2 AmaKhosi 7:1-20

Wayesethi u-Elisha: “Zwanini izwi likaJehova; usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Kusasa ngalesi sikhathi iseya* lempuphu ecolekileyo liyakuthengiswa ngeshekeli,* namaseya amabili ebhali* ngeshekeli esangweni laseSamariya.’ ” Induna inkosi eyencika esandleni sayo yaphendula umuntu kaNkulunkulu, yathi: “Bheka, uma uJehova enza amafasitele ezulwini, le nto ingenzeka kanjani na?” Wathi: “Bheka, uyakukubona ngamehlo akho, ungadli kukho kodwa.” Kwakukhona esikhaleni sesango abantu abane abanochoko; bathi omunye komunye: “Sihlalelani lapha size sife na? Uma sithi: ‘Siyakungena emzini,’ indlala isemzini, siyakufela khona; uma sihlezi lapha, siyakufa futhi. Ngalokho masihambe sisukele ikamu* lama-Aramu; uma esiyeka, siyakuphila; uma esibulala, siyakufa.” Basuka kuhwelela, baya ekamu* lama-Aramu; sebefike emaphethelweni ekamu lama-Aramu, bheka, kwakungekho muntu lapho. INkosi ibiyizwisile impi yama-Aramu umsindo wezinqola, nomsindo wamahhashi, nomsindo wempi enkulu aze akhuluma omunye komunye ngokuthi: “Bheka, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli isiqashele amakhosi amaHeti namakhosi aseGibithe ukuba asifikele.” Ayesesuka, abaleka kuhwelela, ashiya amatende awo, namahhashi awo, nezimbongolo zawo, nekamu* linjengalokhu linjalo, abaleka ukuba asinde. Labo abanochoko sebefike emaphethelweni ekamu,* bangena kwelinye itende, badla, baphuza, basusa khona isiliva, negolide, nezingubo, baya bakuthukusa; babuya, bangena kwelinye itende, basusa nakhona, baya bakuthukusa. Base bethi omunye komunye: “Asenzi kahle. Lolu suku lwanamuhla lungusuku lwentokozo; uma sithula nje silinda kuze kube sekuntweleni kokusa, siyakuficwa yicala; ngalokho masihambe, sitshele indlu yenkosi.” Base behamba, babiza abalindisango bomuzi, babatshela ukuthi: “Sike safika ekamu* lama-Aramu; bheka, kwakungekho muntu lapho, nazwi lomuntu, kuphela ngamahhashi aboshiweyo, nezimbongolo eziboshiweyo, namatende enjengalokhu enjalo.” Abalindisango bamemeza, babikela indlu yenkosi ngaphakathi. Inkosi yavuka phakathi kobusuku, yathi ezincekwini zayo: “Ake nginitshele lokhu ama-Aramu asenzela khona. Ayazi ukuthi silambile; ngalokho aphumile ekamu* ukuba acashe, ethi: ‘Lapho bephuma emzini, siyakubabamba besezwa, singene emzini.’ ” Enye yezinceku zayo yaphendula yathi: “Makuthathwe amahhashi ayisihlanu aseleyo, asele lapha bheka, anjengesixuku sonke sakwa-Israyeli esisele lapha, anjengesixuku sonke sakwa-Israyeli esesiphelile sithumele, sibone.” Bathatha izinqola ezimbili namahhashi; inkosi yathumela emva kwempi yama-Aramu ngokuthi: “Hambani nibone.” Bawalandela baze bafika eJordani; bheka, yonke indlela yayigcwele izingubo nezimpahla ama-Aramu ayezilahlile ekubalekeni kwawo. Izithunywa zabuya, zayitshela inkosi. Abantu baphuma, baphanga ikamu* lama-Aramu. Iseya* lempuphu ecolekileyo lathengiswa ngeshekeli,* namaseya amabili ebhali* ngeshekeli njengezwi likaJehova. Inkosi yabeka esangweni induna eyencika esandleni sayo; abantu bayinyathela esangweni, yafa njengokusho kwalowo muntu kaNkulunkulu akukhuluma ekwehleleni kwenkosi kuye. Kwathi lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu esekhulumile enkosini ngokuthi: “Kuyakuba ngamaseya amabili ebhali ngeshekeli neseya lempuphu ecolekileyo ngeshekeli ngalesi sikhathi kusasa esangweni laseSamariya,” induna yaphendula umuntu kaNkulunkulu, yathi: “Bheka, noma uJehova ewenza amafasitele ezulwini, le nto ingenzeka na?” Wathi: “Bheka, uyakukubona ngamehlo akho, ungadli kukho kodwa.” Kwaba njalo kuyo: abantu bayinyathela esangweni, yafa.