1 Ngakho u-Abhija waya kubokhokho bakhe wembelwa eMzini kaDavida. Indodana yakhe u-Asa wathatha isikhundla sakhe waba yinkosi, njalo ngezinsuku zokubusa kwakhe kwaba lokuthula elizweni okweminyaka elitshumi.

2 U-Asa wenza okuhle lokulungileyo phambi kukaThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe. 3 Wasusa wonke ama-alithare ezizweni lezindawo zokukhonzela, wadiliza izinsika zakhona lezithombe zikankulunkulukazi u-Ashera. 4 Walaya abakoJuda ukuba bakhonze uThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo, balandele yonke imithetho lemilayo yakhe. 5 Wavala izindawo zokukhonzela lama-alithare empepha kuwo wonke amadolobho akoJuda, ngakho kwaba lokuthula ekubuseni kwakhe. 6 Wakha imizi ebiyelweyo koJuda, njengoba kwakulokuthula elizweni. Kakho owalwa impi laye ngaleyominyaka, ngoba uThixo wamnika ukuphumula.

7 Wathi kwabakoJuda, “Kasakheni imizi le siyizingelezele ngemiduli, lemiphotshongo, lamasango leminxibo. Ilizwe lilokhu lingelethu, ngoba simtholile uThixo uNkulunkulu wethu; simkhonzile usesilethele ukuthula inxa zonke.” Basebesakha njalo baphumelela.

8 U-Asa wayelamabutho empi azinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amathathu koJuda, ayehlome ngamahawu amakhulu lemikhonto, lamanye azinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amabili alamatshumi ayisificaminwembili koBhenjamini, ayehlome ngezihlangu ezincinyane lamadandili. Wonke kungamadoda alezibindi zokulwa.

9 UZera umKhushi waphuma ebathukuthelele ephelekezelwa libutho elikhulu lezinqola zokulwa ezingamakhulu amathathu, waze wayafika eMaresha. 10 U-Asa waphuma laye ukuyamjamela, bafika bajama eSigodini saseZefatha phansi kweMaresha.

11 U-Asa wasekhuleka kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe wathi: “Thixo, kakho omunye onjengawe ongavikela ababuthakathaka kwabalamandla. Sisize, Oh Thixo Nkulunkulu wethu, ngoba thina sithembele kuwe, ngebizo lakho siphumile ukuba silwe lalelibutho lempi elikhulu kangaka. Oh Thixo, unguNkulunkulu wethu; umuntu angezake amelane lawe.”

12  UThixo wawatshaya wawabhuqa amaKhushi phambi kuka-Asa labakoJuda. AmaKhushi abaleka, 13 kodwa u-Asa lamabutho akhe waxotshana lawo waze wayawafikisa eGerari. Kwafa amaKhushi amanengi okokuthi kasazange azame ukuqoqana kutsha; abhuqwa phambi kukaThixo laphambi kwamabutho akhe. Amadoda akoJuda atshuquluza impango enengi kakhulu. 14 Atshabalalisa yonke imizi yaseGerari, ngoba ukuthukuthela kukaThixo kwakuphezu kwayo. Atshuquluza yonke imizi ngoba impango yayinengi kuyo. 15 Ahlasela izihonqo zabelusi njalo abutha imihlambi yezimvu, imbuzi kanye lamakamela. Asebuyela eJerusalema.