Eyokuqala YeziKronike 21:1-30
21 USathane* wamelana no-Israyeli wenza ukuba uDavide abale u-Israyeli. +
2 Ngakho uDavide wathi kuJowabe + nasezinduneni zabantu: “Hamba, ubale u-Israyeli kusukela eBheri-sheba kuya kwaDani; + ubuye uzongibikela ukuze ngazi inani lakhe.”
3 Kodwa uJowabe wathi: “Kwangathi uJehova angandisa abantu bakhe ngokuphindwe izikhathi eziyikhulu! O nkosi yami, bonke abazona yini izinceku zenkosi yami? Kungani inkosi yami ifuna ukwenza lokhu? Kungani kufanele ibe imbangela yecala ku-Israyeli?”
4 Kodwa izwi lenkosi laba namandla kunelikaJowabe. Ngakho uJowabe waphuma wahamba kulo lonke elakwa-Israyeli, okwathi ngemva kwalokho wafika eJerusalema. +
5 UJowabe wabe esenika uDavide inani labantu ababebhalisiwe. Wonke u-Israyeli wayenamadoda angu-1 100 000 ahlome ngezinkemba, uJuda enamadoda angu-470 000 ahlome ngezinkemba. +
6 Kodwa isizwe sakwaLevi nesakwaBhenjamini azibhaliswanga, + ngoba izwi lenkosi lalinengeka kuJowabe. +
7 Lokho okwenzeka kwamdumaza kakhulu uNkulunkulu weqiniso, ngakho wamjezisa u-Israyeli.
8 UDavide wabe esethi kuNkulunkulu weqiniso: “Ngone + kakhulu ngalokhu engikwenzile. Manje ngicela uthethelele isiphambeko + senceku yakho, ngoba ngenze ubuwula obukhulu.” +
9 UJehova wakhuluma noGadi, + umboni kaDavide wemibono, wathi:
10 “Hamba, uthi kuDavide, ‘Yilokhu uJehova akushoyo: “Ngikukhethisa phakathi kwezinto ezintathu. Khetha eyodwa okufanele ngiyilethe kuwe.” ’ ”
11 Ngakho uGadi waya kuDavide wafike wathi: “Yilokhu uJehova akushoyo, ‘Khetha
12 phakathi kokuthi kube khona indlala iminyaka emithathu, + noma ukuba ukhukhulwe abaphikisi bakho izinyanga ezintathu kuyilapho utholwa yinkemba yezitha zakho, + noma kube nezinsuku ezintathu zenkemba kaJehova—isifo esiwumshayabhuqe ezweni +—ingelosi kaJehova iletha imbubhiso + kuyo yonke indawo yakwa-Israyeli.’ Manje cabanga ngokuthi kufanele ngimphendule ngithini Lowo ongithumile.”
13 Ngakho uDavide wathi kuGadi: “Kubuhlungu kakhulu kimi. Ngiyacela, mangiwele esandleni sikaJehova, ngoba isihe sakhe sikhulu kakhulu; + kodwa mangingaweli esandleni somuntu.” +
14 UJehova wabe eseletha isifo esiwumshayabhuqe + kwa-Israyeli, kangangokuthi kwafa abantu abangu-70 000 kwa-Israyeli. +
15 Ngaphezu kwalokho, uNkulunkulu weqiniso wathumela ingelosi eJerusalema ukuba ilibhubhise; kodwa lapho nje isizoqala, uJehova wayibona, wadabuka ngenxa yale nhlekelele, + wathi engelosini eyayiletha imbubhiso: “Sekwanele! + Yehlisa isandla sakho manje.” Ingelosi kaJehova yayimi eduze kwesibuya sika-Orinani + umJebusi. +
16 Lapho uDavide ephakamisa amehlo akhe, wabona ingelosi kaJehova imi phakathi komhlaba namazulu iphethe inkemba + yelulelwe ngaseJerusalema. UDavide namadoda amadala, bezimboze ngendwangu yesaka, + bakhothama emhlabathini ngaso leso sikhathi ubuso babo bubheke phansi. +
17 UDavide wathi kuNkulunkulu weqiniso: “Akumina yini owathi makubalwe abantu? Yimi owonile, yimi owenze iphutha; + kodwa lezi zimvu—zenzeni? O Jehova Nkulunkulu wami, ngiyacela, isandla sakho masimelane nami nendlu kababa; kodwa ungasilethi lesi sishayo kubantu bakho.” +
18 Ingelosi kaJehova yatshela uGadi + ukuba atshele uDavide ukuthi akakhuphuke ayokwakhela uJehova i-altare esibuyeni sika-Orinani umJebusi. +
19 Ngakho uDavide wakhuphuka ngokuvumelana nezwi uJehova ayelikhulume ngomprofethi wakhe uGadi.
20 Phakathi naleso sikhathi, u-Orinani waphenduka wabona ingelosi, amadodana akhe amane ayekanye naye acasha. U-Orinani wayekade ebhula ukolweni.
21 Lapho uDavide efika kuye, u-Orinani waphakamisa amehlo wabona uDavide, masinyane waphuma esibuyeni wakhothama phambi kukaDavide ubuso bakhe bubheke phansi.
22 UDavide wathi ku-Orinani: “Ngithengisele* indawo yalesi sibuya, ukuze ngakhele uJehova i-altare kuyo. Ngithengisele yona ngemali egcwele ukuze isishayo esihlasele abantu sinqamuke.” +
23 Kodwa u-Orinani wathi kuDavide: “Zithathele yona, inkosi yami mayenze lokho okubonakala kukuhle kuyo.* Mina, ngikhipha izinkomo zeminikelo eshiswayo, isihlibhi sokubhula + ukuze sibe izinkuni zokubasa kanye nokolweni ukuze ube umnikelo wokudla okusanhlamvu. Konke ngiyakunikela.”
24 Nokho, iNkosi uDavide yathi ku-Orinani: “Cha, kumelwe ngiyithenge ngemali egcwele, ngoba ngeke ngithathe izinto zakho ngizinike uJehova noma nginikele imihlatshelo eshiswayo ngingakhokhanga lutho.” +
25 Ngakho uDavide wanika u-Orinani amashekeli* egolide angu-600 ukuze athole indawo.
26 UDavide wamakhela lapho uJehova i-altare, + wanikela imihlatshelo eshiswayo nemihlatshelo ehlanganyelwayo, wabiza uJehova, owabe esemphendula ngomlilo + ovela emazulwini owehlela phezu kwe-altare lomnikelo oshiswayo.
27 UJehova wabe eseyala ingelosi + ukuba ibuyisele inkemba yayo emgodleni wayo.
28 Ngaleso sikhathi, lapho uDavide ebona ukuthi uJehova wayemphendulile esibuyeni sika-Orinani umJebusi, waqhubeka enza imihlatshelo lapho.
29 Nokho, itabernakele likaJehova uMose ayelenze ehlane ne-altare lomnikelo oshiswayo ngaleso sikhathi kwakusendaweni ephakeme eGibheyoni. +
30 Kodwa uDavide wayengakwazanga ukuya phambi kwalo ukuyobuza uNkulunkulu, ngoba wayethukile ngenxa yenkemba yengelosi kaJehova.
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ Noma kungaba, “Umphikisi.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “Nginike.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “okuhle emehlweni ayo.”
^ Ishekeli lalilingana no-11,4 g. Bheka iSithasiselo B14.
