1 Jehoshaphat returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem. 2 But the prophet Jehu son of Hanani met him and said:
By helping that wicked Ahab, you have made friends with someone who hates the Lord. Now the Lord God is angry with you! 3 But not everything about you is bad. You destroyed the sacred poles used in worshiping the goddess Asherah—that shows you have tried to obey the Lord.
Jehoshaphat Appoints Judges To Settle Cases
4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, but he often traveled through his kingdom, from Beersheba in the south to the edge of the hill country of Ephraim in the north. He talked with the people and convinced them to turn back to the Lord God and worship him, just as their ancestors had done.
5 He assigned judges to each of the fortified cities in Judah 6 and told them:
Be careful when you make your decisions in court, because you are judging by the Lord's standards and not by human standards, and he will know what you decide. 7 So do your work in honor of him and know that he won't allow you to be unfair to anyone or to take bribes.
8 Jehoshaphat also chose some Levites, some priests, and some of the family leaders, and he appointed them to serve as judges in Jerusalem. 9 He told them:
Faithfully serve the Lord! 10 The people of Judah will bring you legal cases that involve every type of crime, including murder. You must settle these cases and warn the people to stop sinning against the Lord, so that he won't get angry and punish Judah. Remember, if you follow these instructions, you won't be held responsible for anything that happens.
11 Amariah the high priest will have the final say in any religious case. And Zebadiah, the leader of the Judah tribe, will have the final say in all other cases. The rest of the Levites will serve as your assistants. Be brave, and I pray that the Lord will help you do right.
Annabilayi Yehu ye Yehosafati jalayi
1 Yahuuda mansa Yehosafati muruta a yaa kayiroo kono Yerusalaamu. 2 Bari annabiyomoo doo, Yehu, Hanani dinkewo taata a kaŋ, a ko a ye ko, “Fo i ñanta jawoo maakoyi la le baŋ, ka moolu kanu mennu ye Yaawe koŋ? Ñiŋ kuwo kamma la Yaawe la kamfaa jiita i kaŋ. 3 Bari kuu kendoo fanaa be i la kuwo to le, kaatu i ye Asera* jalaŋ dokoolu bondi bankoo kaŋ ne, aduŋ i sondomoo tarata Alla batoo le kaŋ.”
Yehosafati ye kiitindirilaalu tomboŋ
4 Yehosafati sabatita Yerusalaamu le, aduŋ a naata finti moolu kaŋ kotenke, ka bo Beeriseba ka taa fo Efurayimu* konkotundoo* kaŋ, aduŋ a ye ì murundi naŋ Yaawe kaŋ, ì mumuñolu la Alla. 5 A ye kiitindirilaalu tomboŋ bankoo kaŋ, saatee tatariŋolu bee to Yahuuda. 6 A ko kiitindirilaalu ye ko, “Ali si ali hakiloo tu ali kekuwo to, kaatu ali buka kiitindiroo ke moo ye, ali ka a ke Yaawe le ye, a be tara la ali fee kiitii waatoo la le. 7 Ka bo saayiŋ na, ali si Alla ñaasilaŋo soto, ali si ali hakiloo tu ali kekuwo to, kaatu Yaawe, ǹ na Alla buka soŋ tilimbaliyaa la, faasaaroo, waraŋ dukoo.”
8 Yehosafati ye Lewi lasiloo moo doolu, piriisoolu* aniŋ Banisirayila kaabiila ñaatonkoolu tomboŋ Yerusalaamu, ka ì ke kiitindirilaalu ti. Ì ka kiitiyo ke kuwolu to, mennu be dendiŋ Alla la Luwaa la, aniŋ ka kiitiyo teyi Yerusalaamunkoolu dammaalu teema. 9 A ye ì yaamari ko, “Ali si kuwolu ke niŋ Alla ñaasilaŋo niŋ tiliŋo kono, aniŋ ali sondomoo bee la. 10 Niŋ ali mooñoo kiitindirilaalu mennu be sabatiriŋ saatee doolu to, ye kiitii kuwolu landi ali ñaa koto ka ì maakoyi, mennu be dendiŋ moofaa la, fitinoo, Alla la yaamaroo, aniŋ a la luwaa koteŋolu, ali si ì dandalaa ì kana boyidaa soto. I si a je Yaawe la kamfaa te jii la ali niŋ ì kaŋ. Niŋ ali ye ì dandalaa, ali te boyidaa soto la.
11 “Amariya, piriisi kuntiyo le be tara la marariŋ ali kunna diina kuwo bee to. Sebadiya, Isimayila dinkewo Yahuuda maralilaa le be mara la ali kunna kiitiyolu to mennu be dendiŋ mansakundaa kuwo la. Lewi lasiloo moolu be ke la ì maakoyilaalu le ti. Ali loo bambandinke ka kuwolu bee ke a ñaama. Allamaa Yaawe ye tara moo fee, meŋ tilinta.”
