2 IZikhronike 17

₁UJehoshafathi, indodana yakhe, waba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe, waziqinisa ukuba alwe no-Israyeli. ₂Wakanisa impi kuyo yonke imizi yakwaJuda ebiyelweyo, wabeka amabutho kwaJuda nasemizini yakwa-Efrayimi eyayinqotshwe nguyise u-Asa.

₃USimakade wayenaye uJehoshafathi, ngokuba wahamba ngezindlela zakuqala zikakhokho wakhe uDavide, akazange afune oBhali, ₄kepha wamfuna uNkulunkulu kayise, wahamba emthethweni wakhe, akaze alingisa okwenziwa ngu-Israyeli. ₅Ngakho-ke uSimakade wawusimamisa umbuso esandleni sakhe, wonke uJuda wathela intela kuJehoshafathi; waba nodumo olukhulu nengcebo eningi. ₆Inhliziyo yakhe yashisekela izindlela zikaSimakade, wazisusa izindawo eziphakemeyo, no-Ashera kwaJuda.

₇Ngonyaka wesithathu wokubusa kwakhe, wathumela izikhulu zakhe uBheni Hayili, u-Obhadiya, uZakhariya, uNethaneli noMikhaya ukuba ziyofundisa emizini yakwaJuda, ₈zinabaLevi: uShemaya, uNethaniya, uZebadiya, u-Asaheli, uShemiramothi, uJehonathani, u-Adoniya, uThobiya noThobi Adoniya. Ababenalaba baLevi kwakungo-Elishama noJehoramu, abaphristi. ₉Bafundisa kwaJuda bephethe incwadi yomthetho kaSimakade, bajikeleza kuyo yonke imizi yakwaJuda, befundisa abantu.

₁₀Yonke imibuso yamazwe azungeze elakwaJuda jikelele yehlelwa yingebhe ngoSimakade, ayizange ilwe noJehoshafathi. ₁₁Abanye bamaFilisti baletha izipho kuJehoshafathi, nesiliva elaliyintela. Nabase-Arabhiya baletha kuye imihlambi, izinqama eziyizi-7 700, nezimpongo eziyizi-7 700.

₁₂UJehoshafathi waya ngokuya edlondlobala; wakha izinqaba nemizi eyizinqolobane kwaJuda. ₁₃Wayenokuningi emizini yakwaJuda, amadoda empi, namaqhawe anamandla, eJerusalema. ₁₄Babemi kanje ngokwezindlu zoyise: kwaJuda, abakhuzi bempi bezinkulungwane: u-Adina umkhuzi wempi, enamaqhawe anamandla ayizi-300 000. ₁₅Emva kwakhe kunguJehohanani umkhuzi wempi, enezi-280 000. ₁₆Wayelandelwa ngu-Amasiya, indodana kaZikhiri, owazinikela ngenhliziyo epheleleyo kuSimakade, enamaqhawe anamandla ayizi-200 000. ₁₇KwaBhenjamini, kungu-Eliyada, iqhawe elinamandla, enabahlome ngeminsalo nangezihlangu abayizi-200 000. ₁₈Emva kwakhe kunguJehozabhadi, enamabutho ahlomele ukulwa ayizi-180 000. ₁₉Yilaba-ke ababekhonza inkosi, ngaphandle kwalabo inkosi eyayibabeke emizini ebiyelweyo eyayikulo lonke elakwaJuda.