1Ngonyaka wesikhombisa uJehoyada waqunga isibindi, wathatha abakhuzi bempi bamakhulu, u-Azariya indodana kaJerohamu, u-Ishmayeli indodana kaJehohanani, u-Azariya indodana ka-Obhede, uMahaseya indodana ka-Adaya, no-Elishafathi indodana kaZikhiri, wenza isivumelwano nabo.
2Balizungeza lonke elakwaJuda, baqoqa abaLevi emizini yonke yakwaJuda, nezinhloko zezindlu zoyise zakwa-Israyeli, beza eJerusalema.
3Lonke ibandla lenza isivumelwano nenkosi endlini kaNkulunkulu; uJehoyada wathi kubo: “Bhekani, nansi indodana yenkosi, iyakubusa njengokusho kukaSimakade ngamadodana kaDavide.
4Nakhu-ke okumele nikwenze: ingxenye eyodwa yokuthathu yalabo abangena ngesabatha, abangabaphristi, nabaLevi, iyakuba ngabalindimasango.
5Ingxenye yokuthathu elandelayo, iyokuba sesigodlweni senkosi; ingxenye yokugcina yokuthathu ibe sesangweni Lesisekelo, bonke abantu bayoba semagcekeni endlu kaSimakade.
6Makungangeni muntu endlini kaSimakade ngaphandle kwabaphristi nabaLevi okuyibona abakhonzayo; bona bayakungena ngokuba bangcwele, kepha bonke abantu bayakugcina izimfanelo zikaSimakade.
7AbaLevi bayakuyizungeza inkosi, yilowo nalowo ephethe izikhali zakhe esandleni, oyongena endlini uyobulawa; niyoba nenkosi ekungeneni nasekuphumeni kwayo.”
8AbaLevi noJuda wonke benza njengakho konke uJehoyada, umphristi, ayebayalile; yilowo nalowo wathatha abantu bakhe ababengena ngesabatha, nalabo ababephuma ngesabatha, ngokuba uJehoyada, umphristi, akazihambisanga izigaba.
9UJehoyada, umphristi, wanika abakhuzi bempi bamakhulu imikhonto, amahawu, nezihlangu okwakungezenkosi uDavide, ezazihlala endlini kaNkulunkulu.
10Wamisa abantu bonke yilowo nalowo ephethe isikhali sakhe esandleni sakhe, kusukela ohlangothini lwesokunene lwendlu, kuze kube sohlangothini lwesokhohlo lwendlu, ngase-althare nanxazonke zendlu okwakukuyo inkosi.
11Bayiletha indodana yenkosi base bebeka umqhele, bayinika ubufakazi, bayibeka yaba yinkosi. UJehoyada namadodana akhe bayigcoba, bathi: “Mana njalo, nkosi.”
12U-Athaliya wawuzwa umsindo wabantu ababegijima bedumisa inkosi, wanikela khona kubantu, endlini kaSimakade.
13Wabheka, wayibona inkosi imi ngasensikeni yayo ngasekungeneni. Izikhulu nabamacilongo babenenkosi; bonke abantu bezwe bathokoza, bashaya amacilongo, abahlabelelayo babebetha izinto zokucula, behola indumiso. U-Athaliya wayeseklebhula izingubo zakhe, wathi: “Ukuvukela umbuso! Ukuvukela umbuso!”
14UJehoyada, umphristi, wayesethumela abakhuzi bempi bamakhulu ebabephethe amabutho, wathi kubo: “Mkhipheni, nimlethe phakathi kwezinhla zamabutho, omlandelayo nimbulale ngenkemba,” ngokuba umphristi wayeshilo wathi: “Ningambulaleli endlini kaSimakade.”
15Base bembamba ngezandla baya naye ekungeneni kwesango lamahhashi, endlini yenkosi; bambulala khona.
16UJehoyada wenza isivumelwano phakathi kwakhe nabantu bonke nenkosi ukuba babe ngabantu bakaSimakade.
17Bonke abantu baya endlini kaBhali, bayibhidliza, baphihliza ama-althare ayo nezithombe zayo. UMathani, umphristi kaBhali, bambulalela phambi kwama-althare.
18UJehoyada wabeka abaphristi nabaLevi ukuba bagade indlu kaSimakade. UDavide wayebehlukanisele indlu kaSimakade ukuba banikele ngeminikelo yokushiswa kuSimakade, njengalokhu kulotshiwe emthethweni kaMose; bakwenze ngentokozo nangokuhuba, njengalokhu uDavide ayehlelile.
19Wabeka abalindimasango emasangweni endlu kaSimakade, ukuze kungangeni ongcolile noma ngabe ungcoliswe yini.
20Wathatha abakhuzi bempi bamakhulu, izikhulu, nababusi phakathi kwabantu, bonke abantu bezwe bayikhipha inkosi endlini kaSimakade, bangena ngesango elingenhla esigodlweni senkosi, base beyibeka esihlalweni sobukhosi sombuso.
21Bonke abantu bezwe bathokoza, umuzi waba nokuthula, ngokuba u-Athaliya babembulele ngenkemba.