1 Ngomnyaka wamashumi amathathu nesithupha wokubusa kuka-Asa, uBahasha, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, wakhuphuka ukuhlasela uJuda, wakha iRama, ukuze angavumeli muntu ukuphuma nokungena ku-Asa inkosi yakwaJuda.
2 U-Asa wakhipha isiliva negolide engcebeni yendlu kaJehova nasendlini yenkosi, wathumela kuBeni Hadadi, inkosi yase-Aramu owahlala eDamaseku, wathi:
3 “Kukhona isivumelwano phakathi kwami nawe, njengalokho sasikhona phakathi kukababa noyihlo; bheka, ngithuma kuwe isiliva negolide; hamba waphule isivumelwano sakho noBahasha inkosi yakwa-Israyeli ukuba asuke kimi.”
4 UBeni Hadadi wayilalela inkosi u-Asa, wathuma izinduna zempi yakhe ukuba zihlasele imizi yakwa-Israyeli; zanqoba i-Ijoni, neDani, ne-Abela Mayimi, nayo yonke imizi yokubekelela yakwaNafetali.
5 Kwathi lapho uBahasha esekuzwile lokho, wayeka ukwakha iRama, wamisa umsebenzi wakhe.
6 Kepha u-Asa inkosi wahamba naye wonke uJuda; basusa amatshe aseRama nemithi yalo uBahasha ayelakhe ngakho; wakha ngakho iGeba neMispa.
7 Ngaleso sikhathi kweza uHanani, umboni ka-Asa, inkosi yakwaJuda, wathi kuye: “Ngokuba wencike enkosini yase-Aramu, ungencikanga kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ngalokho impi yenkosi yase-Aramu iphunyukile esandleni sakho.
8 AmaKushe namaLubi ayengesiyo impi enkulu yini, inezinqola nabamahhashi abaningi kakhulu na? Kepha ngenxa yokwencika kwakho kuJehova wawanikela esandleni sakho.
9 Ngokuba amehlo kaJehova aqalaza emhlabeni wonke ukuba abe namandla kwabanhliziyo yabo iphelele kuye; wenze ngobuwula kule nto, ngokuba kusukela manje uyakuba nokulwa njalo.”
10 U-Asa wacunuka ngomboni, wamfaka endlini yezitokisi,* ngokuba wamfutha ngenxa yale nto. U-Asa wabadlova nabathile babantu ngaleso sikhathi.
11 Bheka, izindaba zika-Asa, ezokuqala nezokugcina, bheka-ke, zilotshiwe encwadini yamakhosi akwaJuda nakwa-Israyeli.
12 Ngomnyaka wamashumi amathathu nesishiyagalolunye wokubusa kwakhe u-Asa waba nesifo ezinyaweni zakhe; isifo sakhe sasinzima kakhulu; kepha akafunanga uJehova esifweni sakhe, izinyanga zodwa.
13 U-Asa wayeselala koyise, wafa ngomnyaka wamashumi amane nanye wokubusa kwakhe.
14 Bammbela emathuneni akhe owayeziqophele wona emzini kaDavide, bambeka embhedeni ogcwele iphunga elimnandi namakha ayizinhlobonhlobo, alungisiwe ngokwenza komthaki; bamenzela ukushisa kwempepho okukhulu kakhulu.