Isiprofetho sikaShemaya
1URehobowamu esefikile eJerusalema wabutha indlu yakwaJuda noBenjamini, abantu abakhethiweyo abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi ayisishiyagalombili, amabutho, ukuba balwe noIsrayeli, bawubuyisele umbuso kuRehobowamu.
2Lase lifika izwi likaJehova kuShemaya umuntu kaNkulunkulu, lathi:
3Khuluma kuRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni, inkosi yakwaJuda, nakuye wonke uIsrayeli kwaJuda noBenjamini, ngokuthi:
4Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Aniyikukhuphuka, ningalwi nabafowenu; buyelani, kube-yilowo nalowo endlini yakhe, ngokuba lento ivela kimi. Balalela amazwi kaJehova, babuya ekumhlaseleni uJerobowamu.
Ukwakha kukaRehobowamu
5URehobowamu wahlala eJerusalema, wakha imizi ukuba ibe-yizinqaba kwaJuda.
6Wakha iBetlehema, ne-Etamu, neThekhowa,
7neBeti-Suri, neSoko, neAdulamu,
8neGati, neMaresha, neZifi,
9neAdorayimi, neLakishi, neAzeka,
10neSora, neAjaloni, neHebroni, ekwaJuda nakwaBenjamini, imizi ebiyelweyo.
11Waziqinisa izinqaba, wabeka izinduna kuzo, nokudla, namafutha, newayini.
12Emizini yonke, yileyo naleyo, wabeka izihlangu nemikhonto, wayiqinisa kakhulu impela. ElakwaJuda nelakwaBenjamini lalingelakhe.
Abapristi namaLevi baya kwaJuda
13Abapristi namaLevi ayekwaIsrayeli wonke bazihlanganisa naye bephuma emikhawulweni yonke.
14Ngokuba amaLevi ashiya amadlelo awo nefa lawo, aya kwaJuda naseJerusalema, ngokuba uJerobowamu namadodana akhe bawalahla ukuba angabe esaba-ngabapristi bakaJehova,
15wazimisela abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo, nabamademoni, nabamathole awenzileyo.
16Emva kwabo kwaphuma ezizweni zonke zakwaIsrayeli abanhliziyo zabo zibhekiswé ukufuna uJehova uNkulunkulu wakwaIsrayeli, bafika eJerusalema ukuhlabela uJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise.
17Base bewuqinisa-ke umbuso wakwaJuda, benza uRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni waba-namandla iminyaka emithathu, ngokuba bahamba iminyaka emithathu endleleni kaDavide noSolomoni.
Abafazi nabantwana bakaRehobowamu
18URehobowamu wazithathela umfazi, uMahalati indodakazi kaJerimoti indodana kaDavide neka-Abihayili indodakazi kaEliyabe indodana kaJese.
19Wamzalela amadodana: ngoJewushe, noShemariya, noZahamu.
20Emva kwakhe wathatha uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abisalomu; wamzalela oAbiya, noAthayi, noZiza, noShelomiti.
21URehobowamu wamthanda uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abisalomu phezu kwabo bonke abafazi bakhe nezancinza zakhe, ngokuba wathatha abafazi abayishumi nesishiyagalombili nezancinza ezingamashumi ayisithupha, wazala amadodana angamashumi amabili nesishiyagalombili namadodakazi angamashumi ayisithupha.
22URehobowamu wabeka uAbiya indodana kaMahakha abe-yinhloko, abengumbusi phakathi kwabafowabo, ngokuba wacabanga ukumbeka inkosi.
23Wenza ngokuhlakanipha, wahlakaza onke amadodana akhe emazweni onke akwaJuda noBenjamini, emizini yonke ebiyelweyo, wawanika ukudla okuningi, wawafunela abafazi abaningi.
