1 AMakhosi 6

6 ¹Ngomnyaka wama-480 ngemva kokuphuma kuka-Israyeli eGibhithe, ngomnyaka wesine uSolomoni ebusa u-Israyeli, ngenyanga kaZivi, inyanga yesibili, waqala ukwakha indlu kaBaba wethu. ²Indlu inkosi uSolomoni eyayakhela uBaba wethu, ubude bayo babungaba ngamafidi angamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye, ububanzi babungaba ngamafidi angamashumi amathathu, ukuphakama kwayo kungaba ngamafidi angamashumi amane nanhlanu. ³Uvulandi owawungaphambi kwehholo elikhulu wawungaba ngamafidi angamashumi amathathu ubude, uhambisana nobubanzi bendlu, futhi wawungaba ngamafidi ayishumi nanhlanu ubujulane phambi kwawo. ⁴Wayenzela indlu amafasitela anezinhlaka ezingenele ngaphakathi.

⁵Wakhela odongeni lwendlu isakhiwo esizungeza nxazonke—ngasezindongeni zendlu nxazonke—sehholo elikhulu nendlu engcwele engaphakathi; wenza namakamelo asemaceleni nxazonke. ⁶Isitezi esiphansi sasingaba ngamafidi ayisikhombisa nengxenye ububanzi, esiphakathi angamafidi ayisishiyagalolunye, esesithathu angamafidi ayishumi nengxenye; ngaphandle nxazonke wenza izindawo zokweseka odongeni, ukuze izingodo zingafakwa ezindongeni zendlu. ⁷Indlu yakhiwa ngamatshe ayelungiswe emgodini wokumba amatshe, ngakho akuzange kuzwakale sando, imbazo, noma yisiphi isikhali sensimbi kuyo ngesikhathi kwakhiwa. ⁸Umnyango wekamelo lasemaceleni lasezansi wawungasohlangothini oluseningizimu lwendlu; isitebhisi sasiholela phezulu esitezi esiphakathi, kusuka lapho kuye kwesesithathu. ⁹Ngakho wayakha indlu wayiqeda, wayifulela ngezingodo namapulangwe omsedari. ¹⁰Wakha isakhiwo sasemaceleni ngasendlini yonke, isitezi ngasinye sasiphakeme ngamafidi ayisikhombisa nengxenye, sixhunywe endlini ngezingodo zomsedari.

¹¹Khona-ke izwi likaBaba wethu lafika kuSolomoni, lathi:

¹²“Mayelana nale ndlu oyakhayo: uma uhamba ezimisweni zami, wenza izahlulelo zami, ugcina yonke imiyalo yami ngokuyilandela, ngiyakuligcwalisa kuwe isithembiso engasenza kuDavide uyihlo. ¹³Ngiyakuhlala phakathi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, ngingeke ngibashiye abantu bami u-Israyeli.”

¹⁴Ngakho uSolomoni wayakha indlu wayiqeda. ¹⁵Wanameka izindonga ngaphakathi ngamapulangwe omsedari; kusuka phansi kuze kufike entungweni zophahla waziqukatha ngezingodo ngaphakathi, wendlala phansi kwendlu ngamapulangwe omsipuresi. ¹⁶Wakha amafidi angamashumi amathathu angasemuva wendlu ngamapulangwe omsedari, kusuka phansi kuze kufike ezindongeni, wawahlukanisa ngaphakathi njengendlu engcwele engaphakathi, iNdawo eNgcwelengcwele. ¹⁷Indlu—ihholo elikhulu elaliphambi kwendlu engcwele engaphakathi—yayingaba ngamafidi angamashumi ayisithupha ubude. ¹⁸Umsedari owawungaphakathi endlini wawubaziwe ngamaselwa nezimbali ezivulekile; kwakuwumsedari wonke, kungabonakali tshe. ¹⁹Walungisa indlu engcwele engaphakathi phakathi endlini, ukuze abeke khona umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaBaba wethu. ²⁰Indlu engcwele engaphakathi yayingaba ngamafidi angamashumi amathathu ubude, angamashumi amathathu ububanzi, angamashumi amathathu ukuphakama; wayinameka ngegolide elimsulwa, wanameka ne-altare lomsedari. ²¹USolomoni wanameka ingaphakathi lendlu ngegolide elimsulwa, wadonsa amaketanga egolide anqamula phambi kwendlu engcwele engaphakathi, wayinameka ngegolide. ²²Wanameka indlu yonke ngegolide kwaze kwaphela indlu yonke; ne-altare lonke lendlu engcwele engaphakathi walinameka ngegolide.

²³Endlini engcwele engaphakathi wenza amakherubi amabili ngesigodo somnqumo, ngalinye liphakeme ngamafidi ayishumi nanhlanu. ²⁴Iphiko elilodwa lekherubi laliyingamafidi ayisikhombisa nengxenye, elinye amafidi ayisikhombisa nengxenye; amafidi ayishumi nanhlanu kusuka esicongweni sephiko kuye kwesinye isicongo sephiko. ²⁵Ikherubi lesibili nalo lalilinganiselwa ngamafidi ayishumi nanhlanu; womabili amakherubi ayenesilinganiso sinye nesimo sinye. ²⁶Ukuphakama kwekherubi elilodwa kwakungaba ngamafidi ayishumi nanhlanu, kanjalo nelinye. ²⁷Wabeka amakherubi phakathi endlini engaphakathi, amaphiko awo elulekile, kangangokuthi iphiko lelinye lathinta olunye udonga, iphiko lelinye lathinta olunye udonga, amaphiko awo athintana phakathi nendawo endlini. ²⁸Wanameka amakherubi ngegolide.

²⁹Ezindongeni zonke ezizungeza indlu, emakamelweni angaphakathi nangaphandle, wabaza amakherubi, izihlahla zesundu, nezimbali ezivulekile. ³⁰Wanameka phansi kwendlu ngegolide, emakamelweni angaphakathi nangaphandle.

³¹Wenzela umnyango wendlu engcwele engaphakathi izivalo zesigodo somnqumo; insika yangaphezulu nezinsika zomnyango zazakha izinhlangothi ezinhlanu. ³²Izivalo zombili zaziyisigodo somnqumo; kuzo wabaza amakherubi, izihlahla zesundu, nezimbali ezivulekile, wabe esezinameka ngegolide, elishaya phezu kwamakherubi nezihlahla zesundu. ³³Kanjalo nasemnyango wehholo elikhulu wenza izinsika zomnyango zesigodo somnqumo, zinezinhlangothi ezine, ³⁴nezivalo ezimbili zesigodo somsipuresi; izingxenye zombili zesivalo esisodwa zazigoqeka, nezingxenye zombili zesinye zazigoqeka. ³⁵Wabaza kuzo amakherubi, izihlahla zesundu, nezimbali ezivulekile, wazinameka ngegolide elendlalwe ngokulinganayo phezu kokubaza.

³⁶Wakha igceke langaphakathi ngemigqa emithathu yamatshe aqoshiwe nomgqa owodwa wezingodo zomsedari.

³⁷Ngomnyaka wesine kwabekwa isisekelo sendlu kaBaba wethu, ngenyanga kaZivi. ³⁸Indlu yaqedwa ngomnyaka weshumi nanye, ngenyanga kaBuli, inyanga yesishiyagalombili, ngayo yonke imininingwane njengoba kwakuhleliwe. Wayakha iminyaka eyisikhombisa.