AMAKHOSI I 8

₁Khona uSolomoni wabutha amalunga akwaIsrayeli nezinhloko zezizwe, izikhulu zawoyise babantwana bakwaIsrayeli enkosini uSolomoni eJerusalema, ukuba bakhuphule umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova emzini kaDavide oyiSiyoni.

₂Onke amadoda akwaIsrayeli abuthana enkosini uSolomoni emkhosini wasenyangeni kaEthanimi eyinyanga yesikhombisa.

₃Esefikile onke amalunga akwaIsrayeli, abapristi baphakamisa umphongolo.

₄Bakhuphula umphongolo kaJehova, netende lokuhlangana, nazo zonke izinto ezingcwele ezazisetendeni, kwakhushulwa ngabapristi namaLevi.

₅Inkosi uSolomoni nayo yonke inhlangano yakwaIsrayeli eyayihlangene kuyo babenayo phambi komphongolo, behlaba izimvu nezinkabi ezingenakulotshwa, zingenakubalwa ngobuningi bazo.

₆Abapristi bawungenisa umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova endaweni yawo egumbini lendlu, indawo engcwelengcwele, phansi kwamaphiko amakherubi*.

₇Ngokuba amakherubi ayewelula amaphiko awo phezu kwendawo yomphongolo, amakherubi asibekela umphongolo nezinti zawo ngaphezulu.

₈Izinti zazizinde kangako ukuba izihloko zezinti zibonakale endaweni engcwele phambi kwegumbi; kepha zazingabonakali ngaphandle; zisekhona lapho kuze kube-namuhla.

₉Kwakungekho-lutho emphongolweni, kuphela izibhebhe ezimbili zamatshe ezabekwa khona nguMose eHorebe, lapho uJehova enza isivumelwano nabantwana bakwaIsrayeli ekuphumeni kwabo eGibithe.

₁₀Kwathi lapho abapristi sebephumile endaweni engcwele, ifu lagcwalisa indlu kaJehova,

₁₁abapristi baze bangema ukukhonza ngenxa yefu, ngokuba inkazimulo kaJehova yagcwalisa indlu kaJehova.

₁₂Khona wakhuluma uSolomoni, wathi:

₁₄Inkosi yayisiphenduka, yalibusisa lonke ibandla lakwaIsrayeli, lonke ibandla lakwaIsrayeli lalimi.

₁₅Yathi: Makabongwe uJehova uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli owakhuluma ngomlomo wakhe kuDavide ubaba, ukugcwalisile ngesandla sakhe, ethi:

₁₆Kusukela osukwini engakhipha ngalo abantu bami uIsrayeli eGibithe angikhethanga-muzi ezizweni zonke zakwaIsrayeli ukwakha indlu ukuba igama lami libe-khona lapho, kepha ngamkhetha uDavide abe-phezu kwabantu bami uIsrayeli.

₁₇Kwakusenhliziyweni kaDavide ubaba ukwakhela igama likaJehova uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli indlu.

₁₈Kepha uJehova wathi kuDavide ubaba: Njengokuba kwakusenhliziyweni yakho ukwakhela igama lami indlu, wenza kahle, ngokuba kwakusenhliziyweni yakho lokho;

₁₉kepha wena awuyikuyakha indlu, kodwa indodana yakho eyakuphuma okhalweni lwakho yiyona eyakwakhela igama lami indlu.

₂₀UJehova uliqinisile izwi alikhulumayo, ngokuba mina ngivelile esikhundleni sikaDavide ubaba, ngihlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sakwaIsrayeli njengokusho kukaJehova, ngakhele igama likaJehova uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli indlu.

₂₁Ngimisile lapho indawo yomphongolo okukuwo isivumelwano sikaJehova asenza nawobaba ekubakhipheni ezweni laseGibithe.

₂₂USolomoni wema phambi kwealtare likaJehova ebusweni balo lonke ibandla lakwaIsrayeli, welulela izandla zakhe ngasezulwini,

₂₃wathi: Jehova Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, akakho unkulunkulu onjengawe phezulu ezulwini nasemhlabeni phansi, ogcina isivumelwano nomusa nezinceku zakho ezihamba phambi kwakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yazo,

₂₄ogciné nenceku yakho uDavide ubaba lokho owakusho kuyo; yebo, owakukhuluma ngomlomo wakho ukugcwalisile ngesandla sakho njengokuba kunjalo namuhla.

₂₅Ngalokho, Jehova Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, gcina nenceku yakho uDavide ubaba lokho owakusho kuyo ukuthi: Akuyikunqunywa-muntu kuwe emehlweni ami ukuhlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sakwaIsrayeli, uma kuphela abantwana bakho beqaphela indlela yabo ukuba bahambe phambi kwami, njengalokho wena uhambé phambi kwami.

₂₆Ngalokho, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, maliqiniseke izwi lakho owalikhuluma encekwini yakho uDavide ubaba.

₂₇Kepha uNkulunkulu uyakuhlala impela emhlabeni na? Bheka, izulu nezulu lamazulu alinakukwanela; pho, kakhulu kangakanani lendlu encane engiyakhileyo na?

₂₈Mawubheke umkhuleko wenceku yakho nokunxusa kwayo, Jehova Nkulunkulu wami, uzwe ukukhala nokukhuleka inceku yakho ekukhuleka phambi kwakho namuhla

₂₉ukuba amehlo akho avulekele lendlu ubusuku nemini, indawo owathi ngayo: Igama lami liyakuba-khona lapho, uze ulalele umkhuleko inceku yakho eyakuwukhuleka ibhekene nalendawo.

₃₀Kulalele ukunxusa kwenceku yakho nokwabantu bakho uIsrayeli abayakukukhuleka bebhekene nalendawo, ukuzwe usendaweni yakho yokuhlala ezulwini, nalapho usuzwile, uthethelele.

₃₁Uma umuntu ona umakhelwane wakhe, athweswe isifungo sokumfungisa, abeseza ukufunga phambi kwealtare lakho kulendlu,

₃₂mawuzwe wena ezulwini, wenze, wahlulele izinceku zakho, kulahlwe onecala, ubeke indlela yakhe phezu kwekhanda lakhe, uthethelele olungileyo, umnike njengokulunga kwakhe.

₃₃Lapho abantu bakho uIsrayeli benqotshwa yisitha, ngokuba bonile kuwe, kepha bese bebuya bephindela kuwe, balivume igama lakho, bakhuleke, banxuse kuwe kulendlu,

₃₄mawuzwe wena ezulwini, uthethelele isono sabantu bakho uIsrayeli ubabuyisele ezweni owalinika oyise.

₃₅Lapho izulu livaliwe, imvula ingekho, ngokuba bonile kuwe, kepha bese bekhuleka bebhekene nalendawo, balivume igama lakho, baphenduke esonweni sabo, ngokuba uyabajezisa,

₃₆mawuzwe wena ezulwini, uthethelele isono sezinceku zakho nesabantu bakho uIsrayeli, lapho ubafundisa indlela enhle abayakuhamba ngayo, uthume imvula ezweni lakho obaniké abantu bakho libeyifa labo.

₃₇Uma kukhona indlala ezweni, noma kukhona isifo, noma kukhona ukuhamuka, nesikhutha, nesikhonyane, nemiswenya, noma isitha sabo sibavimbezela ezweni lemizi yabo, noma kuyiphi inhlupheko nasiphi isifo,

₃₈besekuzwakala namuphi umkhuleko nakuphi ukunxusa noma ngumuphi umuntu noma yibo bonke abantu bakho uIsrayeli abayakwazi, kube-yilowo nalowo inhlupheko yasenhliziyweni yakhe, elulele izandla zakhe kulendlu,

₃₉mawuzwe wena ezulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala, uthethelele, wenze, unike yilowo nalowo njengezindlela zakhe, wena owaziyo inhliziyo yakhe — ngokuba wena kuphela uyazi izinhliziyo zabo bonke abantwana babantu —

₄₀ukuba bakwesabe zonke izinsuku zokuhlala kwabo ezweni owalinika obaba.

₄₁Futhi owezizwe ongesiye owabantu bakho uIsrayeli, lapho evela ezweni elikude ngenxa yegama lakho —

₄₂ngokuba bayakuzwa ngegama lakho elikhulu, nangesandla sakho esinamandla, nangengalo yakho eyeluliweyo — lapho ebeseza ukukhuleka kulendlu,

₄₃mawuzwe wena ezulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala, wenze njengakho konke lowezizwe akhala ngakho kuwe, ukuze bonke abantu bomhlaba bazi igama lakho, bakwesabe wena njengabantu bakho uIsrayeli nokuze bazi ukuthi lendlu engiyakhileyo ibiziwe ngegama lakho.

₄₄Uma abantu bakho bephuma impi ukulwa nesitha sabo ngendlela obathuma ngayo, bese bekhuleka kuJehova bebhekene nalomuzi owukhethileyo nalendlu engiyakhele igama lakho,

₄₅mawuzwe wena ezulwini umkhuleko wabo nokunxusa kwabo, ubavume.

₄₆Uma bona kuwe — ngokuba akukho-muntu ongoniyo — besewubathukuthelela wena, ubanikele esitheni, ukuze ababathumbayo babamukisele ezweni lesitha, likude noma liseduze,

₄₇kepha bese becabanga ezweni lapho bethunjelwe khona, baphenduke, banxuse kuwe ezweni lababathumbayo ngokuthi: Sonile, senzile ngokuphambeneyo, saziphatha kabi;

₄₈uma bephendukela kuwe ngayo yonke inhliziyo yabo nangawo wonke umphefumulo wabo ezweni lezitha zabo ezabathumba, bakhuleke kuwe bebhekene nezwe lakubo owalinika oyise, umuzi owukhethileyo, nendlu engiyakhele igama lakho,

₄₉mawuzwe wena ezulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala, umkhuleko wabo nokunxusa kwabo, ubavume,

₅₀uthethelele abantu bakho abonile kuwe nazo zonke iziphambeko zabo abaphambeké kuwe ngazo, ubanike ukuba bathole isihe phambi kwababathumbayo ukuba babaphathe ngesihe.

₅₁Ngokuba bangabantu bakho nefa lakho owalikhipha ezweni laseGibithe nasesithandweni sensimbi,

₅₂ukuba amehlo akho avulekele ukunxusa kwenceku yakho nokunxusa kwabantu bakho uIsrayeli ukubezwa kukho konke abakhala ngakho kuwe.

₅₃Ngokuba wena wabahlukanisa nabantu bonke bomhlaba, babe-yifa lakho, njengalokho wakhuluma ngesandla sikaMose inceku yakho ekukhipheni obaba eGibithe, Nkosi Jehova.

₅₄Kwathi uSolomoni eseqedile ukukhuleka wonke lomkhuleko nalokhokunxusa kuJehova, wasuka ealtare likaJehova ekuguqeni ngamadolo akhe, izandla zakhe zelulelwe ngasezulwini.

₅₅Wema, wabusisa lonke ibandla lakwaIsrayeli ngezwi elikhulu, wathi:

₅₆Makabongwe uJehova oniké abantu bakhe uIsrayeli ukuphumula njengakho konke akushiloyo; akuwanga izwi elilodwa lakho konke ukukhuluma kwakhe okuhle akusho ngesandla sikaMose inceku yakhe.

₅₇UJehova uNkulunkulu wethu makabe-nathi njengalokho ayenawobaba; makangasishiyi, angasilahli,

₅₈ukuze adonsele izinhliziyo zethu kuye ukuba sihambe ngezindlela zakhe zonke, sigcine imiyalo yakhe, nezimiso zakhe, nezahlulelo zakhe ayala ngakho obaba.

₅₉Lawomazwi ami enginxusé ngawo phambi kukaJehova mawabe-seduze noJehova uNkulunkulu wethu imini nobusuku ukuba avume inceku yakhe, avume nabantu bakhe uIsrayeli njengokudingeka kwemihla ngemihla,

₆₀ukuba abantu bonke bomhlaba bazi ukuthi uJehova nguye onguNkulunkulu; akakho omunye.

₆₁Inhliziyo mayibe-kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu ngokupheleleyo, nihambe ngezimiso zakhe, nigcine imiyalo yakhe njenganamuhla.

₆₂Inkosi naye wonke uIsrayeli enayo banikela ngomhlatshelo phambi kukaJehova.

₆₃USolomoni wanikela kube-ngumhlatshelo weminikelo yokuthula, owanikela ngawo kuJehova, izinkunzi eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nambili nezimvu eziyizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amabili. Inkosi nabo bonke abantwana bakwaIsrayeli bahlambulula-ke indlu kaJehova.

₆₄Ngalona lolosuku inkosi yangcwelisa ingaphakathi legceke elalingaphambi kwendlu kaJehova, ngokuba wanikela lapho ngomnikelo wokushiswa, nangomnikelo wempuphu, nangamanoni eminikelo yokuthula, lokhu ialtare lethusi elaliphambi kukaJehova lalilincane ukuba liwamukele umnikelo wokushiswa, nomnikelo wempuphu, namanoni eminikelo yokuthula.

₆₅USolomoni wagubha-ke umkhosi ngalesosikhathi naye wonke uIsrayeli enaye, ibandla elikhulu, kusukela ekuyeni eHamati kuze kube-semfuleni waseGibithe, ngaphambi kukaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu izinsuku eziyisikhombisa nezinsuku eziyisikhombisa, okungukuthi izinsuku eziyishumi nane.

₆₆Ngosuku lwesishiyagalombili wabamukisa abantu, bayibusisa inkosi, baya ematendeni abo bejabula, bethokoza ngenhliziyo ngakho konke okuhle uJehova akwenzile kuDavide inceku yakhe nakuIsrayeli abantu bakhe.