2 IZikhronike 34

34 ¹UJosiya wayeneminyaka eyisishiyagalombili ubudala lapho eba yinkosi, wabusa iminyaka engamashumi amathathu nanye eJerusalema. ²Wenza okulungileyo emehlweni kaBaba wethu, wahamba ezindleleni zikaDavida uyise, engaphambukeli ngakwesokudla nangakwesokhohlo.

³Ngomnyaka wesishiyagalombili wokubusa kwakhe, esengumfana, waqala ukufuna uBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu kaDavida uyise. Ngomnyaka weshumi nambili waqala ukuhlanza uJuda neJerusalema, esusa izindawo eziphakemeyo, nezinsika zika-Ashera, nemifanekiso ebaziweyo, nemifanekiso ebunjiweyo. ⁴Phambi kwakhe badiliza ama-altare aboBhali; wagawula ama-altare empepho ayengaphezu kwawo, waphihliza izinsika zika-Ashera, nemifanekiso ebaziweyo, nemifanekiso ebunjiweyo, wakucola kwaba uthuli, wakuhlakaza phezu kwamathuna alabo ababehlabele kuyo. ⁵Washisa amathambo abapristi phezu kwama-altare abo, kanjalo wahlanza uJuda neJerusalema. ⁶Emizini yakwaManase, neyakwa-Efrayimi, neyakwaSimeyoni, kuze kufike kwaNaftali, emanxiweni awo nxazonke. ^a a v6 Imizi yasenyakatho uJosiya ayivakashela yayishiywe iyimanxiwa kakhulu ngenxa yokunqotshwa nokuthunjwa ngama-Asiriya emashumini eminyaka ngaphambili. ⁷Wadiliza ama-altare, waphihliza izinsika zika-Ashera nemifanekiso ebaziweyo kwaba impuphu, wagawula wonke ama-altare empepho kulo lonke elakwa-Israyeli. Wayesebuyela eJerusalema.

⁸Ngomnyaka weshumi nesishiyagalombili wokubusa kwakhe, esehlanze izwe nendlu, wathuma uShafani indodana ka-Azaliya, noMahaseya umbusi womuzi, noJowa indodana kaJowahazi umbhali womlando, ukuba balungise indlu kaBaba wethu. ⁹Beza kuHilikiya umpristi omkhulu, banikela imali eyayilethwe endlini kaBaba wethu, amaLevi ayelinda amasango ayeyiqoqe kwaManase, nakwa-Efrayimi, nakuyo yonke insali yakwa-Israyeli, nakulo lonke elakwaJuda nelakwaBhenjamini, nakubahlali baseJerusalema. ¹⁰Bayinika izisebenzi ezaziphethe umsebenzi wendlu kaBaba wethu, izisebenzi ezazisebenza endlini kaBaba wethu zayisebenzisa ukulungisa nokuvuselela indlu. ¹¹Bakhokhela ababazi nabakhi ukuba bathenge amatshe abaziweyo, nezingodo zokubophela nezinsika zezakhiwo amakhosi akwaJuda ayezivumele ukuba ziwohloke. ¹²Lamadoda asebenza ngokwethembeka. Ababephethe phezu kwawo, beqondisa umsebenzi, kwakunguJahati no-Obadiya, amaLevi emadodaneni kaMerari, noZakariya noMeshulamu wamaKohati; namaLevi, bonke abaculi abanamakhono, ¹³babephethe izisebenzi, beqondisa zonke izisebenzi emsebenzini ngamunye. Amanye amaLevi ayengababhali, nezikhulu, nabalindimasango.

UHilikiya Uthola Incwadi yoMthetho

¹⁴Kwathi bekhipha imali eyayilethwe endlini kaBaba wethu, uHilikiya umpristi wathola incwadi yoMthetho kaBaba wethu, eyayinikezwe ngoMose. ¹⁵UHilikiya wathi kuShafani umbhali: “Ngiyitholile incwadi yoMthetho endlini kaBaba wethu,” wayinika uShafani.

¹⁶UShafani wayiletha inkosi incwadi, wabika wathi: “Izinceku zakho zenza konke ezikuphathisiweyo. ¹⁷Zikhiphile imali etholwe endlini kaBaba wethu, zayinikela kubaphathi nakubasebenzi.” ¹⁸UShafani umbhali wathi enkosini: “UHilikiya umpristi unginike incwadi,” wayifundela inkosi.

¹⁹Kwathi inkosi isizwa amazwi oMthetho, yaklebhula izingubo zayo. ²⁰Inkosi yayala uHilikiya, no-Ahikamu indodana kaShafani, no-Abidoni indodana kaMika, noShafani umbhali, no-Asaya inceku yenkosi, yathi: ²¹“Hambani, niyobuza uBaba wethu ngami nangalabo abaseleyo kwa-Israyeli nakwaJuda ngamazwi aleyo ncwadi etholiweyo. Lukhulu ulaka lwakhe oluthululelwe phezu kwethu, ngoba okhokho bethu abaligcinanga izwi likaBaba wethu, ukuba benze konke okulotshiwe kule ncwadi.”

²²Ngakho uHilikiya namadoda enkosi baya kuHulida umprofethikazi, umka-Shalumi indodana kaThokati, indodana kaHasra, umgcini wezingubo. Wayehlala eJerusalema esiGcemeni sesiBili. Bakhuluma naye ngalokhu.

²³Wathi kubo: “Usho kanje uBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: Tshelani indoda eyanithuma kimi ukuthi: ²⁴Usho kanje uBaba wethu: Sengizoletha inhlekelele kule ndawo nakubahlali bayo—zonke iziqalekiso ezilotshiwe encwadini efundelwe inkosi yakwaJuda. ²⁵Ngokuba bangishiya, benzela abanye onkulunkulu iminikelo, bengicunula ngolaka ngakho konke abakwenzile, intukuthelo yami iyothululeka kule ndawo, ingacimeki. ²⁶Kodwa yitsheleni inkosi yakwaJuda, eyanithuma ukuba nibuze kimi, nithi: Usho kanje uBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ngamazwi owezwileyo: ²⁷Ngokuba inhliziyo yakho yayithambile, wazithoba phambi kukaBaba wethu lapho uzwa amazwi akhe ngokumelene nale ndawo nabahlali bayo, wazithoba phambi kwami, waklebhula izingubo zakho, wakhala phambi kwami, nami ngikuzwile, kusho uBaba wethu. ²⁸Ngizokubuthela kubokhokho bakho, ubekwe ethuneni lakho ngokuthula. Amehlo akho ngeke ayibone yonke inhlekelele engiyiletha kule ndawo nakubantu bayo.” Baseletha inkosi le mpendulo.

²⁹Khona inkosi yabiza bonke abadala bakwaJuda nabaseJerusalema. ³⁰Inkosi yenyukela endlini kaBaba wethu namadoda onke akwaJuda, nabahlali baseJerusalema, nabapristi, namaLevi, nabantu bonke, abakhulu nabancane. Yabafundela wonke amazwi encwadi yesivumelwano eyayitholwe endlini kaBaba wethu. ³¹Inkosi yema endaweni yayo, yenza isivumelwano phambi kukaBaba wethu—ukuba ilandele uBaba wethu, igcine imiyalo yakhe, nobufakazi bakhe, nezimiso zakhe ngayo yonke inhliziyo yayo nangawo wonke umphefumulo wayo, iwenze amazwi esivumelwano alotshiwe kule ncwadi. ³²Wenza bonke ababekhona eJerusalema nakwaBhenjamini bavumelana naso, abantu baseJerusalema benza ngokwesivumelwano sikaBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu wawoyise. ³³UJosiya wasusa zonke izinto ezinengekayo emikhawulweni yezwe labantwana bakwa-Israyeli, wenza bonke ababekwa-Israyeli ukuba bakhonze uBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu wabo. Zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwakhe, abaphambukanga ekulandeleni uBaba wethu.