1 UJehoramu indodana ka-Ahabi waba yinkosi kwa-Israyeli eSamariya ngomnyaka weshumi nesishiyagalombili kaJehoshafati inkosi yakwaJuda, wabusa iminyaka eyishumi nambili.
2 Wenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova kepha kungenjengoyise nonina, ngokuba wasusa insika kaBali abeyenzile uyise.
3 Nokho wanamathela ezonweni zikaJerobowamu indodana kaNebati onisa ngazo u-Israyeli, kasukanga kuzo.
4 UMesha inkosi yakwaMowabi owayefuyile kakhulu izimvu wathela enkosini yakwa-Israyeli uboya bamawundlu ayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu nobezinqama eziyizinkulungwane eziyikhulu.
5 Kwathi lapho esefile u-Ahabi, inkosi yakwaMowabi yahlubuka inkosi yakwa-Israyeli.
6 Inkosi uJehoramu yaphuma eSamariya ngaleso sikhathi, yabala wonke u-Israyeli.
7 Yaya yathumela kuJehoshafati inkosi yakwaJuda, yathi: “Inkosi yakwaMowabi ingihlubukile; ungahamba nami, silwe noMowabi, na?”Wathi: “Ngiyakwenyuka, mina njengawe, abantu bami njengabantu bakho, amahhashi ami njengamahhashi akho.”
8 Wathi futhi: “Siyakwenyuka ngayiphi indlela na?”Yathi: “Ngendlela yasehlane lakwa-Edomi.”
9 Yayisihamba inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, nenkosi yakwaJuda, nenkosi yakwa-Edomi; azungeza indlela yezinsuku eziyisikhombisa; kwakungekho manzi empi nawezinkomo ezibalandelayo.
10 Yayisithi inkosi yakwa-Israyeli: “Maye, ngokuba uJehova ubuthile lawa makhosi amathathu ukuwanikela esandleni sakwaMowabi!”
11 Kepha uJehoshafati wathi: “Akakho lapha umprofethi kaJehova ukuba sibuze kuJehova ngaye na?”Enye yezinceku zenkosi yakwa-Israyeli yaphendula yathi: “Ukhona u-Elisha indodana kaShafati owathela amanzi ezandleni zika-Eliya.”
12 Wayesethi uJehoshafati: “Izwi likaJehova likuye.” Base behlela kuye inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, noJehoshafati, nenkosi yakwa-Edomi.
13 Kepha u-Elisha wathi enkosini yakwa-Israyeli: “Nginamsebenzi muni nawe na? Hamba uye kubaprofethi bakayihlo nakubaprofethi bakanyoko.”Kepha inkosi yakwa-Israyeli yathi kuye: “Hhayi, ngokuba uJehova ubizile lawo makhosi amathathu ukuwanikela esandleni sakwaMowabi.”
14 Wayesethi u-Elisha: “Kuphila kukaJehova Sebawoti engimi phambi kwakhe, uma bengingamazisi uJehoshafati inkosi yakwaJuda, ngempela ngingeze ngakubheka, ngingeze ngakubona.
15 Kepha manje ngiletheleni umbethi wogubhu.” Kwathi umbethi wogubhu esabetha, isandla sikaJehova saba kuye.
16 Wathi: “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Yenza lo mfula ube nemigodi ngemigodi.’
17 Ngokuba uJehova usho kanje, uthi: ‘Aniyikubona umoya, aniyikubona imvula, kepha lo mfula uyakugcwala amanzi; niyakuphuza nina, nezinkomo zenu, nezinye izilwane zenu.’
18 Lokhu kulula emehlweni kaJehova; uyakunikela abakwaMowabi esandleni senu.
19 Niyakuchitha yonke imizi ebiyelweyo nayo yonke imizi ekhethekileyo; niyakuwisa yonke imithi emihle, nivimbe yonke imithombo yamanzi, none zonke iziqephu zomhlaba ngamatshe.”
20 Kwathi ekuseni ngesikhathi sokunikela ngomnikelo wempuphu, bheka, kwafika amanzi ngasendleleni yakwa-Edomi, izwe lagcwala amanzi.
21 Sebezwile bonke abakwaMowabi ukuthi amakhosi enyukile ukulwa nabo, babuthana bonke abaqale ukubhinca izikhali kuya phezulu, bema emkhawulweni.
22 Bavuka ekuseni, ilanga lakhanya emanzini, abakwaMowabi bawabona amanzi malungana nabo ebomvu njengegazi;
23 bathi: “Lokhu kuyigazi; ngempela amakhosi alwile, abulalene enye nenye; ngalokho ekuphangeni-ke, Mowabi!”
24 Sebefike ekamu* lika-Israyeli, abakwa-Israyeli basuka bashaya abakwaMowabi, baze babaleka ebusweni babo; bangena ezweni labo bechitha abakwaMowabi.
25 Bachitha imizi, naseziqeshini zonke ezinhle zomhlaba baphonsa, kwaba yilowo nalowo itshe lakhe, bazigcwalisa; bavimba yonke imithombo yamanzi, bawisa yonke imithi emihle, kwaze kwasala amatshe aseKhiri Haresheti kuphela; kepha abezindwayimana bazungeza, balishaya.
26 Yathi ibona inkosi yakwaMowabi ukuthi ukulwa kuyayahlula, yathatha abantu abangamakhulu ayisikhombisa abahosha inkemba ukufohlela enkosini yakwa-Edomi, kepha bahluleka.
27 Yayisithatha izibulo layo ebeliyakubusa esikhundleni sayo, yanikela ngalo libe ngumnikelo wokushiswa phezu kogange. Abakwa-Israyeli behlelwa yintukuthelo enkulu, basuka kuyo, babuyela ezweni lakubo.