Kuncotjwa kwemaKushe yinkhosi Asa
1Abiya wakhotsama, wafihlwa eDolobheni laDavide. Asa, umsa wakhe, waba yinkhosi esikhundleni sakhe; ngesikhatsi sakhe Asa kwaba nekuthula iminyaka lelishumi.
2Asa wenta lokuhle nalokulungile emehlweni aSimakadze Nkulunkulu wakhe. 3Wesusa onkhe emalati etive kanye netindzawo letiphakeme, wabhidlita nematje lababetsi angcwele, wagawula netinsika ta-Ashera. 4Wayala sonkhe sive sakaJuda kutsi sifunisise Simakadze, Nkulunkulu waboyise, nekutsi silalele imitsetfo nemiyalo yakhe. 5Wesusa tindzawo letiphakeme nemalati emphepho kuwo onkhe emadolobha akaJuda, nembuso waba nekuthula ngesikhatsi kusabusa yena. 6Wakha emadolobha latinqaba kulo lonkhe lakaJuda, njengobe live lalisenekuthula. Kute labehlaselana naye ngaleso sikhatsi, ngobe Simakadze abemuphe kuphumula.
7Wakhuluma nesive sonkhe sakaJuda, watsi: “Asiwakhe lamadolobha, sakhe netibondza letiwatungeletako, nemibhoshongo nemasango kanye nemicabo. Lelive kusengeletfu, ngobe siyentile intsandvo yaSimakadze Nkulunkulu wetfu. Simfunile, yena wase usipha kuthula yonkhe indzawo.” Ngako bavele bachubeka nekwakha, bachuma.
8Asa abenembutfo lowawunemasotja lati-300 000 akaJuda, ahlome ngemahawu lamakhulu kanye netikhali; emasotja akaBhenjamini wona abeti-280 000, wona ahlome ngemahawu lamancane kanye nebutjoki. Onkhe lamasotja bekutihlabani cobo lwato.
9Zera, umKushe, waviva ngembutfo lomkhulu wayawubahlasela kanye netincola temphi letingema-300, beta baze befika eMaresha. 10Asa waphuma wayawumhlangabeta, batsatsa tindzawo tabo tekulwa eSihosheni saseSefatha, eceleni kweMaresha.
11Asa wakhala kuSimakadze Nkulunkulu wakhe, watsi: “Hawu, Simakadze, kute lofanana nawe ngekusita lote emandla umvikele kulonemandla. Sisite, Simakadze Nkulunkulu wetfu, ngobe setsembele kuwe, futsi site kutekulwa nalemphi lenkhulu kangaka, ngobe setsembele ebitweni lakho. Awu, Simakadze, wena unguNkulunkulu wetfu; ungavumeli muntfu kutsi akuncobe.”
12Simakadze washaya wancoba emaKushe embikwa-Asa nebakaJuda. EmaKushe abaleka, 13Asa nemabutfo akhe bawacosha baze bayakuwabeka eGerari. Kwafa emaKushe lamanyenti kakhulu kangangekutsi akazange aphindze abe nemandla ekulwa; ehlulwa embikwaSimakadze nemabutfo akhe. Emadvodza akaJuda etfwala imphango lenkhulu kabi. 14Abhidlita onkhe emadolobha labekakhelene neGerari, ngobe lulaka lwaSimakadze lwalwehlele etikwawo. Awaphanga onkhe lawo madolobha, ngobe abenemphango lenkhulu. 15Aphindze ahlasela netinkambu tebelusi, atfumba imihlambi lemikhulu yetimvu, netimbuti kanye nemakamela. Ancandzeka abuyela eJerusalema.
