38 – Indlu kaThixo eyakhiwe nguSolomon

₁Ke kaloku ukumkani uSolomon wawabizela kuye eJerusalem onke amadoda amakhulu akwaSirayeli, bonke abaziintloko zezizwe, namadoda aziinkulu zezindlu zamaSirayeli, ukuze aye kuthatha ityesi yomnqophiso *kaNdikhoyo eZiyon, isixeko sikaDavide. ₂Onke ke amadoda akwaSirayeli aqokelelana kukumkani uSolomon ngexesha lombhiyozo kwinyanga yesixhenxe uEtanim.

₃Athe ke akuphelela amadoda amakhulu akwaSirayeli, ababingeleli bayithatha ityesi kaNdikhoyo, ₄kunye nentente yesibingelelo, nazo zonke izinto ezingcwele ezazikuyo. Ababingeleli nabaLevi bazithwala ezo zinto. ₅Ke yena ukumkani uSolomon nalo lonke ibandla likaSirayeli elaliqokelelene kuye babemi phambi kwetyesi, besenza amadini ngeegusha neenkomo ezininzi, inyambalala enganakubalwa.

₆Ababingeleli ke bayithatha ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo, bayisa endaweni yayo kwigumbi elingaphakathi endlwini kaThixo – ingcwele kangcwele – bayibeka phantsi kwamaphiko ezo *zithunywa zimaphiko. ₇Izithunywa ezo ke zawathi naa loo maphiko azo, zayigquma loo ndawo yayikuyo ityesi ndawonye namanqwanqwa okuyiphatha. ₈La manqwanqwa ke ayemade ngangokuba zazibonakala iziphelo zawo kumntu ophambi kwengcwele kangcwele, kambe ke zingabonakali kongaphandle kweyona ndawo ingcwele. Aselapho ke unanamhlanje. ₉Apho kuloo tyesi kwakungekho nto ngaphandle kwamacwecwe amabini amatye, lawo ayefakwe kuyo nguMosis eHorebhe, apho uNdikhoyo wenza umnqophiso namaSirayeli akuba ephumile eJiputa.

₁₀Bathe ke bakuphuma ababingeleli kwindawo engcwele, indlu kaNdikhoyo leyo yazaliswa lilifu. ₁₁Ngenxa yelo lifu ababingeleli ababanga nako ukwenza imisebenzi yabo. Kaloku ubukhazikhazi besidima sikaNdikhoyo babuyizalisile indlu yakhe.

₁₂Ke kaloku uSolomon wathi: “UNdikhoyo wayethe uza kuhlala kwilifu elimnyama. ₁₃Ke mna ngenene ndikwakhele ipomakazi lendlu, indawo oya kuhlala kuyo ngonaphakade.”

₁₄Lithe lisemi apho lonke elo bandla likaSirayeli, ukumkani wee guququ walithamsanqela, ₁₅wathi: “Makabongwe uNdikhoyo, uThixo kaSirayeli, yena othe ngesandla sakhe wasifezekisa isithembiso awasenza ngowakhe umlomo kubawo uDavide. Kaloku yena wathi: ₁₆‘Ukusukela kwimini endabakhuphayo ngayo abantu bam amaSirayeli eJiputa, zange ndizikhethele sixeko nakwisiphi na isizwe sakwaSirayeli apho lalinokwakhelwa khona indlu igama lam; kambe ke ndinyule uDavide ukuze abalawule abantu bam amaSirayeli.’

₁₇“UDavide ubawo wayezimisele ngomxhelo wakhe ukuba igama likaNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli alakhele indlu. ₁₈Kambe ke uNdikhoyo wathi kubawo uDavide: ‘Ibe yinto entle ukuba uzimisele ukulakhela indlu igama lam. ₁₉Noko ke kambe asinguwe oza kulakhela indlu igama lam, koko yoba ngunyana wakho; nditsho kanye owesinqe sakho – nguye oya kulakhela indlu igama lam.’

₂₀“UNdikhoyo ke usigcinile eso sithembiso wasenzayo. Naku ngoku ndingene esikhundleni sikabawo uDavide. Ewe, ndichophe kwisihlalo sokulawula sakwaSirayeli ngokwesithembiso sikaNdikhoyo, ndaza ndalakhela indlu igama likaNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli. ₂₁Ndiyenzele indawo ityesi equlathe umnqophiso kaNdikhoyo awayewenze noobawo ekubakhululeni kwakhe kwelaseJiputa.”

₂₂Ke kaloku uSolomon wema phambi kweqonga *likaNdikhoyo, apho phambi kwaloo nginginya yebandla likaSirayeli, waza izandla zakhe waziphakamisela ezulwini, ₂₃wathi:

“Ewe, Ndikhoyo, Thixo kaSirayeli, akakho uthixo onjengawe, nditsho ezulwini phezulu nasemhlabeni phantsi. Kaloku ungulowo uwugcinayo umnqophiso wakho wokuzithanda izicaka zakho ezithe rhoqo ngomxhelo wazo wonke ukuhamba ezindleleni zakho. ₂₄Nangoku ke usigcinile isithembiso sakho kwisicaka sakho uDavide ubawo. Wathembisa ngomlomo wakho; kunamhlanje-nje ke ufezekisile ngesandla sakho.

₂₅“Nangoku ke, Ndikhoyo, Thixo kaSirayeli, isicaka sakho uDavide ubawo khawumgcinele ezo zithembiso wamenzela zona usithi: ‘Akusoze ungabi nayo indoda yokuchopha phambi kwam kwisihlalo sokulawula sakwaSirayeli, ukuba kodwa oonyana bakho bathe bakunyamekela ngandlela zonke ukuba bahambe phambi kwam njengawe lo.’ ₂₆Ewe, nangoku, Thixo kaSirayeli, ilizwi owalithethayo uthembisa isicaka sakho uDavide ubawo malifezeke.

₂₇“Kambe ke, ngaba uThixo angade ahlale emhlabeni? Hayi bo, kaloku namazulu, nditsho namazulu asemajuku-jukwini ngokwawo, akanako ukukuqulatha. Ibeke phi ke yona le ndlu ndiyakhileyo! ₂₈Nakuba kunjalo, Ndikhoyo, Thixo wam, wubekele iindlebe umthandazo wesicaka sakho esizibikayo kuwe. Kuve ukulila nokukhunga kwesicaka sakho esikubongozayo nakalokunje. ₂₉Ubusuku nemini ngamana amehlo akho athi ntsho kuyo le ndlu. Kaloku yile wathetha ngayo usithi: ‘Igama lam liya kuba kuyo;’ Ke ngoko wuphulaphule umthandazo esiya kuthi isicaka sakho siwubhekise kule ndawo. ₃₀Zibazele iindlebe izikhungo zesicaka sakho ndawonye nabantu bakho amaSirayeli xa umthandazo wabo bewubhekisa kule ndawo. Yiva wena usekhayeni lakho ezulwini; ewe, yiva, uvile uxolele.

₃₁“Xa umntu ethe wona ummelwane wakhe, kwaza ke kwafuneka enze isifungo, waza ke yena weza kufunga kule ndlu phambi kweqonga lakho, ₃₂wena ke yiva usezulwini, usebenze ngaloo nto. Uze ugwebe phakathi kwezicaka zakho, umsingele phantsi onetyala, umohlwaye ngokufanele isenzo sakhe. Uze umgwebele umntu omsulwa, khon' ukuze aphuhle ukuba umsulwa.

₃₃“Xa abantu bakho amaSirayeli ethe oyiswa lutshaba ngenxa yokuba ekonile wena, makathi akubuyela kuwe ebula, evuma igama lakho, ethandaza, esenza isikhungo kuwe kuyo le ndlu, ₃₄wena ke yiva usezulwini, usixolele isono sabantu bakho amaSirayeli, uwabuyisele kulo mhlaba wawunika ooyise.

₃₅“Xa amazulu athe avaleka, ayabikho imvula, kuba abantu bakho bekonile, mabathi xa bathe babhekisa kule ndawo ngomthandazo, bevuma igama lakho, bezishiya nezono zabo kuba wena ubabandezele – ₃₆wena ke, yiva usezulwini, usixolele isono sezicaka zakho, abantu bakho amaSirayeli. Uze ubafundise indlela efanelekileyo yokuziphatha, ulithi jize ngemvula ilizwe elililifa owalinika abantu bakho.

₃₇“Xa kuthe kwakho indlala nokuba ngubhubhani kweli lizwe, okanye kubekho isihlava, isihumba, iinkumbi, iintotoviyane, okanye xa abantu bakho bathe bangqingwa lutshaba nakusiphi na kwizixeko zabo, ukanti nokuba sisiphi na isithwakumbe okanye isifo esibafikeleyo, ₃₈makuthi xa kukho nawuphi na kubantu bakho othandazayo ekhunga ngenxa yokubandezeleka kwentliziyo yakhe, nezandla zakhe eziphakamisela kule ndlu, ₃₉wena ke yiva usekhayeni lakho ezulwini. Ewe, xolela, ulowo nalowo umphathe ngokwezenzo zakhe, kuba wena uyayazi intliziyo yakhe. (Kaloku nguwe wedwa ozaziyo iintliziyo zabantu bonke.) ₄₀Ngaloo ndlela ke baya kukuhlonela ngalo lonke ixesha lokudla kwabo ubomi kulo mhlaba wawupha oobawo.

₄₁“Kanti ke nowasemzini ongenguye owabantu bakho amaSirayeli, kodwa ofike evela kwelikude ilizwe ngenxa yegama lakho – ₄₂kaloku abantu baya kuva ngodumo lwegama lakho nangamandla esandla sakho kunye nobungangamsha bengalo yakho – onjalo ke makathi akuza kuthandaza apha kule ndlu, ₄₃wena uve usekhayeni lakho ezulwini, owasemzini lo umenzele konke oko akucelayo kuwe, khon' ukuze zonke izizwe zehlabathi zilazi igama lakho, zikuhlonele kwanjengokuba bekuhlonela abantu bakho amaSirayeli. Ewe, ukuze ziqonde ukuba le ndlu ndiyakhileyo ibizwa ngegama lakho.

₄₄“Nabantu bakho xa bathe baya emfazweni besilwa neentshaba zabo, noba ubathumela phi na, mabathi bakuthandaza kuwe bebhekisa kule ndlu ndiyakhele igama lakho kwesi sixeko osinyulileyo, ₄₅yithi ke wena usezulwini uwuve umthandazo nesikhungo sabo, ubagwebele.

₄₆“Xa bathe bakona (kaloku akukho mntu ungoniyo) waza ke wena wakhathazeka, wabanikela elutshabeni, luze ke lona lubathimbe, luye nabo kwilizwe lalo, nokuba kukude okanye kukufuphi, ₄₇xa bathe baguquka bazisola kwelo lizwe bathinjelwe kulo, ewe, xa beguquka bezibika kuwe belapho kwelo lizwe labeyisi babo, besithi: ‘Ewe, sonile, senze ububi nenkohlakalo,’ ₄₈xa babuyela kuwe ngomxhelo wabo wonke nentliziyo yabo iphela bekwelo lizwe leentshaba ezibathimbileyo, bethandaza bebhekisa kweli lizwe walinika ooyise, kwesi sixeko wasinyulayo, nakule ndlu ndiyakhele igama lakho, ₄₉yithi ke wena usekhayeni lakho ezulwini, uwuve umthandazo wabo nesikhungo sabo, ubagwebele. ₅₀Ewe kaloku, uze ubaxolele abantu bakho abakonileyo, uzixolele zonke iziphoso zabo ngakuwe, wenze ukuba abo babathimbileyo babe nenceba kubo. ₅₁Kaloku aba bantu ngabakho ncakasana, balilifa lakho owalikhuphulula eJiputa kwelo ziko lokunyibilikisa isinyithi.

₅₂“Ngamana waneliso ekuzibikeni kwesicaka sakho nakuzo izikhungo zabantu bakho amaSirayeli; ewe, akwaba ungabaphulaphula nanini na bezibika kuwe. ₅₃Kaloku wena wabatyumba phakathi kwazo zonke izizwe zehlabathi, ukuze babe lilifa lakho, nanjengoko watshoyo ngomlomo wesicaka sakho uMosis, ngokuya wena, Nkosi Ndikhoyo, wawukhulula oobawo kwelaseJiputa.”

₅₄Uthe ke uSolomon akuyiphetha le mithandazo nezi zikhungo wayezenza *kuNdikhoyo, suka waphakama apho phambi kweqonga likaNdikhoyo, apho wayeguqe khona, izandla zakhe eziphakamisele ezulwini. ₅₅Wema ngoku, wayithamsanqela yonke loo ndimbane yebandla likaSirayeli. Ewe, wadanduluka ekhwaza esithi:

₅₆“Makabongwe uNdikhoyo obathe jize ngenzolo abantu bakhe amaSirayeli, kanye ngokwesithembiso sakhe. Akukho nalinye ilizwi elifadaleleyo kuzo zonke izithembiso ezilungileyo awazenza ngesicaka sakhe uMosis. ₅₇Ngamana ke uNdikhoyo uThixo wethu waba nathi kwanjengokuba wayenabo noobawo; ngamana akangesishiyi okanye asilahle. ₅₈Ngamana waziguqulela kuye iintliziyo zethu, ukuze sihambe ngazo zonke iindlela zakhe, siyigcine imithetho nemimiselo nemiqathango yakhe awayinika oobawo.

₅₉“Nala mazwi ndiwathetha ndithandaza phambi koNdikhoyo, ngamana ahlala ekufuphi imini nobusuku bayo kuNdikhoyo uThixo wethu, ukuze asigwebele isicaka sakhe, abagwebele nabantu bakhe amaSirayeli, loo nto ayenze ngokweemeko zemini nganye, ₆₀khon' ukuze zonke izizwe zehlabathi ziqonde ukuba uNdikhoyo nguThixo, akukho wumbi ngaphandle kwakhe. ₆₁Kambe ke nina iintliziyo zenu maziphelelise ukubambelela kuNdikhoyo uThixo wethu, niziphathe ngokwezimiso zakhe, nemithetho yakhe niyithobele njenganamhlanje.”

₆₂Ke ukumkani ndawonye noSirayeli ephela benzela *uNdikhoyo amadini. ₆₃USolomon wenzela uNdikhoyo idini lobudlelwane ngeenkomo ezingamawaka angamashumi amabini anambini, kunye neegusha neebhokhwe ezilikhulu elinamashumi amabini amawaka. Ngaloo ndlela ke ukumkani nawo onke amaSirayeli bayivula beyinikela indlu kaNdikhoyo.

₆₄Kwangaloo mini ke ukumkani wawungcwalisa umbindi wenkundla ephambi kwendlu kaNdikhoyo, waza khona apho wenza amadini atshiswayo, aweenkozo, kunye namanqatha alidini lobudlelwane. Kaloku elo qonga lobhedu likaNdikhoyo lalilincinci, lingawalingene amadini atshiswayo, iminikelo yeenkozo namadini obudlelwane enziwa ngamanqatha.

₆₅Ngelo thuba ke uSolomon walenza itheko enamaSirayeli ephela, inyambalala yembizo, abantu abaphuma kwinkalo yeHamati kude kuthi xhaxhe ngomda waseJiputa. Apho ke phambi koNdikhoyo uThixo wethu babhiyoza imihla esixhenxe, bada bongeza nesinye isixhenxe yalishumi elinesine leentsuku. ₆₆Ngomhla olandelayo ke wabandulula abantu. Nabo ke bamthamsanqela ukumkani, baza bagoduka bonwabile benemihlali ngenxa yezinto ezintle uNdikhoyo awayezenzela isicaka sakhe uDavide kunye nabantu bakhe amaSirayeli.

₁Ke kaloku uSolomon wathi akuba egqibile ukwakha indlu *kaNdikhoyo kunye nebhotwe lakhe nako konke oko wafikelela kuko ngokweenjongo zakhe, ₂uNdikhoyo wabonakala kuye okwesibini, kanye kwangalaa ndlela wayebonakele ngayo kuye eGibheyon. ₃UNdikhoyo wathetha naye wathi:

“Ndiwuvile umthandazo nezikhungo ozenzileyo kum. Le ndlu uyakhele ukuhlala igama lam ndiyingcwalisile. Amehlo am ohlala kuyo, intliziyo yam ingaze yahlukane nayo.

₄“Ke wena ukuba uthe wahamba phambi kwam ngokunyaniseka konke nangentliziyo engagqwidiziyo njengoyihlo uDavide, xa uthe wakwenza konke endikuyalela kona, wayigqala imimiselo nemithetho yam, ₅ndiya kubuzinzisa ubukhosi bakho phezu koSirayeli nanini-nanini njengoko ndathembisayo kuyihlo uDavide ngokuya ndandisithi: ‘Akusoze ungabi nayo indoda yokuhlala kwisihlalo sobukhosi kwaSirayeli.’

₆“Kodwa ukuba nina nokuba ngoonyana benu nisuke nandilahla anayikhathalela imiyalelo nemimiselo endininike yona, naphamba naya kukhonza ninqula *thixo bambi, ₇mna ndomnqamla uSirayeli kweli lizwe ndamnika lona, nale ndlu ndiyingcwalisele igama lam ndoyilahla. Ke yena uSirayeli uya kuba ngundaba-mlonyeni, abe sisigculelo kuzo zonke izizwe. ₈Ewe, ingade ibe ngoku inomtsalane le ndlu, kodwa bonke abadlula kuyo baya kumangaliseka baphoxise bathi: ‘Ngani ukuba uNdikhoyo enze into enje kweli lizwe nakule ndlu?’ ₉Bophendula ke abantu bathi: ‘Kungenxa yokuba aba bantu besuke bamfulathela uNdikhoyo uThixo wabo, lowo wakhupha ooyise eJiputa. Basuke baqhogana nathixo bambi, bababusa babanqula. Kungenxa yeso sizathu ke ebathobele esi sithwakumbe nje.’ ”