1 UAbhiya ke waya kuphumla kooyise, waza wangcwatywa kwisixeko sikaDavide. UAsa unyana wakhe wangena esikhundleni sakhe. Ngemihla yakhe ilizwe lazola iminyaka yalishumi.
2 UAsa yena wênza okulungileyo emehlweni kaNdikhoyo uThixo wakhe.
3 Wazitshabalalisa iindawo eziphakamileyo zonqulo ndawonye namaqonga asemzini; wawacumza amatye anqulwayo, wazigawula iintsika zika-Ashera.
4 UJuda wamyalela ukuba alandele uNdikhoyo uThixo wooyise, ayithobele imithetho nemiyalelo yakhe.
5 Wazitshitshisa iindawo eziphakamileyo zonqulo namaqonga eziqhumiso kuzo zonke iidolophu zakwaJuda, laza ke ilizwe laxhamla inzolo ngexesha lakhe.
6 Ngelo thuba lenzolo ke wazihlaziya wazakha izixeko ezinqatyisiweyo zelakwaJuda. UNdikhoyo ke wamthi jize ngenzolo nokuphumla, akwabakho sizwe silwa naye ngaloo minyaka.
7 Wathetha noJuda wathi: “Masizomeleze ezi dolophu, sizibiyele zibe neenqaba namasango nemivalo. Lo mhlaba ngowethu, kuba simfunile uNdikhoyo uThixo wethu; ewe, simzondelele ukumfuna, waza ke wasinika ukuphumla macal' onke.” Ngoko ke bakha, baza banenkqubela.
8 UAsa lo ke wayenomkhosi ongamawaka angamakhulu amathathu amadoda akwaJuda axhoba ngemikhonto namakhaka amakhulu; awakwaBhenjamin wona angamawaka angamakhulu amabini anamashumi asibhozo, iinto ezixhoba ngeentolo namakhaka amancinci; onke ke lawo ingoompondo-zihlanjiwe kwezemfazwe.
9 UmKushe onguZera wabahlasela enomkhosi ongamawaka-waka, enamakhulu amathathu eenqwelo. Wahamba ke wema ngeMaresha.
10 UAsa waphuma wamhlangabeza, baza ke bamisa amahlelo abo okulwa kwintili yaseZefata ngaseMaresha.
11 UAsa ke wabiza kuNdikhoyo uThixo wakhe, wathi: “Ndikhoyo, akekho onjengawe omncedayo ongenamandla angabhuqwa ngonamandla. Ngoko ke sincede, Ndikhoyo, Thixo wethu. Kaloku thina sithembele ngawe; naku ke ngoku egameni lakho sijongene nalo mkhosi ungaka. Ndikhoyo, unguThixo wethu; musa ukuvumela umntu amelane nawe.”
12 UNdikhoyo ke wawabetha amaKushe lawo, oyiswa nguAsa noJuda. AmaKushe abaleka,
13 waza uAsa nomkhosi wakhe wawasukela wada wee xhaxhe ngeGerare. Kwafa inyambalala yamaKushe, ngangokude angabi sabi nako ukuphinda enze ibuyambo; ewe, uNdikhoyo nomkhosi wakhe wawatshabalalisa. Ke amadoda akwaJuda athatha into eninzi yamaxhoba.
14 Azitshabalalisa zonke iidolophana ezijikeleze iGerare; kaloku bonke babengcangcazela besoyika uNdikhoyo. Bazitshabalalisa zonke ezo dolophana, abe ke amaxhoba emaninzi gqitha apho.
15 Kananjalo bazihlasela nezigqubo zabelusi, bathimba imihlambi yeegusha neebhokhwe neenkamela; baza ke bagoduka baya eJerusalem.