1 Jehoshaphat returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem. 2 But the prophet Jehu son of Hanani met him and said:
By helping that wicked Ahab, you have made friends with someone who hates the Lord. Now the Lord God is angry with you! 3 But not everything about you is bad. You destroyed the sacred poles used in worshiping the goddess Asherah—that shows you have tried to obey the Lord.
Jehoshaphat Appoints Judges To Settle Cases
4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, but he often traveled through his kingdom, from Beersheba in the south to the edge of the hill country of Ephraim in the north. He talked with the people and convinced them to turn back to the Lord God and worship him, just as their ancestors had done.
5 He assigned judges to each of the fortified cities in Judah 6 and told them:
Be careful when you make your decisions in court, because you are judging by the Lord's standards and not by human standards, and he will know what you decide. 7 So do your work in honor of him and know that he won't allow you to be unfair to anyone or to take bribes.
8 Jehoshaphat also chose some Levites, some priests, and some of the family leaders, and he appointed them to serve as judges in Jerusalem. 9 He told them:
Faithfully serve the Lord! 10 The people of Judah will bring you legal cases that involve every type of crime, including murder. You must settle these cases and warn the people to stop sinning against the Lord, so that he won't get angry and punish Judah. Remember, if you follow these instructions, you won't be held responsible for anything that happens.
11 Amariah the high priest will have the final say in any religious case. And Zebadiah, the leader of the Judah tribe, will have the final say in all other cases. The rest of the Levites will serve as your assistants. Be brave, and I pray that the Lord will help you do right.
Jehu ta tangunine Josafat
1 Ndelenee Josafat, ohamba yaJuda eshi ya aluka, i li nawa keumbo layo muJerusalem, 2 omumonikokule Jehu yaHanani okwa ya oku mu shakeneka ndele ta lombwele ohamba Josafat, ta ti: “Ove wa li tuu u nokukwafa omuhenakonasha naKalunga, ndele wa li tuu u nokuhola ou ta tondwa kuKalunga? Onghee hano ehandu laKalunga tali uya kombada yoye. 3 Ndele mwoove mwa monika oinima iwa, osheshi wa hanauna po omiti domalupwelele moshilongo ndele wa ameka omutima woye okukonga Kalunga.”
4 Ndele Josafat okwa kala muJerusalem, nokwa ya vali mokati koshiwana okudja kuBerseba fiyo okeemhunda daEfraim nokwe va alulila kOmwene, Kalunga kooxe. 5 Ndele okwa tula ovatokoli veendjovo moshilongo, moilando aishe i neehotekuma domuJuda, moshilando keshe. 6 Nokwa lombwela ovatokoli, ta ti: “Taleni, eshi tamu ningi, osheshi itamu tokola omatokolo ovanhu, ndelenee omatokolo Omwene. Ndele Ye oku li punye momatokolo. 7 Etilo lokutila Kalunga nali mu pangele hano. Taleni oilonga yeni, osheshi pOmwene pehe nowii ile nokatongotongo, ndele ita tambula ombubo.”
8 Ndele muJerusalem yo Josafat okwa tula vamwe vomOvalevi novomovapristeli novomovakulunhu vOvaisraeli vomapata momatokolo Omwene, nokutokola eendjovo doihokolola. Ndele vo va alukila muJerusalem. 9 Nokwe va lombwela, ta ti: “Osho ngaha mu nokulonga metilo lokutila Omwene noudiinini nomutima aushe. 10 Ndele moihokolola keshe tamu i etelwa koovakweni, ovo ve li moilando yavo, ngeenge edipao, eemhango, oipango, neenghedimhango nomalombwelo, nye mu noku va londwela, opo vo vehe lietele ombedi mokunyona kOmwene, nehandu lihe uye kombada yeni ile yavakweni. Osho mu nokuninga muhe lietele ombedi. 11 Ndele taleni, omupristeli omukulunhu Amarja, oye omukulunhu weni moinima aishe yOmwene, ndele Sebadja yaIsmael, elenga lomepata laJuda, oye omukulunhu woinima aishe yohamba, nOvalevi vo ovapashukili voku mu yakula. Kaleni mwa pama ndele hoveleni oshilonga. NOmwene na kale naava vawa.”
