Ukubekwa KukaRehobhowamu Abe Inkosi Kwa-Israyeli; Ukuhlubuka Kwezizwana Ezilishumi
1URehobhowamu waya eShekemi, ngokuba wonke u-Israyeli wayeye lapho eShekemi ukuba ambeke, abe yinkosi. 2Kwathi ukuba uJerobhowamu, indodana kaNebhathi owayebalekele eGibhithe ngenxa yokwesaba inkosi uSolomoni, akuzwe lokho, wabuya eGibhithe. 3Bathumela bambiza, uJerobhowamu naye wonke u-Israyeli beza kuRehobhowamu, bakhuluma naye, bathi: 4“Uyihlo wenza ijoka lethu laba nzima, manje siyakucela ukuba wena uwenze lula umsebenzi olukhuni uyihlo ayesethwese wona, nejoka lakhe elinzima ayelibeke phezu kwethu, siyokukhonza uma wenze kanjalo.”
5Wathi kubo: “Hambani kuthi emva kwezinsuku ezintathu nibuye nize kimi.”
Basuka-ke abantu.
6Inkosi uRehobhowamu yacela iseluleko ezingwevini ezazikade zeluleka uSolomoni, uyise, esaphila, yathi: “Nina ningeluleka ukuba ngibuyisele impendulo ethini kulaba bantu na?”
7Zakhuluma kuye, zathi: “Uma namuhla uzokuba yinceku yalaba bantu, ubakhonze, ukhulume amazwi amahle lapho ubaphendula, bayokuba yizinceku zakho zonke izinsuku zabo.”
8Kepha akasishayanga mkhuba iseluleko sezingwevu ezazimeluleke ngaso, wayesecela iseluleko ezinsizweni ezaziyintanga yakhe, ezaziwa zivuka naye. 9Wathi kuzo: “Nina ningeluleka ukuba ngibuyisele mpenduloni kulaba bantu abakhulume kimi ngokuthi: ‘Yenza lula ijoka uyihlo alibeka phezu kwethu,’ na?”
10Izinsizwa ezingontanga yakhe zathi kuye: “Uyothi kulaba bantu abakhulume kuwe, bathi: ‘Uyihlo walenza laba nzima ijoka lethu, kepha wena lenze libe lula kithina,’ uyokhuluma kanje kubo: ‘Ucikicane wami mkhulu kunokhalo lukababa. 11Ubaba wanethwesa ijoka elinzima, mina-ke ngizothasisela ejokeni lenu. Ubaba wanishaya ngeziswebhu, kodwa mina ngizonishaya ngofezela.’ ”
12UJerobhowami nabo bonke abantu bafika kuRehobhowamu ngosuku lwesithathu, njengalokhu yayishilo inkosi, yathi: “Buyani kimi ngosuku lwesithathu.”
13Inkosi yabaphendula kanzima abantu, yasishaya indiva iseluleko izingwevu ezazimeluleke ngaso. 14Yakhuluma kubo njengokwelulekwa yizinsizwa, yathi: “Ubaba wayenethwese ijoka elinzima, mina-ke ngizothasisela ejokeni lenu; ubaba wanishaya ngeziswebhu, mina ngizonishaya ngofezela.”
15Inkosi ayibalalelanga abantu, ngokuba lokho kwakuvela kuSimakade, ukuze uSimakade agcwalise izwi alikhuluma ngomlomo ka-Ahiya waseShilo kuJerobhowamu, indodana kaNebhathi.
16Wonke u-Israyeli lapho ebona ukuthi inkosi ayibalalelanga, abantu bayiphendula inkosi, bathi:
“Sinasabelo sini kuDavide na?
Asinafa endodaneni kaJese.
Israyeli, buyela emathendeni akho,
zibhekele indlu yakho manje, Davide.”
U-Israyeli wabuyela emathendeni akhe. 17Kepha uRehobhowamu wabusa phezu kwabo bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli ababakhe emizini yakwaJuda.
18Inkosi uRehobhowamu yathuma u-Adoramu owayengamele izisebenzi ku-Israyeli. Kepha u-Israyeli wonke wamkhanda ngamatshe, wafa. Inkosi uRehobhowamu yashesha yagibela enqoleni yayo, yabaleka eJerusalema. 19U-Israyeli wayihlubuka indlu kaDavide kuze kube yinamuhla.
