2 Amakhosi 17
1 Ngomnyaka wetshumi lambili kaAhazi inkosi yakoJuda uHosheya indodana kaEla waba yinkosi eSamariya phezu kukaIsrayeli; wabusa iminyaka eyisificamunwemunye.
In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah began to reign in Samaria over Israel for nine years.
2 Wasesenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi, loba kunjalo kungenjengamakhosi akoIsrayeli ayengaphambi kwakhe.
He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him.
3 UShalimaneseri inkosi yeAsiriya wenyuka wamelana laye; uHosheya wasesiba yinceku yakhe, wathela umthelo kuye.
Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him; and Hoshea became his servant, and brought him tribute.
4 Kodwa inkosi yeAsiriya yafica ugobe kuHosheya, ngoba wayethume izithunywa kuSo inkosi yeGibhithe, kazabe esenyusa umthelo enkosini yeAsiriya umnyaka ngomnyaka. Ngakho inkosi yeAsiriya yamvalela yambopha entolongweni.
The king of Assyria discovered a conspiracy in Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore the king of Assyria seized him, and bound him in prison.
5 Inkosi yeAsiriya yasisenyukela kulo lonke ilizwe, yenyukela eSamariya, yayivimbezela iminyaka emithathu.
Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.
6 Ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye kaHosheya, inkosi yeAsiriya yathumba iSamariya yathumbela uIsrayeli eAsiriya, yabahlalisa eHala leHabori, umfula weGozani, lemizini yamaMede.
In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
7 Lokhu-ke kwenzeka ngoba abantwana bakoIsrayeli babonile eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo eyayibenyuse elizweni leGibhithe ibasusa ngaphansi kwesandla sikaFaro inkosi yeGibhithe, babesabe abanye onkulunkulu,
It was so because the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,
8 bahamba ezimisweni zezizwe iNkosi eyayizixotshe elifeni phambi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli, lezamakhosi akoIsrayeli, ayezenzile.
and walked in the statutes of the nations whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they made.
9 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli benza ensitha izinto ezingalunganga bemelene leNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo. Babezakhele indawo eziphakemeyo kuyo yonke imizi yabo, kusukela enqabeni yabalindi kuze kube semzini obiyelweyo.
The children of Israel secretly did things that were not right against the LORD their God; and they built high places for themselves in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city;
10 Basebezimisela insika eziyizithombe lezixuku phezu kwawo wonke amaqaqa aphakemeyo langaphansi kwaso sonke isihlahla esiluhlaza.
and they set up for themselves pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree;
11 Basebetshisa lapho impepha endaweni zonke eziphakemeyo, njengezizwe iNkosi eyazikhokhelela ekuthunjweni phambi kwabo; benza izinto ezimbi ukuyithukuthelisa iNkosi.
and there they burnt incense in all the high places, as the nations whom the LORD carried away before them did; and they did wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger;
12 Ngoba bakhonza izithombe, iNkosi eyayithe ngazo kubo: Kaliyikuyenza linto.
and they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.”
13 Kanti iNkosi yafakaza imelene loIsrayeli njalo imelene loJuda ngesandla sabo bonke abaprofethi lababoni bonke isithi: Phendukani endleleni zenu ezimbi, ligcine imithetho yami, izimiso zami, njengokomlayo wonke engawulaya oyihlo lengawuthumela kini ngesandla senceku zami abaprofethi.
Yet the LORD testified to Israel and to Judah, by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”
14 Loba kunjalo kabalalelanga, kodwa benza lukhuni intamo yabo, njengentamo yaboyise, abangakholwanga eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo.
Notwithstanding, they would not listen, but hardened their neck like the neck of their fathers who didn’t believe in the LORD their God.
15 Njalo bala izimiso zayo lesivumelwano sayo eyasenza laboyise lezifakazelo zayo eyazifakaza imelene labo, balandela ize, baba yize, balandela izizwe ezazibahanqile, iNkosi eyayibalaye ngazo ukuthi bangenzi njengazo.
They rejected his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified to them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them that they should not do like them.
16 Bayitshiya yonke imilayo yeNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo, bazenzela izithombe ezibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa, amathole amabili, benza isixuku, bakhothamela lonke ibutho lamazulu, bakhonza uBhali.
They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made molten images for themselves, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshipped all the army of the sky, and served Baal.
17 Benza amadodana abo lamadodakazi abo adabule emlilweni, benza ukuvumisa, benza imilingo, bazithengisela ukwenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi ukuyithukuthelisa.
They caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, to provoke him to anger.
18 Ngakho iNkosi yamthukuthelela kakhulu uIsrayeli, yabasusa ebusweni bayo; kakusalanga loyedwa ngaphandle kwesizwe sakoJuda kuphela.
Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight. There was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
19 Laye uJuda kayigcinanga imilayo yeNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo, kodwa bahamba ngezimiso zikaIsrayeli abazenzayo.
Also Judah didn’t keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.
20 INkosi yasiyala yonke inzalo yakoIsrayeli, yayihlupha, yayinikela esandleni sabaphangi, yaze yabalahla yabasusa phambi kwayo.
The LORD rejected all the offspring of Israel, afflicted them, and delivered them into the hands of raiders, until he had cast them out of his sight.
21 Ngoba yamdabula uIsrayeli imsusa endlini kaDavida, basebebeka uJerobhowamu indodana kaNebati ukuthi abe yinkosi. UJerobhowamu wamqhuba wamphambula uIsrayeli ekulandeleni iNkosi, wabenza bona isono esikhulu.
For he tore Israel from David’s house; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king; and Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin.
22 Ngoba abantwana bakoIsrayeli bahamba ngazo zonke izono zikaJerobhowamu azenzayo, kabasukanga kuzo,
The children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they didn’t depart from them
23 iNkosi yaze yamsusa uIsrayeli phambi kwayo njengokutsho kwayo ngesandla sazo zonke inceku zayo abaprofethi. Ngakho uIsrayeli wathunjwa wasuswa elizweni lakhe wasiwa eAsiriya kuze kube lamuhla.
until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he said by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria to this day.
24 Inkosi yeAsiriya yasiletha abantu abavela eBhabhiloni labavela eKutha labavela eAva labavela eHamathi labavela eSefavayimi, yabahlalisa emizini yeSamariya esikhundleni sabantwana bakoIsrayeli, badla ilifa leSamariya, bahlala emizini yayo.
The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, from Cuthah, from Avva, and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they possessed Samaria and lived in its cities.
25 Kwasekusithi ekuqaleni kokuhlala kwabo khona kabayesabanga iNkosi; ngakho iNkosi yathumela izilwane phakathi kwabo ezabulala abanye babo.
So it was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they didn’t fear the LORD. Therefore the LORD sent lions amongst them, which killed some of them.
26 Ngakho bakhuluma enkosini yeAsiriya besithi: Izizwe owazisusayo wazihlalisa emizini yeSamariya kaziwazi umkhuba kaNkulunkulu walelolizwe; ngakho uthumele izilwane phakathi kwazo, khangela-ke ziyazibulala, ngoba kaziwazi umkhuba kaNkulunkulu walelolizwe.
Therefore they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations which you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria don’t know the law of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions amongst them; and behold, they kill them, because they don’t know the law of the god of the land.”
27 Inkosi yeAsiriya yasilaya isithi: Yisani khona omunye wabapristi elabathumbayo besuka lapho; kabayehlala khona, kabafundise umkhuba kaNkulunkulu walelolizwe.
Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Carry there one of the priests whom you brought from there; and let him go and dwell there, and let him teach them the law of the god of the land.”
28 Ngakho omunye wabapristi ababebathumbe besuka eSamariya weza wahlala eBhetheli, wabafundisa ukuthi bangayesaba njani iNkosi.
So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.
29 Loba kunjalo zonke izizwe zenza onkulunkulu bazo, zabafaka ezindlini zezindawo eziphakemeyo amaSamariya azenzayo, yileso laleso isizwe emizini yazo ezihlala kuyo.
However every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived.
30 Labantu beBhabhiloni benza uSukothi-Benothi, labantu beKuthi benza uNerigali, labantu beHamathi benza uAshima,
The men of Babylon made Succoth Benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,
31 lamaAvi enza uNibazi loTaritaki, lamaSefavayimi ayetshisa abantwana bawo emlilweni esenzela uAdrameleki loAnameleki onkulunkulu beSefavayimi.
and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burnt their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
32 Babeyesaba leNkosi, bazenzela abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo kwabaphansi kakhulu babo, ababebasebenzela ezindlini zezindawo eziphakemeyo.
So they feared the LORD, and also made from amongst themselves priests of the high places for themselves, who sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.
33 Babeyesaba iNkosi, njalo babekhonza onkulunkulu babo njengomkhuba wezizwe ezabathumbayo besuka lapho.
They feared the LORD, and also served their own gods, after the ways of the nations from amongst whom they had been carried away.
34 Kuze kube lamuhla benza njengemikhuba yakuqala. Kabayesabi iNkosi, kabenzi njengezimiso zabo lanjengezimiselo zabo lanjengomlayo lanjengomthetho iNkosi eyakulaya abantwana bakaJakobe, owamutha ibizo elithi uIsrayeli.
To this day they do what they did before. They don’t fear the LORD, and they do not follow the statutes, or the ordinances, or the law, or the commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;
35 INkosi eyenza isivumelwano labo, yabalaya isithi: Kaliyikwesaba abanye onkulunkulu, lingabakhothameli, lingabasebenzeli, lingabahlabeli.
with whom the LORD had made a covenant and commanded them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them;
36 Kodwa iNkosi eyalenyusa elizweni leGibhithe ngamandla amakhulu langengalo eyeluliweyo, yona lizayesaba njalo yona lizayikhothamela njalo yona lizayihlabela.
but you shall fear the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, and you shall bow yourselves to him, and you shall sacrifice to him.
37 Lezimiso lezimiselo lomlayo lomthetho eyalibhalela khona, lizaqaphelisa ukukwenza zonke izinsuku, lingesabi abanye onkulunkulu.
The statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do forever more. You shall not fear other gods.
38 Lesivumelwano engasenza lani lingasikhohlwa, lingesabi abanye onkulunkulu.
You shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you. You shall not fear other gods.
39 Kodwa iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu lizayesaba; yona-ke izalikhulula esandleni sezitha zenu zonke.
But you shall fear the LORD your God, and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.”
40 Loba kunjalo kabalalelanga, kodwa benza njengomkhuba wabo wakuqala.
However they didn’t listen, but they did what they did before.
41 Lezizizwe zayesaba-ke iNkosi, kodwa zakhonza izithombe zazo ezibaziweyo; bobabili abantwana bazo labantwana babantwana bazo, njengokwenza kwaboyise benza labo kuze kube lamuhla.
So these nations feared the LORD, and also served their engraved images. Their children did likewise, and so did their children’s children. They do as their fathers did to this day.
