1 UJosiya wayeneminyaka eyisishiyagalombili ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa, wabusa iminyaka engamashumi amathathu nanye eJerusalema; igama likanina lalinguJedida indodakazi ka-Adaya waseBosikati.
2 Wenza okulungile emehlweni kaJehova, wahamba ngendlela yonke kaDavide uyise, kachezukelanga ngakwesokunene nangakwesokhohlo.
3 Kwathi ngomnyaka weshumi nesishiyagalombili wenkosi uJosiya inkosi yathuma uShafani indodana ka-Asaliya kaMeshulamu, umbhali, endlini kaJehova, yathi:
4 “Yenyukela kuHilikiya umpristi omkhulu ukuba abale imali eyiswe endlini kaJehova, iqoqwe ngabalindimnyango kubantu,
5 bayibeke esandleni sezisebenzi eziphethe indlu kaJehova, bakhokhele ngayo abasebenza umsebenzi wasendlini kaJehova ukulungisa izimfa zendlu,
6 ababazi, nabakhi, nabakha ngamatshe, nokuthenga imithi namatshe abaziweyo ukulungisa indlu.
7 Nokho akubalelwananga nabo ngemali eyabekwa esandleni sabo, ngokuba babethembekile ekuphatheni kwabo.”
8 UHilikiya, umpristi omkhulu, wathi kuShafani umbhali: “Ngifumene incwadi yomthetho endlini kaJehova.” UHilikiya wanika uShafani leyo ncwadi, wayifunda.
9 UShafani umbhali waya enkosini, waletha umbiko enkosini, wathi: “Izinceku zakho zithululile imali eyafunyanwa endlini, zayibeka esandleni sezisebenzi eziphethe indlu kaJehova.”
10 UShafani umbhali wayitshela inkosi, wathi: “UHilikiya umpristi unginike incwadi.” UShafani wayifunda phambi kwenkosi.
11 Kwathi lapho inkosi isizwile amazwi encwadi yomthetho, yaziklebhula izingubo zayo.
12 Inkosi yayala uHilikiya umpristi, no-Ahikamu indodana kaShafani, no-Akibori indodana kaMikhaya, noShafani umbhali, no-Asaya inceku yenkosi, ithi:
13 “Hambani ningibuzele kuJehova, mina nabantu, naye wonke uJuda ngamazwi ale ncwadi efunyenweyo, ngokuba inkulu intukuthelo kaJehova esivuthelayo, ngokuba obaba abalalelanga amazwi ale ncwadi ukwenza njengakho konke okulotshiwe ngathi.”
14 Base behamba uHilikiya umpristi, no-Ahikamu, no-Akibori, noShafani, no-Asaya, baya kuHulida umprofethikazi, umkaShalumi, indodana kaThikiva kaHarihasi, umgcinizingubo -- wahlala eJerusalema enxenyeni yesibili -- bakhuluma kuye.
15 Wathi kubo: “Usho kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Tshelani umuntu onithume kimi ukuthi:
16 Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Bhekani, ngiyakwehlisela okubi phezu kwale ndawo naphezu kwabakhileyo kuyo, onke amazwi aleyo ncwadi eyifundile inkosi yakwaJuda,
17 ngokuba bangishiyile, bashisela abanye onkulunkulu impepho baze bangicunula ngawo wonke umsebenzi wezandla zabo; intukuthelo yami iyakuvuthela le ndawo, ayiyikucinywa.’
18 Kepha enkosini yakwaJuda eyanithuma ukubuza kuJehova niyakusho kuyo kanje, nithi: ‘Usho kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Maqondana namazwi owezwileyo,
19 ngenxa yokuba inhliziyo yakho yayithambile wazithoba phambi kukaJehova, lapho wezwa lokho engakukhuluma ngale ndawo nangabakhileyo kuyo ukuthi kuyakuba yincithakalo nesiqalekiso, waklebhula izingubo zakho, wakhala phambi kwami, mina ngikuzwile, usho uJehova.
20 Ngalokho bheka, ngiyakukubuthela koyihlo ubuthelwe ethuneni lakho ngokuthula, angaboni amehlo akho konke okubi engiyakukwehlisela phezu kwale ndawo.’ ” Babuyisela enkosini leli zwi.