UBawo wethu Umlungisa uKumkani Wakhe Ogwenxayo

UYehu uhlangabeza ukumkani obuyayo ngombuzo: umelwe na ukunceda abangendawo? UYehoshafati uphendula ngokutyelela abantu nokumisa abagwebi, ebaxelela ukuba bagwebela uBawo wethu, bengagwebeli abantu, nokuba kuye akukho ntswela-bulungisa, nakukhetha buso, nakwamkela sicengo.

Isahluko 19.

UYehoshafati ukumkani wakwaYuda wabuyela endlwini yakhe eYerusalem enoxolo. UYehu unyana kaHanani imboni wamhlangabeza ukumkani uYehoshafati, wathi kuye: “Umelwe na ukunceda abangendawo, nokuthanda abamthiyayo uBawo wethu? Ngenxa yale nto, ingqumbo evela kuBawo wethu iphezu kwakho. Noko, kufunyanwa okulungileyo kuwe: wawasusa ooAshera ezweni, wayibeka intliziyo yakho ukuba uquqele uBawo wethu.”

UYehoshafati wahlala eYerusalem, waza wabuya waphuma phakathi kwabantu, ethabathela eBhershebha esa kweleentaba lakwaEfrayim, ebabuyisela kuBawo wethu, uThixo wooyise. Wamisa abagwebi ezweni, kuyo yonke imizi enqatyisiweyo yakwaYuda, umzi ngomzi. Wathi kubagwebi: “Khangelani into eniyenzayo—anigwebeli abantu, nigwebela uBawo wethu, yena okunye nani kulo lonke ityala enilithethayo. Ngoko makube phezu kwenu ukoyika uBawo wethu. Lumkani nenze, kuba uBawo wethu akanantswela-bulungisa, akakhethi buso, akamkeli sicengo.”

Kananjalo eYerusalem, uYehoshafati wamisa abanye abaLevi, nababingeleli, neentloko zezindlu zooyise zakwaSirayeli, ukuba bagwebe ugwebo lukaBawo wethu, balungise iimbambano; babuyela eYerusalem. Wabawisela umthetho, wathi: “Yenzani ngolu hlobo, ngokoyika uBawo wethu, ngenyaniso nangentliziyo epheleleyo. Ngalo lonke ixesha abazalwana benu abasemizini yabo beza kuni nembambano—mayela negazi, nokuba umthetho nomyalelo, imimiselo namasiko—baqononondiseni, ukuze bangabi natyala phambi koBawo wethu, baze bazise ingqumbo phezu kwenu nabazalwana benu. Yenzani oku, nize ningabi natyala. Ke kaloku, uAmariya umbingeleli omkhulu unigadile kuzo zonke iindawo zikaBawo wethu; uZebhadiya unyana ka-Ishmayeli, inkulu yesizwe sakwaYuda, kuzo zonke iindawo zokumkani. AbaLevi basebenza njengabathetheli phambi kwenu. Yomelelani nenze—wanga uBawo wethu angabanakho abenza okulungileyo.”