2 AMakhosi 7

7 ¹U-Elisha wathi: “Zwanini izwi likaBaba wethu. Nakhu akushoyo uBaba wethu: Ngalesi sikhathi kusasa, amaquart ayisikhombisa kafulawa ocolekileyo azothengiswa ngama-ounce amane esiliva, namaquart ayishumi nane ebhali ngama-ounce amane esiliva, esangweni laseSamariya.”

²Khona-ke induna inkosi eyayencike engalweni yayo yaphendula umuntu kaBaba wethu, yathi: “Bheka, noma uBaba wethu engavula amafasitela ezulwini, kungenzeka yini lokhu?” U-Elisha waphendula wathi: “Uzokubona ngamehlo akho, kodwa ngeke udle lutho kukho.”

UBaba uhlakaza impi yama-Aramu

³Kwakukhona amadoda amane ayenesifo sesikhumba emnyango wesango, akhulumisana athi: “Sihlaleleni lapha size sife? ⁴Uma sithi, ‘Masingene emzini,’ indlala ikhona lapho, siyofa. Uma sihlala lapha, siyofa futhi. Ngakho wozani, masiwelele ekamu lama-Aramu. Uma besishiya siyaphila; uma besibulala, siyafa.”

⁵Ngakho ngovivi lokuhwalala basukuma baya ekamu lama-Aramu. Befika emaphethelweni alo, abatholanga muntu khona. ⁶Ngokuba uBaba oyiNkosi wayenze ukuba impi yama-Aramu izwe umsindo wezinqola zempi namahhashi, umsindo wempi enkulu, ngakho bathi omunye komunye: “Bheka, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli iqashe amakhosi amaHeti nawaseGibhithe ukuba asihlasele!” ⁷Ngakho basukuma babaleka ngovivi lokuhwalala, bashiya amatende abo, namahhashi, nezimbongolo. Balishiya ikamu linjengoba linjalo, babalekela impilo yabo. ⁸Kwathi lawa madoda anesifo sesikhumba efika emaphethelweni ekamu, angena etendeni elilodwa, adla aphuza, abe esethwala isiliva, negolide, nezingubo, akufihla. Abuya, angena kwelinye itende, athatha izinto kulo, azifihla nazo. ⁹Akhulumisana athi: “Asenzi kahle. Lolu usuku lwezindaba ezinhle, kodwa thina sizigodlele thina. Uma silinda kuze kuse, isijeziso sizosithola. Manje wozani, masihambe ngokushesha siyobikela indlu yenkosi.”

¹⁰Ngakho eza amemeza abagcini bamasango omuzi, ebika: “Siye ekamu lama-Aramu—kwakungekho muntu khona, kungekho msindo womuntu, kwakukhona amahhashi nezimbongolo kuphela ziboshiwe, namatende enjengoba enjalo.”

¹¹Abagcini bamasango bamemeza izindaba, kwabikwa ngaphakathi endlini yenkosi.

¹²Ngalobo busuku inkosi yavuka yatshela izikhulu zayo, yathi: “Ake nginitshele icebo lama-Aramu ngathi. Ayazi ukuthi silambile, ngakho aphumile ekamu ukuyocasha emasimini, ecabanga ukuthi: Uma bephuma emzini, sizobabamba bephila singene ngaphakathi.”

¹³Enye yezinceku zayo yathi: “Ake kuthathwe ngamanye amadoda amahhashi amahlanu asele emzini. Azokwenzeka njengabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli abasele lapha—njengabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli asebefile. Masiwathume sibone.”

¹⁴Ngakho bathatha izinqola zempi ezimbili namahhashi, inkosi yazithuma ukuba zilandele impi yama-Aramu, yathi: “Hambani niyobheka.” ¹⁵Bawalandela kwaze kwaba seJordani; wonke umgwaqo wawugcwele izingubo nempahla okwakulahlwe ngama-Aramu ekujahekeni kwawo. Izithunywa zabuya zayitshela inkosi.

¹⁶Abantu baphuma baphanga ikamu lama-Aramu. Ngakho amaquart ayisikhombisa kafulawa ocolekileyo athengiswa ngama-ounce amane esiliva, namaquart ayishumi nane ebhali ngama-ounce amane esiliva, njengokusho kukaBaba wethu. ¹⁷Inkosi yayibeke induna eyayencike engalweni yayo ukuba iphathe isango; isixuku samnyathela khona, wafa—njengokusho komuntu kaBaba wethu ngesikhathi inkosi yehlela kuye. ¹⁸Kwenzeka kanye njengokusho komuntu kaBaba wethu enkosini: “Cishe ngalesi sikhathi kusasa esangweni laseSamariya, amaquart ayishumi nane ebhali azothengiswa ngama-ounce amane esiliva, namaquart ayisikhombisa kafulawa ocolekileyo ngama-ounce amane esiliva.” ¹⁹Induna yayiphendule umuntu kaBaba wethu, yathi: “Bheka, noma uBaba wethu engavula amafasitela ezulwini, kungenzeka yini into enjalo?” Yena waphendula wathi: “Uzokubona ngamehlo akho, kodwa ngeke udle lutho kukho.” ²⁰Yikho kanye okwenzekayo: abantu bamnyathela esangweni, wafa.