Abantwana bakoIsrayeli bavukela indlu kaDavida

10URehobhowamu wasesiya eShekema ngoba uIsrayeli wonke wayeze eShekema ukumbeka abe yinkosia. 2 Kwasekusithi uJerobhowamu indodana kaNebati esizwa, owayeseGibhithe lapho ayebalekele khona ubuso bukaSolomoni inkosi, uJerobhowamu wabuya evela eGibhitheb. 3 Basebethumela bambiza; uJerobhowamu loIsrayeli wonke basebesiza, bakhuluma kuRehobhowamu besithi: 4 Uyihlo wenza ijogwe lethu laba lukhuni; ngakho-ke yenza ube lulanyana umsebenzi kayihlo olukhuni, lejogwe lakhe elinzima abesithwalise lona, njalo sizakukhonza. 5 Wasesithi kibo: Buyani kimi emva kwensuku ezintathu. Abantu basebehamba.

6 Inkosi uRehobhowamu yasicebisana labadala ababesima phambi kukaSolomoni uyise esaphila, isithi: Licebisa ukubuyisela mpendulo bani kulababantu? 7 Basebekhuluma kuye besithi: Uba uzalunga kulababantu, ubathokozise, ukhulume kibo amazwi amahle, bazakuba zinceku zakho insuku zonkec. 8 Kodwa wadela iseluleko sabadala abamcebisa ngaso, wacebisana lamajaha ayeyintanga yakhe, ayesima phambi kwakhe. 9 Wasesithi kuwo: Licebisa ukuthi sibuyisele mpendulo bani kulababantu, abakhulume kimi besithi: Yenza libe lulanyana ijogwe uyihlo alibeka phezu kwethu? 10 Amajaha ayeyintanga yakhe asekhuluma laye esithi: Uzakutsho njalo ebantwini abakhuluma kuwe besithi: Uyihlo wenza ijogwe lethu laba nzima, kodwa wena lenze libe lulanyana kithi; uzakutsho njalo kubo: Ucikilicane wami uqatha kulokhalo lukababa. 11 Ngakho-ke ubaba walethwesa ijogwe elinzima, kodwa mina ngizakwengezelela ejogweni lenu. Ubaba walijezisa ngeziswepu, kodwa mina ngabofezelad. 12 Ngakho uJerobhowamu labo bonke abantu beza kuRehobhowamu ngosuku lwesithathu njengokutsho kwenkosi isithi: Libuye kimi futhi ngosuku lwesithathu. 13 Inkosi yasibaphendula kalukhuni; inkosi uRehobhowamu yasidela iseluleko sabadala, 14 yakhuluma kubo njengeseluleko samajaha isithi: Ubaba wenza ijogwe lenu laba nzima, kodwa mina ngizakwengezelela kulo; ubaba walijezisa ngeziswepu, kodwa mina ngabofezelae. 15 Ngokunjalo inkosi kayibalalelanga abantu; ngoba inguquko yayivela kuNkulunkulu ukuze iNkosi iqinise ilizwi layo eyayilikhulume ngesandla sikaAhiya umShilo kuJerobhowamu indodana kaNebatif.

16 Lapho uIsrayeli wonke ebona ukuthi inkosi kayibalalelanga, abantu bayiphendula inkosi besithi: Silesabelo bani kuDavida? Njalo kasilalifa endodaneni kaJese. Ngulowo emathenteni akho, Israyeli; khathesi, zibonele indlu yakho, Davida. Ngakho uIsrayeli wonke waya emathenteni akhe. 17 Kodwa abantwana bakoIsrayeli ababehlala emizini yakoJuda, uRehobhowamu wabusa phezu kwabo. 18 Inkosi uRehobhowamu yasithuma uAdoramu owayengumphathi wezibhalwag; abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebemkhanda ngamatshe, wasesifa. Inkosi uRehobhowamu yaphangisa ukukhwela enqoleni ukubalekela eJerusalema. 19 Ngalokho uIsrayeli wayihlamuka indlu kaDavida kuze kube lamuhla.