1 URehobowamu waya eShekemi, ngokuba wonke u-Israyeli wayefikile eShekemi ukumbeka inkosi.
2 Kwathi lapho uJerobowamu indodana kaNebati ekuzwile ngokuba wayeseGibithe, lapho ayebalakele khona, ebalekele ubuso benkosi uSolomoni uJerobowamu wabuya eGibithe.
3 Bathuma bambiza; uJerobowamu naye wonke u-Israyeli beza, bakhuluma kuRehobowamu, bathi:
4 “Uyihlo wenza ijoka lethu laba lukhuni; ngalokho yenza wena ube lula umsebenzi olukhuni kayihlo nejoka lakhe elisindayo owalibeka phezu kwethu, siyakukukhonza.”
5 Wathi kubo: “Buyelani kimi emva kwezinsuku ezintathu.” Basuka-ke abantu.
6 Inkosi uRehobowamu yelulekana namalunga ayemile phambi kukaSolomoni uyise esekhona, yathi: “Nina ningeluleka ukubuyisela mpenduloni kulaba bantu na?”
7 Akhuluma kuye, athi: “Uma uzakuba muhle kulaba bantu, ubathokozise, ukhulume amazwi amahle kubo, bayakuba yizinceku zakho izinsuku zonke.”
8 Kepha walahla isiluleko samalunga ameluleke ngaso, welulekana nezinsizwa eziyintanga yakhe, ezazimi phambi kwakhe.
9 Wathi kuzo: “Nina niluleka ukuba sibuyise mpenduloni kulaba bantu abakhulume kimi ngokuthi: ‘Yenza ijoka uyihlo alibeka phezu kwethu libe lula,’ na?”
10 Zase zikhuluma kuye izinsizwa eziyintanga yakhe, zithi: “Uyakusho kanje kubantu abakhulume kuwe ngokuthi: ‘Uyihlo walenza ijoka lethu lasinda, kepha wena ulenze libe lula kithina,’ uyakusho kubo kanje ukuthi: ‘Ucikicane wami mkhulu kunokhalo lukababa.
11 Manje ubaba wanithwesa ijoka elisindayo, mina ngiyakwenezela ejokeni lenu; ubaba wanishaya ngeziswebhu, mina ngawofezela.’ ”
12 UJerobowamu nabantu bonke base befika kuRehobowamu ngosuku lwesithathu njengokusho kwenkosi ithi: “Buyelani kimi ngosuku lwesithathu.”
13 Inkosi yabaphendula kalukhuni; inkosi uRehobowamu yalahla isiluleko samalunga,
14 yakhuluma kubo njengesiluleko sezinsizwa ngokuthi: “Ubaba walenza ijoka lenu lasinda, mina ngiyakwenezela kulo; ubaba wanishaya ngesiswebhu, mina ngawofezela.”
15 Inkosi ayibalalelanga abantu, ngokuba kwakuyisiyiba esivela kuNkulunkulu, ukuze uJehova amise izwi lakhe alikhulumayo ngesandla sika-Ahiya waseShilo kuJerobowamu indodana kaNebati.
16 Wonke u-Israyeli esebonile ukuthi inkosi ayibalalelanga, abantu babuyisela izwi enkosini, bathi:“Sinasabelo sini kuDavide na?Ifa asinalo endodaneni kaJese.Yilowo nalowo makaye etendeni lakhe, Israyeli;zibhekele indlu yakho manje, Davide.”Wayesesuka u-Israyeli wonke, waya ematendeni akhe.
17 Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli abakhe emizini yakwaJuda, uRehobowamu wabusa phezu kwabo.
18 Inkosi uRehobowamu yathuma u-Adoramu owayephezu kwezisebenzi; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bamkhanda ngamatshe, wafa. Inkosi uRehobowamu yashesha ukukhwela inqola yayo ukuba ibalekele eJerusalema.
19 U-Israyeli wayeseyihlubuka-ke indlu kaDavide kuze kube namuhla.