Eyokuqala YaMakhosi

13 Umuntu kaNkulunkulu + wafika eBhethele evela kwaJuda ngomyalo kaJehova, ngesikhathi uJerobowamu emi eduze kwe-altare + eyoshunqisa umhlatshelo. 2 Wamemeza ngokumelene ne-altare ngokuvumelana nalokho uJehova ayemyale ngakho wathi: “O altare, altare! Yilokhu uJehova akushoyo: ‘Bheka! Kuzozalwa indodana ezobizwa ngokuthi uJosiya + endlini kaDavide! Izokwenza umhlatshelo phezu kwakho ngabapristi bezindawo eziphakeme abashunqisa imihlatshelo phezu kwakho, iyoshisa namathambo abantu phezu kwakho.’ ” + 3 Umuntu kaNkulunkulu wanikeza ibika* ngalolo suku, wathi: “Nali ibika* elifakazela ukuthi uJehova ukushilo lokhu: Bheka! I-altare lizohlukana phakathi, umlotha* ophezu kwalo uzochitheka.”

4 Kwathi nje lapho iNkosi uJerobowamu izwa izwi umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso ayelimemezele ngokumelene ne-altare eBhethele, yelula isandla sayo isisusa e-altare, yathi: “Mbambeni!” + Ngokushesha, isandla eyayiselulele kuye soma,* yayingasakwazi ukusibuyisa. + 5 I-altare lahlukana phakathi, umlotha wachitheka e-altare, ngokuvumelana nebika* uJehova ayelitshele umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso.

6 Ngakho inkosi yathi kumuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso: “Ngicela uncenge* uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ungithandazele ukuba isandla sami siphiliswe.” + Khona-ke umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso wamncenga uJehova, isandla senkosi saphiliswa, saba njengasekuqaleni. 7 Inkosi yabe isithi kumuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso: “Woza siye ekhaya uthole okudliwayo, ngikuphe nesipho.” 8 Kodwa umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso wathi enkosini: “Ngisho noma ubunganginika ingxenye yendlu yakho, bengingeke ngihambe nawe ngidle isinkwa noma ngiphuze amanzi kule ndawo. 9 Ngoba yile ndlela uJehova angiyale ngayo, wathi: ‘Akumele udle isinkwa noma uphuze amanzi, futhi ungabuyeli emuva ngendlela oze ngayo.’ ” 10 Ngakho wahamba ngenye indlela, akazange abuyele emuva ngendlela ayeze ngayo eBhethele.

11 Kunomprofethi othile owayesemdala owayehlala eBhethele, amadodana akhe afika ekhaya amxoxela zonke izinto umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso ayezenzile ngalolo suku eBhethele namazwi ayewakhulume enkosini. Ngemva kokuxoxela uyise ngalezi zinto, 12 uyise wawabuza wathi: “Uhambe ngayiphi indlela?” Ngakho amadodana akhe ambonisa indlela lo muntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso owayevela kwaJuda ayehambe ngayo. 13 Manje wathi emadodaneni akhe: “Ngibopheleni imbongolo.” Ngakho ambophela imbongolo, wayigibela.

14 Wamlandela lo muntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso wamthola ehlezi ngaphansi kwesihlahla esikhulu. Wathi kuye: “Ingabe nguwena umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso ovela kwaJuda?” + Waphendula wathi: “Yebo yimina.” 15 Wathi kuye: “Woza siye ekhaya udle isinkwa.” 16 Kodwa wathi: “Ngeke ngikwazi ukuphindela nawe emuva noma ngamukele isimemo sakho, anginakusidla nesinkwa noma ngiphuze amanzi kanye nawe kule ndawo. 17 Ngoba uJehova ungiyalile wathi: ‘Akumele udle isinkwa noma uphuze amanzi lapho. Akumele ubuye ngendlela ohambe ngayo.’ ” 18 Yena wathi kuye: “Nami ngingumprofethi njengawe, ingelosi inginike lo myalo ovela kuJehova, yathi, ‘Mlande ubuyele naye emzini wakho ukuze azodla isinkwa, aphuze namanzi.’ ” (Wamkhohlisa.) 19 Ngakho waphindela naye emuva ukuze ayodla isinkwa aphuze namanzi emzini wakhe.

20 Kwathi besahlezi etafuleni, izwi likaJehova lafika kumprofethi owayembuyisile, 21 wabe esememeza umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso owayevela kwaJuda, wathi, “Yilokhu uJehova akushoyo: ‘Ngenxa yokuthi udlubulundile emyalweni kaJehova wangawugcina umyalo uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho akuyale ngawo, 22 kodwa uphindele emuva wayodla isinkwa waphuza namanzi endaweni owatshelwa ngayo kwathiwa, “Ungasidli isinkwa noma uphuze amanzi,” isidumbu sakho ngeke sifike emangcwabeni okhokho bakho.’ ” +

23 Lapho umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso eseqedile ukudla isinkwa nokuphuza, umprofethi osekhulile wabophelela lo mprofethi ayembuyisile imbongolo. 24 Ngemva kwalokho wahamba, kodwa wahlangana nebhubesi endleleni lambulala. + Isidumbu sakhe sasidindilize endleleni, imbongolo imi eceleni kwaso; ibhubesi nalo lalimi eceleni kwesidumbu. 25 Kwakukhona abantu abadlulayo abasibona isidumbu sidindilize endleleni nebhubesi limi eceleni kwaso. Bafika bakhuluma ngakho edolobheni lapho kwakuhlala khona lo mprofethi owayesemdala.

26 Lapho umprofethi owayembuyisile endleleni ezwa ngakho, masinyane wathi: “Ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso odlubulunde emyalweni kaJehova; + ngakho uJehova umnikele ebhubesini, ukuba limdwengule limbulale, ngokwezwi likaJehova ayelikhulume kuye.” + 27 Wabe esethi emadodaneni akhe: “Ngibopheleni imbongolo.” Ngakho ayibophela. 28 Ngemva kwalokho wahamba wafike wathola isidumbu sidindilize endleleni, imbongolo nebhubesi kumi eceleni kwaso. Ibhubesi lalingasidlanga isidumbu, lingayidwengulanga nembongolo. 29 Lo mprofethi waphakamisa isidumbu somuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso wasibeka phezu kwembongolo, wabuyela naso edolobheni lakubo ukuze amlilele futhi amngcwabe. 30 Ngakho wabeka isidumbu ethuneni lakhe, futhi babelokhu bemlilela bethi: “Kwaze kwakubi, mfowethu!” 31 Ngemva kokumngcwaba, wathi emadodaneni akhe: “Lapho ngifa, kumele ningingcwabe ethuneni okungcwatshwe kulo umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso. Nibeke amathambo ami eceleni kwamathambo akhe. + 32 Ngoba izwi likaJehova alikhulumile nge-altare eliseBhethele nangazo zonke izindlu zokukhulekela ezisezindaweni eziphakeme + emadolobheni aseSamariya nakanjani liyogcwaliseka.” +

33 Ngisho nangemva kokuba kwenzeke lokhu, uJerobowamu akazange aphenduke endleleni yakhe embi, kodwa waqhubeka ethatha abantu abavamile ebenza abapristi bezindawo eziphakeme. + Noma ubani owayefisa ukuba ngumpristi wayemenza umpristi,* athi: “Makabe ngomunye wabapristi bezindawo eziphakeme.” + 34 Lesi sono esenziwa yindlu kaJerobowamu + sayiholela ekubhujisweni nasekuqothulweni kwayo yasuka ebusweni bomhlaba. +