1 Ngomnyaka wesikhombisa kaJehu, uJowashi waba yinkosi, njalo wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka engamatshumi amane. Ibizo likanina kunguZibiya; yena wayevela eBherishebha. 2 UJowashi wenza ukulunga phambi kukaThixo ngayo yonke leyominyaka elaywa nguJehoyada umphristi. 3 Kodwa indawo eziphakemeyo zokukhonzela azidilizwanga, ngakho abantu baqhubeka benikela imihlatshelo yabo khona, njalo betshisa impepha khona.

4 UJowashi wathi kubaphristi, “Qoqani yonke imali elethwa ethempelini likaThixo kuyiminikelo engcwele, imali eqoqwe ekubalweni kwabantu, lemali eyamukelwe ngokuzifungela komuntu lemali elethwe ngokuzithandela ethempelini. 5 Akuthi ngamunye umphristi amukele imali evela kumgcinisikhwama, leyomali izasetshenziswa ukulungisa lapho okonakala khona ethempelini.”

6 Kodwa kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wamatshumi amabili lemithathu wokubusa kwenkosi uJowashi, abaphristi babelokhu bengalilungisanga ithempeli. 7 Ngakho inkosi uJowashi yabiza uJehoyada umphristi kanye labanye abaphristi yababuza yathi, “Kungani lingalungisi lapho okwadilika khona ethempelini? Lingabe lisathatha enye imali kumgcinisikhwama, kodwa liyilethe ukuze kulungiswe ethempelini.” 8 Abaphristi bavuma ukuthi abasayikuthatha enye imali ebantwini njalo abasayikulungisa ithempeli bona ngokwabo.

9 UJehoyada umphristi wasethatha ibhokisi, wabhoboza isikhala esivalweni salo, waselibeka eceleni kwe-alithari, ngakwesokudla nxa umuntu engena ethempelini likaThixo. Abaphristi bokulinda emnyango basebefaka ebhokisini yonke imali eyayilethwa ethempelini likaThixo. 10 Besithi bangabona isinengi ebhokisini, babize unobhala wesigodlweni kanye lomphristi omkhulu, bafike bayibale yonke engenileyo ethempelini likaThixo babesebeyigqiba emigodleni. 11 Kwakusithi imali isibaliwe kukhitshwe eyokubhadala ababekhethelwe ukukhangela umsebenzi ethempelini. Ngaleyomali babhadala labo ababesebenza ethempelini likaThixo, ababazi kanye labakhi 12 labakha ngamatshe lababazi bamatshe. Bathenga amapulanka lamatshe abaziweyo ayesetshenziswa ukwakha kulungiswa ithempeli likaThixo, njalo babhadala zonke izindleko ezazingezomsebenzi wokuvuselela ithempeli.

13 Imali eyalethwa ethempelini likaThixo kayisetshenziswanga ukwenza imiganu yesiliva, lezindlawu, lemiganu yokuchela, lamacilongo loba ezinye izinto zegolide lezesiliva; 14 yaphiwa izisebenzi ezayisebenzisa ukulungisa ithempeli. 15 Akudingakalanga ukuthi bacele imvumo kulabo ababanika imali yokubhadala ababesebenza, ngoba babesebenza beyiphatha ngokuthembeka okupheleleyo. 16 Imali yeminikelo yecala leminikelo yesono kayilethwanga ethempelini likaThixo ngoba yayingeyabaphristi.

17 Ngalesosikhathi uHazayeli inkosi yase-Aramu wayahlasela iGathi, wayithumba, wasezimisela ukuthumba iJerusalema, 18 kodwa uJowashi inkosi yakoJuda wathatha zonke impahla ezingcwele ezazinikelwe ngokhokho bakhe uJehoshafathi loJehoramu lo-Ahaziya, amakhosi akoJuda lalezozipho ezazinikelwe nguye ngokwakhe, legolide lonke elatholakala ethempelini likaThixo lasesigodlweni, wazithumela kuHazayeli inkosi yase-Aramu. UHazayeli wasesuka eJerusalema.

19 Mayelana lezinye izehlakalo zombuso kaJowashi, lakho konke akwenzayo, akulotshwanga yini encwadini yembali yamakhosi akoJuda na? 20 Izikhulu zakhe zaceba ndawonye ngaye zambulala eBhethi-Milo, emgwaqweni owehla usiya eSila. 21 Izikhulu ezambulalayo ngoJozabhadi indodana kaShimeyathi loJehozabhadi indodana kaShomeri. Wafa wangcwatshwa laboyise eMzini kaDavida. U-Amaziya indodana yakhe yabusa esikhundleni sakhe.