2 IZikhronike 23

₁Ngonyaka wesikhombisa uJehoyada waqunga isibindi, wathatha abakhuzi bempi bamakhulu, u-Azariya indodana kaJerohamu, u-Ishmayeli indodana kaJehohanani, u-Azariya indodana ka-Obhede, uMahaseya indodana ka-Adaya, no-Elishafathi indodana kaZikhiri, wenza isivumelwano nabo. ₂Balizungeza lonke elakwaJuda, baqoqa abaLevi emizini yonke yakwaJuda, nezinhloko zezindlu zoyise zakwa-Israyeli, beza eJerusalema. ₃Lonke ibandla lenza isivumelwano nenkosi endlini kaNkulunkulu; uJehoyada wathi kubo: “Bhekani, nansi indodana yenkosi, iyakubusa njengokusho kukaSimakade ngamadodana kaDavide. ₄Nakhu-ke okumele nikwenze: ingxenye eyodwa yokuthathu yalabo abangena ngesabatha, abangabaphristi, nabaLevi, iyakuba ngabalindimasango. ₅Ingxenye yokuthathu elandelayo, iyokuba sesigodlweni senkosi; ingxenye yokugcina yokuthathu ibe sesangweni Lesisekelo, bonke abantu bayoba semagcekeni endlu kaSimakade. ₆Makungangeni muntu endlini kaSimakade ngaphandle kwabaphristi nabaLevi okuyibona abakhonzayo; bona bayakungena ngokuba bangcwele, kepha bonke abantu bayakugcina izimfanelo zikaSimakade. ₇AbaLevi bayakuyizungeza inkosi, yilowo nalowo ephethe izikhali zakhe esandleni, oyongena endlini uyobulawa; niyoba nenkosi ekungeneni nasekuphumeni kwayo.”

₈AbaLevi noJuda wonke benza njengakho konke uJehoyada, umphristi, ayebayalile; yilowo nalowo wathatha abantu bakhe ababengena ngesabatha, nalabo ababephuma ngesabatha, ngokuba uJehoyada, umphristi, akazihambisanga izigaba. ₉UJehoyada, umphristi, wanika abakhuzi bempi bamakhulu imikhonto, amahawu, nezihlangu okwakungezenkosi uDavide, ezazihlala endlini kaNkulunkulu. ₁₀Wamisa abantu bonke yilowo nalowo ephethe isikhali sakhe esandleni sakhe, kusukela ohlangothini lwesokunene lwendlu, kuze kube sohlangothini lwesokhohlo lwendlu, ngase-althare nanxazonke zendlu okwakukuyo inkosi.

₁₁Bayiletha indodana yenkosi base bebeka umqhele, bayinika ubufakazi, bayibeka yaba yinkosi. UJehoyada namadodana akhe bayigcoba, bathi: “Mana njalo, nkosi.”

₁₂U-Athaliya wawuzwa umsindo wabantu ababegijima bedumisa inkosi, wanikela khona kubantu, endlini kaSimakade. ₁₃Wabheka, wayibona inkosi imi ngasensikeni yayo ngasekungeneni. Izikhulu nabamacilongo babenenkosi; bonke abantu bezwe bathokoza, bashaya amacilongo, abahlabelelayo babebetha izinto zokucula, behola indumiso. U-Athaliya wayeseklebhula izingubo zakhe, wathi: “Ukuvukela umbuso! Ukuvukela umbuso!”

₁₄UJehoyada, umphristi, wayesethumela abakhuzi bempi bamakhulu ebabephethe amabutho, wathi kubo: “Mkhipheni, nimlethe phakathi kwezinhla zamabutho, omlandelayo nimbulale ngenkemba,” ngokuba umphristi wayeshilo wathi: “Ningambulaleli endlini kaSimakade.”

₁₅Base bembamba ngezandla baya naye ekungeneni kwesango lamahhashi, endlini yenkosi; bambulala khona.

₁₆UJehoyada wenza isivumelwano phakathi kwakhe nabantu bonke nenkosi ukuba babe ngabantu bakaSimakade. ₁₇Bonke abantu baya endlini kaBhali, bayibhidliza, baphihliza ama-althare ayo nezithombe zayo. UMathani, umphristi kaBhali, bambulalela phambi kwama-althare.

₁₈UJehoyada wabeka abaphristi nabaLevi ukuba bagade indlu kaSimakade. UDavide wayebehlukanisele indlu kaSimakade ukuba banikele ngeminikelo yokushiswa kuSimakade, njengalokhu kulotshiwe emthethweni kaMose; bakwenze ngentokozo nangokuhuba, njengalokhu uDavide ayehlelile. ₁₉Wabeka abalindimasango emasangweni endlu kaSimakade, ukuze kungangeni ongcolile noma ngabe ungcoliswe yini.

₂₀Wathatha abakhuzi bempi bamakhulu, izikhulu, nababusi phakathi kwabantu, bonke abantu bezwe bayikhipha inkosi endlini kaSimakade, bangena ngesango elingenhla esigodlweni senkosi, base beyibeka esihlalweni sobukhosi sombuso. ₂₁Bonke abantu bezwe bathokoza, umuzi waba nokuthula, ngokuba u-Athaliya babembulele ngenkemba.