INkosi uHerode yezwa ngalokhu, ngokuba igama likaJesu lase lidumile. Kwakuthiwa uJohane uMbhabhadisi uvukile kwabafileyo, yingakho enza izimangaliso ezingaka kuye. Kepha abanye bathi: “Ngu-Eliya;” abanye bathi: “Ngumphrofethi onjengabanye abaphrofethi.”
Kepha uHerode esekuzwile lokho, wathi: “UJohane, lo engamnquma ikhanda, uvusiwe.”
UHerode uqobo nguye owayethumele ukuba abanjwe uJohane, wayesemfaka ejele, ngenxa kaHerodiya umkaFiliphu umfowabo, ngokuba wamthatha wamgana. Phela uJohane wayethe kuHerode: “Awuvunyelwe ukungena umkamfowenu.”
Ngakho-ke uHerodiya wambambela igqubu, wafuna ukumbulala, kodwa akabanga nawo amandla. UHerode wayemesaba uJohane, emazi ukuthi uyindoda elungileyo, engcwele, futhi wayemvikela. Lapho uHerode emlalela uJohane wayesala ekhathazekile kakhulu, nokho wayethanda ukumlalela.
Ekugcineni lwafika olungaliyo, lapho uHerode ngosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa wenzela izikhulu zakhe idili; izinduna zempi nabanumzane baseGalile; kwase kungena indodakazi kaHerodiya; yasina, yajabulisa uHerode nababehleli naye. Inkosi yathi entombazaneni: “Cela kimi noma yini oyithandayo, ngizakukunika yona.”
Yafunga kuyo yathi: “Noma yini oyicelayo kimi ngizakukunika yona, noma ngabe yingxenye yombuso wami.”
Intombazane yaphuma, yathi kunina: “Ngizakucelani na?”
Yena wathi: “Ikhanda likaJohane uMbhabhadisi.”
Yabuyela enkosini ngokushesha, yacela yathi: “Ngithanda ukuba ungiphe, khona manje ngomcengezi, ikhanda likaJohane uMbhabhadisi.”
Inkosi yadabuka kakhulu, kodwa ngenxa yesifungo eyayisenzile nangenxa yalabo ababehlezi nayo esidlweni, ayithandanga ukwenqaba. Inkosi yayisithuma masinyane ozokwenza lokhu, yamyala ukuba alethe ikhanda likaJohane. Wasuka, wamnquma ikhanda ejele. Waliletha ikhanda lakhe ngomcengezi, wayinika intombazane, yona yalinika unina. Kwathi ukuba abafundi bakhe bakuzwe lokho, beza, bathatha isidumbu sakhe, basibeka ethuneni.
Uhlelo Lokusebenza lweBhayibheli
Uhlelo Lokusebenza LweBhayibheli yezingane
