyisikhombisa nomkhosi izinsuku eziyisikhombisa. ₁₀Ngosuku lwamashumi amabili nantathu lwenyanga yesikhombisa wabamukisa abantu baya ematendeni abo, bethokoza benezinhliziyo ezenamileyo ngobuhle uJehova abenzele oDavide noSolomoni no-Israyeli abantu bakhe.

₁₁USolomoni waqeda-ke indlu kaJehova nendlu yenkosi; konke okwangena enhliziyweni kaSolomoni ukukwenza endlini kaJehova nasendlini yakhe, wakuphumelelisa. ₁₂UJehova wabonakala kuSolomoni, wathi kuye: “Ngiwuzwile umkhuleko wakho, ngizikhethele le ndawo ukuba ibe yindlu yomhlatshelo.

₁₃“Uma ngivala izulu ukuba kungabikho mvula, noma ngiyaleza isikhonyane ukuba sidle izwe, noma ngithuma isifo phakathi kwabantu bami, ₁₄bazithobe abantu bami ababizwa ngegama lami, bakhuleke, bafune ubuso bami, baphenduke ezindleleni zabo ezimbi, ngiyakuzwa ezulwini, ngithethelele isono sabo, ngiphilise izwe labo. ₁₅Manje amehlo ami ayakuvuleka, izindlebe zami zilalele umkhuleko owenziwa kule ndawo. ₁₆Manje sengiyikhethile ngayingcwelisa le ndlu ukuba igama lami libe khona lapho kuze kube phakade; amehlo ami nenhliziyo yami kuyakuba khona lapho isikhathi sonke.

₁₇“Wena-ke, uma uyakuhamba phambi kwami njengokuhamba kukaDavide uyihlo, wenze njengakho konke engikuyale ngakho, ugcine izimiso zami nezahlulelo zami, ₁₈ngiyakusimisa isihlalo sobukhosi sombuso wakho njengesivumelwano sami noDavide uyihlo ngokuthi: ‘Akuyikunqunywa muntu kuwe ukuba kungabikho mbusi kwa-Israyeli.’

₁₉“Kepha uma nibuya, nishiye izimiso zami nemiyalo yami engikubeke phambi kwakho, nihambe nikhonze abanye onkulunkulu, nikhuleke kubo, ₂₀ngiyakubasiphula ezweni lami engibanike lona, nale ndlu engiyingcwelisele igama lami ngiyakuyilahla ebusweni bami, ngiyenze isaga nesifenqo phakathi kwabantu bonke. ₂₁Le ndlu ephakeme kangaka, yilowo nalowo odlula kuyo uyakumangala athi: ‘UJehova wenzeleni kanje kuleli zwe nakule ndlu na?’ ₂₂Bayakuphendula bathi: ‘Kungokuba bamshiya uJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise owabakhipha ezweni laseGibithe, babambelela kwabanye onkulunkulu, bakhuleka kubo, babakhonza; ngalokho ubehlisele konke lokho okubi.’ ”