Eyesibili EyemiLando

20 Ngemva kwalokho amaMowabi+ lama-Amoni+ lamanye ama-Amonimi* abuya ezokulwa loJehoshafathi. 2 Ngakho uJehoshafathi watshelwa ukuthi kulebutho elikhulu elizomhlasela lisuka esabelweni solwandle* ko-Edomi+ lokuthi laseliseHazazoni-thamari, okutsho i-Eni-gedi.+ 3 UJehoshafathi wathi ekuzwa lokho wesaba, wazimisela ukudinga uJehova.+ Yikho wathi bonke abantu bakoJuda bazile ukudla. 4 AbakoJuda babuthana ndawonye ukuze babuze kuJehova.+ Babuya bevela kuwo wonke amadolobho akoJuda bezobuza kuJehova.

5 Abantu bakoJuda labeJerusalema babuthana phambi kweguma elitsha endlini kaJehova. UJehoshafathi wasukuma 6 wathi:

“Awu Jehova Nkulunkulu wabokhokho bethu, ayisuwe yini uNkulunkulu osemazulwini?+ Ayisuwe yini obusa phezu kwayo yonke imibuso yezizwe?+ Isandla sakho silamandla amangalisayo, akulamuntu ongamelana lawe.+ 7 Awu Nkulunkulu wethu, angithi abantu ababehlala elizweni leli wabaxotsha phambi kwabantu bakho bako-Israyeli, ilizwe labo wasulinika izizukulwane zika-Abrahama+ umngane wakho ukuthi lihlale lingelazo? 8 Zahlala kulo njalo zakwakhela lapho indawo engcwele edumisa ibizo lakho+ zisithi: 9 ‘Nxa singehlelwa ngumonakalo, kungaba yinkemba kumbe isahlulelo esibuhlungu loba isifo, sizakuma phambi kwendlu le laphambi kwakho (ngoba ibizo lakho lisendlini le),+ sikubize sicele ukuthi usincedise ebunzimeni njalo wena uzasizwa usincede.’+ 10 Khathesi nampa abantu bako-Amoni labakoMowabi labezintabeni zeSeyiri,+ labo ongazange uvumele abako-Israyeli ukuthi babahlasele ngesikhathi bephuma elizweni leGibhithe. Abako-Israyeli babayekela abazange babatshabalalise.+ 11 Kodwa khathesi bona sebesixotsha elizweni lakho owasinika lona ukuthi libe lilifa lethu.+ 12 Awu Nkulunkulu wethu, awusoze ubajezise yini?+ Phela thina asilamandla okulwa labantu bonke laba abazosihlasela. Asikwazi lokuthi senzeni+ kodwa sikhangele kuwe.”+

13 Ngalesosikhathi wonke amadoda akoJuda ayemi phambi kukaJehova elamakhosikazi awo labantwabawo* abakhulu labancane.

14 Abantu bathi besabuthene umoya kaJehova wehlela kuJahaziyeli indodana kaZakhariya, indodana kaBhenaya, indodana kaJeyiyeli, indodana kaMathaniya, umLevi wosendo luka-Asafi. 15 Wathi: “Lalelani lonke bantu bakoJuda, lani elihlala eJerusalema kanye lawe Nkosi Jehoshafathi. Nanku uJehova akutshoyo kini, ‘Lingalesabi ixuku leli elikhulu futhi lingatshaywa luvalo ngoba impi ayisiyo yenu ngekaNkulunkulu.+ 16 Kusasa kumele liyehle liyehlangana labo, bazabuya ngendlela edlula ezintabeni zaseZizi, futhi lina lizabathola ekucineni kwesigodi lingakafiki enkangala yeJeruweli. 17 Alisoze lilwe empini le, lina manini ezindaweni zenu lingasuki,+ libone uJehova elisindisa.+ Lingesabi bantu bakoJuda labeJerusalema futhi lingatshaywa luvalo.+ Kusasa phumani liyemelana labo, uJehova uzakuba lani.’”+

18 UJehoshafathi wathi esizwa lokho waguqa wathi mbo phansi ngobuso. Bonke abantu bakoJuda labeJerusalema labo bazilahla phansi phambi kukaJehova, bamkhonza uJehova. 19 AmaLevi ayeyizizukulwane zikaKhohathi+ lezikaKhora asukuma adumisa uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ngelizwi elikhulu.+

20 Ngelanga elilandelayo bavuka ekuseni kakhulu, baqonda enkangala yeThekhowa.+ Bathi sebesuka uJehoshafathi wasukuma wathi: “Lalelani bantu bakoJuda lani elihlala eJerusalema, wobani lokholo kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ukuze lenelise ukuma liqine. Wobani lokholo kubaphrofethi+ bakhe, lingenza njalo lizaphumelela.”

21 Wathi esecebisane labantu, wakhetha amadoda ayezahlabelela+ uJehova. Amadoda la ayezamdumisa egqoke izigqoko ezingcwele, ehamba phambi kwamadoda ahlomileyo esithi: “Bongani uJehova ngoba uthando lwakhe oluqotho luhlala kuze kube nini lanini.”+

22 Bathi beqalisa ukuhlabela ngentokozo bedumisa, uJehova wenza ukuthi amadoda ako-Amoni lawakoMowabi lawezintabeni zeSeyiri ahlaselwe engalindelanga. Amadoda la ayezokulwa labakoJuda aqalisa ukubulalana wodwa.+ 23 Ama-Amoni lamaMowabi ahlamukela abantu ababehlala ezintabeni zeSeyiri+ abatshabalalisa. Athi eseqedile ukubulala abantu beSeyiri, aqalisa ukubulalana wodwa aze aqedana.+

24 Abantu bakoJuda bathi befika emphotshongweni wokulinda owawusenkangala,*+ bakhangela lapho okwakulamabutho khona babona sekuyizidumbu zodwa zithe daca emhlabathini.+ Akula loyedwa owayesele ephila. 25 UJehoshafathi labantu bakhe bathola kulempahla enengi lezigqoko lezinye izinto eziligugu. Bafika babutha impahla yamabutho lawo baze behluleka lokuyithwala.+ Kwabathatha amalanga amathathu ukuthwala yonke impahla eyayilapho ngoba yayinengi kakhulu. 26 Ngelanga lesine babuthana esigodini seBherakha,* badumisa* uJehova belapho. Yikho babiza indawo leyo ngokuthi yisigodi seBherakha.+ Ilokhu ibizwa njalo kuze kube lamuhla.

27 Ngemva kwalokho uJehoshafathi wakhokhela wonke amadoda akoJuda laweJerusalema, babuyela eJerusalema bethokoza ngoba uJehova wayebenze banqoba izitha zabo.+ 28 Bangena eJerusalema betshaya iziginci lamahabhu*+ lamacilongo,+ baqonda endlini kaJehova.+ 29 Yonke imibuso yezizwe yamesaba uJehova uNkulunkulu ngesikhathi isizwa ukuthi wayelwe lezitha zabako-Israyeli.+ 30 Umbuso kaJehoshafathi waqhubeka ulokuthula ngoba uNkulunkulu wakhe wayemnika ukuthula* kuyo yonke indawo.+

31 UJehoshafathi waqhubeka ebusa koJuda. Wayeleminyaka engu-35 ngesikhathi esiba yinkosi njalo wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka engu-25. Unina kwakungu-Azubha indodakazi kaShilihi.+ 32 UJehoshafathi waqhubeka elandela okwakusenziwa nguyise u-Asa+ futhi kazange aphambuke, wenza okulungileyo phambi kukaJehova.+ 33 Kodwa izindawo eziphakemeyo* azizange zidilizwe+ futhi abantu babengakalungisi inhliziyo zabo ukuthi badinge uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo.+

34 Yonke imbali kaJehoshafathi kusukela ekuqaleni kuze kuyefika ekucineni, ibhaliwe emibhalweni kaJehu+ indodana kaHanani+ eyafakwa ebhukwini lamakhosi ako-Israyeli. 35 UJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda wenza isivumelwano lenkosi yako-Israyeli u-Ahaziya, eyayisenza okubi.+ 36 Bavumelana ukuthi benze imikhumbi eyayizakuya eThashishi.+ Imikhumbi le bayenzela e-Eziyoni-gebheri.+ 37 Kodwa u-Eliyezeri indodana kaDodavahu weMaresha waphrofetha ngoJehoshafathi wathi: “UJehova uzakudiliza lokho okwenzileyo+ ngoba wenze isivumelwano lo-Ahaziya.” Ngakho imikhumbi yabo yabhidlika+ yehluleka ukuya eThashishi.