USamyela Wesibili 24:1-25
24 Ilaka lakaJehova lavuthela u-Israyeli+ godu ngesikhathi othileko ahlohlozela uDavida* bona ajamelane nabo, ngokuthi: “Khamba uyokubala+ u-Israyeli noJuda.”+
2 Yeke ikosi yathi kuJowabi+ induna yebutho ebeyinaye: “Ngibawa uye kizo zoke iintjhaba zakwa-Israyeli, kusukela kwaDani kufikela eBheritjheba+ utlolise abantu bona ngazi isibalo sabo.”
3 Kodwana uJowabi wathi ekosini: “Kwanga uJehova uZimakho angandisa abantu ngokubuyelelwe kali-100 begodu kwanga amehlo wekosami angakubona lokho, kodwana kubayini ikosami ifuna ukwenza into enjengale?”
4 Nanyana kunjalo, ilizwi lekosi laba namandla kunelizwi lakaJowabi neenduna zebutho. Yeke uJowabi neenduna zebutho baphuma phambi kwekosi bayokutlolisa abantu bakwa-Israyeli.+
5 Bayama iJordani bahloma ikampa e-Aroweri+ ngesidleni sedorobho* phakathi nomrhoba, batjhinga ngehlangothini lamaGadi neJazeri.+
6 Ngemva kwalokho badlulela eGiliyadi+ nenarheni kaTarhitimi-Rhoditjhi neDani-Jayani begodu babhoda batjhinga eTsidoni.+
7 Ngemva kwalokho batjhinga endaweni evikelekileko yeTirosi+ nakiwo woke amadorobho wamaRhivi+ namaKanana, baphelela eNegebhi+ yakwaJuda eBheritjheba.+
8 Ngokunjalo bayikhamba yoke inarha begodu bafika eJerusalema ekupheleni kweenyanga ezilithoba namalanga ama-20.
9 Nje-ke uJowabi wanikela ikosi inani labantu abatlolisiweko. U-Israyeli bekaneengorho ezizii-800 000 ezihlome ngeensabula begodu abantu bakwaJuda bebazii-500 000.+
10 Kodwana ihliziyo kaDavida yambetha*+ begodu wazisola ngemva kokubala abantu. Yeke uDavida wathi kuJehova: “Ngone+ khulu ngokwenza lokhu. Nje-ke Jehova, ngibawa ulibalele umtjhapho wencekwakho+ ngombana budlhadlha obukhulu engibenzileko.”+
11 UDavida nakavukako ekuseni, ilizwi lakaJehova lafika kuGadi+ umphorofidi, umboni kaDavida, lathi:
12 “Iya kuDavida uthi kuye, ‘UJehova uthi: “Ngikunikela izinto ezintathu okufuze ukhethe kizo. Khetha leyo okufuze ngiyilethe kuwe.”’”+
13 Ngalokho uGadi wangena ngakuDavida wathi kuye: “Kghani kufuze kufike iminyaka elikhomba yendlala enarhenakho?+ Namkha kufuze ubalekele amanabakho iinyanga ezintathu kukulapho wona akugijimisa?+ Namkha kufuze kube namalanga amathathu wokugula okutjhabalalisako enarhenakho?+ Nje-ke cabangisisa kuhle ngokuthi ngimphendule ngithini ongithumileko.”
14 UDavida wathi kuGadi: “Ngibuhlungu khulu. Ngibawa siwele esandleni sakaJehova+ ngombana isirhawu sakhe sikhulu;+ kodwana ungangivumeli ngiwele esandleni somuntu.”+
15 Nje-ke uJehova wathumela ukugula okutjhabalalisako+ kwa-Israyeli kusukela ekuseni bekwaba sikhathi esibekiweko, kwahlongakala+ abantu abazii-70 000 kusukela kwaDani kufikela eBheritjheba.+
16 Kwathi ingilozi nayilulela isandla sayo eJerusalema bona iyitjhabalalise, uJehova wazisola* ngehlekelele+ le begodu wathi engilozini ebeyitjhabalalisa abantu: “Kwanele! Yehlisa isandla sakho.” Ingilozi kaJehova beyiseduze neselelo saka-Arawuna+ umJebusi.+
17 Kwathi uDavida nakabona ingilozi ebeyirhayila abantu, wathi kuJehova: “Ngimi owonileko, ngimi owenze okumbi kodwana izimvezi+ zenzeni? Ngibawa isandla sakho sibethe mina nendlu kababa.”+
18 Yeke uGadi wangena ngakuDavida mhlokho wathi kuye: “Khuphuka uyokujamisela uJehova i-aldara eselelweni saka-Arawuna umJebusi.”+
19 Ngalokho uDavida wakhuphuka ngokuvumelana nelizwi lakaGadi njengombana uJehova bekayalile.
20 Kwathi u-Arawuna nakaqala enzasi wabona ikosi neenceku zayo beza kuye, khonokho u-Arawuna waphuma wakhothama ekosini wahloma ihloko phasi.
21 U-Arawuna wabuza: “Ikosami izeleni encekwinayo?” UDavida waphendula wathi: “Ngizokuthenga iselelo sakho bona ngakhele uJehova i-aldara bona isibetho esisebantwini siphele.”+
22 Kodwana u-Arawuna wathi kuDavida: “Ikosami ayisithathe begodu inikele lokho okubonakala kukuhle kiyo. Nanzi iinkomo zomnikelo otjhiswako neengodo zesileyi nejogi leenkomo bona kube ziinkuni.
23 Maye! Kosi, koke lokhu u-Arawuna ukunikela ikosi.” Ngemva kwalokho u-Arawuna wathi ekosini: “Kwanga uJehova uZimakho angaba nomusa kuwe.”
24 Nanyana kunjalo, ikosi yathi ku-Arawuna: “Awa, kufuze ngizithenge kuwe ngentengo. Angekhe nginikele kuJehova uZimami imihlatjelo etjhiswako ngezinto engizifumene simahla.” Yeke uDavida wathenga iselelo neenkomo ngamatjhekeli* wesiliva ama-50.+
25 UDavida wakhela uJehova i-aldara+ lapho begodu wanikela imihlatjelo etjhiswako nemihlatjelo yetjhebiswano. Yeke uJehova waphendula isibawo senarha,+ isibetho u-Israyeli abethwa ngaso saphela.
Imitlolo Ephasi
^ Namkha “ngesikhathi uDavida ahlohlozelwa.”
^ Namkha “ngesewula yedorobho.”
^ Namkha “Kodwana uDavida wadliwa ngunembeza.”
^ Namkha “waba lisizi.”
^ Itjhekeli beyilingana namagremu ayi-11.4. Qala Isith. B14.
