1 UMakhabhizi 11

₁Inkosi yaseGibhithe yase ibutha enkulu impi, eyayiningi kungathi zihlabathi zolwandle, kanye nemikhumbi eminingi; yazama ukuthola umbuso ka-Aleksandriyu ngobuqili nokuba iwenezele embusweni wayo. ₂Yaphuma yalibangisa eSiriya iqhuba amagama angathi angawokuthula, ngakho-ke abantu bemizi eminingi bayivulela amasango baphuma bayihlangabeza, ngokuba inkosi u-Aleksandriyu wayeyalile ukuba benze njalo, ngoba wayengumukhwe ka-Aleksandriyu. ₃Kepha lapho uPhitholemi engena emizini wabeka amabutho akhe kuyo ukuze ayivikele.

₄Ngenkathi esezofika e-Azotusi, bamkhombisa ithempeli likaDagoni elishisiweyo kanye namaphethelo omuzi, nezidumbu ezaziziginqi lapho, nezidumbu ezazishe zingamalahle zalabo uJonathani eyebashise empini, ngokuba babezibuthele ndawonye ngasendleleni azodlula kuyo. ₅Bayitshela futhi inkosi lokho uJonathani ayekwenzile, ukuze bamethwese icala; kodwa inkosi yathula. ₆UJonathani wayihlangabeza inkosi ngodumo olukhulu eJopha, babingelelana bachitha ubusuku lapho.

₇UJonathani wahamba nenkosi kwaze kwaba semfuleni owawubizwa ngokuthi i-Elewutherusi; wabe esebuyela eJerusalema. ₈Ngakho-ke inkosi uPhitholemi yalidla lonke elisogwini kwaze kwaba seSelewusiya ngasolwandle, yaqhubeka yenza amacebo amabi ngenkosi u-Aleksandriyu. ₉Yathumela izithunywa enkosini uDemetriyu, ithi: “Woza masenze isivumelwano omunye nomunye, ngiyakukunikeza njengenkosikazi yakho indodakazi yami eyayingumfazi ka-Aleksandriyu, futhi uyakubusa phezu kombuso kayihlo. ₁₀Sengiyazisola manje ukuthi ngamnika indodakazi yami, ngokuba uzamile ukungibulala.”

₁₁Wabeka u-Aleksandriyu icala ngokuba wayewuhalela umbuso wakhe. ₁₂Ngakho-ke wayithatha indodakazi yakhe kuye wayinikeza uDemetriyu. Lokho kwadala ukwahlukana phakathi kwakhe no-Aleksandriyu, ubutha babo baba bukhulu babonakala. ₁₃UPhitholemi wayesengena e-Antiyokhi wathatha umqhele wobukhosi wase-Asiya. Lokho-ke kwamenza wathwala imiqhele emibili ekhanda lakhe, umqhele wobukhosi baseGibhithe kanye nomqhele wobukhosi base-Asiya. ₁₄Inkosi u-Aleksandriyu yayiseKhilikhiya ngaleso sikhathi, ngenxa yokuba abantu baleso sifunda babeyivukele. ₁₅Lapho u-Aleksandriyu ekuzwa konke lokhu, wahloma weza wabhekana naye empini. UPhitholemi weza naye wabhekana naye enempi enamandla amakhulu, yehlulwa eka-Aleksandriyu. ₁₆Ngakho-ke u-Aleksandriyu wabalekela e-Arabhiya ukuyobhaca, ngakho-ke inkosi uPhitholemi yanqoba. ₁₇UZabidiyeli umArabhu wanquma ikhanda lika-Aleksandriyu walithumela enkosini uPhitholemi. ₁₈Kodwa inkosi uPhitholemi yafa ezinsukwini ezintathu ezilandelayo, kwathi amabutho akhe ayesezinqabeni abulawa ngabantu baleyo mizi. ₁₉Ngakho-ke uDemetriyu waba yinkosi ngomnyaka we-167.

₂₀Kulezo zinsuku uJonathani wahlanganisa abajuda ukuba bahlasele inqaba eyayiseJerusalema, futhi wenza imishini eminingi yempi yokudiliza ugange ukuze ayisebenzise lapho ebhekene nalo. ₂₁Kepha amambuka athile asizondayo isizwe sabo aya enkosini abika ukuthi uJonathani uyihlasele inqaba. ₂₂Lapho ikuzwa lokhu yathukuthela kakhulu, yashesha yanikela ePhitholemiyase. Yabe isibhala iyala uJonathani ukuba angaqhubeki nokuhlasela inqaba kodwa ahlangane nayo ngokushesha okukhulu emhlanganweni ePhitholemiyase. ₂₃Ekuzwa lokhu uJonathani, wakhipha izwi lokuba kuqhubeke ukuhlasela. Wakhetha abanye abadala bakwa-Israyeli nabanye babaphristi, wazibeka engozini, ₂₄ngokuya enkosini ePhitholemiyase, ephethe isiliva, igolide, izingubo kanye nezipho ezahlukahlukene. Wazuza umusa emehlweni ayo. ₂₅Nanxa amambuka athile esizwe sakubo aqhubeka ekhononda ngaye, ₂₆nokho inkosi yamphatha njengoba ayenzile u-Aleksandriyu; yamphakamisa phambi kwabangani bakhe bonke.

₂₇Yakuqinisa ukuthi ungumphristi omkhulu nokuningi eyayingamhlonipha ngakho njengoba kwakwenzekile ngaphambili. Yenza ukuba athathwe njengomunye wabangani bayo abakhulu. ₂₈UJonathani wayeseyicela inkosi ukuba ikhulule iJudiya kanye nezifunda ezintathu zaseSamariya ekukhokheni intela, wethembisa ukuyinika amathalente angama300. ₂₉Inkosi yavuma, futhi yambhalela incwadi uJonathani ngazo zonke lezi zinto; yayiqukethe lokhu: ₃₀“Inkosi uDemetriyu iyambingelela umfowabo uJonathani nesizwe sabaJuda. ₃₁Ikhophi yencwadi esiyibhalile ngawe iya kuLasithenesi sikuthumelele nawe, ukuze wazi ukuthi ithini. ₃₂‘Inkosi uDemetriyu ebhalela uyise uLasithenesi, iyabingelela. ₃₃Sinqumile ukwenza okuhle esizweni sabaJuda, esingabangani bethu, nokuba sigcwalise lokho abakubeke emahlombe ethu, ngenxa yomoya omuhle abawukhombise kithi. ₃₄Sikuqinisile ukuthi singesabo isifunda saseJudiya kanye nezifunda ezintathu, esase-Aphayirema nesaseLuda kanye nesaseRathamini; lezi kanye nazo zonke izifunda ezigudle zona, zazinezelwe kwaJuda zivela eSamariya. Bonke labo abanikela iminikelo eJerusalema, sibanikeze inkululo ekunikeleni intela yasebukhosini inkosi eyayiyithola kubo unyaka ngonyaka, eyayivela futhi nasesivunweni samasimu abo kanye nasezithelweni zemithi yabo. ₃₅Kukhona nenye inkokhelo emelwe ize kithi engeyokweshumi, nentela kasawoti kanye neyobukhosi, siyanikhulula kuyo yonke. ₃₆Akukho lutho lwalokhu esikukhululayo oluyakuchithwa kusukela manje kuze kube phakade. ₃₇Wena-ke qikekela ukuba wenze ikhophi yalokhu, uyinikeze uJonathani futhi ibekwe endaweni esobala entabeni engcwele.’ ”

₃₈Lapho inkosi uDemetriyu ibona ukuthi izwe linokuthula phambi kwayo nokuthi kwakungekho ophikisana nayo, yawachitha onke amabutho, onke yawabuyisela emakhaya awo, ngaphandle nje kwamabutho abezizwe eyayiwabuthe eziqhingini zezizwe. Ngakho-ke onke amabutho ayesebenza phansi kwamakhosi ayengaphambi kwakhe amzonda kakhulu. ₃₉UThurufoni othile owayengomunye wabasekeli baka-Aleksandriyu; wabona ukuthi onke amabutho ayekhononda ngoDemetriyu. Ngakho waya ku-Imalikuwe umArabhu owayekhulisa u-Antiyokhusi, indodana encane ka-Aleksandriyu, ₄₀wamncenga egcizelela ukuba amnike u-Antiyokhusi ukuze abe yinkosi esikhundleni sikayise. Wabika futhi naku-Imalikuwe lokho uDemetriyu ayekwenzile, wamtshela nangenzondo amabutho ayenayo ngaye; wahlala lapho izinsuku eziningi. ₄₁UJonathani wathumela enkosini uDemetriyu eyicela ukuba isuse amabutho ayesenqabeni eJerusalema, kanye namabutho ayesezindaweni ezivikelekile; ngokuba ayeqhubeka elwa no-Israyeli. ₄₂UDemetriyu wathumela lo mbiko kuJonathani: “Angizukukwenzela nje lokhu kuphela wena nesizwe sakho, kodwa ngizakukunikeza inhlonipho enkulu wena nesizwe sakho, uma ngilithola ithuba. ₄₃Ngakho-ke manje, uyobe wenze kahle ukuba ungithumele amadoda angahle azongisiza, ngokuba onke amabutho ami angivukele.”

₄₄Ngakho-ke uJonathani wathumela amabutho angamaqhawe ayizinkulungwane ezintathu kuyo e-Antiyokhi, okwathi lapho efika enkosini, yajabula kakhulu. ₄₅Abantu bomuzi base behlangana phakathi nomuzi, bengaba yi-120 000, futhi babefuna ukuyibulala inkosi. ₄₆Kepha inkosi yabalekela esigodlweni sayo. Abantu bomuzi base bedla umgwaqo omkhulu womuzi baqala ukulwa. ₄₇Ngakho-ke inkosi yabiza abaJuda ukuba ayelekelele, nembala-ke eza ayelekelela. Ayesehlakazeka agcwala umuzi, abulala ngalolo lusuku i-100 000 labantu. ₄₈Bawuthungela umuzi ngomlilo babutha eningi impango ngalolo lusuku, bayisindisa kanjalo inkosi. ₄₉Lapho abantu bomuzi bebona ukuthi abaJuda akubuyisile ukuthula ngokuthanda kwawo, baphelelwa isibindi, bakhala enkosini bencenga kanje: ₅₀“Siphe ukuthula wenze ukuba abajuda ame ukulwa nathi kanye nomuzi wethu.”

₅₁Balahla phansi izikhali zabo bacela umaluju. Ngakho-ke abajuda athola udumo emehlweni enkosi nakubo bonke embusweni wayo, abuyela eJerusalema ephethe impango eningi kakhulu. ₅₂Inkosi uDemetriyu yahlala esihlalweni sombuso wayo, futhi izwe laba nokuthula phansi kwayo. ₅₃Kepha yalephula izwi layo ngakho konke eyayikwethembisile; kwaba khona ukwehlukana phakathi kwayo noJonathani ayabe isabuyisela okuhle kuye njengoba enzile yena, kodwa yamphatha kabi kakhulu.

₅₄Emva kwalokhu uThurufoni wabuya, ebuya nomfana omncane u-Antiyokhusi owaqala ukubusa wathwala umqhele wobukhosi. ₅₅Wonke amabutho uDemetriyu ayewabuyisele emizini yawo, abuthana ku-Antiyokhusi alwa noDemetriyu, wabaleka, impi yakhe yehlulwa yachithwa. ₅₆UThurufoni wabamba izindlovu, wadla nomuzi wase-Antiyokhi. ₅₇Kwase kuthi u-Antiyokhusi omncane wabhalela uJonathani, ethi: “Ngiyakuqinisa esikhundleni sokuba ngumphristi omkhulu, ngikumisa phezu kwezifunda ezine futhi ngikwenza ube ngumngani wenkosi.”

₅₈Wabuye wamthumelela ipuleti legolide kanye nokhonza etafuleni, wamnikeza negunya lokuba aphuze ngezindebe zegolide nokuba embathe ezibukhwebezane futhi afake indondo yegolide. ₅₉Wammisa uSimoni umfowabo kaJonathani ukuba abe ngumbusi kusukela emngeleni waseThire kuze kuyofika emingceleni yaseGibhithe. ₆₀UJonathani wayesephuma wahambela elingaphesheya komfula eya emizini, yonke impi yaseSiriya yabuthana kuye njengomana. Lapho efika e-Askaloni, abantu bomuzi bamhlangabeza futhi bamhlonipha. ₆₁Wasuka lapho waya eGaza, kodwa abantu baseGaza bamvalela ngaphandle. Ngakho-ke wawuhlasela umuzi wawushisa wona kanye nemizi eyakhelene nawo, wabutha impango kuyo. ₆₂Abantu baseGaza bamncenga uJonathani wabe esenza isivumelwano sokuthula nabo, wathatha amadodana ababusi babo njengabathunjwa, wawathumela eJerusalema. Wadabula izwe waze wafika eDamaseku.

₆₃UJonathani wezwa ukuthi izikhulu zempi zikaDemetriyu zazifikile eKhadeshi eliseGalile nempi enkulu, ziphokophelele ukumsusa esikhundleni. ₆₄Waya ukuyobonana nazo, kodwa washiya umfowabo uSimoni ehlane. ₆₅USimoni wakanekisa phambi kweBhethi-zuri futhi walwa nalo izinsuku eziningi, walizungelezela. ₆₆Base bemcela ukuba enze isivumelwano sokuthula nabo, wavuma, wasenza. Wabasusa lapho babekhona, wadla impahla yabo emzini, wamisa ibutho ukuqapha umuzi. ₆₇UJonathani nempi yakhe bakanisa ngasemanzini aseGenezaretha. Ekuseni ngovivi balibangisa emathafeni aseHazori, ₆₈kulapho-ke batholana khona nempi yezitha zabo; phela babemlalele unyendle ezintabeni, kodwa nokho batholana mahlanze neyesitha.

₆₉Kwathi amadoda ayebalalele unyendle ukuze abahlasele bengaboni aqhamuka ezindaweni zawo aba mdibi munye nempi. ₇₀Wonke amadoda ayehamba noJonathani abaleka; akukho namunye owasala ngaphandle kukaMathathiyase indodana ka-Absalomi noJudase indodana kaKhalifi, abakhuzi bempi. ₇₁UJonathani wadabula izingubo zakhe, wathela ikhanda lakhe ngothuli, wakhuleka. ₇₂Waphenduka wabhekana nempi yesitha, wayishaya wayehlula, yavathela. ₇₃Lapho amadoda empi yakhe ekubona lokhu, abuyela kuye ahlangana naye ekubaxosheni kwaze kwaba seKhadeshi. ₇₄Kwawa kweyesitha ngalolo lusuku amadoda ayizinkulungwane ezintathu. UJonathani wayesebuyela eJerusalema.