Imvuselelo kaJosiya

23Inkosi yasithumela, basebebuthanisa kuye bonke abadala bakoJuda labeJerusalemaa. 2 Inkosi yasisenyukela endlini kaJehova, lawo wonke amadoda akoJuda labo bonke abahlali beJerusalema kanye laye, labapristi labaprofethi, labo bonke abantu kusukela komncinyane kusiya komkhulu, yasifunda endlebeni zabo wonke amazwi ogwalo lwesivumelwanob olwaficwa endlini yeNkosic.

3 Inkosi yema-ke ngasensikeni, yenza isivumelwano phambi kweNkosid, sokuhamba emva kweNkosi, lokugcina imilayo yayo lemithetho yayo lezimiso zayo ngenhliziyo yonke langomphefumulo wonke, ukuqinisa amazwi alesisivumelwano abhaliweyo kulolugwalo. Bonke abantu basebesima esivumelwanenie.

4 Inkosi yasilaya uHilikhiya umpristi omkhuluf labapristi besigaba sesibilig labalindi bombundu womnyango ukuthi bakhuphe ethempelini leNkosi zonke izitsha ezazenzelwe uBhalih lesixuku lebutho lonke lamazulu, wazitshisela ngaphandle kweJerusalema eziqintini zeKidronii, wathwalela umlotha wazo eBhetheli. 5 Wasesusa abapristi bezithombe amakhosi akoJuda ayebabekile ukuthi batshise impepha endaweni eziphakemeyo, emizini yakoJuda, lendawo ezizingelezele iJerusalema, lalabo ababetshisa impepha kuBhali, elangeni, lenyangeni, lezinkanyezini, lebuthweni lonke lamazuluj. 6 Wakhupha isixuku endlini yeNkosi, ngaphandle kweJerusalemak, wasisa esifuleni iKidronil, wasitshisa esifuleni iKidroni, wasichola saba luthulim, waphosela uthuli lwaso emangcwabeni abantwana babantun. 7 Wadiliza izindlu zezinkotshana ezazingasendlini yeNkosio lapho abesifazana ababeselukela khona amaveyili esixukup. 8 Wakhupha bonke abapristi emizini yakoJuda, wangcolisa indawo eziphakemeyo lapho abapristi ababetshisela khona impepha, kusukela eGebaq kusiya eBherishebhar. Wadiliza indawo eziphakemeyo zamasango ezisekungeneni kwesango likaJoshuwa umbusi womuzi, ezazingakwesokhohlo somuntu esangweni lomuzi. 9 Loba kunjalo abapristi bendawo eziphakemeyo kabenyukelanga elathini leNkosi eJerusalema, kodwa badla izinkwa ezingelamvubelo phakathi kwabafowabos. 10 Wasengcolisa iTofethit elisesihotsheni sendodana kaHinomuu ukuze kungabi khona umuntu odabulisa indodana yakhe kumbe indodakazi yakhe emlilweniv kuMolekiw. 11 Wasesusa amabhiza amakhosi akoJuda ayewanikele elangeni ekungeneni kwendlu yeNkosix, ngasekamelweni likaNathani-Meleki umthenwa elalisekhulusiniy, wazitshisa inqola zelanga ngomliloz. 12 Lamalathi ayesephahleni lwendlu kaAhazia engaphezulub awenzayo amakhosi akoJuda, lamalathi uManase ayewenzile emagumeni womabili endlu yeNkosic, inkosi yawadiliza yawachoboza iwasusa lapho, yaluphosela uthuli lwawo esifuleni iKidronid. 13 Lendawo eziphakemeyo, ezaziphambi kweJerusalema, ezazingakwesokunene sentaba yokubola, uSolomoni inkosi yakoIsrayeli eyayizakhele uAshitarothi isinengiso samaSidonie, loKemoshi isinengiso samaMowabif, loMilkomu isinengiso sabantwana bakoAmonig, inkosi yazingcolisa. 14 Wasephahlaza insika eziyizithombe, wagamula izixuku, wagcwalisa izindawo zazo ngamathambo abantu.

15 Lelathi lalo elaliseBhetheli, lendawo ephakemeyo, ayenzayo uJerobhowamu indodana kaNebatih owenza uIsrayeli ukuthi onei, kokubili lelolathi lendawo ephakemeyo wakudiliza, watshisa indawo ephakemeyo, wayichoboza yaba luthuli, watshisa isixuku. 16 Lapho uJosiya ephenduka wabona amangcwaba ayelapho entabeni, wathuma wasekhupha amathambo emangcwabeni, wawatshisela phezu kwelathi, walingcolisa, njengelizwi leNkosi umuntu kaNkulunkulu ayelimemezele, owamemezela lamazwij. 17 Wasesithi: Yisikhumbuzo sani lesiyana engisibonayok? Abantu bomuzi basebesithi kuye: Lingcwaba lomuntu kaNkulunkulu owavela koJuda wamemezela lezizinto ozenzileyo umelene lelathi leBhethelil. 18 Wasesithi: Myekeleni, kakungabi lamuntu othinta amathambo akhe. Basebewayekela amathambo akhe kanye lamathambo omprofethi owavela eSamariyam. 19 Njalo lazo zonke izindlu zezindawo eziphakemeyo ezisemizini yeSamariya, amakhosi akoIsrayeli ayezenzile ukuthukuthelisa, uJosiya wazisusa, wenza kizo njengayo yonke imisebenzi ayeyenze eBhethelin. 20 Wasebulala bonke abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyoo, ababekhonapho, phezu kwamalathi, watshisa amathambo abantu phezu kwawo. Wasebuyela eJerusalemap.

Ukugcinwa kwephasika

21 Inkosi yasilaya bonke abantu isithi: Gcinani iphasika eNkosini uNkulunkulu wenuq, njengalokhu kubhaliwer kulolugwalo lwesivumelwanos. 22 Ngoba kwakungagcinwanga elinjengaleli iphasika kusukela ensukwini zabehluleli abehlulela uIsrayeli, kumbe kuzo zonke izinsuku zamakhosi akoIsrayeli, kumbe zamakhosi akoJudat. 23 Kodwa ngomnyaka wetshumi lesificaminwembili wenkosi uJosiya lagcinwa leliphasika eNkosini eJerusalema.

24 Ngaphezu kwalokho-ke abalamadloziu, labalumbayo, lamatherafi*, lezithombev, lawo wonke amanyala abonakala elizweni lakoJuda leJerusalema, uJosiya wakususa, ukuze aqinise amazwi omlayo ayebhalwe ogwalweni uHilikhiya umpristi alufica endlini yeNkosiw. 25 Langaphambi kwakhe kakubanga khona inkosi eyafanana laye eyaphendukela eNkosini ngenhliziyo yayo yonke langomphefumulo wayo wonkex langamandla ayo wonke, njengokomlayo wonke kaMozisi. Futhi emva kwakhe kakuvelanga eyafanana layey.

26 Kanti iNkosi kayiphendukanga ekuvutheni kolaka lwayo olukhulu, olaka lwayo eyavuthela ngalo uJuda, ngenxa yazo zonke intukutheliso uManase ayithukuthelisa ngazoz. 27 INkosi yasisithi: Ngizamsusa loJuda phambi kwami, njengoba ngasusa uIsrayelia, ngiwulahle lumuzi weJerusalema engawukhethayob, lendlu engathi ngayo: Ibizo lami lizakuba laphoc.

Ukufa kukaJosiya

28 Ezinye-ke zezindaba zikaJosiya, lakho konke akwenzayo, kakubhalwanga yini egwalweni lwemilando yamakhosi akoJuda?

29 Ensukwini zakhe uFaro Neko inkosi yeGibhithe wenyuka wamelana lenkosi yeAsiriya emfuleni iYufrathi. Inkosi uJosiya yasisiyahlangabezana laye; wayibulalela eMegido eseyibonile. 30 Inceku zakhe zasezimthwala efile ngenqola, zisuka eMegido, zamusa eJerusalema, zamngcwaba engcwabeni lakhe. Abantu belizwe basebethatha uJehowahazi indodana kaJosiya, bamgcoba, bambeka waba yinkosi esikhundleni sikayise.

Ukubusa kukaJehowahazi

31 UJehowahazi wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amabili lantathu lapho esiba yinkosi; wabusa inyanga ezintathu eJerusalema. Lebizo likanina lalinguHamuthalid indodakazi kaJeremiya weLibhinae. 32 Wasesenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi njengakho konke oyise abakwenzayo. 33 UFaro Neko wasembopha eRibilaf elizweni leHamathig ukuthi angabusi eJerusalema, wahlawulisa ilizwe amathalenta* esiliva alikhulu lethalenta legolideh.

Ukubusa kukaJehoyakhimi

34 UFaro Neko wasebeka uEliyakhimi indodana kaJosiya ukuthi abe yinkosi esikhundleni sikaJosiya uyise, waphendula ibizo lakhe wathi nguJehoyakhimi. Wasethatha uJehowahazi; wasesiza eGibhithe, wafela khona. 35 UJehoyakhimi wasemnika uFaro isiliva legolide, kodwa wathelisa ilizwe ukuze anike leyomali njengokomlayo kaFaro. Wakhuphisa abantu belizwe isiliva legolide, ngulowo lalowo ngokomthelo wakhe, yokunika uFaro Neko. 36 UJehoyakhimi wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amabili lanhlanu lapho esiba yinkosi; wabusa iminyaka elitshumi lanye eJerusalema. Lebizo likanina lalinguZebida indodakazi kaPhedaya weRuma. 37 Wasesenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi njengakho konke oyise abakwenzayo.