Imphi ya-Abiya naJerobowamu
1Ngemnyaka weli-18, Jerobowamu abusa ka-Israyeli, kaJuda kwabekwa Abiya, waba yinkhosi. 2Wabusela eJerusalema iminyaka lemitsatfu. Libito lenina bekunguMakha, indvodzakati ya-Uriyeli waseGibeya.
Kwakunekulwa emkhatsini wa-Abiya naJerobowamu. 3Abiya wahloma waya emphini anemasotja lati-400 000, tingwazi todvwa, kantsi Jerobowamu abevive ngemiswahla yemasotja lati-800 000.
4Abiya wemisa eNtsabeni iSemarayimu, eveni letintsaba kulaka-Efrayimu, wamemeta watsi: “Jerobowamu nani nonkhe sive saka-Israyeli, lalelani kimi! 5Anati yini kutsi Simakadze, Nkulunkulu wema-Israyeli, bukhosi baka-Israyeli wabunika Davide kanye netitukulwane takhe ngesivumelwane seluswayi, lesingeke sephulwe, kuze kube phakadze naphakadze? 6Noko Jerobowamu, umsa waNebati, indvuna yaSolomoni, umsa waDavide, wase uvukela inkhosi yakhe. 7Lamanye emavukelambuso, langemadvodza lamabi, ahambisana naye amsekela avukela Rehobowamu, umsa waSolomoni, asesemncane, angakatinti, futsi naye asengakacini kutsi angemelana nabo.
8“Nyalo senitimisele kuphambana nembuso waSimakadze, losetandleni tetitukulwane taDavide. Vele, nine mabutfo lamakhulu kabi, kantsi futsi ninalamatfole egolide lenentelwa wona nguJerobowamu kutsi abe tithico tenu. 9Kodvwa anizange yini nibacoshe baphristi baSimakadze, emadvodzana a-Aroni, nemaLevi, nase nitibekela baphristi benu nenta njengobe tive talamanye emave tenta? Ngulowo nalowo lota kutekutinikela nekwehlukaniselwa aphetse inkunzana netihhanca letisikhombisa angaba ngumphristi waleto tithico tenu.
10“Tsine-ke, Simakadze unguNkulunkulu wetfu, kantsi futsi sisengakamlahli. Baphristi labakhonta Simakadze kusengabo bona labo labangemadvodzana a-Aroni, nalababasitako kusengawo emaLevi. 11Onkhe emalanga ekuseni nantsambama banikela kuSimakadze ngeminikelo yekushiswa nangemphepho lenuka kamnandzi. Balungisa sinkhwa etikwelitafula lelihlantekile ngekwemtsetfo, bakhanyise tibane letiselutsini lwegolide njalo nje ntsambama. Siyayigcina yonkhe imitsetfo yaSimakadze Nkulunkulu wetfu. Kodvwa nine senimlahlile. 12Nkulunkulu unatsi, yena ungumholi wetfu. Baphristi bakhe labaphetse emacilongo abo batakuwashaya, khona sitekulwa nani. Madvodza aka-Israyeli, ningalwi naSimakadze, Nkulunkulu waboyihlo, ngobe ningeke niphumelele.”
13Jerobowamu abesatfumele lamanye emasotja kutsi ayekuvimbetela lena ngemuva, khona kutawutsi ngesikhatsi bakaJuda basabheke ngakuye, lamasotja abe abavimbetela ngale ngemuva. 14BakaJuda bagucuka babona kutsi bese bahlaselwa ngembili nangemuva. Base bakhala kuSimakadze. Baphristi bashaya emacilongo abo, 15kwatsi emadvodza akaJuda amemeta kutsi kuhlaselwe. Kwatsi kuloko kumemeta kwabo Nkulunkulu wacosha Jerobowamu nawo onkhe ema-Israyeli abalekela Abiya nemaJuda. 16Ema-Israyeli abalekela emaJuda; Nkulunkulu wawanikela etandleni tebakaJuda. 17Abiya kanye nemasotja akhe behlula ema-Israyeli kakhulu, kangangekutsi kwaze kwafa ema-Israyeli, emadvodza elikhetselo, lati-500 000. 18Ema-Israyeli ehlulwa kanjalo, kwatsi bakaJuda bancoba, ngobe babencike kuSimakadze Nkulunkulu waboyise.
19Abiya wacosha Jerobowamu, wadzimate watfumba emadolobha iBetheli, neJeshana, ne-Efroni kanye nemiti yawo. 20Jerobowamu akazange aphindze abe nemandla ngesikhatsi kusabusa Abiya kaJuda. Simakadze wamshaya, wafa.
21Kodvwa Abiya wakhula waba nemandla. Watsatsa bafati labali-14, watala emadvodzana langema-22 nemadvodzakati lali-16.
22Leminye imininingwane ngekubusa kwa-Abiya kanye naloko lakwenta nalabekukhuluma, kubhaliwe emlandvweni wemphrofethi Ido.
