1 URehobowamu esefikile eJerusalema wabutha indlu yakwaJuda noBenjamini, abantu abakhethiweyo abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi ayisihiyagalombili, amabutho, ukuba balwe no-Israyeli, bawubuyisele umbuso kuRehobowamu.
2 Lase lifika izwi likaJehova kuShemaya umuntu kaNkulunkulu, lathi:
3 “Khuluma kuRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni, inkosi yakwaJuda, nakuye wonke u-Israyeli kwaJuda noBenjamini, ngokuthi:
4 ‘Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Aniyikukhuphuka, ningalwi nabafowenu; buyelani, kube yilowo nalowo endlini yakhe, ngokuba le nto ivela kimi.’ ” Balalela amazwi kaJehova, babuya ekumhlaseleni uJerobowamu.
5 URehobowamu wahlala eJerusalema, wakha imizi ukuba ibe yizinqaba kwaJuda.
6 Wakha iBetlehema, ne-Etamu, neThekhowa,
7 neBeti Suri, neSoko, ne-Adulamu,
8 neGati, neMaresha, neZifi,
9 ne-Adorayimi, neLakishi, ne-Azeka,
10 neSora, ne-Ajaloni, neHebroni, ekwaJuda nakwaBenjamini, imizi ebiyelweyo.
11 Waziqinisa izinqaba, wabeka izinduna kuzo, nokudla, namafutha, newayini.
12 Emizini yonke, yileyo naleyo, wabeka izihlangu nemikhonto, wayiqinisa kakhulu impela. ElakwaJuda nelakwaBenjamini lalingelakhe.
13 Abapristi namaLevi ayekwa-Israyeli wonke bazihlanganisa naye bephuma emikhawulweni yonke.
14 Ngokuba amaLevi ashiya amadlelo awo nefa lawo, aya kwaJuda naseJerusalema, ngokuba uJerobowamu namadodana akhe bawalahla ukuba angabe esaba ngabapristi bakaJehova,
15 wazimisela abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo, nabamademoni, nabamathole awenzileyo.
16 Emva kwabo kwaphuma ezizweni zonke zakwa-Israyeli abanhliziyo zabo zibhekiswe ukufuna uJehova uNkulunkulu wakwa-Israyeli, bafika eJerusalema ukuhlabela uJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise.
17 Base bewuqinisa-ke umbuso wakwaJuda, benza uRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni waba namandla iminyaka emithathu, ngokuba bahamba iminyaka emithathu endleleni kaDavide noSolomoni.
18 URehobowamu wazithathela umfazi, uMahalati, indodakazi kaJerimoti indodana kaDavide neka-Abihayili, indodakazi ka-Eliyabe, indodana kaJese.
19 Wamzalela amadodana: ngoJewushe, noShemariya, noZahamu.
20 Emva kwakhe wathatha uMahakha, indodakazi ka-Abisalomu; wamzalela o-Abiya, no-Athayi, noZiza, noShelomiti.
21 URehobowamu wamthanda uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abisalomu phezu kwabo bonke abafazi bakhe nezancinza zakhe, ngokuba wathatha abafazi abayishumi nesishiyagalombili nezancinza ezingamashumi ayisithupha, wazala amadodana angamashumi amabili nesishiyagalombili namadodakazi angamashumi ayisithupha.
22 URehobowamu wabeka u-Abiya, indodana kaMahakha, abe yinhloko, abe ngumbusi phakathi kwabafowabo, ngokuba wacabanga ukumbeka inkosi.
23 Wenza ngokuhlakanipha, wahlakaza onke amadodana akhe emazweni onke akwaJuda noBenjamini, emizini yonke ebiyelweyo, wawanika ukudla okuningi, wawafunela abafazi abaningi.