1 Ke kaloku uRehobhowam waya eShekem, kuba onke amaSirayeli ayeye khona ukuze ammisele abe ngukumkani.
2 Uthe ke akuyiva loo nto uJerobhowam unyana kaNebhati, wasuka wabuya apho eJiputa – kaloku wayeseJiputa oko wayebaleke ukumkani uSolomon.
3 Ewe, bamthumelela uJerobhowam, waza ke yena nebandla likaSirayeli liphela baya kuRehobhowam, bathi kuye:
4 “Uyihlo wabeka idyokhwe enzima phezu kwethu. Kambe ke wena xa unokuwenza lula umthwalo ebesiwubekwe nguyihlo, ewe kanye idyokhwe enzima abeyibeke phezu kwethu, sokukhonza.”
5 URehobhowam uphendule wathi: “Khanihambe, ze nibuye nize apha kum emva kweentsuku ezintathu.” Bemka ke abantu.
6 Ke ukumkani uRehobhowam wathetha-thethana namadoda amakhulu awayebusa kuyise uSolomon ngexesha lokudla kwakhe ubomi, esithi: “Nicebisa ngelithini na nina, ukuze ndibaphendule aba bantu?”
7 Aphendula athi: “Ukuba uthe namhlanje waba njengesicaka kwaba bantu, wabakhonza, wathetha kakuhle nabo, baya kusoloko bezizicaka zakho.”