1 Bheka, kwavela kwaJuda umuntu kaNkulunkulu ngezwi likaJehova, weza eBethele; uJerobowamu wayemi e-altare ukushisa impepho.
2 Walibiza i-altare ngezwi likaJehova, wathi: “Altare, altare, usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Bheka, kuzakuzalwa umntwana kuyo indlu kaDavide, nguJosiya igama lakhe; uyakunikela phezu kwakho ngabapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo abashisa impepho phezu kwakho, bashise namathambo abantu phezu kwakho.’ ”
3 Wabanika isiboniso ngalolo suku, wathi: “Yilesi esiyisiboniso uJehova akhulume ngaso sokuthi: Bheka, i-altare liyakudatshulwa, umlotha ophezu kwalo uchithwe.”
4 Kwathi inkosi isizwile izwi lalowo muntu kaNkulunkulu alibiza ngalo i-altare laseBethele, uJerobowamu waselula isandla sakhe ese-altare, wathi: “Mbambeni.” Kepha isandla sakhe aselulela kuye sashwabana, akaba namandla okusibuyisela kuye.
5 I-altare ladabuka, umlotha we-altare wachitheka e-altare njengesiboniso asinikile lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu ngezwi likaJehova.
6 Inkosi yayisithatha yathi kulowo muntu kaNkulunkulu: “Ake unxuse phambi kukaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ungikhulekele ukuba isandla sami siphiliswe.” Lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu wanxusa kuJehova, saphiliswa isandla sakhe, saba njengakuqala.
7 Yayisithi inkosi kulowo muntu kaNkulunkulu: “Woza siye ekhaya, uzihlumelele, ngikuphe isipho.”
8 Kepha lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu wathi enkosini: “Noma unginika inxenye yendlu yakho, angiyikuya khona nawe; futhi angiyikudla isinkwa, ngiphuze amanzi kuleyo ndawo;
9 ngokuba ngayalwa kanjalo ngezwi likaJehova ngokuthi: ‘Awuyikudla sinkwa, ungaphuzi manzi, ungabuyi ngendlela oze ngayo.’ ”
10 Wayesehamba ngenye indlela, kabuyanga ngendlela abeze ngayo eBethele.
11 Kwakuhlala eBethele umprofethi omdala. Amadodana akhe afika amtshela yonke imisebenzi lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu abeyenzile ngalolo suku eBethele, namazwi abewakhulumile enkosini. Uyise esetsheliwe,
12 uyise wathi kuwo: “Uhambe ngayiphi indlela na?” Amadodana ayebonile ukuthi uhambe ngayiphi indlela lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu owavela kwaJuda.
13 Wayesethi kumadodana akhe: “Ngibopheleni imbongolo.” Ambophela-ke imbongolo, wayikhwela.
14 Wamlandela lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu, wamfumana ehlezi phansi kwe-oki;* wathi kuye: “Wena ungumuntu kaNkulunkulu lowo owavela kwaJuda na?”Wathi: “Nginguye.”
15 Wayesethi kuye: “Woza siye ekhaya, uthole ukudla.”
16 Kepha wathi: “Anginakubuya nawe, anginakungena kwakho nawe; futhi anginakudla isinkwa, ngiphuze amanzi nawe kuleyo ndawo,
17 ngokuba kwathiwa kimi ngezwi likaJehova: ‘Awuyikudla sinkwa, ungaphuzi manzi khona, ungabuyi ngendlela oze ngayo.’ ”
18 Wayesethi kuye: “Nami ngingumprofethi njengawe; kwakhuluma kimi ingelosi ngezwi likaJehova ngokuthi: ‘Mbuyise, uye naye endlini yakho ukuba athole ukudla, aphuze amanzi.’ ” Kodwa waqamba amanga kuye.
19 Wayesebuya-ke naye, wadla endlini yakhe, waphuza amanzi.
20 Kwathi besahlezi etafuleni, izwi likaJehova lafika kumprofethi owambuyisa;
21 wamemeza kulowo muntu kaNkulunkulu owavela kwaJuda, wathi: “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Njengokuba ungalilalelanga izwi likaJehova, ungagcinanga umyalo uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho akuyala ngawo,
22 kepha ubuyile, wadla, waphuza amanzi endaweni athi ngayo kuwe ungadli sinkwa, ungaphuzi manzi, isidumbu sakho asiyikungeniswa ethuneni lawoyihlo.’ ”
23 Kwathi esedlile, esephuzile, wambophelela imbongolo yena lowo mprofethi abembuyisile.
24 Esehambile waficwa yingonyama endleleni, yambulala; isidumbu sakhe santshingwa endleleni, imbongolo yema eceleni kwaso, nengonyama yema ngasesidunjini.
25 Bheka, abantu badlula, babona isidumbu sintshingwe endleleni nengonyama imi eceleni kwesidumbu, bafika bakhuluma ngakho emzini ayehlala kuwo lowo mprofethi omdala.
26 Esezwile lokho umprofethi obembuyisile endlelni wathi: “Ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu lowo owayengalaleli izwi likaJehova; ngalokho uJehova umnikele kuyo ingonyama, yamdwengula; yambulala njengezwi likaJehova alikhuluma kuye.”
27 Wayesekhuluma kumadodana akhe, ethi: “Ngibopheleleni imbongolo.” Ayibophela.
28 Wahamba, wafumana isidumbu sakhe sintshingwe endleleni, imbongolo nengonyama zimi eceleni kwesidumbu; ingonyama ayidlanga isidumbu, ayidwengulanga nembongolo.
29 Umprofethi wasiphakamisa isidumbu salowo muntu kaNkulunkulu, wasibeka embongolweni, wasibuyisa; wafika emzini womprofethi omdala ukuba alile, ammbele.
30 Wasibeka isidumbu ethuneni lakhe; bamlilela bathi: “Maye, mfowethu!”
31 Kwathi esemmbele, wakhuluma kumadodana akhe, wathi: “Lapho sengifile, ngimbeleni ethuneni embelwe kulo lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu, nibeke amathambo ami eceleni kwamathambo akhe.
32 Ngokuba izwi alimemezayo ngokusho kukaJehova kulo i-altare laseBethele nakuzo zonke izindlu zezindawo eziphakemeyo ezisemizini yaseSamariya liyakwenzeka nokwenzeka.”
33 Emva kwalokho uJerobowamu akaphendukanga nokho endleleni yakhe embi, kepha wabuye wenza abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo ngeningi labantu; othandayo wahlukaniselwa, wabangumpristi wendawo ephakemeyo.
34 Leyo nto yaba yisono kuyo indlu kaJerobowamu ngangokuba inqunywe, ichithwe ebusweni bomhlaba.