1 UJosiya waba yinkosi eleminyaka eyisificaminwembili ubudala njalo wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka engamatshumi amathathu lanye. 2 Wenza okulungileyo phambi kukaThixo njalo wahamba ngenyathelo likayise uDavida, kazange aphambukele kwesokudla loba esokhohlo.

3 Ngomnyaka wesificaminwembili wokubusa kwakhe, elokhu esesengumntwana, waqalisa ukumdinga uNkulunkulu kakhokho wakhe uDavida. Ngomnyaka wetshumi lambili waqalisa ukuhlambulula elakoJuda laseJerusalema, wavala izindawo zokukhonzela, izinsika zika-Ashera, izithombe ezibaziweyo lezikhandiweyo. 4 Ngeziqondiso zakhe kwabhidlizwa ama-alithare aboBhali; waqoba ama-alithare empepha ayengaphezu kwawo; wahlikiza izinsika zika-Ashera, izithombe kanye lemifanekiso. Lokhu wakuvadlaza wasekuchithizela phezu kwamangcwaba alabo ababenikele imihlatshelo kulezozithombe. 5 Watshisela amathambo abaphristi ema-alithareni abo, ngalokho wahlambulula elakoJuda laseJerusalema. 6 Emizini yakoManase, lako-Efrayimi lakoSimiyoni, kuze kuyefika koNafithali, lasemanxiweni aseduzane layo, 7 wadiliza ama-alithare lezinsika zika-Ashera njalo wahlifiza izithombe zaba yimpuphu wachithiza ama-alithare empepha kulolonke elako-Israyeli aba yizicucu. Wasebuyela eJerusalema.

8 Ngomnyaka wetshumi lasificaminwembili wokubusa kukaJosiya, ukuze ahlambulule ilizwe kanye lethempeli, wathumela uShafani indodana ka-Azaliya loMaseya umbusi wedolobho, loJowa indodana kaJowahazi, umlobi, ukuba bavuselele ithempeli likaThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe.

9 Baya kuHilikhiya umphristi omkhulu bamnika imali eyayilethwe ethempelini likaNkulunkulu, eyayiqoqwe ngabaLevi ababengabagcini beminyango beyiqoqa ebantwini bakoManase, lako-Efrayimi layo yonke insalela yabako-Israyeli lakubo bonke abantu bakoJuda labakoBhenjamini lababehlala eJerusalema. 10 Basebeyiqhubela amadoda ayekhethelwe ukukhangela ukuqhubeka komsebenzi wasethempelini likaThixo. Lamadoda ayeholisa ababevuselela lokwakha kutsha ithempeli. 11 Eyinye bayiqhubela ababazi labakhi ukuze bathenge amatshe abaziweyo lezigodo lezintungo zezindlu ezadilika amakhosi akoJuda engananzelele.

12 Amadoda ayisebenza imisebenzi yawo ngokwethembeka. Ayekhokhelwa njalo eqondiswa ngoJahathi lo-Obhadaya, abaLevi bosendo lukaMerari, uZakhariya loMeshulami abosendo lukaKhohathi. AbaLevi bonke ababengamagabazi kwezamachacho omculo, 13 babephethe izisebenzi njalo bekhangele izisebenzi kulowo lalowo umsebenzi. Abanye abaLevi babengonobhala, labalobi kanye labalindi beminyango.

14 Besakhipha imali eyayingeniswe ethempelini likaThixo, uHilikhiya umphristi wafumana uGwalo loMthetho kaThixo owawuphiwe uMosi. 15 UHilikhiya wathi kuShafani unobhala, “Sengilutholile uGwalo loMthetho ethempelini likaThixo.” Waselunika uShafani.

16 Ngalokho uShafani waluthatha walusa enkosini wayibikela wathi: “Izikhulu zakho ziyakwenza konke ozilaye ukuba zikwenze. 17 Sebeyibhadele imali leyo eyayisethempelini likaThixo njalo sebeyitshiyele abakhangeli bomsebenzi kanye lezisebenzi.” 18 Ngakho uShafani unobhala wabikela inkosi, wathi, “UHilikhiya umphristi usengiphe ugwalo.” Ngakho uShafani waselubala phambi kwenkosi.

19 Inkosi yonela ukuzwa amazwi oMthetho, yadabula izembatho zayo 20 yapha leziziqondiso kuHilikhiya, lo-Ahikhami indodana kaShefani, lo-Abhidoni indodana kaMikha, loShafani unobhala kanye lo-Asaya inceku yenkosi yathi: 21 “Hambani liyengibuzela kuThixo lensalela yako-Israyeli labakoJuda ngalokhu okulotshwe kulolugwalo olutholakeleyo. Lukhulu ulaka lukaThixo phezu kwethu ngenxa yabokhokho abangazange balilalele ilizwi likaThixo; kabenzanga ngendlela okulotshwe ngayo kulolugwalo.”

22 UHilikhiya lalabo ayethunywe labo yinkosi bahamba ukuba bayekhuluma loHulida umphrofethikazi owayengumkaShalumi indodana kaThokhathi, indodana kaHasira, umlondolozi wezembatho. UHulida wayehlala eJerusalema endaweni yeSiqinti Sesibili.

23 Wathi kubo, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Tshelani umuntu olithume kimi lithi, 24 ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uthi: Ngizakwehlisela lindawo labantu bayo incithakalo lazozonke izithuko ezilotshiweyo egwalweni olufundwe phambi kwenkosi yakoJuda. 25 Ngoba bangidelile batshisela abanye onkulunkulu impepha njalo bangithukuthelisile ngakho konke abakwenze ngezandla zabo, ulaka lwami luzakwehlela phezu kwalindawo njalo aluyikucitshwa.’ 26 Tshelani inkosi yakoJuda, elithume ukuzabuza kuThixo lithi: ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, mayelana lamazwi owezwileyo: 27 Njengoba uzisolile wazehlisa ngaphansi kukaNkulunkulu wezwa ukuthi utheni ngalindawo labantu bayo njalo langenxa yokuthi uzehlisile wazithoba phambi kwami wadabula izembatho zakho walila phambi kwami, ngikuzwile, utsho njalo uThixo. 28 Wena ngizakususa ngikuse kubokhokho bakho, njalo uzangcwatshwa ngokuthula. Amehlo akho awayikubona leyoncithakalo engizayehlisela indawo le lakulabo abahlala khona.’ ”