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Abako-Israyeli Bavukela URehobhowami
1 URehobhowami waya eShekhemu ngoba bonke abako-Israyeli babeye khona ukuze bamethese ubukhosi. 2 Kwathi uJerobhowamu indodana kaNebhathi ekuzwa lokhu (wayeseGibhithe lapho abuya evela khona ngoba wayebalekele inkosi uSolomoni.) 3 Abako-Israyeli basebethumela ilizwi bembiza uJerobhowamu, kwathi-ke yena kanye labo bonke abako-Israyeli baya kuRehobhowami bafika bathi: 4 “Uyihlo wasithwalisa umthwalo onzima, kodwa wena khathesi ake uphungule ubunzima asethesa bona, wethule lemithwalo yethu enzima abesithwalise yona, yikho sizakukhonza.”
5 URehobhowami wabaphendula wathi: “Libobuya ngemva kwensuku ezintathu.” Ngakho abantu basuka bahamba.
6 INkosi uRehobhowami yasicebisana labadala ababeloyise uSolomoni esaphila, yathi: “Lingicebisa ukuthi ngibanike mpendulo bani lababantu?”
7 Baphendula bathi, “Ungaba lomusa kulababantu, ubathokozise, ukhulumisane labo kuhle, bazahlala bezinceku zakho.”
8 Kodwa uRehobhowami kazange akwamukele ukucebisa kwabadala wakhetha ukudinga ulwazi kwabayintanga yakhe ababekhule bonke njalo kuyibo abasebezinceku zakhe. 9 Wababuza wathi, “Seluleko bani elilaso? Singabaphendula sithini lababantu abathi kimi, ‘Ake uphungule ubunzima esabetheswa nguyihlo’?”
10 Amajaha ayeyintanga yakhe amphendula athi, “Batshele lababantu abathi kuwe, ‘Uyihlo wasethesa ubunzima, akusiphungulele lobubunzima’ uthi kubo, ‘Ucikilicane wami uqatha kulokhalo lukababa. 11 Ubaba walethesa ubunzima, mina ngizabungezelela. Ubaba walitshaya ngezaswebhu, mina ngizalilumisa ngenkume.’ ”
12 UJerobhowamu labo bonke abantu babuyela kuRehobhowami ngosuku lwesithathu njengokutsho kwakhe ukuthi, “Phendukani lize kimi ngemva kwensuku ezintathu.” 13 Lakanye inkosi yaphendula abantu ngolaka, yalahla iseluleko sabadala, 14 yalandela iseluleko samajaha yathi, “Ubaba walethwesa ubunzima, mina ngizakwengezelela kubo. Walitshaya ngezaswebhu, mina ngizalilumisa ngezinkume.” 15 Ngakho inkosi kayibalalelanga abantu, ngoba lokhu kwenziwa nguNkulunkulu, ukuze kugcwaliseke ilizwi likaThixo ayelikhulume ngo-Ahija waseShilo kuJerobhowamu indodana kaNebhathi.
16 Kwathi bonke abako-Israyeli bebona ukuthi inkosi iyala ukubalalela bayiphendula bathi:
“Silesabelo bani kuDavida na,
silengxenye bani endodaneni kaJese na?
Yanini emizini yenu lina bako-Israyeli!
Sala lendlu yakho, Davida!”
Ngakho bonke abako-Israyeli babuyela emakhaya. 17 Kodwa uRehobhowami waqhubeka ebabusa abako-Israyeli ababehlala emizini yakoJuda.
18 Inkosi uRehobhowami yasithuma u-Adoniramu owayengumphathi wezibhalwa, kodwa abako-Israyeli bamkhanda ngamatshe wafa. Kodwa inkosi uRehobhowami yaphanga yakhwela enqoleni yayo yokulwa, yabalekela eJerusalema. 19 Kusukela ngalesosikhathi abako-Israyeli bayihlamukela indlu kaDavida kuze kube lamuhla.