Eyokuqala YaMakhosi

12 URehobowamu waya eShekemi, ngoba wonke u-Israyeli wafika eShekemi + ezombeka abe inkosi. + 2 Kwathi nje lapho uJerobowamu indodana kaNebhati ezwa ngakho (wayeseseGibhithe ngoba wayebalekile ngenxa yeNkosi uSolomoni, futhi wayehlala eGibhithe), + 3 bathumela bambiza. Ngemva kwalokho uJerobowamu nalo lonke ibandla lika-Israyeli bafika kuRehobowamu, bathi: 4 “Uyihlo wenza ijoka lethu laba nzima. + Kodwa uma wena wenza umsebenzi onzima kayihlo ube lula, uxegisa ijoka elisindayo* alibeke phezu kwethu, sizokukhonza.”

5 Wabaphendula wathi: “Hambani izinsuku ezintathu bese nibuya nize kimi.” Ngakho abantu bahamba. + 6 INkosi uRehobowamu yacela iseluleko emadodeni amadala* ayekhonze uSolomoni uyise ngesikhathi esaphila, yathi: “Ningangeluleka ukuba ngisiphendule ngithini lesi sizwe?” 7 Ayiphendula athi: “Uma namuhla uzoba yinceku kulesi sizwe wenze lokho esikucelayo, usiphendule kahle, siyoba yizinceku zakho njalo.”

8 Nokho, yasenqaba iseluleko samadoda amadala,* yacela iseluleko ezinsizweni ezingontanga bayo, ezaziyizikhonzi + zayo. 9 Yathi kuzo: “Ningeluleka ukuba ngisiphendule ngithini lesi sizwe esithe kimi, ‘Lenze libe lula ijoka uyihlo alibeka phezu kwethu’?” 10 Izinsizwa ezingontanga bayo zayiphendula zathi: “Yilokhu okufanele ukusho kulesi sizwe esithe kuwe, ‘Uyihlo wenza ijoka lethu laba nzima, kodwa wena kufanele usenzele lona libe lula’; yilokhu okufanele ukusho kubo, ‘Mina ngizolindela okungaphezu kokwakufunwa ubaba.* 11 Ubaba wanithwesa ijoka elisindayo, kodwa mina ngizonezela ejokeni lenu. Ubaba wanishaya ngeziswebhu, kodwa mina ngizonishaya ngeziswebhu ezinameva.’ ”

12 UJerobowamu nabo bonke abantu beza kuRehobowamu ngosuku lwesithathu, njengoba nje inkosi yayishilo yathi: “Buyani kimi ngosuku lwesithathu.” + 13 Kodwa inkosi yabaphendula ngokhahlo abantu, yenqaba iseluleko eyayisinikwe amadoda amadala.* 14 Yakhuluma nabo ngokwalokho izinsizwa ezaziyeluleke ngakho, yathi: “Ubaba wenza ijoka lenu laba nzima, kodwa mina ngizonezela ejokeni lenu. Ubaba wanishaya ngeziswebhu, kodwa mina ngizonishaya ngeziswebhu ezinameva.” 15 Ngakho inkosi ayizange ibalalele abantu, ngoba lokhu kwabangelwa uJehova, + ukuze kufezeke izwi uJehova ayelikhulume ngo-Ahiya + waseShilo kuJerobowamu indodana kaNebhati.

16 Lapho wonke ama-Israyeli ebona ukuthi inkosi ayiwalalelanga, abantu bayiphendula inkosi, bathi: “Akukho okusihlanganise noDavide! Asinafa endodaneni kaJese. O Israyeli, yana konkulunkulu bakho. Wena Davide, naka indlu yakho!” Ngakho u-Israyeli wabuyela emakhaya. *+ 17 Kodwa uRehobowamu waqhubeka ebusa ama-Israyeli ayehlala emadolobheni akwaJuda. +

18 INkosi uRehobowamu yabe isithumela u-Adoramu, + owayengamele labo ababebuthelwe ukwenza umsebenzi oyimpoqo, kodwa wonke u-Israyeli wamshaya ngamatshe waze wafa. INkosi uRehobowamu yakwazi ukugibela inqola yayo yabalekela eJerusalema. + 19 Ama-Israyeli abelokhu evukela + indlu kaDavide kuze kube namuhla.

20 Kwathi nje lapho wonke u-Israyeli ezwa ukuthi uJerobowamu ubuyile, wambizela emhlanganweni wamenza inkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli wonke. + Akekho noyedwa kubantu owalandela indlu kaDavide ngaphandle kwesizwe sakwaJuda. +

21 Lapho uRehobowamu efika eJerusalema, ngokushesha wabutha indlu kaJuda nesizwe sakwaBhenjamini, amaqhawe aqeqeshiwe* angu-180 000 ukuba alwe nendlu ka-Israyeli, ukuze kubuyiselwe ubukhosi kuRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni. + 22 Izwi likaNkulunkulu weqiniso lafika kuShemaya + umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, lathi: 23 “Khuluma noRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni inkosi yakwaJuda nayo yonke indlu kaJuda noBhenjamini nabo bonke abantu uthi, 24 ‘Yilokhu uJehova akushoyo: “Akumele nikhuphuke niyolwa nabafowenu abangama-Israyeli. Ngamunye wenu makabuyele endlini yakhe, ngoba yimi obangele ukuba le nto yenzeke.” ’ ” + Ngakho balilalela izwi likaJehova babuyela emakhaya, njengoba nje uJehova ayebatshelile.

25 UJerobowamu wakha* iShekemi + ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi wahlala khona. Wasuka lapho wakha* iPhenuweli. + 26 UJerobowamu wathi enhliziyweni yakhe: “Manje umbuso uzobuyela endlini kaDavide. + 27 Uma lesi sizwe siqhubeka sihamba siyonikela imihlatshelo endlini kaJehova eJerusalema, + inhliziyo yalesi sizwe iyobuyela enkosini yaso, iNkosi uRehobowamu yakwaJuda. Impela sizongibulala sibuyele kuRehobowamu inkosi yakwaJuda.” 28 Ngemva kokucebisana nabathile, inkosi yenza amathole amabili egolide + yathi kubantu: “Kungaphezu kwamandla enu ukukhuphukela eJerusalema. Nangu uNkulunkulu wakho, Israyeli, owakukhipha ezweni laseGibhithe.” + 29 Elinye walibeka eBhethele, + elinye walibeka kwaDani. + 30 Le nto yabangela ukuba bone, + abantu bahamba baze bafika kwaDani ukuze bakhonze ithole elalilapho.

31 Wakha izindlu zokukhonza ezindaweni eziphakeme, wathatha nabanye kubantu abavamile wabenza abapristi, abantu ababengewona amaLevi. + 32 UJerobowamu wamisa nomkhosi ofana nomkhosi wakwaJuda + ngenyanga ka-8 ngosuku luka-15 lwenyanga. Phezu kwe-altare ayelenze eBhethele, + wanikela umhlatshelo ematholeni ayewenzile, eBhethele wabeka abapristi bezindawo eziphakeme ayezenzile. 33 Wenza iminikelo phezu kwe-altare ayelenze eBhethele ngosuku luka-15 ngenyanga ka-8, inyanga ayezikhethele yona; wamisela ama-Israyeli umkhosi, wakhuphukela e-altare ukuze ayokwenza iminikelo ashunqise nomhlatshelo.