1 U-Ahazi wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amabili ubudala nyakana esiba yinkosi, njalo wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka elitshumi lesithupha. Kenzanga njengoyise uDavida, kazange enze okulungileyo emehlweni kaThixo. 2 Wahamba ngezindlela zamakhosi ako-Israyeli njalo wabaza izithombe zokukhonza oBhali. 3 Watshisa imihlatshelo eSigodini saseBheni-Hinomu wanikela amadodana akhe emlilweni, elandela izindlela ezenyanyekayo zezizwe uThixo ayezixotshe mandulo kokufika kwabako-Israyeli. 4 Wanikela imihlatshelo njalo watshisa impepha ezindaweni zokukhonzela phezu kwamaqaqa langaphansi kwazo zonke izihlahla eziyizithingithingi.

5 Ngakho uThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe wamnikela enkosini yama-Aramu. Ama-Aramu amnqoba athumba abantu bakhe abanengi abaletha eDamaseko.

Yena njalo wanikelwa ezandleni zenkosi yako-Israyeli, yona eyambulalela abantu abanengi kakhulu. 6 Kwathi ngelanga elilodwa uPhekha indodana kaRemaliya wabulala amabutho azinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili koJuda ngoba abakoJuda babemfulathele uThixo, uNkulunkulu waboyise. 7 UZikhiri ibutho lako-Efrayimi, wabulala uMaseya indodana yenkosi, lo-Azirikhamu isikhulu somndlunkulu, kanye lo-Elikhana, owayengumsekeli wenkosi. 8 Abako-Israyeli bathumba ezihlotsheni zabo zakoJuda omkabo, lamadodana lamadodakazi abazinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amabili. Babutha njalo impango enengi kakhulu, abayithwala babuyela layo eSamariya.

9 Kodwa umphrofethi wenkosi okwakuthiwa ngu-Odedi wayekhonale, ngakho waphuma ukuyahlangabeza ibutho ekuphendukeni kwalo eSamariya. Wathi kulo, “Ngenxa yokuthi uThixo, uNkulunkulu waboyihlo wayethukuthelele abakoJuda, wabanikela ezandleni zenu. Kodwa lina selibabhubhise ngolaka oluze lwayathinta ezulwini. 10 Khathesi selifuna ukuthi amadoda labesifazane bakoJuda laseJerusalema babe yizigqili zenu. Kodwa lina ngokwenu kalonanga yini kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu na? 11 Lalelani kimi! Buyiselani amadoda akini eliwenze izibotshwa, ngoba ulaka lukaThixo olwesabekayo luphezu kwenu.”

12 Abanye babakhokheli bako-Efrayimi u-Azariya indodana kaJehohanani, loBherekhiya indodana kaMeshilemothi, loJehizikhiya indodana kaShalumi, kanye lo-Amasa indodana kaHadilayi bamelana lalabo ababevela empini bathi kubo, 13 “Lingalethi lezozibotshwa lapha, ngoba kungenzeka sibe lecala phambi kukaThixo. Selidinga ukuthi lengezelele lelocala phezu kwesono sethu na? Ngoba icala lethu livele likhulu, njalo lentukuthelo yakhe eyesabekayo iphezu kwabako-Israyeli.”

14 Ngakho amabutho akhulula ababebotshiwe asebuyisela lempahla ezaziyimpango phambi kwezikhulu laphambi kwebandla. 15 Amadoda ayeqanjwe ngamabizo abuyisela izibotshwa ezimpahleni zempango bagqokisa ababenqunu. Babanika izigqoko lamanyathelo, ukudla lokunathwayo, kanye lomuthi wokwelapha. Bonke ababuthakathaka babagadisa obabhemi. Ngakho babathatha bababuyisela kwabanye babo eJerikho, iDolobho lamaLala, basebebuyela eSamariya.

16 Ngalesosikhathi inkosi u-Ahazi yacela uncedo enkosini yase-Asiriya. 17 Ama-Edomi ayesephendukile ezohlasela abakoJuda njalo asuka eqhuba izibotshwa, 18 kanti amaFilistiya lawo ngapha ayesehlasele amadolobho angaphansi kwamaqaqa kanye laseNegebi yakoJuda. Bathumba basebehlala khona eBhethi-Shemeshi, le-Ayijaloni leGederothi, kanye laseSokho, leThimina leGimizo lemizana eyayiseduze lalapho. 19 UThixo wabatshaya abakoJuda ngoba u-Ahazi inkosi yako-Israyeli wayekhuthaze ukona kwabakoJuda watshengisela ukungathembeki okukhulu kuThixo. 20 UThigilathi-Philesa inkosi yase-Asiriya esikhundleni sokumsiza laye wafika wengezelela uhlupho. 21 U-Ahazi wathatha ezinye zezimpahla zasethempelini likaThixo lezinye azithatha endlini yomndlunkulu esigodlweni waze wathatha lezamakhosana wayaziqhubela inkosi yase-Asiriya, kodwa lakho lokhu akumncedanga.

22 Kwathi lanxa inkosi u-Ahazi iphakathi kobunzima, yandisa ukona kwayo kuThixo. 23 Yanikela imihlatshelo kubonkulunkulu baseDamaseko, ababeyehlule, ngoba yakhumbula yathi, “Njengoba onkulunkulu bamakhosi ama-Aramu bewancedile, ngizanikela imihlatshelo kubo ukuze bangisize lami.” Kodwa-ke kwahle kwaba yikuwa kwayo lokuchitheka kwabako-Israyeli.

24 U-Ahazi wabutha zonke izitsha ethempelini likaNkulunkulu wazisusa. Wavala iminyango yethempeli likaThixo wasesakha ama-alithare kuwo wonke amajiko eJerusalema. 25 Wakha izindawo zokukhonzela kuwo wonke amadolobho akoJuda ukuze atshisele onkulunkulu imihlatshelo; wathukuthelisa uThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo.

26 Ezinye izehlakalo zombuso wakhe lezindlela zakhe zonke, kusukela ekuqaleni kuze kube sekupheleni, zilotshiwe egwalweni lwembali yamakhosi akoJuda lako-Israyeli. 27 U-Ahazi waya ekuphumuleni kubokhokho bakhe wangcwatshwa labo emzini waseJerusalema, kodwa kabekwanga emathuneni amakhosi ako-Israyeli. UHezekhiya indodana yakhe wathatha isikhundla waba yinkosi.

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