Eyesibili KaSamuweli 24:1-25
24 Intukuthelo kaJehova yaphinde yamvuthela u-Israyeli, + lapho othile ekhuthaza uDavide* ukuba amelane nesizwe, ethi: “Hamba uyobala + u-Israyeli noJuda.” +
2 Ngakho inkosi yathi kuJowabe + induna yebutho lempi: “Ngicela uye kuzo zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli, kusukela kwaDani kuze kube seBheri-sheba, + ubhalise abantu, ukuze ngazi inani labo.”
3 Kodwa uJowabe wathi enkosini: “Kwangathi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho angandisa abantu ngokuphindwe izikhathi eziyikhulu, kwangathi namehlo enkosi yami angakubona lokho, kodwa kungani inkosi yami ifuna ukwenza into enje?”
4 Kodwa izwi lenkosi laba namandla kunelikaJowabe nezinduna zebutho lempi. Ngakho uJowabe nezinduna zebutho lempi baphuma phambi kwenkosi bayobhalisa abantu bakwa-Israyeli. +
5 Bawela iJordani bamisa amatende e-Aroweri, + ngakwesokudla* sedolobha maphakathi nesigodi,* ukuya ngakwaGadi, base bedlulela eJazeri. +
6 Ngemva kwalokho, baqhubekela kwaGileyadi + nasezweni laseTahetimi-hodishi baqhubekela eDani-jahani bazungeza baya eSidoni. +
7 Ukusuka lapho baya enqabeni yaseThire + nakuwo wonke amadolobha amaHivi + nawamaKhanani baze bayophelela eNegebhi + lakwaJuda eBheri-sheba. +
8 Kanjalo balihamba lonke izwe bafika eJerusalema ekupheleni kwezinyanga ezingu-9 nezinsuku ezingu-20.
9 UJowabe wabe esenika inkosi inani labantu ababebhalisiwe. U-Israyeli wayenamaqhawe angu-800 000 ahlome ngezinkemba, amadoda akwaJuda ayengu-500 000. +
10 Kodwa uDavide washaywa unembeza* wazisola + ngemva kokubala abantu. UDavide wabe esethi kuJehova: “Ngone + kakhulu ngalokhu engikwenzile. Manje, Jehova, ngicela uthethelele isiphambeko senceku yakho, + ngoba ngenze ubuwula obukhulu.” +
11 Lapho uDavide evuka ekuseni, izwi likaJehova lafika kuGadi + umprofethi, umboni kaDavide wemibono, lathi:
12 “Hamba, uthi kuDavide, ‘Yilokhu uJehova akushoyo: “Ngikukhethisa phakathi kwezinto ezintathu. Khetha eyodwa okufanele ngiyilethe kuwe.” ’ ” +
13 Ngakho uGadi waya kuDavide wafike wathi: “Ukhetha ukuba izwe lakho likhungathwe yindlala iminyaka eyisikhombisa? + Noma ukhetha ukujahwa izitha zakho izinyanga ezintathu? + Noma ukhetha ukuba kube nesifo esiwumshayabhuqe izinsuku ezintathu ezweni lakho? + Manje cabangisisa ngokuthi kufanele ngimphendule ngithini Lowo ongithumile.”
14 Ngakho uDavide wathi kuGadi: “Kubuhlungu kakhulu kimi. Ngicela siwele esandleni sikaJehova, + ngoba isihe sakhe sikhulu; + kodwa mangingaweli esandleni somuntu.” +
15 UJehova wabe eseletha isifo esiwumshayabhuqe + kwa-Israyeli kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba yisikhathi esibekiwe, kangangokuthi kwafa + abantu abangu-70 000 kusukela kwaDani kuze kube seBheri-sheba. +
16 Lapho ingelosi yelulela isandla sayo eJerusalema ukuze ilibhubhise, uJehova wadabuka* ngenxa yale nhlekelele, + wathi engelosini eyayiletha imbubhiso kubantu: “Sekwanele! Yehlisa isandla sakho manje.” Ingelosi kaJehova yayiseduze kwesibuya sika-Arawuna + umJebusi. +
17 Lapho uDavide ebona ingelosi eyayibulala abantu wathi kuJehova: “Yimi owonile, yimi owenze iphutha; kodwa lezi zimvu + zenzeni? Ngiyacela, isandla sakho masimelane nami nendlu kababa.” +
18 Ngakho uGadi waya kuDavide ngalolo suku wathi kuye: “Khuphuka wakhele uJehova i-altare esibuyeni sika-Arawuna umJebusi.” +
19 Ngakho uDavide wakhuphuka ngokuvumelana nezwi likaGadi, njengoba uJehova ayeyalile.
20 Lapho u-Arawuna ephakamisa amehlo futhi ebona inkosi nezinceku zayo beza kuye, u-Arawuna masinyane waphuma wakhothama phambi kwenkosi ubuso bakhe bubheke phansi.
21 U-Arawuna wabuza wathi: “Kungani inkosi yami ize encekwini yayo?” UDavide wamphendula wathi: “Ngizothenga kuwe lesi sibuya ukuze ngakhele uJehova i-altare, ukuze isishayo esihlasele abantu sinqamuke.” +
22 Kodwa u-Arawuna wathi kuDavide: “Inkosi yami mayisithathe inikele lokho okubonakala kukuhle kuyo.* Nazi izinkomo zomnikelo oshiswayo nesihlibhi sokubhula namajoka ezinkomo ukuze abe izinkuni zokubasa.
23 Konke lokhu ngikunika* kona nkosi.” U-Arawuna waqhubeka wathi enkosini: “Kwangathi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho angakubonisa umusa.”
24 Nokho, inkosi yathi ku-Arawuna: “Cha, kumelwe ngisithenge kuwe ngemali. Ngeke nginikele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wami imihlatshelo eshiswayo ngingakhokhanga lutho.” Ngakho uDavide wasithenga isibuya kanye nezinkomo ngamashekeli* esiliva + angu-50.
25 UDavide wamakhela lapho uJehova i-altare + wanikela imihlatshelo eshiswayo nemihlatshelo ehlanganyelwayo. Ngemva kwalokho uJehova wakuzwa ukunxusela kwabo izwe, + isifo esasihlasele u-Israyeli sanqamuka.
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ Noma, “lapho uDavide ekhuthazwa.”
^ Noma, “ngaseningizimu.”
^ Noma, “nomhosha.”
^ Noma, “Kodwa inhliziyo kaDavide yamkhathaza.”
^ Noma, “wazisola.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “okuhle emehlweni ayo.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “u-Arawuna ukunika.”
^ Ishekeli lalilingana no-11,4 g. Bheka iSithasiselo B14.
