UJosiya Uyinkosi KwaJuda
1UJosiya wayeneminyaka eyisishiyagalombili ngesikhathi eba yinkosi, wabusa iminyaka engama-31 eJerusalema. 2Wenza okulungileyo phambi kukaSimakade, wahamba ngezindlela zikaDavide ukhokho wakhe, kachezukelanga ngakwesokunene noma ngakwesokhohlo.
UJosiya Uhlambulula UJuda NeJerusalema
3Ngonyaka wesishiyagalombili wokubusa kwakhe esengumfana, waqala ukufuna uNkulunkulu kaDavide, ukhokho wakhe. Kwathi ngonyaka we-12, waqala ukuhlambulula uJuda neJerusalema, wasusa izindawo eziphakemeyo, o-Ashera, izithombe ezibaziweyo, nezithombe ezibunjiweyo. 4Badiliza ama-althare oBhali phambi kwakhe, ama-althare empepho ayephezu kwawo, wagawula o-Ashera, izithombe ezibaziweyo nezithombe ezibunjiweyo wakucolisisa, wakuvuvuzela phezu kwamathuna ababekade benikela kukho. 5Washisa amathambo abaphristi ema-althare abo, wamhlambulula uJuda neJerusalema. 6Waguduza ecinga emizini yakwaManase, kwa-Efrayimi, kwaSimeyoni kuze kuyofika kwaNafethali, nasezindlini zabo nxazonke. 7Wawadiliza ama-althare, wagenca o-Ashera nezithombe ezibaziweyo, wakuqotha kwaze kwawuthuli. Wonke ama-althare empepho ezweni lonke kwa-Israyeli wawanquma, wayesebuyela eJerusalema.
8Ngonyaka we-18 wokubusa kwakhe esehlambulule izwe nendlu, wathuma uShafani, indodana ka-Asaliya, uMahaseya isikhulu somuzi, noJowa indodana kaJowakhazi, umabhalane, ukuba balungise indlu kaSimakade uNkulunkulu wakhe.
9Baya kuHilikiya, umphristi omkhulu, bayisa imali eyayikade ilethwe endlini kaNkulunkulu, eyayiqoqwe ngabaLevi, abalindimasango, esizwaneni sakwaManase, nesakwa-Efrayimi nakuyo yonke insali ka-Israyeli nakuJuda wonke, nabakwaBhenjamini nakuzo zonke izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema. 10Bayinika labo ababeqokelwe ukubheka umsebenzi endlini kaSimakade. Bona bayinika abasebenza umsebenzi wokulungisa indlu kaSimakade. 11Banika ababazi nabakhi ukuba bathenge amatshe abaziweyo nezingodo zokuhlanganisa benze imishayo yezindlu ezazibhujiswe ngamakhosi akwaJuda.
12Amadoda awenza ngokwethembeka umsebenzi wawo, ababewengamele kwakunguJahathi, no-Obhadiya abaLevi kwabozalo lukaMerari, bekanye noZakhariya noMeshulamu kwabozalo lwamaKhohathi, nabo bonke abaLevi ababengamaciko okucula ngezinsimbi zokucula. 13AbaLevi babengamele bonke ababethwala imithwalo, benza umsebenzi wezinkonzo ngezinkonzo. Abanye babaLevi babengababhali, beyizinduna nabalindimasango.
Ukutholakala Kwencwadi Yomthetho KaSimakade
14Besakhipha imali eyayilethwe endlini kaSimakade, uHilikiya, umphristi, wafumana incwadi yomthetho kaSimakade eyayilotshwe nguMose. 15UHilikiya wathatha wathi kuShafani, umbhali: “Ngifumene incwadi yomthetho endlini kaSimakade.”
UHilikiya wayinika uShafani incwadi.
16UShafani wayiyisa incwadi enkosini, wayethulela nombiko othi: “Konke okwanikelwa ezandleni zezinceku zakho ziyakukwenza. 17Ziyithululile imali eyafunyanwa endlini kaSimakade, zayidlulisela ezandleni zabengameli nasezandleni zezisebenzi.”
18UShafani, umbhali, wayibikela inkosi, wathi: “UHilikiya, umphristi, unginike incwadi.”
UShafani wayeseyifundela inkosi.
19Kwathi lapho inkosi isiwezwile amazwi omthetho, yaklebhula izingubo zayo. 20Inkosi yayala uHilikiya, u-Ahikamu indodana kaShafani, u-Abhidoni indodana kaMikha, uShafani umbhali, no-Asaya inceku yenkosi, yathi: 21“Hambani ningibuzele kuSimakade, mina nensali ka-Israyeli noJuda ngamazwi akule ncwadi efunyenweyo, ngokuba inkulu intukuthelo kaSimakade ethululelwe phezu kwethu; okhokho bethu abazange baligcine izwi likaSimakade, benza njengalokho okulotshiwe kule ncwadi.”
Isiphrofetho SikaHulda Umphrofethikazi
22UHilikiya nalabo ababethunywe yinkosi baya kuHulda umphrofethikazi, umkaShalumi, indodana kaThokathi kaHazira, umgcinizingubo. Wayehlala eJerusalema engxenyeni yesibili; bakhuluma naye kanjalo.
23Wathi kubo: “Usho kanje uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: yishoni kulowo muntu onithume kimi, nithi: 24‘Usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: bhekani, ngizokwehlisela okubi phezu kwale ndawo naphezu kwezakhamuzi, zonke iziqalekiso ezilotshwe encwadini efundwe phambi kwenkosi yakwaJuda, 25ngokuba bangihlubukile, bayoshisela abanye onkulunkulu impepho, bachukuluza ulaka lwami ngayo yonke imisebenzi yezandla zabo. Intukuthelo yami ezakuthululelwa kule ndawo ayiyukucinywa.’
26“Kepha enkosini yakwaJuda enithumele ukuba nizobuza kuSimakade niyakusho kuyo kanje, nithi: ‘Usho kanje uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, mayelana namazwi owezwile, 27ngenxa yokuba inhliziyo yakho ibe nokuzisola, wazithoba phambi kukaNkulunkulu lapho uzwa amazwi akhe ngale ndawo, nangezakhamuzi zayo, yebo, wazithoba phambi kwami, waklebhula izingubo zakho, wakhala phambi kwami, mina ngikuzwile, kusho uSimakade. 28Bheka, ngiyakukubuthela kokhokho bakho, uyakubuthelwa ethuneni lakho ngokuthula, amehlo akho awayukububona bonke ububi engiyakubehlisela phezu kwale ndawo naphezu kwabakhe kuyo.’ ”
Baphindisela leli lizwi enkosini.
UJosiya Wenza Isivumelwano Phambi KukaSimakade
29Inkosi yathumela, yaqoqa wonke amalunga akwaJuda naseJerusalema. 30Inkosi yakhuphukela endlini kaSimakade nabo bonke abantu bakwaJuda, nezakhamuzi zaseJerusalema, abaphristi, abaLevi, nabantu bonke, abadala nabancane, wafunda belalele ngezindlebe zabo wonke amazwi encwadi yesivumelwano eyayitholakale endlini kaSimakade. 31Inkosi yema endaweni yayo, yenza isivumelwano phambi kukaSimakade, sokuthi izomlandela uSimakade, igcine imiyalo yakhe, ubufakazi bakhe, nezimiso zakhe ngenhliziyo yayo yonke, nangomphefumulo wayo wonke, futhi iyakuwagcina amazwi esivumelwano ayelotshwe kule ncwadi.
32Yenza bonke abafunyanwa eJerusalema nakwaBhenjamini ukuba bame. Izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema zenza njengokwesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu wokhokho babo.
33UJosiya wasusa zonke izinengiso ezazisemazweni wonke akwa-Israyeli, ezazingezabantu bakwa-Israyeli, wenza ukuba bonke abafunyanwa kwa-Israyeli, bamkhonze uSimakade uNkulunkulu wabo. Ngazo zonke izinsuku zakhe, abantu abachezukanga ekumlandeleni uSimakade uNkulunkulu wokhokho babo.
