2 Kings 23
1 Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
Inkosi yasibiza bonke abadala bakoJuda labeJerusalema.
2 He went to the Lord's Temple with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, together with the priests and the Levites, all the people from the least to the greatest, and he read to them the whole Book of the Agreement that had been discovered in the Lord's Temple.
Yasuka yaya ethempelini likaThixo lamadoda akoJuda, abantu baseJerusalema, abaphristi labaphrofethi, abantu bonke kusukela kubantukazana kusiya kuzo kanye izikhulu. Yabafundela bonke besizwa wonke amazwi oGwalo lweSivumelwano, olwatholakala ethempelini likaThixo.
3 The king stood by the pillar and made a solemn agreement before the Lord to follow him and to keep his commandments, laws, and regulations with total dedication, and to observe the requirements of the agreement as written in the book. All the people entered into the agreement.
Inkosi yema ngasensikeni, yavuselela isivumelwano phambi kukaThixo sokumlandela lokugcina imilayo yakhe lemithetho yakhe lezimiso zakhe ngenhliziyo yayo yonke langomoya wayo wonke, ngalokho iqinisa amazwi esivumelwano ayebhaliwe kulolugwalo. Ngakho bonke abantu bazinikela kuso isivumelwano.
4 Then the king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the priests of second rank, and the doorkeepers to remove from the Lord's Temple everything made for Baal, Asherah, and the worship of sun, moon, and stars. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the Kidron fields and took their ashes to Bethel.
Inkosi yalaya uHilikhiya umphristi omkhulu labaphristi abalandelayo labalindi beminyango ukuba bakhuphe ethempelini likaThixo zonke izitsha ezazenzelwe uBhali lo-Ashera, lazozonke izinkanyezi zaphezulu, wazitshisela ngaphandle kweJerusalema eziqintini zeSigodi saseKhidironi, umlotha wazo wawuthwalela eBhetheli.
5 He also dismissed the priests appointed by the kings of Judah to present burnt offerings on the high places of the towns of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem, those who had sacrificed to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the powers of heaven.
Wakhupha abaphristi bezithombe ababekhethwe yinkosi yakoJuda ukuba batshise impepha emizini yakoJuda lakuleyo ephansi kweJerusalema, labo ababetshisa impepha kuBhali lelanga lenyanga lezinkanyezi zonke zaphezulu.
6 He removed the Asherah pole from the Lord's Temple and took it to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem. He burned it there, ground it into dust, and threw its dust over the graves of the ordinary people.
Wakhupha ethempelini likaThixo insika ka-Ashera, wayisa esigodini seKhidironi ngaphandle kweJerusalema, wayitshisela khona, wayichola yaba luthuli wasechithachithela umlotha wayo phezu kwamangcwaba abantukazana.
7 He also demolished the quarters of the cult prostitutes that were in the Lord's Temple, where the women used to weave tapestries for the Asherah.
Wadiliza izindlu zabesilisa ababefeba ethempelini likaThixo lapho abesifazane ababethungela khona u-Ashera amaveli.
8 Josiah brought to Jerusalem all the priests from the towns of Judah and defiled the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had sacrificed burnt offerings. He demolished the high places of the gates, near to the entrance of the gate of Joshua, the governor of the city, which was left of the town gate.
UJosiya waletha bonke abaphristi besuka emizini yakoJuda, wangcolisa izindawo zokukhonzela, kusukela eGebha kusiya lapho abaphristi ababetshisela khona impepha eBherishebha. Wabhidliza izindawo zokukhonzela emasangweni ekungeneni kwesango likaJoshuwa umphathi womuzi, ngakwesokhohlo kwesango lomuzi.
9 Though the priests of the high places did not serve at the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, they did eat unleavened bread with their brother priests.
Loba abaphristi bezindawo zokukhonzela bengaphathisanga e-alithareni likaThixo eJerusalema, kodwa badla isinkwa esingelamvubelo kanye labanye abaphristi ababedlelana labo.
10 He defiled the Topheth altar in the Valley of Ben-hinnom so that no one could sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire to Molech.
Wangcolisa iThofethi elisesihotsheni saseBheni-Hinomu ukuze kungabikhona otshisa indodana yakhe kumbe indodakazi emlilweni kaMoleki.
11 He removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun from the entrance to the Lord's Temple. They were in the courtyard near the room of a eunuch named Nathan-melech. Josiah also burned the chariots dedicated to the sun.
Entubeni yethempeli likaThixo wasusa amabhiza amakhosi abakoJuda ayewahlukanisele ilanga, wona ayeseduze lendlu yesikhulu esasithiwa nguNathani-Meleki. UJosiya wasetshisa izinqola zempi ezazehlukaniselwe ilanga.
12 He demolished the altars that the kings of Judah had set up on the roof near the upper chamber of Ahaz, and the altars Manasseh had placed in the two courtyards of the Lord's Temple. The king smashed them to pieces and scattered them in the Kidron Valley.
Wadilizela phansi ama-alithare ayakhiwe ngamakhosi akoJuda ephahleni eduze lendlu ephezulu ka-Ahazi lama-alithare uManase ayewakhile emagumeni womabili ethempeli likaThixo. Wawasusa lapho, wawachoboza, aba yizicucu waziphosela eSigodini seKhidironi.
13 The king also defiled the high places to the east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Corruption, the places which King Solomon of Israel had built for Ashtoreth, the vile goddess of the Sidonians, for Chemosh, the vile god of the Moabites, and for Molech, the vile god of the Ammonites.
Inkosi yangcolisa izindawo zokukhonzela ezazingempumalanga kweJerusalema, ngaseningizimu kwentaba yokuXhwala, uSolomoni inkosi yako-Israyeli eyayizakhele u-Ashithorethi unkulunkulukazi oyisinengiso wamaSidoni, loKhemoshi uNkulunkulu oyisinengiso wamaMowabi, kanye loMoleki oyisinengiso wama-Amoni.
14 He smashed the sacred stone pillars to pieces, chopped down the Asherah poles, and covered the places with human bones.
UJosiya wabhidliza amatshe okukhonza, waquma izinsika zika-Ashera, wafaka amathambo abantu abanengi endaweni yazo.
15 He also demolished the altar at Bethel, the high place set up by Jeroboam, son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. Then he burned the high place, ground it to dust, and burned the Asherah pole.
Le-alithari elaliseBhetheli indawo yokukhonzela eyayenziwe nguJerobhowamu indodana kaNebhathi owenza ukuba u-Israyeli one, lalelo-alithare lendawo yokukhonzela, wakubhidliza. Watshisa indawo yokukhonzela wayichola yaba yimpuphu njalo watshisa insika ka-Ashera.
16 As Josiah looked around he saw some tombs there on the hill. He had the bones taken from the tombs, and he burned them on the altar to defile it, just as the Lord had said through the man of God who had prophesied these things.
UJosiya wathalaza ngapha langapha, kwathi ebona amangcwaba amanengi ayelapho ewatheni loqaqa wathi kawasuswe, atshiswe e-alithareni ukulingcolisa mayelana lelizwi likaThixo elamenyezelwa ngumuntu kaThixo owaziphrofethayo lezizinto.
17 Then he asked, “Whose gravestone is this that I see?” “It's the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed exactly what you have done to the altar of Bethel,” the townspeople replied.
Inkosi yabuza yathi, “Ilitshe lesikhumbuzo sengcwaba leliyana engilibonayo ngelani?” Abantu bomuzi bathi, “Liphawule ingcwaba lenceku kaNkulunkulu eyavela koJuda, yaqalekisa i-alithari laseBhetheli ngalezizinto ozenze kulo.”
18 “Let him rest in peace,” said Josiah. “Don't anyone touch his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed, together with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria.
Yena wasesithi, “Liyekeleni lingavumeli muntu awathinte amathambo akhe.” Ngakho bawayekela amathambo akhe kanye lalawo awomphrofethi owavela eSamariya.
19 Josiah destroyed, just as he did at Bethel, all the shrines of the high places in the towns of Samaria that the kings of Israel had built that had angered the Lord.
UJosiya wasusa amathempeli ezindawo zokukhonzela ezisemizini yaseSamariya ayekade akhiwe ngamakhosi ako-Israyeli, ethukuthelisa uThixo, wenza kiwo lokho ayekwenze eBhetheli.
20 Josiah slaughtered all the priests who were there at the high places on the altars, and burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
UJosiya wabulalela abaphristi bezindawo zokukhonzela phezu kwama-alithare, watshisela amathambo abantu phezu kwawo. Wasebuyela eJerusalema.
21 The king sent out an order to all the people, “Observe the Passover of the Lord your God, as it is written in this Book of the Agreement.”
Inkosi uJosiya yalaya bonke abantu yathi, “Ligcine iPhasika likaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, njengoba kulotshiwe eGwalweni LweSivumelwano.”
22 Such a Passover as this had not been observed from the days of the judges who ruled Israel on through all the days of the kings of Israel and Judah.
Lalingagcinwa iPhasika elinjalo kusukela ensukwini zabehluleli abaphatha u-Israyeli, lakuzo zonke insuku zamakhosi ako-Israyeli lezamakhosi akoJuda.
23 But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was observed to honor the Lord in Jerusalem.
Kodwa ngomnyaka wetshumi lasificaminwembili wenkosi uJosiya, lagcinwa iPhasika likaThixo eJerusalema.
24 In addition, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, and all the disgusting practices that were present in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. He did this to fulfill the words of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the Lord's Temple.
Wakwenza njalo uJosiya ukususa izangoma, labahlahluli, labonkulunkulu basezindlini, lezithombe kanye lazozonke izinto zamanyala ezazikhona koJuda laseJerusalema. Lokhu kwakuyikugcwalisa izimiso zomlayo owawulotshwe encwadini umphristi uHilikhiya ayithola ethempelini likaThixo.
25 Never before was there a king like him who committed himself to the Lord in all his thoughts and attitudes, and with all his strength, keeping all the Law of Moses. There was no king like him afterwards either.
Ngaphambi kwakhe noma ngemva kwakhe uJosiya kakubanga khona inkosi eyafanana laye eyaphendukela kuThixo njengalokhu akwenzayo ngenhliziyo yakhe langomphefumulo wakhe wonke njalo langamandla akhe wonke mayelana lawo wonke uMthetho kaMosi.
26 However, the Lord had not given up his furious hostility, which burned against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to anger him.
Kanti uThixo kadedanga ekuvutheni kolaka lwakhe olwavutha kakhulu koJuda ngenxa yazo zonke izinto uManase amthukuthelisa ngazo.
27 So the Lord announced, “I'm also going to banish Judah from my presence, just as I banished Israel. I will abandon this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the Temple regarding which I said, My name will be there.”
Ngakho uThixo wathi, “Ngizamsusa phambi kwami uJuda njengoba ngasusa u-Israyeli, ngiwulahle lumuzi waseJerusalema engawukhethayo, lethempeli leli engathi ngalo, ‘Ibizo lami lizakuba kulo.’”
28 The rest of what happened in Josiah's reign, and all he did, are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.
Ezinye izehlakalo ngombuso kaJosiya, lakho konke akwenzayo, akulotshwanga yini egwalweni lwembali yamakhosi akoJuda na?
29 While Josiah was still king, Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, led his army to help the king of Assyria at the Euphrates River. King Josiah took his army to fight him at Megiddo, but when Neco saw Josiah he killed him.
Ngesikhathi sokubusa kukaJosiya, uFaro Nekho inkosi yaseGibhithe waya eMfuleni uYufrathe ukuyancedisa inkosi yase-Asiriya. Inkosi uJosiya wamhlangabeza empini kodwa uNekho waqondana laye wambulala eMegido.
30 His servants put his body in a chariot, brought him back from Megiddo to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. Then the people of the land chose Jehoahaz, son of Josiah, anointed him, and made him king in succession to his father.
Izisebenzi zikaJosiya zaletha isidumbu sakhe ngenqola yokulwa zisuka eMegido zisiya eJerusalema njalo zamngcwabela ethuneni lakhe. Ngakho abantu elizweni bathatha uJehowahazi indodana kaJosiya bamgcoba ubukhosi bukayise.
31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for three months. His mother's name was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah. She came from Libnah.
UJehowahazi wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amabili lantathu ubudala bakhe esiba yinkosi, njalo wabusa eJerusalema inyanga ezintathu. Ibizo likanina kwakunguHamuthali indodakazi kaJeremiya njalo wayevela eLibhina.
32 He did what was evil in the Lord's sight, just as all his forefathers had done.
Wenza ububi emehlweni kaThixo njengabokhokho bakhe.
33 Pharaoh Neco imprisoned Jehoahaz at Riblah in the land of Hamath to stop him ruling in Jerusalem. He also imposed on Judah a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
Inkosi uFaro Nekho wambopha ngamaketani eRibhila elizweni lamaHamathi ukuze angabusi eJerusalema, wamthelisa kakhulu uJuda amathalenta alikhulu esiliva, lethalenta legolide.
34 Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim, son of Josiah, king in succession to his father Josiah, and he changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim. Neco took Jehoahaz to Egypt, where he died.
UFaro Nekho wabeka u-Eliyakhimu indodana kaJosiya esihlalweni sobukhosi esikhundleni sikayise uJosiya waseguqula ibizo lakhe wathi nguJehoyakhimi. Kodwa wathatha uJehowahazi waya laye eGibhithe, wafela khonale.
35 Jehoiakim paid the silver and gold to Pharaoh Neco, but in order to meet Pharaoh's demand he taxed the land and required payment of the silver and the gold from the people, each in proportion to their wealth.
UJehoyakhimi wathela ngenani lesiliva legolide elalifunwa nguFaro Nekho. Ukuze akwenelise lokho wayethelisa abantu elizweni ngesiliva legolide ngesilinganiso ayebona sibalingene.
36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother's name was Zebidah, daughter of Pedaiah She came from Rumah.
UJehoyakhimi wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amabili lanhlanu ubudala bakhe ethatha ubukhosi, yena wabusa eJerusalema iminyaka elitshumi lanye. Ibizo likanina lalinguZebhuda indodakazi kaPhedaya owayevela eRuma.
37 He did evil in the Lord's sight, just as his forefathers had done.
Wenza ububi phambi kukaThixo, njengabokhokho bakhe.
