1 iziKronike 21:1-17

USathane wema ukulwa no-Israyeli, wavusa uDavide ukuba abale u-Israyeli. UDavide wayesethi kuJowabe nasezinduneni zabantu: “Hambani nibale u-Israyeli kusukela eBeri Sheba kuze kube kwaDani, nilethe umumo wabo kimi ukuba ngiwazi.” UJowabe wathi: “UJehova makenezele kubantu bakhe, kuphindwe kayikhulu phezu kwalokhu abayikho; kepha, nkosi yami, nkosi, abasizo izinceku zenkosi yami bonke na? Inkosi yami ifunelani le nto na? Iyakuba yicala ngani ku-Israyeli na?” Nokho izwi lenkosi lamahlula uJowabe. UJowabe waphuma, wadabula wonke u-Israyeli, wafika eJerusalema. UJowabe wanika uDavide umumo wabantu ababaliweyo; wonke u-Israyeli wayeyizinkulungwane eziyinkulungwane nezinkulungwane eziyikhulu abahloma inkemba; uJuda wayeyizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane namashumi ayisikhombisa. Kepha oLevi noBenjamini akababalanga phakathi kwabo, ngokuba izwi lenkosi lalinengekile kuJowabe. Kwaba kubi emehlweni kaNkulunkulu; ngalokho washaya u-Israyeli. UDavide wayesethi kuNkulunkulu: “Ngonile kakhulu ngalokho engikwenzileyo; kepha manje, Jehova, mawuthethelele ububi benceku yakho, ngokuba ngintumazele kakhulu.” UJehova wayesekhuluma kuGadi, umboni kaDavide, ethi: “Hamba ukhulume kuDavide ngokuthi: ‘UJehova usho kanje, uthi: Ngiyakubekela izinto ezintathu; khetha enye kuzo ukuba ngikwenzele yona.’ ” UGadi wayesefika kuDavide, wathi kuye: “UJehova usho kanje, uthi: ‘Zikhethele noma indlala yeminyaka emithathu, noma ukuchithwa yizitha zakho izinyanga ezintathu uficwa yinkemba yezitha zakho, noma izinsuku ezintathu zenkemba kaJehova nesifo ezweni, ingelosi kaJehova ichithe emikhawulweni yonke yakwa-Israyeli.’ Manje zibonele izwi engiyakulibuyisela kongithumileyo.” UDavide wathi kuGadi: “Nginosizi kakhulu; mangiwele esandleni sikaJehova, ngokuba umusa wakhe mkhulu kakhulu; kepha esandleni somuntu mangingaweli kuso.” UJehova wayesethuma isifo phezu kuka-Israyeli; kwafa kwa-Israyeli abantu abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa. UNkulunkulu wathuma ingelosi eJerusalema ukulichitha; kwathi lapho isalichitha, uJehova wabuka, wazisola ngalobo bubi, wathi engelosini echithayo: “Sekwanele; buyisa isandla sakho.” Ingelosi kaJehova yayimi ngasesibuyeni sika-Orinani umJebusi. UDavide wayesephakamisa amehlo akhe, wayibona ingelosi kaJehova imi emkhathini womhlaba nezulu, inenkemba ehoshiweyo esandleni sayo, yelulelwe phezu kweJerusalema. UDavide namalunga bembethe izindwangu zamasaka bawa ngobuso babo. UDavide wathi kuNkulunkulu: “Akusimi yini owayaleza ukuba abantu babalwe na? Yimina engonileyo; ngenze kabi kakhulu, kepha lezi zimvu zenzeni na? Isandla sakho, Jehova Nkulunkulu wami, masibe phezu kwami naphezu kwendlu kababa, singabi phezu kwabantu bakho ukubashaya ngesifo.”