Ukumiswa kukaRehobowamu nokuhlubuka kwezizwe eziyishumi
1URehobowamu waya eShekemi, ngokuba wonke uIsrayeli wayefikile eShekemi ukumbeka inkosi.
2Kwathi lapho uJerobowamu indodana kaNebati ekuzwile — ngokuba wayeseGibithe, lapho ayebalekele khona, ebalekele ubuso benkosi uSolomoni — uJerobowamu wabuya eGibithe.
3Bathuma bambiza; uJerobowamu naye wonke uIsrayeli beza, bakhuluma kuRehobowamu, bathi:
4Uyihlo wenza ijoka lethu labalukhuni; ngalokho yenza wena ube-lula umsebenzi olukhuni kayihlo nejoka lakhe elisindayo owalibeka phezu kwethu, siyakukukhonza.
5Wathi kubo: Buyelani kimi emva kwezinsuku ezintathu. Basuka-ke abantu.
6Inkosi uRehobowamu yelulekana namalunga ayemile phambi kukaSolomoni uyise esekhona, yathi: Nina ningeluleka ukubuyisela-mpenduloni kulababantu na?
7Akhuluma kuye, athi: Uma uzakuba-muhle kulababantu, ubathokozise, ukhulume amazwi amahle kubo, bayakuba-yizinceku zakho izinsuku zonke.
8Kepha walahla isiluleko samalunga ameluleké ngaso, welulekana nezinsizwa eziyintanga yakhe, ezazimi phambi kwakhe.
9Wathi kuzo: Nina niluleka ukuba sibuyise-mpenduloni kulababantu abakhulumé kimi ngokuthi: Yenza ijoka uyihlo alibeka phezu kwethu libe-lula, na?
10Zase zikhuluma kuye izinsizwa eziyintanga yakhe, zithi: Uyakusho kanje kubantu abakhulumé kuwe ngokuthi: Uyihlo walenza ijoka lethu lasinda, kepha wena ulenze libe-lula kithina, uyakusho kubo kanje ukuthi: Ucikicane wami mkhulu kunokhalo lukababa.
11Manje ubaba wanithwesa ijoka elisindayo, mina ngiyakwenezela ejokeni lenu; ubaba wanishaya ngeziswebhu, mina ngawofezela.
12UJerobowamu nabantu bonke base befika kuRehobowamu ngosuku lwesithathu njengokusho kwenkosi ithi: Buyelani kimi ngosuku lwesithathu.
13Inkosi yabaphendula kalukhuni; inkosi uRehobowamu yalahla isiluleko samalunga,
14yakhuluma kubo njengesiluleko sezinsizwa ngokuthi: Ubaba walenza ijoka lenu lasinda, mina ngiyakwenezela kulo; ubaba wanishaya ngesiswebhu, mina ngawofezela.
15Inkosi ayibalalelanga abantu, ngokuba kwakuyisiyiba esivela kuNkulunkulu, ukuze uJehova amise izwi lakhe alikhulumayo ngesandla sika-Ahiya waseShilo kuJerobowamu indodana kaNebati.
16Wonke uIsrayeli esebonile ukuthi inkosi ayibalalelanga, abantu babuyisela izwi enkosini, bathi:
Sinasabelo sini kuDavide na?
Ifa asinalo endodaneni kaJese.
Yilowo nalowo makaye etendeni lakhe, Israyeli;
zibhekele indlu yakho manje, Davide.
Wayesesuka uIsrayeli wonke, waya ematendeni akhe.
17Kepha abantwana bakwaIsrayeli abakhé emizini yakwaJuda, uRehobowamu wabusa phezu kwabo.
18Inkosi uRehobowamu yathuma uAdoramu owayephezu kwezisebenzi; abantwana bakwaIsrayeli bamkhanda ngamatshe, wafa. Inkosi uRehobowamu yashesha ukukhwela inqola yayo ukuba ibalekele eJerusalema.
19UIsrayeli wayeseyihlubuka-ke indlu kaDavide kuze kube-namuhla.
