Abantwana bakoIsrayeli bavukela indlu kaDavida

12URehobhowamua wasesiya eShekemab ngoba uIsrayeli wonke wayefike eShekema ukumbeka abe yinkosi. 2 Kwasekusithi uJerobhowamu indodana kaNebatic, owayelokhu eseGibhithed, ekuzwa lokhu (ngoba wayebaleke esuka phambi kukaSolomoni inkosi, uJerobhowamu wahlala eGibhithe), 3 bathuma bambiza. UJerobhowamu lebandla lonke lakoIsrayeli basebesiza bakhuluma loRehobhowamu besithi: 4 Uyihlo wenza ijogwe lethu laba lukhuni; ngakho-ke wena yenza kube lula umsebenzi olukhuni kayihlo, lejogwe lakhe elinzima abesithwalise lona, njalo sizakukhonzae. 5 Wasesithi kibo: Hambani futhi okwensuku ezintathu, libe selibuya kimi. Basebehamba abantu.

6 Inkosi uRehobhowamu yasicebisana labadala ababesima phambi kukaSolomoni uyise esaphila, isithi: Licebisa njani ukubuyisela impendulo kulababantuf? 7 Basebekhuluma kuyo besithi: Uba uzakuba yinceku yalababantu lamuhla ubasebenzele, ubaphendule, ukhulume kibo amazwi amahle, khona bezakuba zinceku zakho zonke izinsukug. 8 Kodwa wasitshiya iseluleko sabadala ababemeluleke ngaso, wacebisana lamajaha ayeyintanga yakhe, ayemi phambi kwakheh. 9 Wasesithi kuwo: Lipha seluleko bani ukuthi sibuyisele impendulo kulababantu abakhulume lami besithi: Yenza libe lulanyana ijogwe uyihlo alibeka phezu kwethu? 10 Amajaha ayeyintanga yakhe asekhuluma kuye esithi: Uzakutsho njalo kulababantu abakhuluma kuwe besithi: Uyihlo wenza ijogwe lethu laba nzima, kodwa wena yenza libe lulanyana kithi; uzakutsho njalo kibo: Ucikilicane wami uqatha kulokhalo lukababa. 11 Uba-ke ubaba walethwesa ijogwe elinzima, mina-ke ngizakwengezelela ejogweni lenu. Ubaba walijezisa ngeziswepui, kodwa mina ngizalijezisa ngabofezelaj.

12 Ngakho uJerobhowamu labo bonke abantu beza kuRehobhowamu ngosuku lwesithathu njengokutsho kwenkosi isithi: Libuye kimi futhi ngosuku lwesithathuk. 13 Inkosi yasibaphendula abantu kalukhuni, yatshiya iseluleko sabadala ababeyeluleke ngaso. 14 Yakhuluma kubo njengokweseluleko samajaha isithi: Ubaba wenza ijogwe lenu laba nzima, kodwa mina ngizakwengezelela ejogweni lenu; ubaba walijezisa ngeziswepu, kodwa mina ngizalijezisa ngabofezelal. 15 Ngalokho inkosi kayibalalelanga abantu; ngoba inguquko yayivela eNkosini ukuze iqinise ilizwi layom, iNkosi eyayilikhulume ngesandla sikaAhiya umShilo kuJerobhowamu indodana kaNebatin.

16 Lapho uIsrayeli wonke ebona ukuthi inkosi kayibalalelanga, abantu babuyisela impendulo enkosini besithi: Silesabelo bani kuDavida? Yebo, kasilalifa endodaneni kaJeseo. Emathenteni akho, Israyeli! Khathesi, zibonele indlu yakho, Davidap. Ngakho uIsrayeli waya emathenteni akhe. 17 Mayelana labantwana bakoIsrayeli ababehlala emizini yakoJuda, uRehobhowamu wabusa phezu kwaboq.

18 Khona inkosi uRehobhowamu yathuma uAdoniramur owayephezu kwezibhalwa; uIsrayeli wonke wasemkhanda ngamatshe waze wafa. Ngakho inkosi uRehobhowamu yakhwela masinyane inqola yayo, ukubalekela eJerusalema. 19 Ngokunjalo uIsrayeli wayihlamukela indlu kaDavida kuze kube lamuhlas. 20 Kwasekusithi uIsrayeli wonke esezwile ukuthi uJerobhowamu ubuyile, bathuma bambizela enhlanganweni, bamenza inkosi phezu kukaIsrayeli wonke; kakubanga khona olandela indlu kaDavida ngaphandle kwesizwe sakoJuda sodwat.

21 Kwathi uRehobhowamu esefikile eJerusalema wabuthanisa yonke indlu yakoJuda lesizwe sakoBhenjamini, abakhethiweyo abayizinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi ayisificaminwembili, abalwa impi, ukulwa lendlu yakoIsrayeli, ukubuyisela umbuso kuRehobhowamu indodana kaSolomoni. 22 Kodwa ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lafika kuShemayau umuntu kaNkulunkuluv lisithi: 23 Khuluma kuRehobhowamu indodana kaSolomoni, inkosi yakoJuda, lakuyo yonke indlu yakoJuda leyakoBhenjamini, lensali yabantu, uthi: 24 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Lingenyuki njalo lingalwi labafowenu, abantwana bakoIsrayeli. Buyelani, ngulowo lalowo endlini yakhe; ngoba linto ivela kimi. Basebelilalela ilizwi leNkosi, babuyela ukuhamba, njengokwelizwi leNkosiw.

UJerobhowamu uduhisa abantwana bakoIsrayeli

25 UJerobhowamu wasesakha iShekemax entabeni yakoEfrayimiy, wahlala kuyo; wasephuma lapho wakha iPenuweliz. 26 UJerobhowamu wasesithi enhliziyweni yakhe: Khathesi umbuso uzabuyela endlini kaDavida. 27 Uba lesisizwe sisenyukela ukwenza imihlatshelo endlini yeNkosi eJerusalema, khona inhliziyo yalesisizwe izabuyela enkosini yabo, kuRehobhowamu inkosi yakoJuda, njalo bazangibulala babuyele kuRehobhowamu inkosi yakoJudaa. 28 Ngakho inkosi yathatha icebo, yenza amathole amabili egolideb, yathi kubo: Kunzima kakhulu kini ukwenyukela eJerusalema; khangela, onkulunkulu bakho, Israyeli, abakukhuphula elizweni leGibhithec. 29 Wasemisa elinye eBhethelid, lelinye walifaka eDanie. 30 Loludaba lwaselusiba yisonof; ngoba abantu baya phambi kwelinyeg kuze kube seDanih ukuyakhonza. 31 Wasesenza indlu yezindawo eziphakemeyoi, wenza abapristi ngabaphansi kakhulu babantu, ababengeyisiwo bamadodana amaLevij. 32 UJerobhowamu wasesenza umkhosi ngenyanga yesificaminwembili ngosuku lwetshumi lanhlanu lwenyanga njengomkhosi owawukoJudak, wanikela phezu kwelathi. Wenza njalo eBhetheli, ehlabela amathole ayewenzile. Wabeka eBhetheli abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo ayezenzilel. 33 Wasenikela phezu kwelathi ayelenzile eBhetheli ngosuku lwetshumi lanhlanu enyangeni yesificaminwembili, enyangeni ayeyiqambile evela enhliziyweni yakhe. Wenzela abantwana bakoIsrayeli umkhosi, wanikela phezu kwelathi etshisa impepham.