1 Kwathi lapho umbuso kaRehobowamu usuqinisiwe, yena esenamandla, washiya umthetho kaJehova no-Israyeli wonke kanye naye.
2 Kepha kwathi ngomnyaka wesihlanu wenkosi uRehobowamu, uShishaki inkosi yaseGibithe wakhuphukela eJerusalema, ngokuba babephambukile kuJehova,
3 enezinqola eziyinkulungwane namakhulu amabili, nabamahhashi abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisithupha; abantu babengenakubalwa abaphuma naye eGibithe: ngamaLubi, namaSuki, namaKushe.
4 Wayithatha imizi ebiyelweyo yakwaJuda, wafika eJerusalema.
5 Wayesefika uShemaya umprofethi kuRehobowamu nasezikhulwini zakwaJuda ezazibuthene eJerusalema ngenxa kaShishaki, wathi kubo: “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Nina ningishiyile; ngalokho nami nginishiyile esandleni sikaShishaki.’ ”
6 Zase zizithoba izikhulu zakwa-Israyeli nenkosi, bathi: “UJehova ulungile.”
7 Lapha uJehova ebona ukuthi bayazithoba, kweza izwi likaJehova kuShemaya, lathi: “Bazithobile; angiyikubachitha, kepha ngiyakubakhulula emva kwesikhashana, nentukuthelo yami ayiyikuthululelwa phezu kweJerusalema ngesandla sikaShishaki.
8 Nokho bayakuba yizinceku zakhe ukuba bazi inkonzo yami nenkonzo yemibuso yezizwe.”
9 UShishaki, inkosi yaseGibithe, wakhuphukela eJerusalema, wathatha ingcebo yendlu kaJehova nengcebo yendlu yenkosi, yebo, wathatha konke, wathatha izihlangu zegolide ezenziwe nguSolomoni.
10 Inkosi uRehobowamu yenza izihlangu zethusi esikhundleni sazo, yazinikela ezandleni zezinduna zabalindi abagcina umnyango wendlu yenkosi.
11 Kwathi njalo uma inkosi ingena endlini kaJehova, zafika izigijimi zizithwele, zazibuyisela ekamelweni labalindi.
12 Kepha lapho esezithoba, intukuthelo kaJehova yabuya kuye ukuba angamchithi ngokupheleleyo, futhi kwakusekhona nokuhle kwaJuda.
13 Inkosi uRehobowamu yayisiziqinisa-ke eJerusalema yabusa, ngokuba uRehobowamu wayeneminyaka engamashumi amane nanye ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa; wabusa iminyaka eyishumi nesikhombisa eJerusalema, umuzi uJehova awukhethileyo ezizweni zonke zakwa-Israyeli ukuba abeke khona igama lakhe; igama likanina lalinguNahama umAmonikazi.
14 Wenza okubi, ngokuba akabhekisanga inhliziyo yakhe ukumfuna uJehova.
15 Izindaba zikaRehobowamu, ezokuqala nezokugcina, angithi zilotshiwe ezindabeni zikaShemaya umprofethi nezika-Ido umboni, zibhalwe ngezizukulwane, na? Kwakukhona njalo ukulwa phakathi kukaRehobowamu noJerobowamu.
16 URehobowamu wayeselala koyise, wembelwa emzini kaDavide; u-Abiya indodana yakhe waba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.