Eyokuqala EyamaKhosi

12 URehobhowami waya eShekhemu ngoba bonke abako-Israyeli babebuthene khona+ ukuze bambeke ukuthi abe yinkosi.+ 2 UJerobhowami indodana kaNebhathi wakuzwa lokho. (Ngalesosikhathi wayelokhu eseGibhithe ngoba wayebalekele iNkosi uSolomoni wayahlala eGibhithe.)+ 3 Ngakho bathumela ilizwi bathi ayebizwa. UJerobhowami labo bonke abako-Israyeli balanda uRehobhowami bafika bathi kuye: 4 “Uyihlo wayesithwalise ijogwe elinzima.+ Kodwa nxa wena ungenza umthwalo esasiwuthwaliswe nguyihlo ube lula futhi usiphungulele umsebenzi onzima ayesinike wona, sizakuba zinceku zakho.”

5 URehobhowami wathi kubo: “Buyelani liphenduke kimi ngemva kwamalanga amathathu.” Ngakho abantu basuka bahamba.+ 6 INkosi uRehobhowami yakhuluma lamadoda amadala ayezinceku zikayise* uSolomoni ngesikhathi esaphila yathi: “Ngicela lingicebise ukuthi ngibaphendule njani abantu laba.” 7 Bamphendula bathi: “Nxa lamuhla ungakhetha ukuba yinceku yabantu laba, uvume lokho abakucelayo futhi ubaphe impendulo ezabathokozisa, bazahlala bezinceku zakho.”

8 Kodwa uRehobhowami kazange alilalele icebo ayeliphiwe ngamadoda amadala.* Wasuka wayakhuluma lamajaha ayekhule lawo ayesezinceku zakhe.+ 9 Wathi kuwo: “Ngicela lingicebise ukuthi singabaphendula njani abantu laba abathi kimi, ‘Yenza umthwalo osindayo esawuthwaliswa nguyihlo ube lula.’” 10 Amajaha ayekhule lawo athi kuye: “Nanku okumele ukutsho ebantwini abathe kuwe, ‘Uyihlo wenza umthwalo wethu waba nzima kodwa wena kumele uwenze ube lula.’ Uthi kubo, ‘Ucikilicane wami uzakuba qatha ukwedlula ukhalo lukababa. 11 Ubaba walithwalisa umthwalo onzima kodwa mina ngizawenza ube nzima kakhulu. Ubaba wayelitshaya ngemichilo kodwa mina ngizalibhaxabula ngemvubu.’”

12 UJerobhowami labo bonke abantu babuyela kuRehobhowami ngelanga lesithathu, njengoba wayethe baphenduke kuye ngelanga lesithathu.+ 13 Inkosi yaphendula abantu ngamazwi alukhuni, kayizange ilalele lokho amadoda amadala ayeyicebise* khona. 14 Yalandela lokho eyayikucetshiswe ngamajaha eyayikhule lawo, yathi ebantwini: “Ubaba wenza umthwalo wenu waba nzima kodwa mina ngizangezelela umthwalo wenu. Ubaba wayelijezisa ngemichilo kodwa mina ngizalibhaxabula ngemvubu.” 15 Inkosi ayizange ibalalele abantu ngoba uJehova nguye owayebangele ukuthi konke lokhu kwenzakale,+ ukuze kugcwaliseke ilizwi uJehova athuma u-Ahija+ waseShilo ukuthi ayelitshela uJerobhowami indodana kaNebhathi.

16 Bonke abako-Israyeli bathi bebona ukuthi inkosi ayifuni ukubalalela, bayiphendula bathi: “Kanti vele silasiphi isabelo kuDavida? Akulalifa esizalithola endodaneni kaJese. Buyelani kubonkulunkulu benu bantu bako-Israyeli. Khathesi zigcinele indlu yakho Davida!” Abako-Israyeli bahle babuyela emizini yabo.*+ 17 Kodwa uRehobhowami waqhubeka ebusa ama-Israyeli ayehlala emadolobheni akoJuda.+

18 INkosi uRehobhowami yathuma u-Adoramu+ owayekhangela labo ababebuthelwe ukuthi basebenzele inkosi, kodwa bonke abako-Israyeli bamkhanda ngamatshe wafa. INkosi uRehobhowami yona yagada inqola yayo yabalekela eJerusalema.+ 19 Abako-Israyeli bayihlamukela+ indlu kaDavida kusukela ngalesosikhathi kuze kube lamuhla.

20 Bonke abako-Israyeli bathi besizwa nje ukuthi uJerobhowami wayesephendukile, babuthana basebebiza uJerobhowami bambeka ukuthi abe yinkosi phezu kwabo bonke abako-Israyeli.+ Akula ngitsho loyedwa owalandela abendlu kaDavida ngaphandle kwesizwana sakoJuda.+

21 URehobhowami wathi efika eJerusalema waqoqa wonke amadoda akoJuda lawesizwana sakoBhenjamini, amabutho angu-180 000 ayefundele impi,* ukuze ayekulwa labako-Israyeli abuyisele ubukhosi kuRehobhowami indodana kaSolomoni.+ 22 Kusenjalo ilizwi likaNkulunkulu weqiniso lafika kuShemaya+ umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso lathi: 23 “Khuluma loRehobhowami indodana kaSolomoni inkosi yakoJuda, lendlu yonke yakoJuda, labakoBhenjamini kanye labantu bonke nje uthi, 24 ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova: “Akumelanga liyekulwa labafowenu bako-Israyeli. Ngamunye wenu kabuyele emzini wakhe ngoba yimi engibangele ukuthi konke lokhu kwenzakale.”’”+ Ngakho balilalela ilizwi likaJehova babuyela emizini yabo njengoba nje uJehova wayebatshelile.

25 UJerobhowami wakha* iShekhemu+ eyayisezintabeni zako-Efrayimi wahlala khona. Ngemva kwalokho wakha* iPhenuweli.+ 26 UJerobhowami wathi enhliziyweni yakhe: “Umbuso uzabuyela kwabendlu kaDavida.+ 27 Nxa abantu laba bangaqhubeka besiyakwenza imihlatshelo endlini kaJehova eJerusalema,+ inhliziyo zabo zizahugeka babuyele enkosini yabo uRehobhowami, inkosi yakoJuda. Bazangibulala sibili babuyele kuRehobhowami inkosi yakoJuda.” 28 Inkosi yathi isibonisane labeluleki bayo yabumba amathole amabili egolide,+ yasisithi ebantwini: “Ukuya eJerusalema kulithwalisa nzima. Nangu uNkulunkulu wenu owalikhipha elizweni laseGibhithe bantu bako-Israyeli!”+ 29 Elinye ithole legolide walifaka eBhetheli,+ elinye walifaka koDani.+ 30 Lokhu kwenza ukuthi abantu bone.+ Babehamba baze bayefika koDani besiyakhonza ithole elalikhonale.

31 Wakha lezindlu zokukhonzela ezindaweni eziphakemeyo,* wabeka abaphristi ayebakhethe ebantwini abangayisiwo maLevi.+ 32 Mhlaka 15 ngenyanga yesi-8 uJerobhowami wasungula umkhosi owawunjengalowo owawusenziwa koJuda.+ Wenza imihlatshelo phezu kwe-alithare elaliseBhetheli,+ enikela ematholeni ayewenzile. Wabeka abaphristi ukuthi bakhonze ezindaweni eziphakemeyo ayezenze eBhetheli. 33 Mhlaka 15 ngenyanga yesi-8, inyanga ayezikhethele yona, waqalisa ukunikela iminikelo phezu kwe-alithare ayelenze eBhetheli. Wasungula lomkhosi owawuzakwenziwa ngabantu bako-Israyeli futhi waya e-alithareni watshisa imihlatshelo.