5. Ke uYoshafati waphakama apho kwelo bandla likaJuda kunye neJerusalem endlwini kaNdikhoyo phambi kwaloo nkundla intsha,
6. waza wathi: “Ndikhoyo, Thixo woobawo, andithi na kaloku unguThixo osezulwini? Nguwe olawula zonke izikumkani zezizwe. Amandla nokomelela kusesandleni sakho; akukho mntu unokumelana nawe.
7. Ke kaloku, wena Thixo wethu, wabadudula wabakhupha abemi beli lizwe, amaSirayeli ebukele, waza lona walinikela ukuba libe lelesizukulwana sika-Abraham isihlobo sakho ngonaphakade.
8. Bema kulo ke, baza kulo bakha indawo engcwele egameni lakho, besithi:
9. ‘Sothi sakufikelwa sisithwakumbe, noba sisibetho sekrele, ubhubhani, noba yindlala, thina sime phambi kwakho kule ndlu ibizwa ngegama lakho, sikhale kuwe embandezelweni yethu, ke wena usiphulaphule usihlangule.’
10. “Ngoko ke ngoku nanga ama-Amon, amaMowabhi nâbo bentaba iSeyire, ummandla lowo wena ungavumanga ukuba awuhlasele uSirayeli ukuphuma kwakhe eJiputa, waza ke uSirayeli wabacezela akabatshabalalisa.
11. Khawubone ke indlela abasibuyekeza ngayo ngokuza kusigxotha kwisabelo owasinika ukuze sibe lilifa lethu.
12. Thixo wethu, khawubohlwaye. Thina ngokunokwethu asinawo amandla okujongana nale nyambalala yomkhosi osihlaselayo. Ewe, asazi nemasikwenze, koko amehlo ethu akhangele kuwe.”
13. Onke amadoda akwaJuda, nabafazi, nabantwana, neentsana, bema phambi koNdikhoyo.
14. Ke uMoya kaNdikhoyo wafikela uYaziyeli unyana kaZakariya, kaBhenaya, kaYehiyeli, kaMataniya umLevi oyinzala ka-Asafu, emi njalo apho ebandleni.
15. Wathi: “Phulaphulani, kumkani uYoshafati nani bemi bakwaJuda naseJerusalem. UNdikhoyo uthi kuni: ‘Sanukoyika; ze ningatyhafi ngenxa yale nyambalala yomkhosi. Kaloku imfazwe le asiyoyenu, yekaThixo.
16. Ngomso phumani niye kubo. Ke bona boba beqabela kwinkalo yaseZizi; nina nobafumana ekupheleni kwengxingwa kwintlango kaJeruweli.
17. Asinini abaya kulilwa eli dabi. Yimani ngeendawo zenu, niqingqe nje, nibukele uNdikhoyo enihlangula, ndlundini kaJuda nani bemi baseJerusalem. Ze ningoyiki okanye nityhafe. Ngomso phumani nijongane nabo, uNdikhoyo uya kuba nani.’ ”
18. UYoshafati waguqa, ubuso ebujongise emhlabeni, nabantu bakwaJuda nabaseJerusalem bawa phantsi, banqula uNdikhoyo.
19. Ke abaLevi abathile, abangamaKohati namaKora, basuka bema ngeenyawo badanduluka kanobom bebonga bedumisa uNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli.
20. Bavuka kusasa ngengomso, baphuma bajonga kwintlango yaseTekowa. Xa baphumayo ke uYoshafati wema wathi: “Ndiphulaphuleni, maJuda nani bemi baseJerusalem! Kholosani ngoNdikhoyo uThixo wenu, yaye ke yena uya kunixhasa. Ukuba niyabathemba abashumayeli bakhe niya kuphumelela.”
21. Akuba ethetha-thethene nabantu uYoshafati wamisela iimvumi zokuculela uNdikhoyo, ukuze zimbonge ngenxa yobunewu-newu bobungcwele bakhe. Zawukhokela ke umkhosi lowo, zimemelela zisithi:“Bulelani kuNdikhoyo,kuba izibele zakhe zimi ngonaphakade.”
22. Bathe bakucula bedumisa, suka uNdikhoyo wawurhwaqelisa umkhosi wama-Amon namaMowabhi, nâbo bentaba iSeyire ababehlasela uJuda; kubo yaba ngathi bangqingiwe, baza ke boyiswa.
23. Kaloku ama-Amon namaMowabhi asuka avukelana namadoda entaba iSeyire, awangenela awatshabalalisa. Akuba ewagwintile amadoda aseSeyire, ajika abulalana kwaodwa.
24. Athe ke amaJuda akufika kwindawo evelele intlango leyo, akuwujonga loo mkhosi mkhulu kunene, kuphela abona izidumbu zithe gangalala emhlabeni, kungekho nomnye osindileyo.