1 Efrayimu utondla ngemoya, ucoshana nemoya wasemphumalanga lonkhe lilanga, wandzise emanga nebudlova. Wakha sivumelwane ne-Asiriya, atfumele emafutsa emncumo eGibhithe.
Emvakwato, kwase kubhaceka tikhutu letisikhombisa kungatsi tihangulwe ngumoya wasemphumalanga.
Thiglathi Phileseri, inkhosi yase-Asiriya, wahlasela lelive, Menahemu wamnika emakhilogremu labengaba ti-34 000 esiliva, atincengela kutsi amsimise embusweni wakhe.
Abesakhe netindzawo letiphakeme etintsabeni takaJuda, wabangela bantfu baseJerusalema kutsi baphinge ngekukhonta tithico, wedukisa sive sakaJuda.
“Umuntfu lohlakaniphile angaphendvula yini ngaletimphendvulo letilite, agcwalise sisu sakhe ngemoya loshisako wasemphumalanga?
Kodvwa babencempheta ngemilomo yabo, bacala emanga kuye ngetilwimi tabo,
Utiguculelani kangaka tindlela takho? IGibhithe itakujabhisa, njengaloku wake wajabhiswa yi-Asiriya.
Umoya uyawubaphephula bonkhe belusi bakho, nebangani bakho bayawutfunjwa. Uyawuba nemahloni uhlazeke ngenca yabo bonkhe bubi bakho.
Ngitanikhipha lapha ebukhoneni bami nginilahle, njengaloku ngenta kubomnakenu, sonkhe sive saka-Efrayimu.’ ”
Satinikela kubaseGibhithe nakubase-Asiriya, kuze sitfole kudla lokwenele.
Kona kube bewungahlanyelwa kabusha, bewungaphumelela yini? Ungete wabuna yini uphele, nawushaywa ngumoya wasemphumalanga? Ungete wabuna yini kulendzawo lapho wakhulela khona?’ ”
Efrayimu ungitungelete ngemanga, indlu yaka-Israyeli yangitungeleta ngenkhohliso. Juda naye usichomoketi lesimelene naNkulunkulu, yebo, umelene naLongcwele lowetsembekile.
Ngingeke ngiyisebentise intfukutselo yami leyesabekako, futsi ngingeke ngiphindze ngimbhubhise Efrayimu. Ngobe mine nginguNkulunkulu, angisiye umuntfu, nginguLongcwele losemkhatsini wenu. Ngingeke ngifike ngelulaka.
“Awu Israyeli, nome sewuphinga kangaka nje, ningamenti Juda abe nelicala naye. “Ningayi eGilgali; ningayi eBhethi Aveni. Ningafungi futsi nitsi: ‘Kuphila kwaSimakadze!’
Siwunguwungwana siyawubakhukhula sibalahle khashane, nemihlatjelo yabo iyawubatsela ngelihlazo.”
“Watsi kube Efrayimu abone kugula kwakhe, naJuda abone emanceba akhe, Efrayimu wase ugucukela e-Asiriya, watfumela enkhosini lenkhulu kuyawucela lusito. Kodvwa iyehluleka kunelapha, iyehluleka kupholisa emanceba enu.
nase ngifuna kuphilisa Israyeli, tono ta-Efrayimu tibekwa ebaleni, nemacala eSamariya ayembulwa. Benta emacebo, emasela agcekeze tindlu, tigebengu tibamba inkunzi etitaladini;
“Efrayimu ufanana nelituba, usheshe ayengeke, akanangcondvo. Bacela lusito eGibhithe, baze babalekele e-Asiriya!
“Bahlanyela umoya bavune siwunguwungwana. Luhlanga alunaso sishakato; lungeke lusivete sivuno. Kube belungatsela tinhlavu, betive bebangaluphanga.