Isahluko 20
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UBeni Hadadi inkosi yase-Aramu wabutha yonke impi yakhe; wayenamakhosi angamashumi amathathu nambili, namahhashi, nezinqola; wenyuka, wavimbezela iSamariya, walwa nalo,
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wathuma izithunywa ku-Ahabi inkosi yakwa-Israyeli emzini,
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wathi kuye: “Usho kanje uBeni Hadadi, uthi: ‘Isiliva lakho negolide lakho lingelami, nawomkakho nabantwana bakho abahle bangabami.’ ”
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Inkosi yakwa-Israyeli yaphendula yathi: “Kunjengokusho kwakho, nkosi yami, nkosi: Ngingowakho nakho konke enginakho.”
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Kepha izithunywa zabuya, zathi: “Usho kanje uBeni Hadadi, uthi: ‘Ngathumela kuwe, ngathi: Uyakunikela kimi isiliva lakho negolide lakho, nawomkakho, nabantwana bakho,
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kepha ngalesi sikhathi kusasa ngiyakuthuma izinceku zami kuwe, ziyalule indlu yakho nezindlu zezinceku zakho; kuyakuthi konke okuhle emehlweni akho zikufake esandleni sazo, zikususe.’ ”
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Inkosi yakwa-Israyeli yayisibiza onke amalunga ezwe, yathi: “Ake niqaphele, nibone ukuthi lowo muntu ufuna okubi, ngokuba wathumela kimi ngawomkami, nangabantwana bami, nangesiliva lami, nangegolide lami, angimnqabelanga.”
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Amalunga onke nabantu bonke bathi kuye: “Ungalaleli, ungavumi.”
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Wayesethi kuzo izithunywa zikaBeni Hadadi: “Yitsheleni inkosi yami, inkosi, ukuthi: ‘Konke owathumela ngakho encekwini yakho kuqala ngiyakukwenza, kepha le nto anginakuyenza.’ ” Zase zihamba izithunywa, zambuyisela izwi.
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UBeni Hadadi wayesethumela kuye, wathi: “Onkulunkulu mabenze njalo kimi, benezele futhi, uma uthuli lwaseSamariya luyakwanela abantu bonke abasezinyathelweni zami ukuba babe nokhweshe.”
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Yayisiphendula inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, ithi: “Khulumani kuye, nithi: ‘Obhinca izikhali makangazigabisi njengokhumulayo.’ ”
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Kwathi esezwa leli zwi, ephuza kanye namakhosi emadokodweni, wathi ezincekwini zakhe: “Mayiphume.” Yayisiphuma ukulwa nomuzi.
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Bheka, kwasondela umprofethi ku-Ahabi inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, wathi: “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Uyasibona sonke lesi sixuku na? Bheka, ngiyakusinikela esandleni sakho namuhla, uze wazi ukuthi mina nginguJehova.’ ”
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Wayesethi u-Ahabi: “Ngobani na?” Wathi: “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Ngezinsizwa zezikhulu zezifunda.’ ” Wayesethi: “Ngubani oyakokha impi?” Wathi: “Nguwe.”
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Wayesebala izinsizwa zezikhulu zezifunda, zazingamakhulu amabili namashumi amathathu nambili; emva kwazo wabala abantu bonke, bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, beyizinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa.
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Baphuma emini. Kepha uBeni Hadadi wayephuza waze wadakwa emadokodweni, yena namakhosi, amakhosi angamashumi amathathu nambili amsizayo.
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Izinsizwa zezikhulu zezifunda zaphuma kuqala; uBeni Hadadi wathumela, bamtshela ukuthi kuphume abantu eSamariya.
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Wathi: “Noma bephumele ukuthula, babambeni besaphila, noma bephumele ukulwa, babambeni besaphila.”
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Zaphuma-ke emzini izinsizwa lezo zezikhulu zezifunda kanye nempi eyazilandela.
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Babulala, kwaba yilowo nalowo umuntu wakhe; ama-Aramu abaleka, u-Israyeli wawaxosha; uBeni Hadadi inkosi yama-Aramu waphunyuka ngehhashi kanye nabamahhashi.
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Inkosi yakwa-Israyeli yaphuma, yagenca amahhashi nezinqola, yabulala ama-Aramu ngokuceka okukhulu.
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Umprofethi wasondela enkosini yakwa-Israyeli, wathi kuyo: “Hamba uziqinise, uqaphele, ubone oyakukwenza, ngokuba emva komnyaka inkosi yama-Aramu iyakwenyuka ukulwa nawe.”
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Izinceku zenkosi yama-Aramu zathi kuyo: “Unkulunkulu wabo ungunkulunkulu wezintaba, ngalokho basahlula; kepha masilwe nabo ethafeni, impela siyakubahlula.
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Futhi yenza lokhu: Susa amakhosi onke, kube yileyo naleyo endaweni yayo, ubeke ababusi ezikhundleni zawo,
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uzibalele impi njengaleyo mpi olahlekelwe yiyo, ihhashi ngehhashi, inqola ngenqola, silwe nabo ethafeni, sibahlule impela.” Yalalela izwi labo, yenze njalo.
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Kwathi emva komnyaka uBeni Hadadi wabala ama-Aramu, wenyukela e-Afeki ukuba alwe no-Israyeli.
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Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babalwa, baphiwa ukudla, bahamba ukuhlangabezana nabo; abakwa-Israyeli bamisa phambi kwabo njengemihlanjana emibili yamazinyane ezimbuzi, kepha ama-Aramu agcwalisa izwe.
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Wayesesondela umuntu kaNkulunkulu, wathi enkosini yakwa-Israyeli: “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Ngokuba ama-Aramu eshilo ukuthi uJehova ungunkulunkulu wezintaba, kasiye unkulunkulu wezigodi, ngiyakusinikela sonke lesi sixuku esikhulu esandleni sakho, nize nazi ukuthi nginguJehova.’ ”
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Base bemisile bebhekana izinsuku eziyisikhombisa. Kwathi ngosuku lwesikhombisa kwaqala ukuliwa; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babulala ama-Aramu ayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu ayimigundatshani ngalusuku lunye.
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Abaseleyo babalekela emzini wase-Afeki; ugange lwawela phezu kwabantu abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nesikhombisa abaseleyo. Naye uBeni Hadadi wabaleka, wangena emzini amakamelo ngamakamelo.
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Kepha izinceku zakhe zathi kuye: “Bheka, sizwile ukuthi amakhosi endlu yakwa-Israyeli angamakhosi anomusa; ake sembathe izindwangu zamasaka ezinkalweni zethu nezintambo emakhanda ethu, siphume, siye enkosini yakwa-Israyeli; mhlawumbe iyakusindisa ukuphila kwakho.”
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Zase zibhinca izindwangu zamasaka ezinkalweni zazo, nezintambo emakhanda azo, zaya enkosini yakwa-Israyeli, zathi: “Ithi inceku yakho uBeni Hadadi: ‘Ake ungiyeke, ngiphile.’ ” Yayisithi: “Usekhona na? Ungumfowethu yena.”
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Amadoda aqaphela lokho, ashesha ukuqinisa okuvela kuye, athi: “Ngumfowenu uBeni Hadadi.” Wathi: “Hambani, nimlande.” UBeni Hadadi wayesephumela kuye; wamkhwelisa inqola yakhe.
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UBeni Hadadi wayesethi kuye: “Imizi ubaba ayithatha kuyihlo ngiyakuyibuyisa, uzenzele izitaladi eDamaseku njengokwenza kukababa eSamariya.” U-Ahabi wathi: “Ngalesi sivumelwano ngiyakukuvumela ukuba uhambe.” Wayesenza isivumelwano naye, wamvumela ukuba ahambe.
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Umuntu othile wamadodana abaprofethi wathi kumngane wakhe ngezwi likaJehova: “Ake ungishaye.” Kepha lowo muntu wala ukushaya.
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Wayesethi kuye: “Ngokuba ungalalelanga izwi likaJehova, bheka, uyakwanele ukusuka nje kimi, ingonyama ikubulale.” Wanele wasuka nje kuye, ingonyama yamfumana, yambulala.
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Wayesefumana omunye umuntu, wathi: “Ake ungishaye.” Lowo muntu wamshaya; wamshaya, wamlimaza.
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Wayesesuka umprofethi, walindela inkosi endleleni, waziguqula ngeqhele elalisemehlweni akhe.
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Kwathi inkosi isidlula, wamemeza enkosini, wathi: “Inceku yakho yaphumela phakathi kokulwa; bheka, kwabuya umuntu owaletha kimi omunye, wathi: ‘Linda lo muntu; uma elahleka, ukuphila kwakho kuyakuba sesikhundleni sokuphila kwakhe, noma uyakukhokha italenta lesiliva.’
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Kwathi lapho inceku yakho isasebenza ngalapha nangalapha, kanti wayesehambile.” Yayisithi kuye inkosi yakwa-Israyeli: “Kunjalo ukwahlulelwa kwakho; nguwe onqumile.”
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Washesha wasusa iqhele emehlweni akhe; yayisimbona inkosi yakwa-Israyeli ukuthi ungowabaprofethi.
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Wathi kuyo: “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Ngokuba umyekile ukuba aphume esandleni sakho umuntu engangimqalekisile, ukuphila kwakho kuyakuba sesikhundleni sokuphila kwakhe, nabantu bakho babe sesikhundleni sabantu bakhe.’ ”
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Inkosi yakwa-Israyeli yaya endlini yayo ihluneme, ithukuthele, yeza eSamariya.