1 Ke kaloku uRehobhowam akuba ewuzinzisile umbuso wakhe selomelele, wasuka yena noSirayeli ephela bawulahla umthetho *kaNdikhoyo.
2 Ngenxa yokunganyaniseki kwabo *kuNdikhoyo, uShishaki ukumkani waseJiputa wayihlasela iJerusalem xa ukumkani eRehobhowam akunyaka wesihlanu.
3 Umkhosi wakhe wawuneshumi elinambini lamakhulu eenqwelo, namawaka angamashumi amathandathu abakhweli-mahashe, kunye nenyambalala yamajoni angamaLibhiya namaSuki namaKushe awayephuma nawo eJiputa.
4 Wazithimba iidolophu ezinqatyisiweyo zakwaJuda, wada waya kuthi xhaxhe eJerusalem.
5 Ngelo thuba ke kwafika umshumayeli uShemaya kuRehobhowam neenkokheli zakwaJuda ezaziqokelelene eJerusalem ngokoyika uShishaki, wathetha nabo wathi: “UNdikhoyo uthi: ‘Kaloku nindilahlile, ngoko ke ngoku nam ndiza kuniyekela kuShishaki.’ ”
6 Ke kaloku iinkokheli zakwaSirayeli kunye nokumkani zazithoba zathi: “UNdikhoyo wenza ngobulungisa!”
7 Ke uNdikhoyo, akubona ukuba bayazithoba, wathumela eli lizwi kuShemaya wathi: “Ngenxa yokuba bezithobile andisayi kubatshabalalisa, koko ndokhawuleza ndibahlangule. Andisayi kuwuphokozela eJerusalem ngoShishaki umsindo wam.
8 Kambe ke baza kuba phantsi kwakhe, ukuze bawufunde umahluko phakathi kokukhonza mna nokukhonza ookumkani bezinye izizwe.”
9 Ke kaloku uShishaki ukumkani waseJiputa wayihlasela iJerusalem, waza wabuthimba ubutyebi obabusendlwini kaNdikhoyo nobo babukoovimba basebhotwe. Wabutha konke nje kunye naloo makhaka egolide ayenziwe nguSolomon.
10 Ngoko ke ukumkani uRehobhowam wenza amakhaka obhedu endaweni yawo, waza wawanikezela ukuba agadwe ngabalindi ababelinda isango lasebhotwe.
11 Wayesithi ukumkani xa aya endlwini kaNdikhoyo abalindi bahambe naye bephethe loo makhaka, aze ke akumka bawabuyisele endlwini yabo.
12 Ngenxa yokuzithoba kwakhe ke uRehobhowam umsindo kaNdikhoyo wetha phezu kwakhe, akamtshabalalisa ngokupheleleyo. Ewe, kwakusekho noko okuhle kwaJuda.
13 Ke ukumkani uRehobhowam wazinza eJerusalem, waza wawuqhuba wahamba kakuhle umbuso wakhe. Ukungena kwakhe embusweni wayeneminyaka emashumi mane ananye, waza ke walawula iminyaka elishumi elinesixhenxe eJerusalem, isixeko esachongwayo nguNdikhoyo kuzo zonke izizwe zakwaSirayeli, apho walimisa khona igama lakhe. Unina yayinguNama umAmonikazi.
14 Wênza okubi, kuba akazange azimisele ukumlandela ngomxhelo wakhe uNdikhoyo.
15 Ke ezinye zeziganeko zikaRehobhowam, ukususela ekuqaleni kuye kutsho esiphelweni, nâzo kwincwadi yeembali zomshumayeli uShemaya nencwadi yeembali zemboni uIdo, umshumayeli oyichazileyo imilibo yokuzalwa. Yaba soloko iluzenge-zenge lwemfazwe phakathi koRehobhowam noJerobhowam.
16 URehobhowam waya kuphumla kooyise, waza wangcwatyelwa kwisixeko sikaDavide. Esikhundleni sakhe kwangena unyana wakhe uAbhiya.