1 Emakhosi 12

₁Rehobowamu waya eShekhemu, lapho onkhe ema-Israyeli abebutsene khona ayekumbeka inkhosi. ₂Kwatsi kube Jerobowamu, umsa waNebati, akuve loko, aseseGibhithe, lapho abebalekele khona, abalekele Solomoni, wabuya, esuka eGibhithe. ₃Ngako kwalandvwa Jerobowamu, yena kanye nalo lonkhe libandla lema-Israyeli lacondza kuRehobowamu, lafike kuye latsi: ₄“Uyihlo abesetfwese lijoko lelimatima kakhulu, manje-ke wena sinciphisele lomtfwalo lomatima nalelijoko lelimatima labelibeke etikwetfu, tsine sitakukhonta.”

₅Rehobowamu wabaphendvula watsi: “Ase nihambe nibuye emvakwemalanga lamatsatfu.” Ngako-ke sive sesuka sahamba.

₆Inkhosi Rehobowamu yahamba yayawutsatsisa kubantfu labadzala lababesebenta neyise Solomoni aseyinkhosi, yafike yabuta yatsi: “Nine ningangeluleka kutsi ngibaphendvula kanjani labantfu?”

₇Labadzala bamphendvula batsi: “Nangabe lamuhla utawuba ngumholi lotfobekile walesive usibuse ngekulunga usinike imphendvulo lekahle, siyawuhlala sitisebenti takho.”

₈Kodvwa Rehobowamu wasilahla leseluleko salabantfu labadzala lababemeluleke ngaso, wahamba wayawubuta kulabasha, bontsanga yakhe lababetinceku takhe. ₉Wababuta watsi: “Nine-ke sitsini senu seluleko? Singabaphendvula sitsini labantfu labatsi kimi: ‘Cekisa lelijoko lesaletfweswa nguyihlo’?”

₁₀Lamajaha labebontsanga yakhe amphendvula atsi: “Khuluma kulabantfu labatsite kuwe: ‘Uyihlo wasetfwesa umtfwalo losindzako, kodvwa wena wente ube lula,’ ubatjele utsi: ‘Cikilicane wami mkhulu kunelukhalo lwababe. ₁₁Babe wanetfwesa lijoko lelimatima; mine-ke ngitalenta libe matima kakhulu. Babe abenibhacabula ngetiswebhu, mine-ke ngitanibhacabula ngetiswebhu letinetipikili.’ ”

₁₂Kwaphela emalanga lamatsatfu, Jerobowamu nesive sonkhe babuyela kuRehobowamu, njengobe phela inkhosi beyishito, kutsi babobuya emvakwemalanga lamatsatfu. ₁₃Inkhosi yasilahla seluleko salabadzala, sive yasiphendvula ngelulaka, ₁₄yalandzela seluleko sabontsanga yayo yatsi: “Babe wanetfwesa umtfwalo losindzako; mine-ke ngitawengeta unisindze kakhulu kunakucala. Babe abenibhacabula ngetiswebhu; mine ngitanibhacabula ngetiswebhu letinetipikili.” ₁₅Ngako inkhosi ayizange isilalele sive, ngobe kwakuyintsandvo yaSimakadze kutsi kwenteke ngalendlela, kuze agcwalise livi lakhe labelikhulume kuJerobowamu, umsa waNebati, ngemlomo wemphrofethi Ahiya, waseShilo.

₁₆Sonkhe sive sema-Israyeli satsi kube sibone kutsi inkhosi ayisilaleli sicelo saso, sakhuluma enkhosini satsi:

Ngako ema-Israyeli esuka lapho abuyela emathendeni awo. ₁₇Kodvwa Rehobowamu wachubeka wabusa etikwawo onkhe lawo ma-Israyeli labehlala emadolobheni akaJuda.

₁₈Inkhosi Rehobowamu yatfumela Adoniramu, labeyindvuna yalababentiswa imisebenti lematima, kodvwa ema-Israyeli amtselekela onkhe, amgcoba ngematje, waze wafa. Inkhosi Rehobowamu noko yaphumelela kugibela encoleni yayo, yabaleka yaya eJerusalema. ₁₉Ngako ema-Israyeli solomane yesuka ngalelo langa alwisana nendlu yakaDavide kuze kube ngulamuhla.

₂₀Sonkhe sive sema-Israyeli satsi kube sive kutsi Jerobowamu sewubuyile, satfumela kutsi akalandvwe ete emhlanganweni, sambeka inkhosi etikwawo onkhe ema-Israyeli. Kwasala sive sakaJuda kuphela, lesasala sinamatsele kaDavide.

₂₁Watsi kube efike eJerusalema Rehobowamu, wabutsa yonkhe indlu yakaJuda kanye nesive sakaBhenjamini, libutfo lelalinemadvodza lati-180 000, tihlabani todvwa, wahlomisa imphi yekuhlasela indlu yaka-Israyeli, kuze batewubuyisela umbuso kuRehobowamu, umsa waSolomoni.

₂₂Kodvwa kwefika livi laNkulunkulu kuShemaya, umuntfu waNkulunkulu, latsi: ₂₃“Tjela Rehobowamu, umsa waSolomoni, inkhosi yakaJuda, nayo yonkhe indlu yakaJuda neyakaBhenjamini, naso sonkhe sive utsi: ₂₄‘Nako lokushiwo nguSimakadze, utsi: “Ningakhuphuki kuyakulwa nabomnakenu, ema-Israyeli. Hambani niye emakhaya enu nonkhe, ngobe loku kungumuno wami.” ’ ” Ngako balilalela livi laSimakadze babuyela emakhaya abo, njengobe abeshito.

₂₅Jerobowamu wabe sewubiyela iShekhemu, eveni letintsaba kulaka-Efrayimu, wahlala khona. Wesuka lapho waphuma wayakwakha iPhenuweli.

₂₆Jerobowamu wacabanga enhlitiyweni yakhe watsi: “Nyalo umbuso sewungahle ubuyele endlini yakaDavide. ₂₇Nangabe kambe labantfu batawulibala kuhle bakhuphuka bayekwenta imihlatjelo ethempelini laSimakadze leliseJerusalema, tinhlitiyo talabantfu titawuphindze tibuyele enkhosini yabo, Rehobowamu, inkhosi yakaJuda. Batangibulala mine, babuyele enkhosini yabo Rehobowamu.”

₂₈Asatfole seluleko, Jerobowamu, inkhosi, wabumba ematfole lamabili egolide. Wakhuluma esiveni watsi: “Kumatima kini lokutsi nibohle nikhuphukela eJerusalema. Naba bonkulunkulu benu-ke, ma-Israyeli, labanikhipha eGibhithe.” ₂₉Lelinye litfole walimisa eBetheli, lelinye walimisa kaDani. ₃₀Leyontfo yaba sono lesikhulu; bantfu babehamba baze befike ngisho kulakaDani bayewukhonta lelo tfole lelalilapho.

₃₁Jerobowamu wabumba tithico etindzaweni letiphakeme, wabeka nebaphristi labebavela kuto tonkhe tinhlobonhlobo tetive, ngisho nakuleto letatingasesiwo nemaLevi.

₃₂Jerobowamu wasungula umkhosi welilanga leli-15 lenyanga yesiphohlongo njengalowa lowawentiwa kaJuda, wanikela nangemihlatjelo elatini. Loko abekwentela eBetheli, anikela kulamatfole labewabumbile. EBetheli nakhona waphindza wabeka baphristi etindzaweni letiphakeme labesatakhile. ₃₃Ngalelilanga leli-15 lenyanga yesiphohlongo, inyanga latikhetsela yona yena, abenta imihlatjelo elatini labelakhile eBetheli. Lomkhosi wawumisela ema-Israyeli, wakhuphukela elatini wayakwenta iminikelo.