11URehobhowamu esefikile eJerusalema wabuthanisa indlu yakoJuda leyakoBhenjamini, abakhethiweyo abazinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi ayisificaminwembili, abalwa impi, ukuze balwe loIsrayeli ukubuyisela umbuso kuRehobhowamu. 2 Kodwa ilizwi leNkosi lafika kuShemaya umuntu kaNkulunkulu lisithi: 3 Khuluma kuRehobhowamu indodana kaSolomoni, inkosi yakoJuda, lakuIsrayeli wonke koJuda lakoBhenjaminia, uthi: 4 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Kaliyikwenyuka njalo lingalwi labafowenu. Buyelani ngulowo endlini yakhe, ngoba linto yenziwe yimi. Basebelilalela ilizwi leNkosi, baphenduka ekuyenimelana loJerobhowamub.

Ukuphumelela kukaRehobhowamu

5 URehobhowamu wasehlala eJerusalema, wakha imizi eyizinqaba koJudac. 6 Wasesakha iBhethelehemad leEtamue leThekhowaf 7 leBeti-Zurig leSokoh leAdulamui 8 leGathij leMareshak leZifil 9 leAdorayimi leLakishim leAzekan 10 leZorao leAjalonip leHebroniq, eyayikoJuda lakoBhenjamini, imizi ebiyelweyo. 11 Waseqinisa izinqaba, wabeka abalawulimabutho kizo, leziphala zokudla lamafutha lewayini. 12 Lakuwo wonke umuzi lomuzi wabeka izihlangu ezinkulu lemikhonto, wayiqinisa kakhulukazi. Njalo uJuda loBhenjamini babengabakhe.

13 Labapristi lamaLevi ababekoIsrayeli wonke bazimisa kuye bevela kuyo yonke imingcele yabo. 14 Ngoba amaLevi atshiya amadlelo awo lemfuyo yabo, aya koJuda leJerusalemar, ngoba uJerobhowamu lamadodana akhe bawala ekusebenzeleni iNkosi njengabapristis; 15 wasezibekela abapristi bendawo eziphakemeyot, labamadimoniu, labamathole ayewenzilev. 16 Lemva kwawo kweza eJerusalema labo ababenikele inhliziyo yabo ukuyidinga iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, bevela kuzo zonke izizwe zakoIsrayeli, ukuyahlabela iNkosi, uNkulunkulu waboyisew. 17 Ngokunjalo bawuqinisa umbuso wakoJuda, benza uRehobhowamu indodana kaSolomoni waba lamandla iminyaka emithathu; ngoba bahamba endleleni kaDavida loSolomoni iminyaka emithathux.

18 URehobhowamu wasezithathela uMahalathi indodakazi kaJerimothi indodana kaDavida waba ngumkakhe, loAbihayili indodakazi kaEliyabi indodana kaJesey, 19 owamzalela amadodana, oJewushi loShemariya loZahamu. 20 Langemva kwakhe wathatha uMahakaz indodakazi kaAbisalomua, owamzalela oAbhiyab loAthayi loZiza loShelomithi. 21 URehobhowamu wasemthanda uMahaka indodakazi kaAbisalomu okwedlula bonke omkakhe labafazi bakhe abancinyane - ngoba wathatha abafazi abalitshumi lesificaminwembili, labafazi abancinyane abangamatshumi ayisithupha, wazala amadodana angamatshumi amabili lesificaminwembili lamadodakazi angamatshumi ayisithupha. 22 URehobhowamuc wasebeka uAbhiya indodana kaMahaka waba yinhloko ukubusa phakathi kwabafowabo, ngoba kwakuyikumenza inkosid. 23 Wenza ngokuhlakanipha, wasabalalisa kuwo wonke amadodana akhe emazweni wonke akoJuda lakoBhenjamini, kuwo wonke umuzi obiyelweyo, wawanika ukudla ngobunengie, wadinga inengi labafazif.