1 AMakhosi 8

8 ¹Khona-ke uSolomoni wabutha amalunga akwa-Israyeli—zonke izinhloko zezizwe, abaholi bezindlu zokhokho babantwana bakwa-Israyeli—phambi kwenkosi uSolomoni eJerusalema, ukuze bakhuphule umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaBaba wethu bawususe emzini kaDavide, okuyiZiyoni. ²Ngakho onke amadoda akwa-Israyeli abuthana enkosini uSolomoni ngomkhosi ngenyanga u-Ethanimi, inyanga yesikhombisa. ³Kwathi sekufikile onke amalunga akwa-Israyeli, abapristi bawuthwala umphongolo, ⁴bawukhuphula umphongolo kaBaba wethu, netende lokuhlangana, nazo zonke izinto ezingcwele ezazisetendeni; abapristi namaLevi bakukhuphula. ⁵Inkosi uSolomoni nalo lonke ibandla lakwa-Israyeli elalibuthene naye bama phambi komphongolo, behlabela izimvu nezinkomo ezaziziningi kakhulu zingenakubalwa noma zibhalwe phansi. ⁶Abapristi base beletha umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaBaba wethu endaweni yawo, endlini engaphakathi engcwele, iNdawo eNgcwelengcwele, ngaphansi kwamaphiko amakherubi. ⁷Amakherubi ayelulela amaphiko awo phezu kwendawo yomphongolo, embesa umphongolo nezinti zawo ngaphezulu. ⁸Izinti zazizinde kangangokuba izihloko zazo zazibonakala zivela eNdaweni eNgcwele phambi kwekamelo elingaphakathi, kodwa zingabonakali ngaphandle; zisekhona lapho kuze kube namuhla. ⁹Emphongolweni kwakukhona izibhebhe ezimbili zamatshe kuphela uMose ayezibeke khona eHorebe, lapho uBaba wethu enza khona isivumelwano nabantwana bakwa-Israyeli ekuphumeni kwabo ezweni laseGibhithe. ¹⁰Kwathi abapristi bephuma eNdaweni eNgcwele, ifu lagcwala indlu kaBaba wethu, ¹¹kangangokuba abapristi behluleka ukuma ukuba bakhonze ngenxa yefu, ngokuba inkazimulo kaBaba wethu yagcwala indlu yakhe.

¹²Khona-ke uSolomoni wathi: “UBaba wethu usethe uyakuhlala ebumnyameni obukhulu. ¹³Ngempela ngikwakhele indlu ephakeme, indawo yokuba uhlale kuyo kuze kube phakade.”

¹⁴Inkosi yaphenduka yabusisa lonke ibandla lakwa-Israyeli, kuyilapho lonke ibandla lakwa-Israyeli lalimile. ¹⁵Wathi: “Makadunyiswe uBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, okhulume ngomlomo wakhe kubaba uDavide wakugcwalisa ngesandla sakhe, wathi, ¹⁶selokhu ngakhipha abantu bami u-Israyeli eGibhithe, angikhethanga muzi kuzo zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli ukuba kwakhiwe indlu yegama lami; kodwa ngakhetha uDavide ukuba abe phezu kwabantu bami u-Israyeli.

¹⁷Kwakusenhliziyweni kababa uDavide ukwakha indlu yegama likaBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.

¹⁸Kodwa uBaba wethu wathi kubaba uDavide, ‘Njengoba kwakusenhliziyweni yakho ukwakha indlu yegama lami, wenzile kahle ngokuba nalokho enhliziyweni yakho. ¹⁹Kodwa wena ngokwakho awuyikuyakha indlu; indodana yakho, ephuma esiswini sakho, iyakuyakha indlu yegama lami.’

²⁰UBaba wethu uligcinile izwi alikhulumayo, ngokuba ngivukile esikhundleni sikababa uDavide ngihlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sakwa-Israyeli, njengokuthembisa kwakhe, futhi ngiyakhile indlu yegama likaBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. ²¹Lapho ngenzele khona indawo yomphongolo oqukethe isivumelwano sikaBaba wethu, asenza nobaba bethu ekubakhipheni kwakhe eGibhithe.”

Umkhuleko kaSolomoni Phambi kukaBaba

²²USolomoni wema phambi kwe-altare likaBaba wethu, phambi kwalo lonke ibandla lakwa-Israyeli, welulela izandla zakhe ezulwini. ²³Wathi: “Baba wethu, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, akukho Nkulunkulu onjengawe ezulwini phezulu noma emhlabeni phansi, ogcina isivumelwano nomusa kuzinceku zakho ezihamba phambi kwakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yazo. ²⁴Uyigcinile isithembiso sakho encekwini yakho, ubaba uDavide; lokho okukhulunywe ngumlomo wakho, isandla sakho sikugcwalisile namuhla.

²⁵Manje-ke, Baba wethu, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, gcinela inceku yakho uDavide ubaba lokho owamthembisa kona, wathi, ‘Awusoze waswela indoda yokuhlala phambi kwami esihlalweni sobukhosi sakwa-Israyeli, uma nje abantwana bakho beqaphela indlela yabo, ukuba bahambe phambi kwami njengoba nawe uhambile phambi kwami.’ ²⁶Manje-ke, Baba wethu, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, qinisa izwi owalikhuluma encekwini yakho, ubaba uDavide.

²⁷Kodwa kambe uBaba wethu uyakuhlala emhlabeni na? Bheka—izulu namazulu aphezulu kakhulu angekukwazi ukukuqukatha; ikakhulukazi le ndlu engiyakhileyo! ²⁸Kodwa unake umkhuleko nokunxusa kwenceku yakho, Baba wami, ukuze uzwe ukukhala nomkhuleko inceku yakho ekuthandazayo phambi kwakho namuhla.

²⁹Amehlo akho mawahlale evulekile ebhekise kule ndlu ebusuku nasemini, indawo owathi ngayo ‘Igama lami liyakuba khona,’ ukuze uzwe umkhuleko wenceku yakho oqondiswe kule ndawo. ³⁰Yizwa ukunxusa kwenceku yakho nokwabantu bakho u-Israyeli lapho bethandaza bebhekise kule ndawo; yizwa usezulwini, endaweni yakho yokuhlala, uthi lapho uzwa, uthethelele.

³¹Uma umuntu ona umakhelwane wakhe kudingeke ukuba afunge, afike afunge phambi kwe-altare lakho kule ndlu, ³²khona-ke yizwa usezulwini wenze. Wahlulele izinceku zakho: lahla onecala, wehlisele ukuziphatha kwakhe ekhanda lakhe, ukhulule olungileyo, umvuze ngokulunga kwakhe.

³³Lapho abantu bakho u-Israyeli benqotshwa yisitha ngenxa yokuba bone kuwe, bese bebuyela kuwe, bevuma igama lakho, bethandaza benxusa kuwe kule ndlu, ³⁴khona-ke yizwa usezulwini, uthethelele isono sabantu bakho u-Israyeli, ubabuyisele ezweni owalinika okhokho babo.

³⁵Lapho izulu livaliwe kungani mvula ngenxa yokuba bone kuwe, bese bethandaza bebhekise kule ndawo, bevuma igama lakho, baphenduke esonweni sabo ngokuba ubahluphile, ³⁶khona-ke yizwa usezulwini uthethelele isono sezinceku zakho, abantu bakho u-Israyeli, lapho ubafundisa indlela enhle okufanele bahambe ngayo; wehlisele imvula ezweni lakho, owalinika abantu bakho libe yifa.

³⁷Uma kukhona indlala, isifo esiwumshayabhuqe, ukubuna, isikhunta, isikhonyane, noma intethe okushaya izwe; uma isitha sibavimbezela emasangweni abo—noma yisiphi isifo noma ukugula okufikayo, ³⁸noma yimuphi umkhuleko noma ukunxusa okwenziwa yinoma ngubani phakathi kwabo bonke abantu bakho u-Israyeli, ngamunye azi ukuhlupheka kwenhliziyo yakhe, elulela izandla zakhe ebhekise kule ndlu, ³⁹khona-ke yizwa usezulwini, endaweni yakho yokuhlala, uthethelele, wenze, unike umuntu ngamunye njengokwezindlela zakhe zonke, ngokuba uyayazi inhliziyo yakhe—nguwe wedwa owazi inhliziyo yabo bonke abantu, ⁴⁰ukuze bakwesabe zonke izinsuku abaphila ngazo ezweni owalinika obaba bethu.

⁴¹Nowezizwe futhi, ongesiye owabantu bakho u-Israyeli kodwa ovela ezweni elikude ngenxa yegama lakho, ⁴²ngokuba bayakuzwa ngegama lakho elikhulu, ngesandla sakho esinamandla nangengalo yakho eyeluliweyo—lapho eza ethandaza ebhekise kule ndlu, ⁴³yizwa usezulwini, lapho uhlala khona, wenze konke owezizwe akucelayo, ukuze bonke abantu bomhlaba bazi igama lakho bakwesabe, njengabantu bakho u-Israyeli, bazi ukuthi le ndlu engiyakhileyo ibizwa ngegama lakho.

⁴⁴Lapho abantu bakho bephuma ukuya kulwa nesitha sabo, nganoma yiyiphi indlela obathuma ngayo, bese bethandaza kuBaba wethu bebhekise emzini owawukhethayo nasendlini engiyakhele igama lakho, ⁴⁵khona-ke yizwa usezulwini umkhuleko wabo nokunxusa kwabo, ubamele ecaleni labo.

⁴⁶Lapho bona kuwe—ngokuba akekho ongenasono—uthukuthele ubanikele esitheni esibathumbela ezweni lesitha, kude noma eduze,

⁴⁷kodwa uma bekubeka enhliziyweni ezweni abathunjelwe kulo, baphenduke bakunxuse ezweni labathumbi babo, bethi, ‘Sonile, senze okubi, senze ngenkohlakalo,’ ⁴⁸futhi uma ezweni labathumbi babo bephendukela kuwe ngayo yonke inhliziyo yabo nangawo wonke umphefumulo wabo, bethandaza kuwe bebhekise ezweni labo owalinika oyise, emzini owawukhethayo, nasendlini engiyakhele igama lakho, ⁴⁹khona-ke yizwa usezulwini, endaweni yakho yokuhlala, umkhuleko wabo nokunxusa kwabo, ubamele ecaleni labo. ⁵⁰Thethelela abantu bakho abone kuwe, zonke iziphambeko zabo kuwe, ubaphe isihawu phambi kwabathumbi babo, ukuze abathumbi babo babahawukele, ⁵¹ngokuba bangabantu bakho nefa lakho, owabakhipha eGibhithe, esithandweni sensimbi. ⁵²Amehlo akho mawavuleke ekunxuseni kwenceku yakho nasekunxuseni kwabantu bakho u-Israyeli, ubezwe noma nini lapho bekhala kuwe. ⁵³Ngokuba wabahlukanisa kubo bonke abantu bomhlaba babe yifa lakho, njengokusho kwakho ngoMose inceku yakho ekubakhipheni kwakho obaba bethu eGibhithe, wena Baba oyiNkosi ebusayo.”

USolomoni Ubusisa Ibandla

⁵⁴Kwathi uSolomoni eseqedile wonke lo mkhuleko nokunxusa kuBaba wethu, wasukuma phambi kwe-altare likaBaba wethu, lapho ayeguqe khona ngamadolo izandla zakhe zeluliwe zibhekise ezulwini. ⁵⁵Wema wabusisa lonke ibandla lakwa-Israyeli ngezwi elikhulu, wathi:

⁵⁶“Makabusiswe uBaba wethu, onike abantu bakhe u-Israyeli ukuphumula, njengokuthembisa kwakhe. Alikho ngisho nelilodwa izwi elashiyekayo kukho konke okuhle akuthembisa ngoMose inceku yakhe. ⁵⁷UBaba wethu makabe nathi njengoba wayenobaba bethu; makangalokothi asishiye noma asilahle, ⁵⁸ephendulela izinhliziyo zethu kuye, ukuze sihambe ngazo zonke izindlela zakhe sigcine imiyalo yakhe, izimiso, nezahlulelo, azilaya obaba bethu. ⁵⁹Futhi la mazwi ami, enginxuse ngawo phambi kukaBaba wethu, mawahlale eseduze kwakhe emini nasebusuku, ukuze amele icala lenceku yakhe nelabantu bakhe u-Israyeli, njengoba usuku ngalunye ludinga, ⁶⁰ukuze bonke abantu bomhlaba bazi ukuthi uBaba wethu unguNkulunkulu, akukho omunye.

⁶¹Ngakho inhliziyo yenu mayizinikele ngokupheleleyo kuBaba wethu, ukuze nihambe ngezimiso zakhe nigcine imiyalo yakhe, njenganamuhla.”

Indlu Enikelwe kuBaba

⁶²Khona-ke inkosi nawo wonke u-Israyeli enaye banikela ngemihlatshelo phambi kukaBaba wethu. ⁶³USolomoni wanikela kuBaba wethu iminikelo yokuthula yezinkabi eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nambili nezimvu eziyizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amabili. Ngakho inkosi nabo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bayinikela indlu kaBaba wethu. ⁶⁴Ngalolo suku inkosi yanikela phakathi kwegceke eliphambi kwendlu kaBaba wethu, ngokuba lapho yanikela khona umnikelo oshiswayo, umnikelo wempuphu, namanoni eminikelo yokuthula, ngokuba i-altare lethusi eliphambi kukaBaba wethu lalilincane kakhulu lingaweli umnikelo oshiswayo, umnikelo wempuphu, namanoni eminikelo yokuthula.

⁶⁵Khona-ke uSolomoni wagubha umkhosi, wonke u-Israyeli enaye—ibandla elikhulu kakhulu elisuka eLebo-hamati liye eMfuleni waseGibhithe—phambi kukaBaba wethu izinsuku eziyisikhombisa, kwase kuba ezinye eziyisikhombisa: izinsuku eziyishumi nane sezizonke. ^a a v65 ILebo-hamati enyakatho kude neMfula waseGibhithe eningizimu kude kwakuphawula ubude bonke bezwe, ngakho abantu beza bevela kuwo wonke amagumbi akwa-Israyeli. ⁶⁶Ngosuku lwesishiyagalombili wabamukisa abantu baya emakhaya. Babusisa inkosi baya ematendeni abo, bethokoza benenhliziyo ejabulayo ngakho konke okuhle uBaba wethu akubonisa inceku yakhe uDavide nabantu bakhe u-Israyeli.