A Prophet Reprimands Jehoshaphat
1 King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem. 2 A prophet, Jehu son of Hanani, went to meet the king and said to him, “Do you think it is right to help those who are wicked and to take the side of those who hate the Lord? What you have done has brought the Lord's anger on you. 3 But even so, there is some good in you. You have removed all the symbols of the goddess Asherah which people worshiped, and you have tried to follow God's will.”
Jehoshaphat's Reforms
4 Even though King Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, he traveled regularly among the people, from Beersheba in the south to the edge of the hill country of Ephraim in the north, in order to call the people back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 5 He appointed judges in each of the fortified cities of Judah 6 and instructed them: “Be careful in pronouncing judgment; you are not acting on human authority, but on the authority of the Lord, and he is with you when you pass sentence. 7 Honor the Lord and act carefully, because the Lord our God does not tolerate fraud or partiality or the taking of bribes.”
8 In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed Levites, priests, and some of the leading citizens as judges in cases involving a violation of the Law of the Lord or legal disputes between inhabitants of the city. 9 He gave them the following instructions: “You must perform your duties in reverence for the Lord, faithfully obeying him in everything you do. 10 Whenever your fellow citizens from any of the cities bring before you a case of homicide or any other violation of a law or commandment, you must instruct them carefully how to conduct themselves during the trial, so that they do not become guilty of sinning against the Lord. Unless you do, you and your fellow citizens will feel the force of the Lord's anger. But if you do your duty, you will not be guilty. 11 Amariah the High Priest will have final authority in all religious cases, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, governor of Judah, will have final authority in all civil cases. The Levites have the responsibility of seeing that the decisions of the courts are carried out. Be courageous and carry out these instructions, and may the Lord be on the side of the right!”
Omuhunganeki ta gunu Jehosafat
1 Omukwaniilwa gwaJuda Jehosafat okwa galukile kuuwa we kuJerusalem nombili. 2 Omuhunganeki Jehu yaHanani okwa yi a ka tsakaneke omukwaniilwa e ta ti kuye: “Oto dhiladhila tuu kutya oshu uka okukwatha mboka aawinayi nokugama kumboka ye tonde Omuwa? Shoka wa longo, oshe ku tukuluthile ondjahi yOmuwa. 3 Ihe nando ongeyi, mungoye omu na ngaa uuwanawa washa. Owa kombolola po iiyelekela ayihe yoshikalungakiintu Asheera, shoka sha simanekwa kaantu, nowa kambadhala okulandula ehalo lyOmuwa.”
Omaopaleko gaJehosafat
4 Jehosafat nando okwa kalele muJerusalem, okwa endaenda olwindji mokati kaantu, okuza kuBeersheba muumbugantu sigo okooha dhoshilongo shokoondundu dhaEfraim muumbangalantu, opo a igidhile aantu, ya galukile kOmuwa, Kalunga koohekulu. 5 Okwa langeke aatokolihapu miilandohote ayihe yomuJuda 6 e te ya kumagidha ta ti: “Mokutomona ompangu kaleni mwa kotoka; itamu longo moonkondo dhuuntu, aawe, omoonkondo dhOmuwa. Omuwa oku li pamwe nane, uuna tamu utha oompangu. 7 Tileni Omuwa ne mu mu longele mwa kotoka, oshoka Omuwa, Kalunga ketu, iti idhidhimikile omakoto nenge ontondo nenge etaambo lyoombumbo.”
8 Jehosafat okwa langeke wo muJerusalem Aalevi, aayambi nayamwe yomaawiliki yoshilando, ya ninge aatokolihapu yokuutha oohapu mokutonatela ompango yOmuwa nenge oontamanana maakali yomoshilando. 9 Okwe ya kumagidha a ti: “Gwanitheni iilonga yeni mokutila Omuwa, mu vulike kuye nuudhiginini mwaayihe tamu yi longo. 10 Ngele aakwashilongo aakweni miilando yawo taye ya kune ye na iihokolola omolwedhipago nenge ya yono kompango nenge keutho lyontumba, ya kumagidheni, nkene ye na okukala mompangu, yaa kwate oshidhila shokuyona kOmuwa. Ngele itamu ya kumagidha, ne naakwashilongo aakweni otamu ka adhika kondjahi yOmuwa. Ihe ngele otamu gwanitha oshilonga sheni, itamu ka kala mu na ombudhi. 11 Omuyambimukuluntu Amaria ota ka kala omukuluntu mokutokola iinima ayihe yeitaalo, naSebadia yaIsmael, omunashikandjo gwaJuda, ota ka kala e na etokolo lyahugunina miinima ayihe yonkalathano. Aalevi oyo omalenga geni. Kaleni mu na omukumo, ne mu tameke iilonga yeni. Omuwa na kale naayuuki!”
