Ukumiswa kukaRehobowamu nokuhlubuka kwezizwe eziyishumi
1URehobowamu waya eShekemi, ngokuba wonke u-Israyeli wayefikile eShekemi ukumbeka inkosi. 2Kwathi lapho uJerobowamu indodana kaNebati ekuzwile ngokuba wayeseGibithe, lapho ayebalakele khona, ebalekele ubuso benkosi uSolomoni uJerobowamu wabuya eGibithe. 3Bathuma bambiza; uJerobowamu naye wonke u-Israyeli beza, bakhuluma kuRehobowamu, bathi: 4“Uyihlo wenza ijoka lethu laba lukhuni; ngalokho yenza wena ube lula umsebenzi olukhuni kayihlo nejoka lakhe elisindayo owalibeka phezu kwethu, siyakukukhonza.”
5Wathi kubo: “Buyelani kimi emva kwezinsuku ezintathu.” Basuka-ke abantu.
6Inkosi uRehobowamu yelulekana namalunga ayemile phambi kukaSolomoni uyise esekhona, yathi: “Nina ningeluleka ukubuyisela mpenduloni kulaba bantu na?”
7Akhuluma kuye, athi: “Uma uzakuba muhle kulaba bantu, ubathokozise, ukhulume amazwi amahle kubo, bayakuba yizinceku zakho izinsuku zonke.” 8Kepha walahla isiluleko samalunga ameluleke ngaso, welulekana nezinsizwa eziyintanga yakhe, ezazimi phambi kwakhe. 9Wathi kuzo: “Nina niluleka ukuba sibuyise mpenduloni kulaba bantu abakhulume kimi ngokuthi: ‘Yenza ijoka uyihlo alibeka phezu kwethu libe lula,’ na?”
10Zase zikhuluma kuye izinsizwa eziyintanga yakhe, zithi: “Uyakusho kanje kubantu abakhulume kuwe ngokuthi: ‘Uyihlo walenza ijoka lethu lasinda, kepha wena ulenze libe lula kithina,’ uyakusho kubo kanje ukuthi: ‘Ucikicane wami mkhulu kunokhalo lukababa. 11Manje ubaba wanithwesa ijoka elisindayo, mina ngiyakwenezela ejokeni lenu; ubaba wanishaya ngeziswebhu, mina ngawofezela.’ ”
12UJerobowamu nabantu bonke base befika kuRehobowamu ngosuku lwesithathu njengokusho kwenkosi ithi: “Buyelani kimi ngosuku lwesithathu.” 13Inkosi yabaphendula kalukhuni; inkosi uRehobowamu yalahla isiluleko samalunga, 14yakhuluma kubo njengesiluleko sezinsizwa ngokuthi: “Ubaba walenza ijoka lenu lasinda, mina ngiyakwenezela kulo; ubaba wanishaya ngesiswebhu, mina ngawofezela.” 15Inkosi ayibalalelanga abantu, ngokuba kwakuyisiyiba esivela kuNkulunkulu, ukuze uJehova amise izwi lakhe alikhulumayo ngesandla sika-Ahiya waseShilo kuJerobowamu indodana kaNebati.
16Wonke u-Israyeli esebonile ukuthi inkosi ayibalalelanga, abantu babuyisela izwi enkosini, bathi:
“Sinasabelo sini kuDavide na?
Ifa asinalo endodaneni kaJese.
Yilowo nalowo makaye etendeni lakhe, Israyeli;
zibhekele indlu yakho manje, Davide.”
Wayesesuka u-Israyeli wonke, waya ematendeni akhe. 17Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli abakhe emizini yakwaJuda, uRehobowamu wabusa phezu kwabo.
18Inkosi uRehobowamu yathuma u-Adoramu owayephezu kwezisebenzi; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bamkhanda ngamatshe, wafa. Inkosi uRehobowamu yashesha ukukhwela inqola yayo ukuba ibalekele eJerusalema. 19U-Israyeli wayeseyihlubuka-ke indlu kaDavide kuze kube namuhla.
