Mathewu

Isahluko 2

UJesu esezelwe eBetlehema laseJudiya emihleni kaHerode inkosi, bheka, kwafika izazi eJerusalema, zivela empumalanga, zithi:
2 “Uphi lowo ozelwe eyinkosi yabaJuda na? Ngokuba sibonile inkanyezi yakhe kwelasempumalanga, size ukukhuleka kuye.”
3 UHerode inkosi esekuzwile lokho wakhathazeka neJerusalema lonke kanye naye.
4 Wabutha bonke abapristi abakhulu nababhali besizwe, wabuza kubo ukuthi uKristu uzakuzalelwaphi.
5 Bathi kuye: “EBetlehema laseJudiya, ngokuba kulotshiwe kanjalo ngomprofethi ukuthi:
6 “ ‘Nawe Betlehema, lizwe lakwaJuda, kawusiye omncane nakanye kubabusi bakwaJuda, ngokuba kuyakuvela kuwe umbusi oyakwalusa isizwe sami u-Israyeli.’ ”
7 Khona uHerode, ezibizile izazi ngasese, wabuzisisa kuzo isikhathi inkanyezi ebonakele ngaso,
8 wazithuma eBetlehema, wathi: “Hambani nibuzisise ngomntwana; kuyakuthi nxa nimfumene, ningitshele ukuba nami ngiye ngikhuleke kuye.”
9 Seziyizwile inkosi, zamuka; bheka, inkanyezi ezayibona kwelasempumalanga yahamba phambi kwazo, yaze yafika yema phezu kwalapho umntwana ekhona.
10 Zathi ukuyibona inkanyezi, zathokoza ngokuthokoza okukhulu kakhulu.
11 Zase zingena endlini, zabona umntwana noMariya unina, zawa phansi, zakhuleka kuye, zavula amagugu azo, zamkhunga ngezipho: igolide namakha nenhlaka.
12 Kwathi ziyaliwe nguNkulunkulu ngephupho ukuba zingabuyeli kuHerode, zabuyela ezweni lakubo ngenye indlela.
13 Sezimukile, bheka, ingelosi yeNkosi yabonakala kuJosefa ngephupho, ithi: “Vuka uthabathe umntwana nonina, ubalekele eGibithe, uhlale khona, ngize ngikutshele; ngokuba uHerode uzakumfuna umntwana ukuba ambhubhise.”
14 Wavuka-ke, wathabatha umntwana nonina ebusuku, wamuka waya eGibithe,
15 wahlala khona, waze wafa uHerode, ukuze kugcwaliseke okwakhulunywa yiNkosi ngomprofethi ukuthi: “Ngayibiza indodana yami iphume eGibithe.”
16 Khona uHerode, esebonile ukuthi izazi zimphambile, wathukuthela kakhulu, wathumela wabulala bonke abantwana besilisa baseBetlehema nasendaweni yonke yangakhona, abaminyaka mibili nangaphansi njengesikhathi abesibuzisisile kuzo izazi.
17 Khona kwagcwaliseka okwakhulunywa ngoJeremiya umprofethi ukuthi:
18 “Kwezwakala izwi eRama, ukukhala nokulila okukhulu, uRakheli ekhalela abantwana bakhe, engavumi ukududuzwa, ngokuba abasekho.”
19 Kepha uHerode esefile, bheka, ingelosi yeNkosi yabonakala ngephupho kuJosefa eGibithe, yathi:
20 “Vuka uthabathe umntwana nonina, uye ezweni lakwa-Israyeli; ngokuba sebefile ababezingela ukuphila komntwana.”
21 Wasuka-ke, wathabatha umntwana nonina, wafika ezweni lakwa-Israyeli.
22 Kepha ezwa ukuthi sekubusa u-Arkelawu eJudiya esikhundleni sikaHerode uyise, wesaba ukuya khona; eseyaliwe nguNkulunkulu ngephupho wamuka waya kwelaseGalile;
23 wafika wakha emzini othiwa iNazaretha ukuba kugcwaliseke okwakhulunywa ngabaprofethi ukuthi: “Uyakubizwa ngokuthi umNazaretha.”