Ngesikhathi uSolomoni eseyinkosi yako-Israyeli, uJehova wambuza wathi: ‘Ufuna ngikupheni?’ USolomoni wathi: ‘Ngisesemncane futhi angikwazi engikwenzayo. Ngicela ungiphe inhlakanipho ukuze ngibuse kuhle abantu bakho.’ UJehova wathi: ‘Ngizakwenza uhlakaniphe ukwedlula bonke abantu emhlabeni ngoba yikho okucelileyo. Ngizakunika lenotho. Nxa ungangilalela, ngizakwenza uphile isikhathi eside.’

USolomoni waqalisa ukwakha ithempeli. Wasebenzisa igolide lesiliva elingcono kakhulu, wasebenzisa lezigodo ezinhle kanye lamatshe amahle. Amadoda labesifazana ababewazi umsebenzi bancedisa ekwakheni ithempeli. Ithempeli laphela ngemva kweminyaka eyisikhombisa njalo kwasekumele linikelwe kuJehova. Phakathi kwethempeli kwakule-alithare elalileminikelo phezu kwalo. USolomoni waguqa phambi kwe-alithare wakhuleka wathi: ‘O Jehova, ithempeli leli lincane kakhulu futhi kalilihle kangako, kodwa ngicela wamukele ukukhonza kwethu lemithandazo yethu.’ UJehova wayethokoza yini ngethempeli lelo futhi wawamukela yini umthandazo kaSolomoni? USolomoni wathi eqeda nje ukuthandaza, umlilo wehla uvela kuJehova watshisa iminikelo eyayiphezu kwe-alithare. Lokhu kwakutshengisa ukuthi uJehova wayethokoza ngethempeli lelo futhi ama-Israyeli athokoza kakhulu ekubona lokhu.

Ama-Israyeli wonke labantu bezinye izindawo ezikhatshana babekwazi ukuthi uSolomoni uhlakaniphile. Abantu babesiya kuSolomoni ukuze abancedise ngezinhlupho zabo. Lendlovukazi yaseSheba yaya kuSolomoni yambuza imibuzo enzima ukuze ibone ukuthi uhlakaniphile yini. Yathi isizwa izimpendulo zikaSolomoni yathi: ‘Kangizange ngikukholwe engikutshelwe ngabantu mayelana lawe. Kodwa khathesi ngiyabona ukuthi inhlakanipho yakho iyedlula lokho abangitshele khona. UNkulunkulu wakho uJehova ukubusisile.’ Ama-Israyeli ayehlezi kuhle sibili futhi ethokoza. Kodwa izinto zasezizatshintsha.

Kwakulokuthula ko-Israyeli ngesikhathi uSolomoni esakhonza uJehova. Kodwa uSolomoni watshada labesifazana abangayisiwo ma-Israyeli futhi ababekhonza izithombe. Kancane kancane uSolomoni watshintsha waqalisa ukukhonza izithombe. Lokhu kwamzondisa uJehova. Wathi kuSolomoni: ‘Ama-Israyeli azakwehlukaniswa abe zingxenye ezimbili. Enye yezinceku zakho izabusa ingxenye enkulu, imuli yakho yona izabusa ingxenye encane.’

UJehova waphinda wacacisa ayefuna ukukwenza. Enye inceku kaSolomoni okwakuthiwa nguJerobhowami yathi izihambela yahlangana lomphrofethi u-Ahija. U-Ahija wadabula isigqoko sakhe saba yiziqa ezingu-12 wasesithi kuJerobhowami: ‘UJehova uzathathela imuli kaSolomoni umbuso wako-Israyeli awehlukanise ube zingxenye ezimbili. Thatha iziqa ezilitshumi kulezi ngoba nguwe ozabusa izizwana ezilitshumi zako-Israyeli.’ INkosi uSolomoni yezwa ngalokhu njalo yayisifuna ukubulala uJerobhowami. Yikho uJerobhowami wabaleka waya eGibhithe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uSolomoni wafa futhi indodana yakhe okuthiwa nguRehobhowami yaba yinkosi. UJerobhowami wabuyela ko-Israyeli.

Abadala bako-Israyeli bathi kuRehobhowami: ‘Abantu obabusayo bazathembeka kuwe nxa ungabaphatha kuhle.’ Kodwa abangane bakaRehobhowami abalingana laye bathi: ‘Kumele ubaphathe kubi abantu. Benze basebenze nzima.’ URehobhowami walalela abangane bakhe. Wabaphatha kubi abantu futhi lokhu kwenza ukuthi bamhlamukele. Benza uJerobhowami inkosi yezizwana ezilitshumi futhi izizwana lezi zacina zisaziwa ngokuthi ngumbuso wako-Israyeli. Izizwana ezimbili zona zacina zisaziwa ngokuthi ngumbuso wakoJuda futhi zahlala zithembekile kuRehobhowami. Izizwana ezingu-12 zako-Israyeli zasezehlukene.

UJerobhowami wayengafuni ukuthi abantu bayekhonza eJerusalema lapho okwakubusa khona uRehobhowami. Uyakwazi ukuthi yindaba? Wayesesaba ukuthi bazamhlamukela basekele uRehobhowami. Yikho wenza amathole amabili egolide wasesithi ebantwini: ‘Kukhatshana kakhulu eJerusalema. Lingakhonza lapha.’ Abantu baqalisa ukukhonza amathole egolide, baphinda bamkhohlwa uJehova.