2 AMakhosi 22

22 ¹UJosiya wayeneminyaka eyisishiyagalombili lapho ebekwa inkosi, wabusa iminyaka engamashumi amathathu nanye eJerusalema. Unina kwakunguJedida indodakazi ka-Adaya, waseBhozikhathi. ²Wenza okulungile emehlweni kaBaba wethu, wahamba ngazo zonke izindlela zikaDavida uyise, akaphambukelanga ngakwesokunene nangakwesokhohlo.

³Ngonyaka wakhe weshumi nesishiyagalombili, inkosi uJosiya yathuma uShafani indodana ka-Azaliya indodana kaMeshulamu, umbhali, endlini kaBaba wethu, yathi: ⁴Khuphukela kuHilikiya umpristi omkhulu ukuze abale yonke imali elethwe endlini kaBaba wethu, eyaqoqwa abalindi bomnyango kubantu. ⁵Ayinikeze ababonisi ababekwe phezu komsebenzi endlini kaBaba wethu, ukuze bakhokhele izisebenzi endlini kaBaba wethu ezilungisa ukonakala kwayo. ⁶Ababazi, abakhi, nabaqophi bamatshe—nokuthenga izingodo namatshe aqoshiwe ukuze balungise indlu. ⁷Akudingeki ukubalwa kwemali ephathiswe bona, ngokuba benza ngokwethembeka.

Kutholakala INcwadi yoMthetho

⁸UHilikiya umpristi omkhulu wathi kuShafani umbhali: “Ngiyitholile iNcwadi yoMthetho endlini kaBaba wethu.” Wayinika uShafani, wayifunda. ⁹UShafani umbhali wathi enkosini: “Izinceku zakho ziyithululile imali etholakele ethempelini, zayinika izisebenzi nababonisi endlini kaBaba wethu.” ¹⁰UShafani umbhali wathi enkosini: “UHilikiya umpristi unginike umqulu,” wawufunda ngezwi phambi kwayo.

¹¹Kwathi lapho inkosi izwa amazwi eNcwadi yoMthetho, yaklebhula izingubo zayo. ¹²Inkosi yayala uHilikiya umpristi, no-Ahikamu indodana kaShafani, no-Akhibhori indodana kaMikaya, noShafani umbhali, no-Asaya inceku yenkosi, yathi: ¹³“Hambani, nibuze kuBaba wethu ngenxa yami, nangenxa yabantu, nangenxa yakho konke kwaJuda mayelana namazwi ale ncwadi etholakele. Ngokuba lukhulu ulaka lukaBaba wethu olusivuthela, ngenxa yokuthi okhokho bethu abawalalelanga amazwi ale ncwadi ngokwenza konke okulotshiwe ngathi.”

¹⁴Ngakho uHilikiya umpristi, no-Ahikamu, no-Akhibhori, noShafani, no-Asaya baya kuHulida umprofethikazi, umka-Shalumi indodana kaThikiva indodana kaHarihasi, umlondolozi wezingubo, owayehlala eSifundeni seSibili saseJerusalema, bakhuluma naye.

¹⁵Wathi kubo: “Usho kanje uBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Tshelani umuntu onithume kimi, ¹⁶usho uBaba wethu uthi: Ngehlisela ishwa phezu kwale ndawo naphezu kwabantu bayo—wonke amazwi inkosi yakwaJuda ewafundile encwadini. ¹⁷Ngokuba bangishiyile, bashisela abanye onkulunkulu impepho, bengicunula ngolaka ngayo yonke imisebenzi yezandla zabo, ulaka lwami luyakulivuthela le ndawo lungacimeki.

¹⁸Kepha nitshele inkosi yakwaJuda, enithume ukuba nibuze kuBaba: usho kanje uBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, mayelana namazwi owezwile:

¹⁹Ngokuba inhliziyo yakho ibithambile, wazithoba phambi kukaBaba lapho uzwa lokho engakukhuluma ngokumelene nale ndawo nabantu bayo—ukuthi bayakuba yincithakalo nesiqalekiso—wena waklebhula izingubo zakho, wakhala phambi kwami, nami ngikuzwile, kusho uBaba. ²⁰Ngakho ngiyakukubuthela koyihlo; uyakubuthelwa ethuneni lakho ngokuthula, amehlo akho angakuboni konke ishwa engiyakulehlisela phezu kwale ndawo.” Base beyibuyisela enkosini impendulo yakhe.