2Sa 24 | NdeIBE | STEP | Ulaka lukaJehova lwabuya lwavutha ngenxa ka-Israyeli, wenza uDavida wamelana labo, esithi, “Hambani liyebala abantu bako-Israyeli labakoJuda.”

2 Samuel 24

UDavida ubala abantu bokulwa

1 Ulaka lukaJehova lwabuya lwavutha ngenxa ka-Israyeli, wenza uDavida wamelana labo, esithi, “Hambani liyebala abantu bako-Israyeli labakoJuda.”

2 Ngakho inkosi yathi kuJowabi labalawuli bebutho ababelaye, “Hambani ezizweni zonke zako-Israyeli kusukela koDani kusiya eBherisheba libhale abantu bokulwa, ukuze ngazi ukuthi bangaki.”

3 Kodwa uJowabi waphendula inkosi wathi, “Sengathi inkosi uNkulunkulu wakho angandisa amabutho ngokulikhulu, njalo sengathi lamehlo kamhlekazi wami uJehova angakubona lokho. Kodwa-ke umhlekazi wami inkosi ifunelani ukwenza into enje?”

4 Kodwa ilizwi lenkosi lamenqabela uJowabi kanye labalawuli bebutho; ngakho basuka phambi kwenkosi ukuba bayebhala abantu bokulwa ko-Israyeli.

5 Sebechaphe iJodani bamisa eduze le-Aroweri, eningizimu komuzi edongeni, basebedabula phakathi kwakoGadi besedlulela eJazeri. 6 Baya eGileyadi lasesifundeni saseThahithimi Hodishi, laphambili eDani Jawani lasezindaweni eziseduze kusiya eSidoni.

7 Emva kwalokho baqonda enqabeni yaseThire lakuyo yonke imizi yamaHivi lamaKhenani. Ekucineni, baya eBherisheba eNegebi yakoJuda.

8 Sebelihambe lonke ilizwe, babuyela eJerusalema emva kwezinyanga ezificamunye lezinsuku ezingamatshumi amabili.

9 UJowabi walibika inani labantu bokulwa kuJehova: Ko-Israyeli kwakulamadoda aqinileyo ayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amahlanu.

10 Emva kokubala abantu bokulwa uDavida wakhathazeka enhliziyweni yakhe, wasesithi kuJehova, “Ngenze isono esikhulu ngalokhu engikwenzileyo. Khathesi-ke, awu Jehova, ngiyacela, susa icala lenceku yakho. Ngenze into yobuthutha.”

11 UDavida engakavuki ngokusa okwalandelayo, ilizwi likaJehova laselifikile kuGadi umphrofethi, umboni kaDavida, lisithi:

12 “Hamba uyetshela uDavida uthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova: Ngikunika okuthathu ukuba ukhethe kukho: Khetha okukodwa kwakho ukuba ngikwenze kuwe.’ ”

13 Ngakho uGadi waya kuDavida wathi kuye, “Kungehliselwa kuwe indlala yeminyaka emithathu elizweni lakho na? Loba izinyanga ezintathu ubalekela izitha zakho zixotshana lawe na? Kumbe izinsuku ezintathu zesifo elizweni lakho na? Khathesi-ke cabanga ngakho wenze isinqumo ukuthi ngizamphendula njani lowo ongithumileyo.”

14 UDavida wathi kuGadi, “Ngiphakathi kokukhathazeka okukhulu. Kasiweleni ezandleni zikaJehova, ngoba isihawu sakhe sikhulu, kodwa ungangiyekeli ngiwela ezandleni zabantu.”

15 Ngakho uJehova wathumela isifo ku-Israyeli kusukela ekuseni kwamhlalokho kwaze kwafika isikhathi esasimisiwe, kwafa abantu abayizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa kusukela koDani kusiya eBherisheba. 16 Kwathi ingilosi isiyelule isandla sayo ukuba itshabalalise iJerusalema, uJehova wayeselusizi ngenxa yomonakalo ngakho wathi engilosini eyayiqothula abantu, “Kwanele! Susa isandla sakho.” Ngalesosikhathi ingilosi yayisisesizeni sika-Arawuna umJebusi.

17 Kwathi uDavida ebona ingilosi eyayibulala abantu, wathi kuJehova, “Mina yimi engenze isono ngenza okubi. Laba bayizimvu nje. Kuyini abakwenzileyo? Isandla sakho kasiwele phezu kwami labendlu yami.”

UDavida wakha i-alithare

18 Ngalolosuku uGadi waya kuDavida wathi kuye, “Hamba uyekwakhela uJehova i-alithare esizeni sika-Arawuna umJebusi.” 19 Ngakho uDavida wahamba njengokulaya kukaJehova ngoGadi. 20 Kwathi u-Arawuna ekhangela njalo ebona inkosi labantu bayo besiza kuye, waphuma wakhothama phambi kwenkosi ubuso bakhe buthe mbo phansi.

21 U-Arawuna wathi, “Umhlekazi wami inkosi ulandeni encekwini yakhe na?” UDavida waphendula wathi, “Ngilande ukuzathenga isiza sakho, ukuze ngakhele uJehova i-alithare, ukuze isifo siphele ebantwini.”

22 U-Arawuna wasesithi kuDavida, “Umhlekazi wami inkosi kathathe loba kuyini okumthokozisayo anikele ngakho. Nanzi izinkabi zomnikelo wokutshiswa, nansi lemibhulo yokubhula kanye lamajogwe ezinkabi ukuba kube zinkuni. 23 Awu nkosi, u-Arawuna unika inkosi konke lokhu.” U-Arawuna wabuya wathi kuye, “Sengathi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho angakwamukela.”

24 Kodwa inkosi yathi ku-Arawuna, “Hayi, ngiyagcizelela ekuthini ngikuthenge kuwe. Kangiyikunikela kuJehova uNkulunkulu wami umhlatshelo wokutshiswa ongangibizelanga lutho.” Ngakho uDavida wasithenga isiza kanye lezinkabi ngamashekeli esiliva angamatshumi amahlanu. 25 UDavida wakhela uJehova ialithare khonapho wasenikela imihlatshelo yokutshiswa leminikelo yobudlelwano. Laphoke uJehova waphendula ukukhulekelwa kwelizwe, isifo saphela ko-Israyeli.