2 IZikhronike 6:1-42

Khona uSolomoni wakhuluma, wathi: “USimakade ushilo ukuthi uyakuhlala esigayegayeni. Kepha mina ngikwakhele indlu yokuphakama kwakho, indawo oyakuhlala kuyo kuze kube phakade.” Inkosi yayisiphenduka, yabusisa lonke ibandla lakwa-Israyeli, lonke ibandla lakwa-Israyeli lalimi. Yathi: “Makabongwe uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli owakhuluma ngomlomo wakhe kuDavide, ubaba, ukugcwalisile ngesandla sakhe, ethi: ‘Kusukela osukwini engakhipha ngalo abantu bami u-Israyeli eGibhithe angikhethanga muzi ezizwaneni zonke zakwa-Israyeli ukwakha indlu ukuba igama lami libe khona lapho, futhi angikhethanga muntu ukuba abe ngumbusi wabantu bami u-Israyeli, kodwa ngilikhethile iJerusalema ukuba igama lami libe lapho, ngimkhethile noDavide ukuba abe phezu kwabantu bami, u-Israyeli.’ “Kwakusenhliziyweni kaDavide, ubaba, ukwakhela igama likaSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli indlu, kepha uSimakade wathi kuDavide, ubaba: ‘Njengokuba kwakusenhliziyweni yakho ukwakhela igama lami indlu, wenza kahle, ngokuba kwakusenhliziyweni yakho lokho. Kepha wena awuyukuyakha indlu, kodwa indodana yakho eyakuphuma okhalo lwakho, yiyo eyokwakhela igama lami indlu.’ “USimakade uliqinisile izwi alikhulumayo, ngokuba ngingenile esikhundleni sikaDavide, ubaba, ngihlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sakwa-Israyeli njengokusho kukaSimakade, ngilakhele igama likaSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli indlu. Ngiwubekile lapho umphongolo okukuwo isivumelwano sikaSimakade asenza nabantu bakwa-Israyeli.” USolomoni wema phambi kwe-althare likaSimakade, phambi kwalo lonke ibandla lakwa-Israyeli, welula izandla zakhe. USolomoni wayakhe ibhesituli lethusi, walibeka phakathi negceke: ubude balo bungamakhubhithi ayisihlanu, ububanzi bona bungamakhubhithi amathathu. Wema kulo, waguqa ngamadolo phambi kwalo lonke ibandla lakwa-Israyeli. Welulela izandla zakhe ngasezulwini, wathi: “Simakade Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, akekho uNkulunkulu emazulwini nasemhlabeni onjengawe; Wena ogcina isivumelwano nomusa nezinceku zakho ezihamba phambi kwakho, ngayo yonke inhliziyo yazo, ogcine nenceku yakho uDavide, ubaba, lokho owakusho kuyo, yebo, owakukhuluma ngomlomo wakho ukufezile ngesandla sakho namuhla. “Manje Simakade Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, gcina nenceku yakho uDavide, ubaba, lokho owakukhuluma kuyo uthi: ‘Akuyukwesweleka muntu kuwe, phambi kwami, oyohlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sakwa-Israyeli. Uma nje abozalo lwakho beqaphela indlela yabo, ukuba bahambe emthethweni wami, njengalokhu wena uhambile phambi kwami.’ “Ngakho-ke Simakade Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, maliqiniswe izwi lakho owalikhuluma encekwini yakho, uDavide. “Ngabe uNkulunkulu uyakuhlala impela nabantu emhlabeni na? Izulu namazulu amazulu angekwanele; pho kakhulu kangakanani le ndlu engiyakhileyo na? Wubheke umkhuleko wenceku yakho nokunxusa kwayo, Simakade Nkulunkulu wami, uzwe ukukhala kokunxusa nomkhuleko inceku yakho ekukhuleka phambi kwakho. Amehlo akho mawayibheke le ndlu ubusuku nemini, indawo owakhuluma ngayo ukuthi uyakubeka khona igama lakho, uze ulalele umkhuleko inceku yakho eyakuwukhuleka kule ndawo. Kulalele ukunxusa kwenceku yakho nokwabantu bakho, u-Israyeli, abayakukhuleka kule ndawo, uzwe usendaweni yakho yokuhlala ezulwini, nalapho usuzwile, uthethelele. “Uma umuntu ona omunye, kufuneka ukuba enze isifungo, bese eza ezofunga phambi kwe-althare lakho kule ndlu, mawuzwe usezulwini, uthathe izinyathelo, wehlulele izinceku zakho, owonileyo alahlwe yicala, ajeze ngobubi bakhe, kuthi olungileyo limthethe, azuze ngangokulunga kwakhe. “Uma abantu bakho, u-Israyeli, benqotshwa yisitha ngenxa yokuba bonile kuwe, bese bephenduka bebuyela kuwe, bavume igama lakho, bakhuleke, banxuse kuwe bekule ndlu, mawuzwe wena usezulwini, uthethelele isono sabantu bakho, u-Israyeli, ubabuyisele ezweni owalinika bona nokhokho babo. “Lapho izulu livaliwe, kungekho mvula, ngenxa yokuba bonile kuwe, bese bekhuleka bebheke kule ndawo, bavume igama lakho, baphenduke esonweni sabo, ngoba uyabajezisa, mawuzwe Wena usezulwini, uthethelele isono sezinceku zakho nesabantu bakho, u-Israyeli. Uyakubaqondisa endleleni enhle abayakuhamba ngayo, uthumele imvula ezweni lakho owabanika lona abantu bakho ukuba libe yifa labo. “Uma kuba khona indlala ezweni, noma imbo, noma ukuhwamuka, nesikhutha, isikhonyane, umswenya noma izitha zabo zibavimbezela ezweni lemizi yabo, noma inhlupheko yahlobo luni nasifo sini, bese kuzwakala noma ngabe luhlobo luni lomkhuleko noma ukunxusa okuyokwenziwa noma ngubani noma yibo bonke abantu bakho, u-Israyeli, abayokwazi ukubeka inhlupheko noma usizi lwabo kuwe, kube yilowo nalowo elulele izandla zakhe kule ndlu, mawuzwe Wena usezulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala, uthethelele, kube yilowo nalowo umuphe ngokwezindlela zakhe zonke. Nguwe owazi inhliziyo yakhe ngokuba nguwe kuphela owazi izinhliziyo zabantwana babantu. Ngakho-ke mabakwesabe, bahambe ngezindlela zakho zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwabo ezweni owalinika okhokho bethu. “Kuyakuthi uma owezizwe ongesiye owabantu bakho u-Israyeli, evela ezweni elikude, ngenxa yegama lakho elikhulu nesandla sakho esinamandla nengalo yakho eyeluliweyo, afike akhuleke kule ndlu, mawuzwe Wena usezulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala, wenze njengakho konke ukukhala owezizwe akhala ngakho kuwe, ukuze bonke abantu bomhlaba balazi iGama lakho, bakwesabe Wena njengabantu bakho, u-Israyeli, nokuba bazi futhi ukuthi le ndlu engiyakhileyo ibizwe ngeGama lakho. “Uma abantu bakho bephuma impi ukuyokulwa nezitha zabo ngendlela obathuma ngayo, bese bekhuleka kuwe bebheke kulo muzi owukhethileyo nale ndlu engiyakhele iGama lakho, mawuzwe Wena usezulwini umkhuleko wabo nokunxusa kwabo, uyimele indaba yabo. “Uma bona kuwe, ngoba akukho muntu ongoni, bese ubathukuthelela, ubanikele esitheni, sibathumbe sibayise ezweni laso, elikude noma eliseduze, bese becabanga belapho ezweni abathunjelwe kulo, baphenduke, banxuse kuwe besezweni lokuthunjwa kwabo, bathi: ‘Sonile, senze okuphambeneyo, saziphatha kabi.’ “Uma bephendukela kuwe ngayo yonke inhliziyo yabo, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wabo besezweni abathunjelwe kulo, bakhuleke kuwe bebheke ngasezweni lakubo owalinika okhokho babo, nomuzi owukhethileyo, nendlu engiyakhele igama lakho, mawuzwe umkhuleko wabo nokunxusa kwabo usezulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala, uyimele indaba yabo, ubathethelele abantu bakho abonileyo kuwe. “Ngakho-ke Nkulunkulu wami, amehlo akho mawabheke, nezindlebe zakho zilalele umkhuleko owenziwa kule ndawo. “Manje, sukuma Simakade Nkulunkulu, uze endaweni yakho yokuphumula Wena nomphongolo wakho wamandla. Abaphristi bakho Simakade Nkulunkulu, abaphristi bakho mabembathiswe insindiso, nabathembekile bakho bathokoze ngokuhle. Simakade Nkulunkulu, ungamfulatheli ogcotshiweyo wakho. Khumbula umusa wakho kuDavide inceku yakho.”