2 IINKRONIKE 11

₁Kwathi uRerhobhowamu nafika eJerusalema, wabutha indlu kaJuda neyakaBhenjamini kwaba libutho leenhlabani ezilikhulu namatjhumi abunane weenkulungwana likhethelwe kobana lilwe no-Israyeli libuyise nombuso kaRerhobhowamu. ₂Kodwana kwafika ilizwi lakaSomnini kuTjhemaya umuntu kaZimu lathi: ₃“Yewuthi kuRerhobhowamu umsa kaSolomoni ikosi yakwaJuda nakiwo woke ama-Israyeli akwaJuda nakwaBhenjamini, ₄‘Nakhu okwatjhiwo nguSomnini: Ninganyuki ukuyokulwa nabafowenu. Godukani, omunye nomunye anqombe kwakhe ngombana lokhu kusisenzo sami.’ ”

Yeke balalela amezwi kaSomnini babuya ekusahleleni uJerobhowamu.

₅URerhobhowamu wahlala eJerusalema bewakha amadorobho wokuzivikela kwaJuda. ₆Wakha iBhethe-Lehema, i-Ethamu, iTekhowa, ₇iBhethe-Tsuri, iSoko, i-Adulamu, ₈iGathi, iMaretjha, iZifi, ₉i-Adorayimu, iLarhitjhi, i-Azekha, ₁₀iTsora, i-Ayaloni neRhebroni. Lawo bekumadorobho anemithangala kwaJuda nakwaBhenjamini. ₁₁Waqinisa ubuvikelo bawo, wabeka iinduna kiwo kanye nebulungelo lokudla, amafutha we-oliva newayini. ₁₂Godu wabeka iinhlangu nemikhonto kiwo woke amadorobho, wawenza aqina kwamambala ukuze azigcinele ikwaJuda nekwaBhenjamini.

₁₃Abaphristi namaLevi kizo zoke iimfunda zabo ezikilo loke lakwa-Israyeli bazihlanganisa noRerhobhowamu. ₁₄Iye, amaLevi abe asukela imirhula kanye nepahlawo ehlela kwaJuda neJerusalema ngombana uJerobhowamu namadodanakhe bekawaqotjhile ekubeni baphristi bakaSomnini. ₁₅Wazikhethela abaphristi kobana basebenze eendundumeni lapha bekukhona iinthombe zeembuzi nezeenkunzana azenzileko. ₁₆Khonapho kwavela kenye nenye ikoro yakwa-Israyeli abantu egade iinhliziyo zabo zinamathele kuSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli, balandela amaLevi eJerusalema ukuyokwenza imihlabelo kaSomnini uZimu waboyise. ₁₇Baqinisa umbuso wakwaJuda bebasekela uRerhobhowamu umsa kaSolomoni iminyaka emithathu ngombana ngesikhatheso bakhamba ngokulandela iindlela zakaDavida noSolomoni.

₁₈URerhobhowamu watjhada noMarhalathi. UMarhalathi bekayindodakazi kaJerimothi umsa kaDavida. Unina bekungu-Abihayeli indodakazi ka-Eliyabu umsa kaJese. ₁₉UMarhalathi wambelethela amadodana: UJewutjhi, uTjhemariya noZahamu. ₂₀Watjhada godu noMakha indodakazi ka-Absalomu owambelethela u-Abiya, u-Atayi, uZiza noTjhelomithi. ₂₁URerhobhowamu wathanda khulu uMakha indodakazi ka-Absalomu ukudlula abafazi bakhe abanye nemingenakhe. Waba nabafazi abalitjhumi nobunane, imingena ematjhumi asithandathu, amadodana amatjhumi amabili nobunane namadodakazi amatjhumi asithandathu.

₂₂Wakhetha u-Abiya indodana kaMakha njengekosana yabomnakwabo ngombana gade ahlose ukumbeka abe yikosi. ₂₃Gade ahlakaniphile ngombana waphadlhalaja amanye wamadodanakhe eemfundeni zakwaJuda nakwaBhenjamini, wawabeka kiwo woke amadorobho anemithangala. Wawahlinzekela ngokunengi bewawathathela idwendwe labomalukazana.