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.