1 At the Lord's command a prophet from Judah went to Bethel and arrived there as Jeroboam stood at the altar to offer the sacrifice. 2 Following the Lord's command, the prophet denounced the altar: “O altar, altar, this is what the Lord says: A child, whose name will be Josiah, will be born to the family of David. He will slaughter on you the priests serving at the pagan altars who offer sacrifices on you, and he will burn human bones on you.” 3 And the prophet went on to say, “This altar will fall apart, and the ashes on it will be scattered. Then you will know that the Lord has spoken through me.”
4 When King Jeroboam heard this, he pointed at him and ordered, “Seize that man!” At once the king's arm became paralyzed so that he couldn't pull it back. 5 The altar suddenly fell apart and the ashes spilled to the ground, as the prophet had predicted in the name of the Lord. 6 King Jeroboam said to the prophet, “Please pray for me to the Lord your God, and ask him to heal my arm!”
The prophet prayed to the Lord, and the king's arm was healed. 7 Then the king said to the prophet, “Come home with me and have something to eat. I will reward you for what you have done.”
8 The prophet answered, “Even if you gave me half of your wealth, I would not go with you or eat or drink anything with you. 9 The Lord has commanded me not to eat or drink a thing, and not to return home the same way I came.” 10 So he did not go back the same way he had come, but by another road.
The Old Prophet of Bethel
11 At that time there was an old prophet living in Bethel. His sons came and told him what the prophet from Judah had done in Bethel that day and what he had said to King Jeroboam. 12 “Which way did he go when he left?” the old prophet asked them. They showed him the road 13 and he told them to saddle his donkey for him. They did so, and he rode off 14 down the road after the prophet from Judah and found him sitting under an oak tree. “Are you the prophet from Judah?” he asked.
“I am,” the man answered.
15 “Come home and have a meal with me,” he said.
16 But the prophet from Judah answered, “I can't go home with you or accept your hospitality. And I won't eat or drink anything with you here, 17 because the Lord has commanded me not to eat or drink a thing, and not to return home the same way I came.”
18 Then the old prophet from Bethel said to him, “I, too, am a prophet just like you, and at the Lord's command an angel told me to take you home with me and offer you my hospitality.” But the old prophet was lying.
19 So the prophet from Judah went home with the old prophet and had a meal with him. 20 As they were sitting at the table, the word of the Lord came to the old prophet, 21 and he cried out to the prophet from Judah, “The Lord says that you disobeyed him and did not do what he commanded. 22 Instead, you returned and ate a meal in a place he had ordered you not to eat in. Because of this you will be killed, and your body will not be buried in your family grave.”
23 After they had finished eating, the old prophet saddled the donkey for the prophet from Judah, 24 who rode off. On the way a lion met him and killed him. His body lay on the road, and the donkey and the lion stood beside it. 25 Some men passed by and saw the body on the road, with the lion standing near by. They went on into Bethel and reported what they had seen.
26 When the old prophet heard about it, he said, “That is the prophet who disobeyed the Lord's command! And so the Lord sent the lion to attack and kill him, just as the Lord said he would.” 27 Then he said to his sons, “Saddle my donkey for me.” They did so, 28 and he rode off and found the prophet's body lying on the road, with the donkey and the lion still standing by it. The lion had not eaten the body or attacked the donkey. 29 The old prophet picked up the body, put it on the donkey, and brought it back to Bethel to mourn over it and bury it. 30 He buried it in his own family grave, and he and his sons mourned over it, saying, “Oh my brother, my brother!” 31 After the burial the prophet said to his sons, “When I die, bury me in this grave and lay my body next to his. 32 The words that he spoke at the Lord's command against the altar in Bethel and against all the places of worship in the towns of Samaria will surely come true.”
Jeroboam's Fatal Sin
33 King Jeroboam of Israel still did not turn from his evil ways but continued to choose priests from ordinary families to serve at the altars he had built. He ordained as priest anyone who wanted to be one. 34 This sin on his part brought about the ruin and total destruction of his dynasty.
1 Ngono bonani, nlebesambeli we Ndzimu kadwa mu Juda kayenda ku Bhetele atumwa ndi Yahwe, kati eswikako kawana Jeroboamu alimile pa tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo episa tjibhayilo. 2 Ngono nlebesambeli we Ndzimu kamimila etjemela tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo nge dama la Yahwe eti, “Iwe tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo, iwe tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo! Yahwe banolebeleka bakati, ‘Bona, kowozwagwa nkololo mu ng'umba ya Dafite, unowodang'wa zina kuyi Josiya, ngono unowobhayila bapirisiti banopisila zwibhayilo zwe mafupa e bathu mukuli, pezhugwi kuko.’ ” 3 Ngono mu zhuba ilelo zwalo, nlebesambeli we Ndzimu kapa tjilakidzo tjinoti, “Yahwe bapa tjilakidzo tjinoti, ‘Bona, tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tjowophatuka na pakati, milota imutjili ikatebukila pasi.’ ”
4 Kukati Mambo Jeroboamu ehwa tjalebgwa nge nlebesambeli we Ndzimu emimila etjemela tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tjiku Bhetele, Jeroboamu kadusa luboko gugwe pa tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo, katendeka nlebesambeli kati, “Mumbhate.” Ngono luboko gwa akantendeka nlebesambeli we Ndzimu ndigo gukalobgwa nge gulukadzi kasitjatubule kugubuzila kunli. 5 Tjibeso tjikaphatuka na pakati, milota ikatebukila pasi, kuyendidzana ne tjilakidzo tjakapiwa nge nlume we Ndzimu sekwa akadwiwa ndi Yahwe. 6 Mambo Jeroboamu kakumbila nlebesambeli we Ndzimu kati, “Unditembezelele kuna Yahwe, Ndzimu uwo, ubakumbile bapodze luboko gwangu.”
Nlebesambeli we Ndzimu katembezela ekumbila kuna Yahwe, ngono luboko gwa mambo gukapodziwa, gukabe sekwa gwagala guli iko. 7 Ipapo mambo kadwa nlebesambeli we Ndzimu kati, “Atiyende tose ku nzi, unoja zojiwa, ndokowokupa mboko muna tjawandithamila.”
8 Ngono nlebesambeli we Ndzimu kadwa mambo kati, “Nenguba mungandipa gwamu limwe le thundu yenyu, andingayende namwi. Nakuto kuli kunoja kene kung'wa mu ng'umba iyeyi ye bushe. 9 Ngoti ndadwiwa nge dama la Yahwe liti, ‘Usitongoja tjiwunga nakuto kuli kung'wa vula, nenguba kuli kushanduka nge zila yawazha ndiyo.’ ” 10 Ndizo kasitongo shanduka nge zila yaakazha ndiyo, kashanduka nge zila ipoga.
Nlebesambeli we Bhetele wa ntolo
11 Ipapo kukabe kuna sholotjena ye nlebesambeli igala mu Bhetele. Mmwe we bakololo bayo kazha ku ili kayibudza zose zwashingwa nge nlebesambeli we Ndzimu mu zhuba ilelo mu Bhetele. Bakabudza tate babo zwaakaleba kuna mambo. 12 Tate babo bakabhuzwa beti, “Watobela zila ipi?” Ngono bakololo babe bakanlakidza zila yakatobegwa nge nlebesambeli we Ndzimu wadwa ku Juda. 13 Kadwa bakololo babe kuti bambelesele donki, ngono bakambelesela iyo kabe eitatha. 14 Kabe elonda nlebesambeli we Ndzimu, kanon'wana aligele kusi kwe nti nkulu we pakayengemala. Ngono kambhuzwa kati, “Ndiwe nlebesambeli we Ndzimu unodwa ku Juda kene?” Kadabila eti, “Ndimi.”
15 Kabe endwa eti, “Ngatiyende tose ku nzi unoja zojiwa.”
16 Ngono kanshandula eti, “Andingashanduke nawe, naiko kuyenda ndinoja tjiwunga kene kung'wa vula nawe mu magalo iyawa. 17 Ngoti ndakadwiwa nge dama la Yahwe kukayi, ‘Usitongoja tjiwunga kene kuli kung'wa vula ikweno, naiko usitongo shanduka nge zila yawakazha ndiwo.’ ”
18 Nlebesambeli wagala ali mu Bhetele kandwa kati, “Namibo ndi nlebesambeli sawe, ntumwa we Ndzimu walebeleka nami nge dama la Yahwe eti, ‘Kanshaduse azhe nawe ku nzi, kuti awoja tjiwunga abe eng'wa vula.’ ” Koga wakabe enyepa.
19 Ndizo nlebesambeli we Ndzimu kashanduka naye, kanoja tjiwunga mu ng'umba iye, ebe eng'wa vula. 20 Bakati batjigele pa tafuli dama la Yahwe likazha ku nlebesambeli wagala ali mu Bhetele. 21 Ngono kamilidza hwi kati ku nlebesambeli we Ndzimu wakadwa ku Juda, “Yahwe, Ndzimu uwo bakati auzohwa dama la Yahwe, ngoti auzothama tjawakadwiwa ndi Yahwe Ndzimu uwo. 22 Koga wakashanduka ukawoja tjiwunga ukabuya ukang'wa vula mu magalo abakakudwa bakati, ‘Usitongoja tjiwunga nakuto kuli kung'wa vula muali.’ Unowofa, ngobe wathama ikoko, ngono itumbu tjitjo atjitowobiganyiwa ku zwikumbu zwakabiganyiwa botate babo.”
23 Bakati basinoja tjiwunga bang'wa vula, nlebesambeli wagala ali mu Bhetele kabelesela nlebesambeli donki iwoyu waashandusa mu zila. 24 Katatha donki kayenda, ngono kashangana ne shumba mu zila ikambulaya. Itumbu tjitje tjikawila mu zila ngono donki ikama patjili ne shumba ikama bo patjili. 25 Ngono bathu bakabe bepinda nge zila bakabona itumbu tjitje tjakawila mu zila ne shumba ilimile patjili. Bakanoleba mu nzi nkulu wakabe nlebesambeli wagala ali mu Bhetele egala muuli.
26 Kukati nlebesambeli wakanshandusa ehwa nge kwako, kabe eti, “Nlebesambeli we Ndzimu, usakahwa dama la Yahwe. Ndizo Yahwe bakampa shumba, ndiyo yakampalulanya ikambulaya, kuyendidzana ne dama labo labakandwa.” 27 Ngono kadwa bakololo babe kati bambelesele donki, bakabe bethama tjaabadwa. 28 Katatha donki kabhuda kayenda, kanowana itumbu tje nlebesambeli tjakawila mu zila, donki ne shumba zwili mile patjili. Ngono shumba isaja itumbu kene kuli kupalulanya donki. 29 Nlebesambeli wagala ali mu Bhetele kamilidza itumbu tje nlebesambeli we Ndzimu katjibelesa mu donki, kashandukila natjo ku Bhetele kunlilila ne kumbiganya. 30 Wakabiganya itumbu mu ikumbu tjitje, benlilila beti, “Yee mme wee, ikamu tjangu, ikamu tjangu!” 31 Shule kwe kumbiganya, kadwa bakololo babe kati, “Ha ndafa, mundibiganye mu ikumbu tjakabiganyiwa nlebesambeli we Ndzimu, mubapise mafupa angu ne awe. 32 Ngoti ndebeleko yaakalebeleka nge dama la Yahwe ngekwe tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tjimu Bhetele, nenge kwe ng'umba dzose dzimu magalo akatuthumala dzimu mizi mikulu ye Samariya, aizowila pasi.”
33 Shule kwe zwithu izwezwi, Jeroboamu kasishandukile mbipo iye, kadwilila eshalulila magalo akatuthumala bapirisiti kudwa mu bathu bose. Wakabe ebiga mmwe ne mmwe wakabe eshaka kube mpirisiti. 34 Kuthu ikoko kwakabe tjibi mu ng'umba ya Jeroboamu, kukaipaladza, kukabuya kukailobesa mu shango.