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 wayeseseJiputa oko wayebaleke ukumkani uSolomon.
3 Ewe, bamthumelela uJerobhowam, waza yena noSirayeli ephela 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 Ke uRehobhowam wathi: “Ze nibuye nize apha kum emva kweentsuku ezintathu.” Bemka ke abantu abo.
6 Ke ukumkani uRehobhowam wathetha-thethana namadoda amakhulu awayebusa kuyise uSolomon ngexesha lokudla kwakhe ubomi, wathi: “Nicebisa ngelithini na nina ukuze ndibaphendule aba bantu?”
7 Ke wona aphendula athi: “Ukuba uthe wanobubele kwaba bantu, wazama ukubanelisa, wathetha kakuhle nabo, baya kusoloko bezizicaka zakho.”
8 Kambe ke uRehobhowam walikhaba eli cebiso alinikwa ngamadoda amakhulu, waza wathetha-thethana nabafana abaziintanga zakhe, ababembusa.
9 Wabuza kubo wathi: “Nindinika cebiso lini nina? Mandithini ukubaphendula aba bantu bathi: ‘Khawuyenze lula idyokhwe awayibeka phezu kwethu uyihlo’?”
10 Abo bafana baziintanga zakhe baphendula bathi: “Abantu bathi: ‘Uyihlo wayenza nzima idyokhwe yethu, kodwa wena yenze ibe lula kuthi.’ Ke wena baxelele uthi: ‘Ucikicane wam ungaphezu kwesinqe sikabawo.
11 Ukuba ubawo ubenithwalise idyokhwe enzima, mna ke ndiza kuyenza ibe nzima ngaphezulu. Ubawo ebenibetha ngoswazi, ke mna ndonikatsa ngemvubu.’ ”
12 Emva kweentsuku ezintathu ke uJerobhowam nabantu bonke babuyela kuRehobhowam ngokwaloo mlomo wakhe owawuthe: “Ze nibuye nize apha kum emva kweentsuku ezintathu.”
13 Ke ukumkani wabaphendula rhabaxa, walilahla icebiso lamadoda amakhulu,
14 wathatha elabafana, wathi: “Ubawo wayenza nzima idyokhwe yenu. Mna ke ndiza kuyenza ibe nzima ngaphezulu. Njengoko yena ubawo ebenibetha ngoswazi, ke mna ndiza kunikatsa ngemvubu.”
15 Ewe, ukumkani akabaphulaphulanga abantu, phofu ke ukuhamba kwezinto ngale ndlela kwakuvela kuThixo, efezekisa ilizwi awalithetha kuJerobhowam unyana kaNebhati ngomlomo ka-Ahiya waseShilo.
16 Ke uSirayeli ewonke uthe akubona ukuba ukumkani uyala ukuphulaphula, wamphendula wathi:“Sinasabelo sini na kuDavide?Sinanxaxhebani na kunyana kaJese?Godukani, maSirayeli!Ke wena, Davide, jongana nendlu yakho!”Ngoko ke onke amaSirayeli agoduka.
17 Kambe ke wona amaSirayeli awayemi kwiidolophu zakwaJuda ahlala ephantsi kolawulo lukaRehobhowam.
18 Ukumkani uRehobhowam wathumela uAdoniram owayeyingqwayi-ngqwayi kwabasebenza ngonyanzelo, kodwa amaSirayeli asuka amxuluba ngamatye wafa. Phofu ke yena ukumkani waba nako ukungena enqwelweni, wasabela eJerusalem.
19 Unanamhla ke uSirayeli usavukelene nendlu kaDavide.