To The Word – Day 140

₁Bawungenisa umphongolo kaNkulunkulu, bawubeka phakathi netende uDavide ayelimisele wona; banikela ngeminikelo yokushiswa nangeminikelo yokuthula phambi kukaNkulunkulu. ₂UDavide eseqedile ukunikela ngomnikelo wokushiswa nangeminikelo yokuthula wababusisa abantu egameni likaJehova. ₃Wabela bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli, abesilisa nabesifazane, isinkwa saba sinye, nesicubu senyama, nesigaxa sezithelo zomvini ezomileyo.

₄Wabela amaLevi athile ukukhonza phambi komphongolo kaJehova ukuba amkhumbule, ambonge, amdumise uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: ₅ngu-Asafa inhloko nabesigaba sakhe sesibili, oZakariya, noJehiyeli, noShemiramoti, noJehiyeli, noMatithiya, no-Eliyabe, noBenaya, no-Obede Edomi, noJehiyeli, benezingubhu namahabhu,* kanye no-Asafa ephethe amasimbali,* ewabetha, ₆noBenaya noJahaziyeli abapristi, benamacilongo njalo phambi komphongolo wesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu.

₇Ngalolo suku uDavide wayeseqala ukuhlela ukuba uJehova abongwe ngesandla sika-Asafa nabafowabo.

Bonke abantu bathi: “Amen,” bamdumisa uJehova.

₃₇Wayeseshiya khona ngaphambi komphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova u-Asafa nabafowabo ukuba bakhonze phambi komphongolo njalo ngokomsebenzi wemihla ngemihla, ₃₈kanye no-Obede Edomi nabafowabo abangamashumi ayisithupha nesishiyagalombili u-Obede Edomi indodana kaJeduthuni noHosa babe ngabalindisango ₃₉noSadoki umpristi nabafowabo abapristi ngaphambi kwetabernakele* likaJehova endaweni ephakemeyo eyayiseGibeyoni ₄₀ukuba banikele njalo ngeminikelo yokushiswa phezu kwe-altare lomnikelo wokushiswa ekuseni nakusihlwa njengakho konke okulotshiweyo emthethweni kaJehova ayala ngawo u-Israyeli, ₄₁bekanye nabo oHemani noJeduthuni nensali yabakhethiweyo abakhonjwa ngamagama ukuba bambonge uJehova, ngokuba umusa wakhe umi phakade; ₄₂kwakukhona kubo, oHemani noJeduthuni, amacilongo namasimbali* alabo abayakuwakhalisa, nezinto zokubethwa kuNkulunkulu; amadodana kaJeduthuni ayengasesangweni.

₄₃Base behamba baya, kwaba yilowo nalowo endlini yakhe; uDavide wabuya ukubusisa indlu yakhe.

₁Kwathi lapho uDavide esehlezi endlini yakhe, uDavide wathi kuNathani umprofethi: “Bheka, mina ngihlala endlini yemisedari,* kepha umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova uphansi kwezilenge.”

₂UNathani wathi kuDavide: “Yenza konke okusenhliziyweni yakho, ngokuba uNkulunkulu unawe.”

₃Kepha kwathi ngalobo busuku izwi likaNkulunkulu lafika kuNathani, lathi:

₄“Hamba utshele uDavide inceku yami ukuthi: ‘Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Awuyikungakhela indlu ukuba ngihlale kuyo, ₅ngokuba angihlalanga ndlu kusukela osukwini engakhuphula ngalo u-Israyeli kuze kube namuhla, kepha ngangisematendeni, nasematabernakele* ngamatabernakele. ₆Ezindaweni zonke engihambahambe kuzo naye wonke u-Israyeli ngake ngakhuluma yini izwi nakoyedwa wabahluleli bakwa-Israyeli engabayala ukuba baluse abantu bami, ngathi: “Aningakhelanga ngani indlu yemisedari* na?” ’

₇“Ngalokho uyakusho kanje encekwini yami uDavide, uthi: ‘Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uthi: Mina ngakuthatha edlelweni ekwaluseni izimvu ukuba ube ngumbusi wabantu bami u-Israyeli; ₈nganginawe nomaphi lapho wawuya khona, nganquma zonke izitha zakho ngaphambi kwakho; ngiyakukwenza igama njengamagama abakhulu abasemhlabeni. ₉Ngiyakumisela abantu bami u-Israyeli indawo, ngibatshale ukuba bahlale endaweni yabo, bangabe besanyakaziswa; futhi abantu ababi abasayikubachitha njengakuqala, ₁₀kusukela emihleni engayaleza ngayo abahluleli ukuba babe phezu kwabantu bami u-Israyeli; ngiyakunqoba zonke izitha zakho. Futhi ngiyakutshela ukuthi uJehova uyakukwakhela indlu. ₁₁Kuyakuthi lapho izinsuku zakho seziphelele ukuba uye koyihlo, ngiyakumisa inzalo yakho emva kwakho, eyakuba ngeyamadodana akho; ngiyakuqinisa umbuso wayo. ₁₂Yiyo eyakungakhela indlu; ngiyakuqinisa isihlalo sayo sobukhosi kuze kube phakade. ₁₃Mina ngiyakuba nguyise, yona ibe yindodana yami; angiyikuyaphuca umusa wami, njengalokho ngamaphuca owayephambi kwakho. ₁₄Ngiyakuyiqinisa endlini yami nasembusweni wami kuze kube phakade, isihlalo sayo sobukhosi siqiniswe kuze kube phakade.’ ”

₁₅Njengawo onke lawo mazwi nanjengawo wonke lowo mbono uNathani wakhuluma kuDavide.

₁₆UDavide inkosi wayesengena, wahlala phambi kukaJehova, wathi:

“Ngingubani, Jehova Nkulunkulu, nendlu yami iyini ukuba ungilethe kuze kube lapha na? ₁₇Lokho kwakuyinto encane emehlweni akho, Nkulunkulu; usukhulumile ngendlu yenceku yakho isekude, wangibuka kungathi ngingumuntu ophakemeyo, Jehova Nkulunkulu.

₁₈“UDavide angenezela ngokuthini kuwe ngodumo inceku yakho elwenzelweyo na? Wena uyayazi inceku yakho. ₁₉Jehova, ngenxa yenceku yakho nanjengokwenhliziyo yakho wenzile konke lokho okukhulu ukuba kwaziswe bonke lobu bukhulu.

₂₀“Jehova, akakho onjengawe, akukho Nkulunkulu ngaphandle kwakho njengakho konke esikuzwileyo ngezindlebe zethu. ₂₁Yisiphi isizwe emhlabeni esinjengabantu bakho u-Israyeli, uNkulunkulu aya ukuzihlengela bona babe ngabantu bakhe, ukukwenzela igama ngezinto ezinkulu nezesabekayo ngokuxosha abezizwe ebusweni babantu bakho owabahlenga eGibithe, na? ₂₂Ngokuba abantu bakho u-Israyeli wabenza babe ngabantu bakho kuze kube phakade, wena Jehova ube nguNkulunkulu wabo.

₂₃“Manje, Jehova, izwi olikhulumile ngenceku yakho nangendlu yayo kuze kube phakade maliqiniswe, wenze njengokukhuluma kwakho. ₂₄Maliqiniseke, libe likhulu igama lakho kuze kube phakade, ukuze kuthiwe: ‘UJehova Sebawoti unguNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, yebo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli,’ nendlu kaDavide inceku yakho iqinisiwe phambi kwakho.

₂₅“Ngokuba wena Nkulunkulu wami wambulele endlebeni yenceku yakho ukuthi uyakuyakhela indlu; ngalokho inceku yakho ifike kulokhu ukuba ikhuleke phambi kwakho. ₂₆Manje, Jehova, wena unguNkulunkulu, ukhulumile lokho okuhle encekwini yakho; ₂₇kalokhu mawuvume ukubusisa indlu yenceku yakho ukuba ibe sebusweni bakho kuze kube phakade, ngokuba okubusisile wena Jehova kuyahlala kubusisekile kuze kube phakade.”

₁Kwathi emva kwalokho uDavide wawashaya amaFilisti, wawahlula, walithatha iGati nemizana yalo esandleni samaFilisti.

₂Wanqoba noMowabi; abakwaMowabi baba yizinceku zikaDavide, bathela intela.

₃UDavide washaya noHadarezeri, inkosi yaseSoba ngaseHamati, ekuhambeni kwakhe ukuqinisa isandla sakhe ngasemfuleni u-Ewufrathe. ₄UDavide wamaphuca izinqola eziyinkulungwane, nabamahhashi abayizinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa, nemigundatshani eyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili; uDavide wanquma imisipha yawo onke amahhashi ezinqola, washiya awezinqola eziyikhulu kodwa.

₅Ama-Aramu aseDamaseku esefika ukumsiza uHadarezeri inkosi yaseSoba, uDavide wabulala kuma-Aramu abantu abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nambili. ₆UDavide wamisa amakhanda e-Aramu laseDamaseku; ama-Aramu aba yizinceku zikaDavide, athela intela. UJehova wamnqobisa uDavide nomaphi lapho eya khona.

₇UDavide wathatha izihlangu zegolide ezazisezincekwini zikaHadarezeri, waziletha eJerusalema. ₈EThibahati naseKhuni imizi kaHadarezeri, uDavide wathatha ithusi eliningi kakhulu uSolomoni enza ngalo ulwandle lwethusi, nezinsika nezitsha zethusi.

₉Lapho uThowu inkosi yaseHamati ezwa ukuthi uDavide ushayile yonke impi kaHadarezeri inkosi yaseSoba, ₁₀wathuma uHadoramu, indodana yakhe, enkosini uDavide ukuyibingelela nokuyibusisa, ngokuba yayilwile noHadarezeri, yamnqoba, ngokuba uHadarezeri wayelokhu elwa noThowu; wathuma izinhlobo zonke zezitsha zegolide nezesiliva nezethusi.

₁₁Nalezo inkosi uDavide yayizingcwelisela uJehova kanye nesiliva negolide alisusa ezizweni zonke: ku-Edomi, nakuMowabi, nakubantwana bakwa-Amoni, nakumaFilisti, nakuma-Amaleki.

₁₂U-Abishayi, indodana kaSeruya, wabulala kwabakwa-Edomi esiGodini sikaSawoti, izinkulungwane eziyishumi nesishiyagalombili. ₁₃Wamisa amakhanda kwa-Edomi; bonke abakwa-Edomi baba yizinceku zikaDavide. UJehova wamnqobisa uDavide nomaphi lapho eya khona.

₁₄UDavide wabusa phezu kuka-Israyeli wonke, waphatha ukwahlulela nokulunga kubo bonke abantu bakhe. ₁₅UJowabe indodana kaSeruya wayephezu kwempi; uJehoshafati, indodana ka-Ahiludi, wayengumabhalana; ₁₆uSadoki, indodana ka-Ahithubi, no-Abimeleki indodana ka-Abiyathara, babe ngabapristi; noShawusha wayengumbhali; ₁₇uBenaya, indodana kaJehoyada wayephezu kwamaKhereti namaPheleti; amadodana kaDavide ayengabokuqala ngasenkosini.

₁Kwathi emva kwalokho uNahashi inkosi yabantwana bakwa-Amoni wafa, indodana yakhe yaba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe. ₂UDavide wathi: “Ngiyakumenzela umusa uHanuni, indodana kaNahashi, ngokuba uyise wangenzela umusa.” UDavide wayesethuma izithunywa ukumduduza ngoyise. Zafika-ke izinceku zikaDavide ezweni labantwana bakwa-Amoni kuHanuni ukumduduza. ₃Kepha izikhulu zabantwana bakwa-Amoni zathi kuHanuni: “Imbala ngokubona kwakho uthume abaduduzi kuwe ukuba atuse uyihlo na? Azifikanga yini izinceku zakhe kuwe ukuba ziphenye umuzi, ziwuchithe, ziwuhlole, na?” ₄UHanuni wayesebamba izinceku zikaDavide, waziphucula, wahina izingubo zazo phakathi, kwaze kwaba sezinqeni zazo, wazimukisa.

₅Bahamba, bamtshela uDavide ngalawo madoda. Wathuma ukuwahlangabeza, ngokuba ayenamahloni kakhulu lawo madoda. Yathi inkosi: “Hlalani eJeriko, zize zihlume izilevu zenu, bese nibuya.”

₆Abantwana bakwa-Amoni sebebone ukuthi bazenzile ukuba banengeke kuDavide, uHanuni nabantwana bakwa-Amoni bathuma amatalenta* ayinkulungwane esiliva ukuziqashela izinqola nabamahhashi e-Aramu Naharayimi, nase-Aramu Mahakha, naseSoba. ₇Base beziqashela izinqola eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu nambili kanye nenkosi yaseMahakha nabantu bayo abeza ukumisa ngaphambi kweMedeba. Abantwana bakwa-Amoni babuthana ndawonye bephuma emizini yabo; baya ukulwa.

₈UDavide esezwile lokho wamthuma uJowabe nempi yonke yamaqhawe. ₉Abantwana bakwa-Amoni baphuma, bahlela impi ngasesangweni lomuzi; kepha amakhosi ayefikile ayewodwa endle.

₁₀UJowabe esebona ukuthi impi ibhekene naye ngaphambili nangasemuva, wakhetha kwabakhethekileyo bonke bakwa-Israyeli, wabahlela ukuba balwe nama-Aramu; ₁₁abantu abaseleyo wababeka esandleni sika-Abishayi umfowabo, bazihlela ukulwa nabantwana bakwa-Amoni. ₁₂Wathi: “Uma ama-Aramu engahlula, uyakungisiza; kepha uma abantwana bakwa-Amoni bekwahlula, ngiyakukusiza. ₁₃Qinani, masiziqinise ngenxa yabantu bakithi nangenxa yemizi kaNkulunkulu wethu; uJehova makenze okuhle emehlweni akhe.”

₁₄UJowabe nabantu ababe naye base besondela kuwo ama-Aramu ukuba balwe; kepha abaleka phambi kwakhe. ₁₅Lapho abantwana bakwa-Amoni bebona ukuthi ama-Aramu abalekile, babaleka nabo phambi kuka-Abishayi umfowabo, bangena emzini; kepha uJowabe waya eJerusalema.

₁₆Ama-Aramu esebonile ukuthi anqotshiwe phambi kuka-Israyeli, athuma izithunywa, akhipha ama-Aramu ayephesheya koMfula* noShofaki induna yempi kaHadarezeri phambi kwawo.

₁₇UDavide watshelwa, wabutha wonke u-Israyeli, wawela iJordani, wawafikela, wahlela impi ukulwa nawo. UDavide esehlelile impi ukulwa nama-Aramu, alwa naye. ₁₈Ama-Aramu abaleka phambi kuka-Israyeli; uDavide wabulala kuma-Aramu izinqola eziyizinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa nemigundatshani eyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amane, wabulala noShofaki induna yempi.

₁₉Lapho izinceku zikaHadarezeri zibonile ukuthi zinqotshiwe phambi kuka-Israyeli, zenza ukuthula noDavide, zamkhonza; ama-Aramu awathandanga ukusiza abantwana bakwa-Amoni futhi.

₁Emva komnyaka ngesikhathi sokuhlasela kwamakhosi, uJowabe wahola amaqhawe empi, wachitha izwe labantwana bakwa-Amoni, weza wavimbezela iRaba; kepha uDavide wahlala eJerusalema. UJowabe walinqoba iRaba, walidiliza. ₂UDavide wathatha umqhele wenkosi yabo ekhanda layo, wafumana isisindo sawo ukuthi sasiyitalenta* legolide, itshe eliyigugu likuwo; wabekwa ekhanda likaDavide; wakhipha emzini impango eningi kakhulu. ₃Wakhipha nabantu ababe phakathi kwawo, wabanquma ngamasaha, nangezibhuqo zensimbi, nangamazembe; wenze njalo uDavide kuyo yonke imizi yabantwana bakwa-Amoni. UDavide nabo bonke abantu babuyela eJerusalema.

₄Emva kwalokho kwavuka impi namaFilisti eGezeri; khona uSibekayi, umHushati, wabulala uSiphayi wamadodana amaRefa; anqotshwa.

₅Kwabuye kwaba khona impi namaFilisti; u-Elihanani, indodana kaJayire, wabulala uLahimi umfowabo kaGoliyati, umGiti, oluthi lomkhonto wakhe lwalunjengogongolo lomaluki.

₆Kwabuye kwaba khona impi eGati, lapho kwakukhona umuntu omude; iminwe yakhe nezinzwani zakhe kwakungamashumi amabili nane, isithupha esandleni sisinye, nesithupha onyaweni lulunye; naye wazalwa yiRefa. ₇Wameyisa u-Israyeli; ngalokho uJonathani indodana kaShimeya umfowabo kaDavide wambulala.

₈Labo bazalwa ngamaRefa eGati, bawa ngesandla sikaDavide nangesandla sezinceku zakhe.