U-Asa Ufuna uBaba, Athole Ukuphumula
U-Asa ususa ama-altare angaphandle nezindawo eziphakemeyo, izwe libe nokuthula iminyaka eyishumi yokwakha. Lapho ibutho lamaKushi eliyisigidi lenyuka, umthandazo wakhe uthi nguBaba wakhe yedwa ongasiza ababuthakathaka bebhekene nabanamandla — amaKushi ayaphahlazwa.
14 1U-Abhiya waphumula kubokhokho bakhe; bammbela eMzini kaDavide. Indodana yakhe u-Asa yaba yinkosi, izwe laba nokuthula iminyaka eyishumi. 2U-Asa wenza okuhle nokulungile emehlweni kaBaba wethu. 3Wasusa ama-altare abezizwe nezindawo eziphakeme, waphihliza izinsika ezingcwele, wagawula izigxobo zika-Ashera. 4Wayala uJuda ukuba afune uBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo, agcine umthetho nomyalo. 5Wasusa futhi izindawo eziphakeme nama-altare empepho kuyo yonke imizi yakwaJuda, umbuso waba nokuthula phansi kwakhe. 6Wakha imizi ebiyelwe ngezindonga kwaJuda, ngokuba izwe laliphumule. Akazange alwe mpi kuleyo minyaka, ngoba uBaba wethu wamnika ukuphumula. 7Wathi kuJuda: “Masakhe le mizi siyizungeze ngezindonga, nemibhoshongo, namasango, nemigoqo. Izwe lisengelethu, ngokuba sifune uBaba wethu; samfuna, wasinika ukuphumula nxazonke.” Ngakho bakha baphumelela.
8U-Asa wayenebutho labantu abangu-300 000 abavela kwaJuda abaphethe izihlangu ezinkulu nemikhonto, nabangu-280 000 abavela kwaBhenjamini abaphethe izihlangu neminsalo—bonke babengamaqhawe anamandla.
9UZera umKushe waphuma waya kubo enebutho labantu abayisigidi nezinqola zempi ezingu-300, eqhubekela eMaresha. 10U-Asa waphuma waya kuye, bahlela amaviyo empi eSigodini saseZefatha eMaresha. 11Khona-ke u-Asa wakhala kuBaba wethu uNkulunkulu wakhe: “Baba, nguwe wedwa ongasiza ongenamandla ekulweni nonamandla. Sisize, Nkulunkulu wethu, ngokuba sithembele kuwe, negameni lakho sibhekene nalesi sixuku esikhulu. Wena unguNkulunkulu wethu; makungabikho muntu nje ongakunqoba.”
12Ngakho uBaba wethu wawashaya amaKushe phambi kuka-Asa naphambi kukaJuda, amaKushe abaleka. 13U-Asa nabantu bakhe bawaxosha baze bafika eGerari, amaKushe awa aze angasali ngisho noyedwa ophilile, ngokuba ahlakazwa phambi kukaBaba wethu naphambi kwebutho lakhe. Amadoda akwaJuda athwala impango enkulu. 14Ashaya yonke imizi eyayizungeze iGerari, ngokuba uvalo ngoBaba wethu lwaluwele phezu kwayo. Aphanga yonke imizi, njengoba kwakunempango eningi kuyo. 15Ahlasela futhi amatende abelusi, athwala izimvu eziningi namakamela, abuyela eJerusalema.
