AMAKHOSI I 13

₁Bheka, kwavela kwaJuda umuntu kaNkulunkulu ngezwi likaJehova, weza eBethele; uJerobowamu wayemi ealtare ukushisa impepho.

₂Walibiza ialtare ngezwi likaJehova, wathi: Altare, altare, usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Bheka, kuzakuzalwa umntwana kuyo indlu kaDavide, nguJosiya igama lakhe; uyakunikela phezu kwakho ngabapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo abashisa impepho phezu kwakho, bashise namathambo abantu phezu kwakho.

₃Wabanika isiboniso ngalolosuku, wathi: Yilesi esiyisiboniso uJehova akhulumé ngaso sokuthi: Bheka, ialtare liyakudatshulwa, umlotha ophezu kwalo uchithwe.

₄Kwathi inkosi isizwile izwi lalowomuntu kaNkulunkulu alibiza ngalo ialtare laseBethele, uJerobowamu waselula isandla sakhe esealtare, wathi: Mbambeni. Kepha isandla sakhe aselulela kuye sashwabana, akaba-namandla okusibuyisela kuye.

₅Ialtare ladabuka, umlotha wealtare wachitheka ealtare njengesiboniso asinikile lowomuntu kaNkulunkulu ngezwi likaJehova.

₆Inkosi yayisithatha yathi kulowomuntu kaNkulunkulu: Ake unxuse phambi kukaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ungikhulekele ukuba isandla sami siphiliswe. Lowomuntu kaNkulunkulu wanxusa kuJehova, saphiliswa isandla sakhe, sabanjengakuqala.

₇Yayisithi inkosi kulowomuntu kaNkulunkulu: Woza siye ekhaya, uzihlumelele, ngikuphe isipho.

₈Kepha lowomuntu kaNkulunkulu wathi enkosini: Noma unginika inxenye yendlu yakho, angiyikuya khona nawe; futhi angiyikudla isinkwa, ngiphuze amanzi kuleyondawo;

₉ngokuba ngayalwa kanjalo ngezwi likaJehova ngokuthi: Awuyikudla-sinkwa, ungaphuzi-manzi, ungabuyi ngendlela ozé ngayo.

₁₀Wayesehamba ngenye indlela, kabuyanga ngendlela abezé ngayo eBethele.

₁₁Kwakuhlala eBethele umprofethi omdala. Amadodana akhe afika amtshela yonke imisebenzi lowomuntu kaNkulunkulu abeyenzile ngalolosuku eBethele, namazwi abewakhulumile enkosini. Uyise esetsheliwe

₁₂uyise wathi kuwo: Uhambé ngayiphi indlela na? Amadodana ayebonile ukuthi uhambé ngayiphi indlela lowomuntu kaNkulunkulu owavela kwaJuda.

₁₃Wayesethi kumadodana akhe: Ngibopheleni imbongolo. Ambophela-ke imbongolo, wayikhwela.

₁₄Wamlandela lowomuntu kaNkulunkulu, wamfumana ehlezi phansi kweoki*; wathi kuye: Wena ungumuntu kaNkulunkulu lowo owavela kwaJuda na? Wathi: Nginguye.

₁₅Wayesethi kuye: Woza siye ekhaya, uthole ukudla.

₁₆Kepha wathi: Anginakubuya nawe, anginakungena kwakho nawe; futhi anginakudla isinkwa, ngiphuze amanzi nawe kuleyondawo,

₁₇ngokuba kwathiwa kimi ngezwi likaJehova: Awuyikudla-sinkwa, ungaphuzi-manzi khona, ungabuyi ngendlela ozé ngayo.

₁₈Wayesethi kuye: Nami ngingumprofethi njengawe; kwakhuluma kimi ingelosi ngezwi likaJehova ngokuthi: Mbuyise, uye naye endlini yakho ukuba athole ukudla, aphuze amanzi. Kodwa waqamba amanga kuye.

₁₉Wayesebuya-ke naye, wadla endlini yakhe, waphuza amanzi.

₂₀Kwathi besahlezi etafuleni, izwi likaJehova lafika kumprofethi owambuyisa;

₂₁wamemeza kulowomuntu kaNkulunkulu owavela kwaJuda, wathi: Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Njengokuba ungalilalelanga izwi likaJehova, ungagcinanga umyalo uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho akuyala ngawo,

₂₂kepha ubuyile, wadla, waphuza amanzi endaweni athi ngayo kuwe ungadli-sinkwa, ungaphuzi-manzi, isidumbu sakho asiyikungeniswa ethuneni lawoyihlo.

₂₃Kwathi esedlile, esephuzile, wambophelela imbongolo yena lowomprofethi abembuyisile.

₂₄Esehambile waficwa yingonyama endleleni, yambulala; isidumbu sakhe santshingwa endleleni, imbongolo yema eceleni kwaso, nengonyama yema ngasesidumbini.

₂₅Bheka, abantu badlula, babona isidumbu sintshingwé endleleni nengonyama imi eceleni kwesidumbu, bafika bakhuluma ngakho emzini ayehlala kuwo lowomprofethi omdala.

₂₆Esezwile lokho umprofethi obembuyisile endleleni wathi: Ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu lowo owayengalaleli izwi likaJehova; ngalokho uJehova umnikele kuyo ingonyama, yamdwengula; yambulala njengezwi likaJehova alikhuluma kuye.

₂₇Wayesekhuluma kumadodana akhe, ethi: Ngibopheleleni imbongolo. Ayibophela.

₂₈Wahamba, wafumana isidumbu sakhe sintshingwé endleleni, imbongolo nengonyama zimi eceleni kwesidumbu; ingonyama ayidlanga isidumbu, ayidwengulanga nembongolo.

₂₉Umprofethi wasiphakamisa isidumbu salowomuntu kaNkulunkulu, wasibeka embongolweni, wasibuyisa; wafika emzini womprofethi omdala ukuba alile, ammbele.

₃₀Wasibeka isidumbu ethuneni lakhe; bamlilela bathi: Maye, mfowethu!

₃₁Kwathi esemmbele, wakhuluma kumadodana akhe, wathi: Lapho sengifile, ngimbeleni ethuneni embelwe kulo lowomuntu kaNkulunkulu, nibeke amathambo ami eceleni kwamathambo akhe.

₃₂Ngokuba izwi alimemezayo ngokusho kukaJehova kulo ialtare laseBethele nakuzo zonke izindlu zezindawo eziphakemeyo ezisemizini yaseSamariya liyakwenzeka nokwenzeka.

₃₃Emva kwalokho uJerobowamu akaphendukanga nokho endleleni yakhe embi, kepha wabuye wenza abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo ngeningi labantu; othandayo wahlukaniselwa, wabangumpristi wendawo ephakemeyo.

₃₄Leyonto yaba-yisono kuyo indlu kaJerobowamu ngangokuba inqunywe, ichithwe ebusweni bomhlaba.