1 Ngomnyaka wesikhombisa uJehoyada waziqinisa, wazithathela izinduna zamakhulu, u-Azariya indodana kaJerohamu, no-Ishmayeli indodana kaJehohanani, no-Azariya indodana ka-Obede, noMahaseya indodana ka-Adaya, no-Elishafati indodana kaZikiri, zenza isivumelwano naye.
2 Zazungeza kwaJuda, zabutha amaLevi emizini yonke yakwaJuda, nezinhloko zawoyise bakwa-Israyeli, bafika eJerusalema.
3 Lonke ibandla lenza isivumelwano nenkosi endlini kaNkulunkulu; uJehoyada wathi: “Bhekani, indodana yenkosi iyakubusa njengokukhuluma kukaJehova ngamadodana kaDavide.
4 Nansi into eniyakuyenza: abesithathu kini abangena ngesabatha, ababapristi nabamaLevi, bayakuba ngabalindisango,
5 abesithathu babe sendlini yenkosi, abesithathu babe seSangweni Lesisekelo, bonke abantu babe semagcekeni endlu kaJehova.
6 Makungangeni muntu endlini kaJehova ngaphandle kwabapristi namaLevi akhonzayo; bona bangangena, ngokuba bangcwele; kepha bonke abantu bayakugcina izimfanelo zikaJehova.
7 AmaLevi ayakuyizungeza inkosi nxazonke, yilowo nalowo abe nezikhali zakhe esandleni sakhe; ongena endlini makabulawe; yibani nenkosi ekungeneni kwayo nasekuphumeni kwayo.”
8 AmaLevi naye wonke uJuda benza njengakho konke uJehoyada umpristi ayale ngakho, bathatha, kwaba yilowo nalowo abantu bakhe ababeyakungena ngesabatha kanye nababeyakuphuma ngesabatha, ngokuba uJehoyada umpristi akamukisanga izigaba.
9 UJehoyada umpristi wanikela ezinduneni zamakhulu imikhonto namahawu nezihlangu okwakungokwenkosi uDavide, kusendlini kaNkulunkulu.
10 Wamisa abantu bonke, kwaba yilowo nalowo enesikhali sakhe esandleni sakhe, kusukela ohlangothini lokunene lwendlu kuze kube sohlangothini lwesokhohlo lwendlu, ngase-altare nasendlini nxazonke zenkosi.
11 Base beyikhipha indodana yenkosi, wayifaka umqhele, wayinika ubufakazi, bayibeka inkosi; uJehoyada namadodana akhe bayigcoba bathi: “Mana njalo, nkosi.”
12 U-Athaliya esezwa ukumemeza kwabantu begijima beyidumisa inkosi, waya kubantu endlini kaJehova,
13 wabuka; bheka, inkosi yayimi ngasensikeni yayo ekungeneni, izikhulu nabamacilongo bengasenkosini; bonke abantu bezwe bathokoza, bakhalisa amacilongo; abahlabeleli babetha izinto zokubethwa, bahola ukuhlabelela kwendumiso. U-Athaliya wayeseklebhula izingubo zakhe, wathi: “Ngugobe! Ngugobe!”
14 UJehoyada wayesezikhipha izinduna zamakhulu ezazibekwe phezu kwempi, wathi kuzo: “Mkhipheni endlini, nimngenise phakathi kwezinhla; omlandelayo nimbulale ngenkemba;” ngokuba umpristi wathi: “Ningambulali endlini kaJehova.”
15 Base bemdedela nxazombili, waya ekungeneni kwesango lamahhashi endlini yenkosi; bambulala khona.
16 UJehoyada wenza isivumelwano phakathi kwakhe nabantu bonke nenkosi ukuba babe ngabantu bakaJehova.
17 Bonke abantu baya endlini kaBali, bayibhidliza, baphahlaza ama-altare akhe nezithombe zakhe, babulala uMathani umpristi kaBali phambi kwama-altare.
18 UJehoyada wamisa ababonisi bendlu kaJehova ngesandla sabapristi bamaLevi uDavide abahlukanisile endlini kaJehova bokunikela ngeminikelo yokushiswa kuJehova njengokulotshiweyo emthethweni kaMose, ngentokozo nangokuhlabelela, njengokuhlela kukaDavide.
19 Wamisa abalindisango emasangweni endlu kaJehova ukuba kungangeni ongcolile noma ngantoni.
20 Wazithatha izinduna zamakhulu, nabakhulu, nababusi babantu, nabo bonke abantu bezwe, wayehlisa inkosi endlini kaJehova, bafika ngesango lasenhla endlini yenkosi, bayibeka inkosi esihlalweni sobukhosi sombuso.
21 Bonke abantu bezwe bathokoza; umuzi wazola; bambulala u-Athaliya ngenkemba.