2 IziKronike 23:1-21
23 Ngonyaka wesikhombisa uJehoyada+ wazibonisa enesibindi wenza isivumelwano nezinduna zamakhulu,+ okungukuthi, u-Azariya indodana kaJerohamu, no-Ishmayeli indodana kaJehohanani no-Azariya indodana ka-Obede noMahaseya indodana ka-Adaya no-Elishafathi indodana kaZikiri.
2 Ngemva kwalokho balizungeza lonke elakwaJuda baqoqa amaLevi+ akuyo yonke imizi yakwaJuda nezinhloko+ zezindlu zoyise+ zakwa-Israyeli. Ngakho beza eJerusalema.
3 Khona-ke lonke ibandla lenza isivumelwano+ nenkosi endlini+ kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, okwathi ngemva kwalokho wathi kubo:
“Bhekani! Indodana+ yenkosi uqobo izobusa,+ njengoba nje uJehova athembisa ngokuphathelene namadodana kaDavide.+
4 Nansi into enizoyenza: ingxenye yesithathu kini engena ngesabatha,+ yabapristi+ namaLevi,+ izoba eyabalindimnyango;+
5 nengxenye yesithathu ibe sendlini yenkosi;+ nengxenye yesithathu ibe seSangweni Lesisekelo;+ bonke abantu bazoba semagcekeni+ endlu kaJehova.
6 Ningavumeli muntu angene endlini kaJehova+ ngaphandle kwabapristi nalabo kumaLevi abakhonzayo.+ Laba yibo abazongena, ngoba bayiqembu elingcwele,+ bonke abantu bona bazogcina isibopho kuJehova.
7 AmaLevi kumelwe ahaqe inkosi nxazonke,+ yilowo nalowo ephethe izikhali zakhe ezandleni; noma ubani ongena endlini, kufanele abulawe. Yibani nenkosi njalo lapho ingena nalapho iphuma.”
8 AmaLevi nawo wonke uJuda benza ngokuvumelana nakho konke uJehoyada+ umpristi ayekuyalile.+ Ngakho bathatha yilowo nalowo amadoda angaphansi kwakhe ayengena ngesabatha kanye nalawo ayephuma ngesabatha,+ ngoba uJehoyada umpristi wayengazange azikhulule lezi zigaba+ emsebenzini.
9 Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehoyada umpristi wanika izinduna zamakhulu+ imikhonto nezihlangu nezihlangu eziyisiyingelezi+ okwakungokweNkosi uDavide,+ okwakusendlini kaNkulunkulu weqiniso.+
10 Waqhubeka wamisa bonke abantu,+ yebo yilowo nalowo ephethe umcibisholo wakhe, kusukela ngasohlangothini lwesokunene lwendlu kuze kufike ohlangothini lwesobunxele lwendlu, ngase-altare nangasendlini, nxazonke eduze kwenkosi.
11 Khona-ke bayikhiphela ngaphandle indodana yenkosi+ bayithwesa umqhele+ nobuFakazi+ bayibeka yaba yinkosi, kanjalo uJehoyada namadodana akhe bayigcoba+ bathi: “Mayiphile inkosi!”+
12 Lapho u-Athaliya ezwa umsindo wabantu begijima bedumisa inkosi,+ masinyane waya kubantu endlini kaJehova.
13 Khona-ke wabona, bheka inkosi yayimi ngasensikeni yayo+ ngasekungeneni, izikhulu+ namacilongo+ zingasenkosini, nabo bonke abantu bezwe bejabula+ beshaya+ amacilongo, nabahlabelela+ ngezinsimbi zomculo nalabo abanikeza uphawu lokudumisa. Masinyane u-Athaliya waklebhula izingubo zakhe wathi: “Uzungu! Uzungu!”+
14 Kodwa uJehoyada umpristi wakhipha izinduna zamakhulu, abamisiwe bebutho lempi, wathi kuzo: “Mkhipheni phakathi kwezinhlu;+ futhi noma ubani omlandelayo, kufanele abulawe ngenkemba!” Ngoba umpristi wayethe: “Akumelwe nimbulalele endlini kaJehova.”
15 Ngakho bambamba. Lapho efika ekungeneni kwesango lamahhashi lendlu yenkosi, bambulalela lapho ngaso leso sikhathi.+
16 Khona-ke uJehoyada wenza isivumelwano phakathi kwakhe nabo bonke abantu nenkosi ukuthi babeyoqhubeka bengabantu+ bakaJehova.
17 Ngemva kwalokho bonke abantu baya endlini kaBhali bayidiliza;+ ama-altare+ akhe nemifanekiso yakhe bakuphula,+ futhi uMathani+ umpristi kaBhali bambulalela+ phambi kwama-altare.
18 Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehoyada wabeka imisebenzi yendlu kaJehova esandleni sabapristi namaLevi, uDavide+ ayewabeke ngezigaba phezu kwendlu kaJehova ukuba anikele imihlatshelo kaJehova yokushiswa ngokuvumelana nalokho okulotshwe emthethweni kaMose,+ ngokujabula nangengoma ngezandla zikaDavide.
19 Ngakho wamisa abalindisango+ ngasemasangweni+ endlu kaJehova ukuze kungangeni muntu ongcolile nganoma yisiphi isici.
20 Wathatha izinduna zamakhulu+ nabanjengamakhosi kanye nababusi babantu nabo bonke abantu bezwe wayehlisa inkosi endlini kaJehova.+ Khona-ke bangena ngesango elingenhla baya endlini yenkosi bayihlalisa inkosi esihlalweni sobukhosi+ sombuso.
21 Bonke abantu bezwe baqhubeka bejabula;+ umuzi wona awubanga nasiphazamiso, kodwa u-Athaliya babembulele ngenkemba.+
