2 AmaKhosi 23

₁Inkosi yathumela, babuthela kuyo onke amalunga akwaJuda nawaseJerusalema. ₂Inkosi yenyukela endlini kaJehova, bonke abantu bakwaJuda nabo bonke abakhileyo eJerusalema benayo, kanye nabapristi nabaprofethi, yebo, abantu bonke, abancane nabakhulu, yafunda ezindlebeni zabo onke amazwi encwadi yesivumelwano ebifunyenwe endlini kaJehova. ₃Inkosi yema ngasensikeni, yenza isivumelwano phambi kukaJehova ukumlandela uJehova nokugcina imiyalo yakhe, nobufakazi bakhe, nezimiso zakhe ngenhliziyo yonke nangomphefumulo wonke ukuqinisa amazwi alesi sivumelwano alotshwe kule ncwadi; bonke abantu basivuma isivumelwano.

₄Inkosi yayisiyala uHilikiya umpristi omkhulu, nabapristi besigaba sesibili, nabalindimnyango ukukhipha ethempelini likaJehova zonke izinto ezazenzelwe oBali, no-Ashera,* nebandla lonke lasezulwini, yazishisa ngaphandle kweJerusalema emasimini aseKidroni, yayisa umlotha wazo eBethele. ₅Yabasusa abapristi bezithombe amakhosi akwaJuda abamisele ukushisa impepho ezindaweni eziphakemeyo emizini yakwaJuda nanxazonke zeJerusalema, kanye nabashisa impepho kuBali nakulo ilanga nenyanga nezinkanyezi nalo lonke ibandla lasezulwini. ₆Yakhipha u-Ashera* endlini kaJehova, yamkhiphela phandle kweJerusalema, yamyisa ngasemfudlaneni iKidroni, yamshisa ngasemfudlaneni iKidroni, yamcolisisa waba yincushuncushu, yayiphonsa incushuncushu yakhe emathuneni abantu nje. ₇Yadiliza izindlu zezifebe zethempeli ezazisendlini kaJehova, lapho abesifazane bemelukela khona u-Ashera* amatende.

₈Yakhipha bonke abapristi emizini yakwaJuda, yangcolisa izindawo eziphakemeyo, lapho abapristi bebeshise khona impepho, kusukela eGeba kuze kube seBeri Sheba; yadiliza izindawo eziphakemeyo zasemasangweni asesikhaleni sesango likaJoshuwa umphathimuzi, ezazingakwesokhohlo somuntu ngasesangweni lomuzi. ₉Kodwa abapristi basezindaweni eziphakemeyo babengenyukeli e-altare likaJehova eJerusalema, kepha badla isinkwa esingenamvubelo phakathi kwabafowabo.

₁₀Yangcolisa iThofeti elisesigodini sabantwana bakwaHinomu ukuba kungabikho muntu odabulisa indodana yakhe noma indodakazi yakhe emlilweni kuMoloki. ₁₁Yasusa namahhashi amakhosi akwaJuda anikele ngawo kulo ilanga ngasendleleni yokungena endlini kaJehova ngasekamelweni likaNathani Meleki induna yasePariwarimi, yashisa izinqola zelanga ngomlilo.

₁₂Ama-altare ayesophahleni lwekamelo eliphezulu lika-Ahazi, elenziwe ngamakhosi akwaJuda, nama-altare enziwe nguManase emagcekeni omabili endlu kaJehova inkosi yawadiliza, yasuka yagijima, yalahla uthuli emfudlaneni iKidroni. ₁₃Izindawo eziphakemeyo ezaziphambi kweJerusalema, ngakwesokunene kweNtaba Yokonakala, uSolomoni inkosi yakwa-Israyeli ayezakhele u-Ashitaroti isinengiso samaSidoni, noKemoshi isinengiso sakwaMowabi, noMilkomu isinengiso sabantwana bakwa-Amoni, inkosi yazingcolisa. ₁₄Yaphahlaza izinsika, yanquma o-Ashera,* yagcwalisa izindawo zabo ngamathambo abantu.

₁₅I-altare elaliseBethele, nendawo ephakemeyo eyenziwe nguJerobowamu indodana kaNebati owonisa u-Israyeli, nalelo altare kanye nendawo ephakemeyo yakudiliza, yayishisa indawo ephakemeyo, yayicolisisa yaba yincushuncushu, yashisa no-Ashera.* ₁₆UJosiya waphenduka, wabona amathuna ayelapho entabeni; wathumela wakhipha amathambo emathuneni, wawashisa e-altare, walingcolisa njengezwi likaJehova alimemeza lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu owamemezela lezi zinto.

₁₇Wayesethi: “Yitshe lini leli engilibonayo na?”

Abantu bomuzi bamtshela bathi: “Yithuna lalowo muntu kaNkulunkulu owavela kwaJuda, wamemezela lezi zindaba osuzenzile nge-altare laseBethele.”

₁₈Wathi: “Myekeni; mawanganyakaziswa muntu amathambo akhe.” Base beyeka amathambo akhe kanye namathambo alowo mprofethi owavela eSamariya.

₁₉Nazo zonke izindlu zezindawo eziphakemeyo ezazisemizini yaseSamariya, ezenziwa ngamakhosi akwa-Israyeli acunula ngazo, uJosiya wazisusa, wenza kuzona njengazo zonke izenzo azenzileyo eBethele. ₂₀Wabulala ema-altare bonke abapristi basezindaweni eziphakemeyo ababe lapho, washisa amathambo abantu phezu kwawo, wabuyela eJerusalema.

₂₁Inkosi yayisiyala bonke abantu ngokuthi: “Yenzelani uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu iphasika njengokulotshiwe kule ncwadi yesivumelwano.” ₂₂Ngokuba iphasika elinjalo lalingagcinwanga kusukela emihleni yabahluleli abahlulela u-Israyeli, nasemihleni yonke yamakhosi akwa-Israyeli, nakweyakwaJuda. ₂₃Kepha ngomnyaka weshumi nesishiyagalombili wenkosi uJosiya leli phasika lenzelwa uJehova eJerusalema.

₂₄Futhi abanamadlozi, nabathakathi, namatherafi,* nezithombe, nazo zonke izinengiso ezazibonwa ezweni lakwaJuda naseJerusalema uJosiya wakuqeda ukuba afeze amazwi omthetho alotshwe encwadini uHilikiya umpristi ayifumanayo endlini kaJehova. ₂₅Kwakungekho nkosi phambi kwakhe eyaphendukela kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yayo nangawo onke amandla ayo njengawo wonke umthetho kaMose, nangasemva kwakhe akuvelanga enjengaye.

₂₆Nokho uJehova akabuyanga ekuvutheni kwentukuthelo yakhe enkulu, intukuthelo yakhe eyavuthela ngakho uJuda, ngenxa yakho konke ukucunula uManase ayemcunule ngakho. ₂₇UJehova wathi: “Naye uJuda ngiyakumsusa ebusweni bami, njengalokho ngisuse u-Israyeli, ngiwulahle lo muzi engawukhethayo, nendlu engasho ngayo ukuthi igama lami liyakuba khona lapho.”

₂₈Ezinye izindaba zikaJosiya nakho konke akwenzayo angithi kulotshiwe encwadini yezindaba zemihla ngemihla yamakhosi akwaJuda na?

₂₉Emihleni yakhe uFaro Nekho inkosi yaseGibithe wenyukela enkosini yase-Asiriya ngasemfuleni u-Ewufrathe; inkosi uJosiya yaya ukuhlangabezana naye; wayibulala eMegido, isanele ukumbona nje. ₃₀Izinceku zayo zayisusa ngenqola eMegido ifile, zayiyisa eJerusalema, zayimbela ethumeni layo. Abantu bezwe bamthatha uJehowahazi indodana kaJosiya, bamgcoba, bambeka inkosi esikhundleni sikayise.

₃₁UJehowahazi wayeneminyaka engamashumi amabili nantathu ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa, wabusa izinyanga ezintathu eJerusalema; igama likanina lalinguHamuthali, indodakazi kaJeremiya waseLibina. ₃₂Wenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova njengakho konke abakwenzileyo oyise. ₃₃UFaro Nekho wambopha eRibila ezweni laseHamati ukuba angabe esabusa eJerusalema, wathelisa izwe amatalenta* ayikhulu esiliva netalenta legolide. ₃₄UFaro Nekho wambeka u-Eliyakimi indodana kaJosiya inkosi esikhundleni sikaJosiya uyise, waguqula igama lakhe laba nguJehoyakimi, kepha wamsusa uJehowahazi, waze waya eGibithe, wafela khona. ₃₅UJehoyakimi wamnika uFaro isiliva negolide, kepha wathelisa izwe ukuba anike imali njengezwi likaFaro. Wakhiphisa abantu bezwe isiliva negolide, kwaba yilowo nalowo njengentela yakhe ukunika uFaro Nekho.

₃₆UJehoyakimi wayeneminyaka engamashumi amabili nanhlanu ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa, wabusa iminyaka eyishumi nanye eJerusalema; igama likanina lalinguZebida, indodakazi kaPhedaya waseRuma. ₃₇Wenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova njengakho konke abakwenzileyo oyise.