To The Word – Day 146

₁URehobowamu esefikile eJerusalema wabutha indlu yakwaJuda noBenjamini, abantu abakhethiweyo abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi ayisihiyagalombili, amabutho, ukuba balwe no-Israyeli, bawubuyisele umbuso kuRehobowamu.

₂Lase lifika izwi likaJehova kuShemaya umuntu kaNkulunkulu, lathi: ₃“Khuluma kuRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni, inkosi yakwaJuda, nakuye wonke u-Israyeli kwaJuda noBenjamini, ngokuthi: ₄‘Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Aniyikukhuphuka, ningalwi nabafowenu; buyelani, kube yilowo nalowo endlini yakhe, ngokuba le nto ivela kimi.’ ” Balalela amazwi kaJehova, babuya ekumhlaseleni uJerobowamu.

₅URehobowamu wahlala eJerusalema, wakha imizi ukuba ibe yizinqaba kwaJuda. ₆Wakha iBetlehema, ne-Etamu, neThekhowa, ₇neBeti Suri, neSoko, ne-Adulamu, ₈neGati, neMaresha, neZifi, ₉ne-Adorayimi, neLakishi, ne-Azeka, ₁₀neSora, ne-Ajaloni, neHebroni, ekwaJuda nakwaBenjamini, imizi ebiyelweyo. ₁₁Waziqinisa izinqaba, wabeka izinduna kuzo, nokudla, namafutha, newayini. ₁₂Emizini yonke, yileyo naleyo, wabeka izihlangu nemikhonto, wayiqinisa kakhulu impela. ElakwaJuda nelakwaBenjamini lalingelakhe.

₁₃Abapristi namaLevi ayekwa-Israyeli wonke bazihlanganisa naye bephuma emikhawulweni yonke. ₁₄Ngokuba amaLevi ashiya amadlelo awo nefa lawo, aya kwaJuda naseJerusalema, ngokuba uJerobowamu namadodana akhe bawalahla ukuba angabe esaba ngabapristi bakaJehova, ₁₅wazimisela abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo, nabamademoni, nabamathole awenzileyo. ₁₆Emva kwabo kwaphuma ezizweni zonke zakwa-Israyeli abanhliziyo zabo zibhekiswe ukufuna uJehova uNkulunkulu wakwa-Israyeli, bafika eJerusalema ukuhlabela uJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise. ₁₇Base bewuqinisa-ke umbuso wakwaJuda, benza uRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni waba namandla iminyaka emithathu, ngokuba bahamba iminyaka emithathu endleleni kaDavide noSolomoni.

₁₈URehobowamu wazithathela umfazi, uMahalati, indodakazi kaJerimoti indodana kaDavide neka-Abihayili, indodakazi ka-Eliyabe, indodana kaJese. ₁₉Wamzalela amadodana: ngoJewushe, noShemariya, noZahamu. ₂₀Emva kwakhe wathatha uMahakha, indodakazi ka-Abisalomu; wamzalela o-Abiya, no-Athayi, noZiza, noShelomiti. ₂₁URehobowamu wamthanda uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abisalomu phezu kwabo bonke abafazi bakhe nezancinza zakhe, ngokuba wathatha abafazi abayishumi nesishiyagalombili nezancinza ezingamashumi ayisithupha, wazala amadodana angamashumi amabili nesishiyagalombili namadodakazi angamashumi ayisithupha.

₂₂URehobowamu wabeka u-Abiya, indodana kaMahakha, abe yinhloko, abe ngumbusi phakathi kwabafowabo, ngokuba wacabanga ukumbeka inkosi. ₂₃Wenza ngokuhlakanipha, wahlakaza onke amadodana akhe emazweni onke akwaJuda noBenjamini, emizini yonke ebiyelweyo, wawanika ukudla okuningi, wawafunela abafazi abaningi.

₁Kwathi lapho umbuso kaRehobowamu usuqinisiwe, yena esenamandla, washiya umthetho kaJehova no-Israyeli wonke kanye naye. ₂Kepha kwathi ngomnyaka wesihlanu wenkosi uRehobowamu, uShishaki inkosi yaseGibithe wakhuphukela eJerusalema, ngokuba babephambukile kuJehova, ₃enezinqola eziyinkulungwane namakhulu amabili, nabamahhashi abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisithupha; abantu babengenakubalwa abaphuma naye eGibithe: ngamaLubi, namaSuki, namaKushe. ₄Wayithatha imizi ebiyelweyo yakwaJuda, wafika eJerusalema.

₅Wayesefika uShemaya umprofethi kuRehobowamu nasezikhulwini zakwaJuda ezazibuthene eJerusalema ngenxa kaShishaki, wathi kubo: “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Nina ningishiyile; ngalokho nami nginishiyile esandleni sikaShishaki.’ ”

₆Zase zizithoba izikhulu zakwa-Israyeli nenkosi, bathi: “UJehova ulungile.”

₇Lapha uJehova ebona ukuthi bayazithoba, kweza izwi likaJehova kuShemaya, lathi: “Bazithobile; angiyikubachitha, kepha ngiyakubakhulula emva kwesikhashana, nentukuthelo yami ayiyikuthululelwa phezu kweJerusalema ngesandla sikaShishaki. ₈Nokho bayakuba yizinceku zakhe ukuba bazi inkonzo yami nenkonzo yemibuso yezizwe.”

₉UShishaki, inkosi yaseGibithe, wakhuphukela eJerusalema, wathatha ingcebo yendlu kaJehova nengcebo yendlu yenkosi, yebo, wathatha konke, wathatha izihlangu zegolide ezenziwe nguSolomoni. ₁₀Inkosi uRehobowamu yenza izihlangu zethusi esikhundleni sazo, yazinikela ezandleni zezinduna zabalindi abagcina umnyango wendlu yenkosi. ₁₁Kwathi njalo uma inkosi ingena endlini kaJehova, zafika izigijimi zizithwele, zazibuyisela ekamelweni labalindi.

₁₂Kepha lapho esezithoba, intukuthelo kaJehova yabuya kuye ukuba angamchithi ngokupheleleyo, futhi kwakusekhona nokuhle kwaJuda.

₁₃Inkosi uRehobowamu yayisiziqinisa-ke eJerusalema yabusa, ngokuba uRehobowamu wayeneminyaka engamashumi amane nanye ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa; wabusa iminyaka eyishumi nesikhombisa eJerusalema, umuzi uJehova awukhethileyo ezizweni zonke zakwa-Israyeli ukuba abeke khona igama lakhe; igama likanina lalinguNahama umAmonikazi. ₁₄Wenza okubi, ngokuba akabhekisanga inhliziyo yakhe ukumfuna uJehova.

₁₅Izindaba zikaRehobowamu, ezokuqala nezokugcina, angithi zilotshiwe ezindabeni zikaShemaya umprofethi nezika-Ido umboni, zibhalwe ngezizukulwane, na? Kwakukhona njalo ukulwa phakathi kukaRehobowamu noJerobowamu. ₁₆URehobowamu wayeselala koyise, wembelwa emzini kaDavide; u-Abiya indodana yakhe waba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.

₁Ngomnyaka weshumi nesishiyagalombili wenkosi uJerobowamu u-Abiya waba yinkosi kwaJuda. ₂Wabusa iminyaka emithathu eJerusalema; igama likanina lalinguMikhaya indodakazi ka-Uriyeli waseGibeya. Kwakukhona ukulwa phakathi kuka-Abiya noJerobowamu. ₃U-Abiya waqala ukulwa enempi yamaqhawe anamandla, abantu abakhethiweyo abayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane, kepha uJerobowamu wahlela ukulwa naye enabantu abakhethiweyo abayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu ayisishiyagalombili, bengamaqhawe anamandla.

₄U-Abiya wema entabeni yaseSemarayimi esezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, wathi: “Ngizweni wena Jerobowamu no-Israyeli wonke: ₅Bekunganifanele ukwazi yini ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wanika uDavide umbuso kwa-Israyeli kuze kube phakade, yena namadodana akhe, ngesivumelwano sikasawoti, na? ₆Nokho uJerobowamu indodana kaNebati, inceku kaSolomoni indodana kaDavide, wavuka, wahlubuka inkosi yakhe. ₇Kwabuthana kuye amayiyane, abantu ababi, aziqinisa ukulwa noRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni, uRehobowamu esemusha, inhliziyo isathambile, engenakumelana nawo.

₈“Manje nithi niyakumelana nobukhosi bukaJehova obusesandleni samadodana kaDavide, lokhu niyisixuku esikhulu, futhi kukhona amathole egolide enenzelwa wona nguJerobowamu ukuba abe ngonkulunkulu benu. ₉Anixoshanga yini abapristi bakaJehova, amadodana ka-Aroni namaLevi, nazenzela abapristi ngendlela yabantu bezizwe; bonke abafika ukwahlukaniselwa, bephethe iduna nezinqama eziyisikhombisa, bangaba ngabapristi babangesibo onkulunkulu.

₁₀“Kepha thina, uJehova unguNkulunkulu wethu; asimshiyanga; sinabapristi abamkhonzayo uJehova, amadodana ka-Aroni namaLevi emisebenzini yabo; ₁₁bamshisela uJehova iminikelo yokushiswa nempepho ethaphukayo ekuseni nakusihlwa njalo, basihlela isinkwa sokubukwa etafuleni elihlanzekileyo, bokhela uthi lwezibani lwegolide nezibani zalo kusihlwa njalo, ngokuba thina sigcina imfanelo kaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, kepha nina nimshiyile. ₁₂Futhi bhekani, uNkulunkulu unathi, uyinhloko yethu, kanye nabapristi abaphethe amacilongo okuhlaba umkhosi ukuba bawakhalise ngani; bantwana bakwa-Israyeli, ningalwi noJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyihlo, ngokuba aniyikuphumelela.”

₁₃Kepha uJerobowamu wayegwegwesisile abaqamekeli ukuba bafike emuva; babe phambi kukaJuda, abaqamekeli babe semva kwabo. ₁₄Lapho uJuda esephenduka, bheka, impi yayingaphambili nangasemva kwabo; bakhala kuJehova, abapristi bakhalisa amacilongo. ₁₅Base bekhamuluka abantu bakwaJuda, nalapho abantwana bakwaJuda bekhamuluka, uNkulunkulu washaya oJerobowamu no-Israyeli wonke phambi kuka-Abiya noJuda. ₁₆Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babaleka ebusweni bukaJuda, uNkulunkulu wabanikela esandleni sabo. ₁₇U-Abiya nabantu bakhe babaceka ngokuceka okukhulu; kwawa amadoda akhethiweyo akwa-Israyeli abuleweyo ayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu ayisihlanu. ₁₈Bathotshiswa-ke ngaleso sikhathi abantwana bakwa-Israyeli; kepha abantwana bakwaJuda bahlula, ngokuba babencika kuJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise.

₁₉U-Abiya wamxosha uJerobowamu, wamaphuca imizi: iBethele nemizana yalo, neJeshana nemizana yalo, ne-Efroni nemizana yalo. ₂₀Futhi uJerobowamu akabe esaba namandla emihleni ka-Abiya; uJehova wamshaya, wafa.

₂₁Kepha u-Abiya waba namandla, wazithathela abafazi abayishumi nane, wazala amadodana angamashumi amabili nambili namadodakazi ayishumi nesithupha.

₂₂Ezinye izindaba zika-Abiya, nezindlela zakhe, namazwi akhe, kulotshiwe esichasiselweni somprofethi u-Ido.

₁U-Abiya wayeselala koyise; bammbela emzini kaDavide; u-Asa indodana yakhe waba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe: emihleni yakhe izwe lazola iminyaka eyishumi.

₂U-Asa wenza okuhle nokulungile emehlweni kaJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe. ₃Wawasusa ama-altare abezizwe nezindawo eziphakemeyo, wazibhidliza izinsika, wabagawula o-Ashera,* ₄wamtshela uJuda ukuba amfune uJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise, awenze umthetho nemiyalo. ₅Wasusa kuyo imizi yakwaJuda izindawo eziphakemeyo, nama-altare empepho; umbuso wazola phambi kwakhe. ₆Wakha imizi ebiyelweyo kwaJuda, ngokuba izwe lazola, engenampi kuleyo minyaka, ngokuba uJehova wayemphumuzile.

₇Wathi kuJuda: “Masakhe le mizi, siyihaqe ngogange, nangemibhoshongo, nangezivalo, nangemigoqo; izwe lisephambi kwethu, ngokuba simfunile uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu; simfunile, wasiphumuza nxazonke.” Base bakha-ke, baphumelela.

₈U-Asa wayenempi ephethe izihlangu nemikhonto, evela kwaJuda, iyizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amathathu, nevela kwaBenjamini, ephethe amahawu nensala iminsalo, iyizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amabili namashumi ayisishiyagalombili; bonke labo babe ngamaqhawe anamandla.

₉Kwaphuma ukulwa nabo uZera umKushe enempi eyizinkulungwane eziyinkulungwane nezinqola ezingamakhulu amathathu, wafika eMaresha. ₁₀U-Asa wayesephuma ukuhlangabezana naye, bahlela impi esigodini saseSefata ngaseMaresha.

₁₁U-Asa wakhala kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe, wathi: “Jehova, akakho ngaphandle kwakho ongasiza phakathi konamandla amakhulu nongenawo; sisize, Jehova Nkulunkulu wethu, ngokuba sencika kuwe, sifike ngegama lakho kulesi sixuku. Jehova, wena unguNkulunkulu wethu, mawungahlulwa muntu.”

₁₂UJehova wawashaya amaKushe phambi kuka-Asa naphambi kukaJuda; amaKushe abaleka. ₁₃U-Asa nabantu ababe naye bawaxosha kwaze kwaba seGerari, kwawa amaKushe kwaze kwangasala muntu ophilayo, ngokuba achithwa phambi kukaJehova naphambi kwempi yakhe, bamuka nempango enkulu kakhulu. ₁₄Bachitha yonke imizi ezungeza iGerari, ngokuba ingebhe ngoJehova yayiphezu kwabo; baphanga yonke imizi, ngokuba kwakukhona impango eningi kuyo. ₁₅Bachitha namatende ezinkomo, bamuka nezimvu eziningi namakamela, babuyela eJerusalema.

₁UMoya kaNkulunkulu waba phezu kuka-Azariya indodana ka-Odedi; ₂waphuma ukuhlangabeza u-Asa, wathi kuye: “Ngizweni, Asa, noJuda wonke, noBenjamini, uJehova unani, uma ninaye; uma nimfuna, uyakufunyanwa yinina; kepha uma nimshiya, uyakunishiya nani. ₃Kwakuyizinsuku eziningi u-Israyeli engenaye uNkulunkulu oqinisileyo, namfundisi ofundisayo, namthetho; ₄kepha ekuhluphekeni kwabo baphendukela kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, bamfuna; wafunyanwa yibo. ₅Ngaleso sikhathi kwakungekho kuthula kophumayo nakongenayo, ngokuba ukuphaphatheka okukhulu kwakukhona phezu kwabo bonke abakhe ezweni. ₆Isizwe saphahlazwa yisizwe nomuzi ngumuzi, ngokuba uNkulunkulu wabesabisa ngezinkathazo zonke. ₇Kepha nina yibani namandla, zingadangali izandla zenu, ngokuba umsebenzi wenu uyakuba nomvuzo wawo.”

₈Lapho u-Asa esezwa lawo mazwi nesiprofetho sika-Azariya ka-Odedi umprofethi, waziqinisa isibindi, wasusa izinengiso ezweni lonke lakwaJuda noBenjamini, nasemizini ayeyithathile ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, walivusa i-altare likaJehova elaliphambi kompheme kaJehova.

₉Wabutha wonke uJuda noBenjamini nabagogobele kubo bevela kwa-Efrayimi, nakwaManase, nakwaSimeyoni, ngokuba abaningi bahlubukela kuye bevela kwa-Israyeli, lapho bebona ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe unaye.

₁₀Babuthana eJerusalema ngenyanga yesithathu ngomnyaka weshumi nanhlanu wokubusa kuka-Asa. ₁₁Bahlabela uJehova ngalolo suku empangweni ababeyilethile, izinkabi ezingamakhulu ayisikhombisa nezimvu eziyizinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa. ₁₂Bangena esivumelwaneni sokumfuna uJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise ngayo yonke inhliziyo yabo nangawo wonke umphefumulo wabo, ₁₃nesokuba bonke ababengamfuni uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli babulawe, noma bebancane noma bebakhulu, owesilisa noma owesifazane. ₁₄Bafunga kuJehova ngezwi elikhulu, nangokukhamuluka, nangamacilongo, nangemitshingo. ₁₅Wonke uJuda wathokoza ngesifungo, ngokuba babefungile ngayo yonke inhliziyo yabo, bamfuna ngakho konke ukufisa kwabo; wafunyanwa yibo; uJehova wabaphumuza nxazonke.

₁₆Wamsusa uMahakha unina ka-Asa inkosi ebukhosikazini, ngokuba wayemenzele u-Ashera* isithombe esinengekayo; u-Asa wagawula isithombe sakhe, wasicolisisa, wasishisa ngasemfudlaneni iKidroni. ₁₇Kodwa izindawo eziphakemeyo azisuswanga kwa-Israyeli; nokho inhliziyo ka-Asa yayiphelele zonke izinsuku zakhe. ₁₈Wangenisa endlini kaNkulunkulu izinto ezingcwele zikayise nezinto zakhe ezingcwele: isiliva, negolide, nezitsha.

₁₉Akwabe kusaba khona ukulwa kwaze kwaba semnyakeni wamashumi amathathu nanhlanu wokubusa kuka-Asa.

₁Ngomnyaka wamashumi amathathu nesithupha wokubusa kuka-Asa, uBahasha, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, wakhuphuka ukuhlasela uJuda, wakha iRama, ukuze angavumeli muntu ukuphuma nokungena ku-Asa inkosi yakwaJuda.

₂U-Asa wakhipha isiliva negolide engcebeni yendlu kaJehova nasendlini yenkosi, wathumela kuBeni Hadadi, inkosi yase-Aramu owahlala eDamaseku, wathi: ₃“Kukhona isivumelwano phakathi kwami nawe, njengalokho sasikhona phakathi kukababa noyihlo; bheka, ngithuma kuwe isiliva negolide; hamba waphule isivumelwano sakho noBahasha inkosi yakwa-Israyeli ukuba asuke kimi.”

₄UBeni Hadadi wayilalela inkosi u-Asa, wathuma izinduna zempi yakhe ukuba zihlasele imizi yakwa-Israyeli; zanqoba i-Ijoni, neDani, ne-Abela Mayimi, nayo yonke imizi yokubekelela yakwaNafetali. ₅Kwathi lapho uBahasha esekuzwile lokho, wayeka ukwakha iRama, wamisa umsebenzi wakhe. ₆Kepha u-Asa inkosi wahamba naye wonke uJuda; basusa amatshe aseRama nemithi yalo uBahasha ayelakhe ngakho; wakha ngakho iGeba neMispa.

₇Ngaleso sikhathi kweza uHanani, umboni ka-Asa, inkosi yakwaJuda, wathi kuye: “Ngokuba wencike enkosini yase-Aramu, ungencikanga kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ngalokho impi yenkosi yase-Aramu iphunyukile esandleni sakho. ₈AmaKushe namaLubi ayengesiyo impi enkulu yini, inezinqola nabamahhashi abaningi kakhulu na? Kepha ngenxa yokwencika kwakho kuJehova wawanikela esandleni sakho. ₉Ngokuba amehlo kaJehova aqalaza emhlabeni wonke ukuba abe namandla kwabanhliziyo yabo iphelele kuye; wenze ngobuwula kule nto, ngokuba kusukela manje uyakuba nokulwa njalo.”

₁₀U-Asa wacunuka ngomboni, wamfaka endlini yezitokisi,* ngokuba wamfutha ngenxa yale nto. U-Asa wabadlova nabathile babantu ngaleso sikhathi.

₁₁Bheka, izindaba zika-Asa, ezokuqala nezokugcina, bheka-ke, zilotshiwe encwadini yamakhosi akwaJuda nakwa-Israyeli. ₁₂Ngomnyaka wamashumi amathathu nesishiyagalolunye wokubusa kwakhe u-Asa waba nesifo ezinyaweni zakhe; isifo sakhe sasinzima kakhulu; kepha akafunanga uJehova esifweni sakhe, izinyanga zodwa. ₁₃U-Asa wayeselala koyise, wafa ngomnyaka wamashumi amane nanye wokubusa kwakhe. ₁₄Bammbela emathuneni akhe owayeziqophele wona emzini kaDavide, bambeka embhedeni ogcwele iphunga elimnandi namakha ayizinhlobonhlobo, alungisiwe ngokwenza komthaki; bamenzela ukushisa kwempepho okukhulu kakhulu.