3 U-Abiya waqala ukulwa enempi yamaqhawe anamandla, abantu abakhethiweyo abayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane, kepha uJerobowamu wahlela ukulwa naye enabantu abakhethiweyo abayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu ayisishiyagalombili, bengamaqhawe anamandla.
4 U-Abiya wema entabeni yaseSemarayimi esezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, wathi: “Ngizweni wena Jerobowamu no-Israyeli wonke:
5 Bekunganifanele ukwazi yini ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wanika uDavide umbuso kwa-Israyeli kuze kube phakade, yena namadodana akhe, ngesivumelwano sikasawoti, na?
6 Nokho uJerobowamu indodana kaNebati, inceku kaSolomoni indodana kaDavide, wavuka, wahlubuka inkosi yakhe.
7 Kwabuthana kuye amayiyane, abantu ababi, aziqinisa ukulwa noRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni, uRehobowamu esemusha, inhliziyo isathambile, engenakumelana nawo.
8 “Manje nithi niyakumelana nobukhosi bukaJehova obusesandleni samadodana kaDavide, lokhu niyisixuku esikhulu, futhi kukhona amathole egolide enenzelwa wona nguJerobowamu ukuba abe ngonkulunkulu benu.
9 Anixoshanga yini abapristi bakaJehova, amadodana ka-Aroni namaLevi, nazenzela abapristi ngendlela yabantu bezizwe; bonke abafika ukwahlukaniselwa, bephethe iduna nezinqama eziyisikhombisa, bangaba ngabapristi babangesibo onkulunkulu.