UMATEWU 2:1-18

Kwathi akuba uYesu ezelwe eBhetelehem kwaJuda, ngemihla kakumkani uHerode, kwabonakala kufika iingcali zeenkwenkwezi eJerusalem, zivela empumalanga, zisithi: “Uphi na lo kumkani wamaJuda uzelweyo? Sibone inkwenkwezi yakhe empumalanga; ke size kumnqula.” Akukuva oku ukumkani uHerode, wakhathazeka, nayo yonke iJerusalem. Ebahlanganisile ke bonke ababingeleli abaziintloko nabachazi-mthetho balapho, wabuza kubo ukuba uKrestu ubeya kuzalelwa phi na. Bathi kuye: “EBhetelehem kwaJuda, kuba kubhaliwe *ngumshumayeli kwathiwa: “ ‘Wena Bhetelehem, sithili sakwaJuda, akunguye oyena udelekileyo kubalawuli bakwaJuda, kuba kuwe kuya kuphuma uMlawuli oya kuba nguMalusi wabantu bam amaSirayeli.’ ” UHerode ke uzibizele ngasese iingcali ezo, waqondisisa kakuhle kuzo ixesha lokubonakala kwenkwenkwezi leyo. Wazithumela eBhetelehem, esithi: “Hambani niye kubuzisa kakuhle ngomntwana lowo. Ze nithi ke, nakumfumana, nindixelele, ukuze nam ndiye kumnqula.” Zakuba zimvile ukumkani, iingcali zahamba; nantso inkwenkwezi leyo zayibonayo empumalanga, izikhokela, de yaya kuma phezu kwendawo abekuyo umntwana lowo. Zathi ke, zakuyibona inkwenkwezi, zavuya gqitha. Zingenile endlwini, zambona umntwana enoMariya unina, zaqubuda, zamnqula; zaza zathi, zivule iingxowa zazo, zanikela kuye ngezipho: igolide, intlaka yokuqhumisa, nentlaka yokuqhola. Zathi ke, ziyalelwe nguThixo ephupheni ukuba zingabuyi ziye kuHerode, zemka ngandlela yimbi ukuya kwelakowazo. Zakuba zimkile iingcali, kwabonakala isithunywa seNkosi kuJosefu ephupheni, sisithi: “Vuka, uthathe umntwana nonina, ubalekele eJiputa, uhlale apho de ndikuxelele, kuba uHerode uzimisele ukumbulala umntwana.” Wavuka ke uJosefu, wamthatha umntwana nonina ebusuku, wabalekela eJiputa, wahlala khona de wabhubha uHerode. Oku kwênzeka ukuze lizaliseke ilizwi leNkosi elathethwa *ngumshumayeli, lisithi: “Ndambiza unyana wam waphuma eJiputa.” Ke kaloku uHerode, akubona ukuba iingcali zeenkwenkwezi zimkhohlisile, waba nomsindo kakhulu, wayalela ukuba kubulawe bonke abantwana abangamakhwenkwe abaseBhetelehem nakuwo wonke loo mmandla, abaminyaka mibini bezelwe nangaphantsi, elungelelanisa nexesha abeliqondisise kakuhle kwiingcali. Kwazaliseka ke ngoko okwathethwayo *ngumshumayeli uJeremiya esithi: “ERama kwavakala isililo nesijwili esikhulu, uRakeli elilela abantwana bakhe, engavumi ukuthuthuzeleka, kuba babengasekho.”