U-Abiya uyinkosi kwaJuda. Unqoba uJerobowamu
1Ngomnyaka weshumi nesishiyagalombili wenkosi uJerobowamu u-Abiya waba yinkosi kwaJuda. 2Wabusa iminyaka emithathu eJerusalema; igama likanina lalinguMikhaya indodakazi ka-Uriyeli waseGibeya. Kwakukhona ukulwa phakathi kuka-Abiya noJerobowamu. 3U-Abiya waqala ukulwa enempi yamaqhawe anamandla, abantu abakhethiweyo abayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane, kepha uJerobowamu wahlela ukulwa naye enabantu abakhethiweyo abayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu ayisishiyagalombili, bengamaqhawe anamandla.
4U-Abiya wema entabeni yaseSemarayimi esezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, wathi: “Ngizweni wena Jerobowamu no-Israyeli wonke: 5Bekunganifanele ukwazi yini ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wanika uDavide umbuso kwa-Israyeli kuze kube phakade, yena namadodana akhe, ngesivumelwano sikasawoti, na? 6Nokho uJerobowamu indodana kaNebati, inceku kaSolomoni indodana kaDavide, wavuka, wahlubuka inkosi yakhe. 7Kwabuthana kuye amayiyane, abantu ababi, aziqinisa ukulwa noRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni, uRehobowamu esemusha, inhliziyo isathambile, engenakumelana nawo.
8“Manje nithi niyakumelana nobukhosi bukaJehova obusesandleni samadodana kaDavide, lokhu niyisixuku esikhulu, futhi kukhona amathole egolide enenzelwa wona nguJerobowamu ukuba abe ngonkulunkulu benu. 9Anixoshanga yini abapristi bakaJehova, amadodana ka-Aroni namaLevi, nazenzela abapristi ngendlela yabantu bezizwe; bonke abafika ukwahlukaniselwa, bephethe iduna nezinqama eziyisikhombisa, bangaba ngabapristi babangesibo onkulunkulu.
10“Kepha thina, uJehova unguNkulunkulu wethu; asimshiyanga; sinabapristi abamkhonzayo uJehova, amadodana ka-Aroni namaLevi emisebenzini yabo; 11bamshisela uJehova iminikelo yokushiswa nempepho ethaphukayo ekuseni nakusihlwa njalo, basihlela isinkwa sokubukwa etafuleni elihlanzekileyo, bokhela uthi lwezibani lwegolide nezibani zalo kusihlwa njalo, ngokuba thina sigcina imfanelo kaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, kepha nina nimshiyile. 12Futhi bhekani, uNkulunkulu unathi, uyinhloko yethu, kanye nabapristi abaphethe amacilongo okuhlaba umkhosi ukuba bawakhalise ngani; bantwana bakwa-Israyeli, ningalwi noJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyihlo, ngokuba aniyikuphumelela.”
13Kepha uJerobowamu wayegwegwesisile abaqamekeli ukuba bafike emuva; babe phambi kukaJuda, abaqamekeli babe semva kwabo. 14Lapho uJuda esephenduka, bheka, impi yayingaphambili nangasemva kwabo; bakhala kuJehova, abapristi bakhalisa amacilongo. 15Base bekhamuluka abantu bakwaJuda, nalapho abantwana bakwaJuda bekhamuluka, uNkulunkulu washaya oJerobowamu no-Israyeli wonke phambi kuka-Abiya noJuda. 16Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babaleka ebusweni bukaJuda, uNkulunkulu wabanikela esandleni sabo. 17U-Abiya nabantu bakhe babaceka ngokuceka okukhulu; kwawa amadoda akhethiweyo akwa-Israyeli abuleweyo ayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu ayisihlanu. 18Bathotshiswa-ke ngaleso sikhathi abantwana bakwa-Israyeli; kepha abantwana bakwaJuda bahlula, ngokuba babencika kuJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise.
19U-Abiya wamxosha uJerobowamu, wamaphuca imizi: iBethele nemizana yalo, neJeshana nemizana yalo, ne-Efroni nemizana yalo. 20Futhi uJerobowamu akabe esaba namandla emihleni ka-Abiya; uJehova wamshaya, wafa.
21Kepha u-Abiya waba namandla, wazithathela abafazi abayishumi nane, wazala amadodana angamashumi amabili nambili namadodakazi ayishumi nesithupha.
22Ezinye izindaba zika-Abiya, nezindlela zakhe, namazwi akhe, kulotshiwe esichasiselweni somprofethi u-Ido.
