1 Kings 13

Umuntu kaNkulunkulu Ovela koJuda

1UJerobhowami esemi e-alithareni ukuze atshise impepha, kwafika umuntu kaNkulunkulu eBetheli evela koJuda elelizwi likaJehova, 2walethula e-alithareni lelilizwi likaJehova elithi: “Wena alithare! Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova ukuthi, ‘Kuzazalwa indodana endlini kaDavida, egama layo linguJosiya. Izakwenza umhlatshelo phezu kwakho ngabaphristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo okwakhathesi abenza iminikelo khona lapha, lamathambo abantu azatshiselwa phezu kwakho.’ ” 3Ngalonalolosuku umuntu kaNkulunkulu wenza isibonakaliso esithi: “Lesi yisiboniso esivela kuJehova: I-alithare lizadatshulwa phakathi lomlotha ophezu kwalo uzachithwa.”

4Inkosi uJerobhowami isizwile isikhalo sendoda evela kuNkulunkulu nge-alithare leBetheli yelulela isandla sayo e-alithareni, yathi, “Mbambeni!” Kodwa isandla leso ayeselulile soma wehluleka ukusifinyeza.

5Kwathi i-alithare lalo ladatshulwa phakathi umlotha walo walahlwa, njengokwesibonakaliso esasethulwe ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu ngelizwi likaJehova.

6Inkosi yathi emuntwini kaNkulunkulu, “Ake ungincengele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ungikhulekele, ukuba isandla sami sisiliswe sibuyele esimeni saso.” Umuntu kaNkulunkulu wasemncengela kuJehova, lesandla sikaJerobhowami sasiliswa saba njengakuqala.

7Wasesithi emuntwini kaNkulunkulu: “Ake siye ekhaya ukuba udle, ngizakunika umvuzo.”

8Kodwa umuntu kaNkulunkulu wayiphendula inkosi wathi, “Loba ungaze unginike ingxenye yenotho yakho, kangihambi lawe; kangiyikudla ukudla, njalo angiyikunatha amanzi kulindawo; 9ngoba ngilaywe ngelizwi likaJehova ukuthi: ‘Ungabokudla ukudla, unganathi amanzi njalo ungaphenduki ngendlela oze ngayo.’ ” 10Ngakho wabuyela ngenye indlela, kasabuyelanga ngendlela ayeze ngayo eBhetheli.

11Kwakulomprofethi omdala owayehlala eBetheli, okweza kuye amadodana akhe amtshela ngokwakwenziwe ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu ngalolosuku. Amadodana atshela uyise lokuthi indoda leyo yayitheni enkosini.

12Uyise wasebuza amadodana ukuthi: “Pho angabe uhambe ngayiphi indlela?” Amadodana atshengisa uyise indlela eyathathwa ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu owavela koJuda. 13Wasesithi kumadodana akhe, “Lungisani ubabhemi lingifakele isihlalo phezu kwakhe.” Kwathi sebemlungisele wagada ubabhemi 14walandela umuntu kaNkulunkulu, wamfumana ehlezi ngaphansi kwesihlahla som-okhi wambuza wathi, “Nguwe umuntu kaNkulunkulu na ovela koJuda?” Indoda yathi, “Yebo yimi.”

15Ngakho umphrofethi wasesithi kuye, “Woza siye ekhaya uzokudla.”

16Umuntu kaNkulunkulu wathi, “Angingeke ngiphenduke ukuthi ngibuyele lawe emuva, njalo angingeke ngidle ukudla loba nginathe amanzi lawe kule indawo. 17Ilizwi likaJehova lifike kimi lathi, ‘Ungadli ukudla kwalapha, unganathi lamanzi akhona njalo ungabobuyela ngendlela oze ngayo.’ ”

18Umphrofethi omdala wamphendula wathi, “Lami ngingumphrofethi njengawe. Ingelosi yeza kimi ngelizwi likaJehova yathi: ‘Ubomletha umbuyisele emuva endlini yakho ukuze ayethola ukudla anathe lamanzi.’ ” (Kodwa wayeqamba amanga.) 19Ngakho umuntu kaNkulunkulu wabuyela laye wafika wadla ukudla wanatha lamanzi endlini yakhe.

20Besahlezi endaweni yokudlela, ilizwi likaJehova lafika kuye umprofethi omdala owayemphendule wabuyela laye emuva.

21Wakhuluma kulowomuntu kaNkulunkulu owayevela koJuda wathi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova: ‘Usuphikise ilizwi likaJehova awusagcinanga imilayo kaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho akulaya ngayo. 22Uphenduke endleleni wafika wadla ukudla wanatha lamanzi lapho utshelwe ukuthi ungaze wadla ukudla kumbe unathe amanzi akhona. Ngenxa yalokho isidumbu sakho asisayikungcwatshwa emangcwabeni abokhokho bakho.’ ”

23Kwathi umuntu kaNkulunkulu eseqedile ukudla lokunatha, umphrofethi owayemphendule endleleni wambuyisela emuva wafaka isihlalo sakhe phezu kukababhemi wamkhweza. 24Uthe esengene indlela yakhe, kwavela isilwane endleleni sambulala, isidumbu sakhe sasala phansi emgwaqweni, kwathi ubabhemi wema ngapha kwesidumbu lesilwane sime ngale kwaso. 25Abantu ababesedlula lapho babona isidumbu siwele khonapho emgwaqweni, isilwane simi eceleni phansi kwesidumbu, bedlulela edolobheni bayabikela umphrofethi omdala lapho ayehlala khona.

26Kwathi umphrofethi owayemphendule endleleni ehambeni lwakhe ekuzwa lokhu, wathi, “Ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu odelele ilizwi likaJehova. UJehova umnikele esilwaneni, esimphoqoze sambulala, njengoba ilizwi likaJehova belimxwayisile.”

27Umphrofethi wathi emadodaneni akhe, “Ngilungiselani ubabhemi limethese isihlalo.” Akwenza lokho amadodana, 28wasesuka esiya khonale lapho afumana khona isidumbu endleleni, ngapha kumi isilwane ngale kungubabhemi emaceleni aso. Isilwane asizange sisithinte isidumbu kanti njalo sasivele singazange simthinte lobabhemi.

29Ngakho umphrofethi wathatha isidumbu somuntu kaNkulunkulu, wasikhweza kubabhemi, wasithwalela edolobheni lakhe lapho afika amlilela khona njalo wamngcwaba khona. 30Wasebeka isidumbu engcwabeni lakhe, wamlilela wathi, “Maye, umfowethu!”

31Ngemva kokumngcwaba, wathi kumadodana akhe, “Ekufeni kwami, lingingcwabe engcwabeni lona leli okungcwatshwe khona umuntu kaNkulunkulu; libekelele amathambo ami ndawonye lamathambo akhe. 32Ngoba ilizwi alimemezelayo ngelizwi likaJehova phezu kwe-alithare eBhetheli laphezu kwazo zonke indawana zomhlatshelo eziphakemeyo emadolobheni aseSamariya lizagcwaliseka.”

33Langemva kwalokhu, uJerobhowami kazange aguqule izindlela zakhe zokona, waqhubeka ekhetha abaphristi bendawo eziphakemeyo edobha nje ingqe ngubani ebantwini. Kwakusithi loba ngubani ofuna ukuba ngumphristi wayemgcobela indawo eziphezulu. 34Lesi kwakuyisono sendlu kaJerobhowami esakhokhelela ekuweni lasekudilikeni kwayo kayaze yaba khona emhlabeni.