2 Kings 16
1 Ngonyaka we-17 wokubusa kukaPheka, indodana kaRemaliya, u-Ahazi, indodana kaJothamu, waba yinkosi kwaJuda.
2 Wayeneminyaka engama-20, ngesikhathi eqala ukubusa. Wabusa iminyaka eli-16 eJerusalema. Akakwenzanga okulungile phambi kukaSimakade, uNkulunkulu wakhe, njengoDavide, ukhokho wakhe.
3 Kepha wahamba ngendlela yamakhosi akwa-Israyeli, waze wadabulisa nendodana yakhe emlilweni, njengezinengiso zabezizwe uSimakade abaxosha phambi kwabantu bakwa-Israyeli.
4 Wahlaba, washisa nempepho ezindaweni eziphakemeyo, emagqumeni naphansi kwazo zonke izihlahla eziluhlaza.
5 Ngaso leso sikhathi kwakhuphuka uRezini, inkosi yase-Aramu, noPheka, indodana kaRemaliya, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, bahlasela iJerusalema. Bamvimbezela u-Ahazi, kodwa abakwazanga ukumnqoba.
6 Ngaleso sikhathi uRezini, inkosi yase-Aramu, wabuyisela i-Elathi e-Aramu, wabaxosha abaJuda e-Elathi, kwase kufika ama-Aramu nabakwa-Edomi bahlala kulo kuze kube namuhla.
7 U-Ahazi wathumela izithunywa kuThigilathi Phileseri, inkosi yase-Asiriya, wathi: “Mina ngiyinceku yakho nendodana yakho; khuphuka ungisindise esandleni senkosi yase-Aramu, nasesandleni senkosi yakwa-Israyeli, abangivukele.”
8 U-Ahazi wathatha isiliva negolide alithola endlini kaSimakade nasengcebeni yesigodlo, walithumela enkosini yase-Asiriya, laba yisipho sayo.
9 Inkosi yase-Asiriya yamlalela; yakhuphuka yayohlasela iDamaseku, yalidla, yathumba abantu bakhona, yabasa eKhiri, yambulala uRezini.
10 Inkosi u-Ahazi yaya eDamaseku yayohlangabeza uThigilathi Phileseri, inkosi yase-Asiriya, yabona i-althare elaliseDamaseku. Inkosi u-Ahazi yathumela ku-Uriya, umphristi, imtshela nge-althare, isimo salo, nokuthi injani indlela elenziwe ngayo, nakho konke okwakukulo.
11 U-Uriya, umphristi, walakha i-althare njengokwemiyalelo yenkosi u-Ahazi eyayimthumelele yona iseDamaseku, yaze yabuya inkosi u-Ahazi eDamaseku.
12 Inkosi isibuyile eDamaseku, yalibona i-althare, yasondela kulo, yanikela kulo.
13 Yashisa umnikelo wayo wokushiswa, nomnikelo wayo wempuphu, yathulula umnikelo wayo wokuphuzwayo, yafafaza igazi leminikelo yokuthula e-althare.
14 Kepha i-althare lethusi elaliphambi kukaSimakade, yalisusa phambi kwendlu naphakathi kwe-althare nendlu kaSimakade, yalibeka ohlangothini olungasenyakatho lwe-althare layo.
15 Inkosi u-Ahazi yamyala u-Uriya, umphristi, yathi: “E-althare elikhulu shisa umnikelo wokushiswa wasekuseni, umnikelo wokusanhlamvu wakusihlwa, umnikelo wokushiswa wenkosi, nomnikelo wayo wokusanhlamvu nomnikelo wokushiswa wabo bonke abantu abasezweni: umnikelo wabo wokusanhlamvu, neminikelo yabo yokuphuzwayo. Ulifafaze ngalo lonke igazi lomnikelo wokushiswa, nalo lonke igazi lomhlatshelo, kodwa i-althare lethusi lizokuba ngelami, ukubuza izinto kulo.”
16 U-Uriya, umphristi, wenza konke njengokuyala kwenkosi u-Ahazi.
17 Inkosi yazinquma izisekelo zezinqe, yawususa umcengezi wokugezela, ulwandle olwaluphezu kwezinkabi zethusi yalwehlisa, yalubeka endaweni eyayigandaywe ngamatshe.
18 Indlela esibekelweyo yesabatha eyayakhiwe ngaphakathi esigodlweni, nendlela yangaphandle inkosi eyayingena ngayo, yakususa endlini kaSimakade; ngenxa yenkosi yase-Asiriya.
19 Ezinye izindaba zika-Ahazi azenzayo, azilotshiwe yini encwadini yezindaba zemihla ngemihla yamakhosi akwaJuda na?
20 U-Ahazi walalaliswa kokhokho bakhe, wembelwa kokhokho bakhe emzini kaDavide. UHezekiya, indodana yakhe, waba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.