1Kwathi uRehobhowami esefike eJerusalema, wabuthanisa abakoJuda labakoBhenjamini, amadoda empi azinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi ayisificaminwembili ukuba bayekulwa labako-Israyeli ukuze babuyisele uRehobhowami embusweni.
2Kodwa ilizwi likaThixo* lafika kuShemaya umuntu kaNkulunkulu lisithi:
3“Tshela uRehobhowami indodana kaSolomoni inkosi yakoJuda, labo bonke abako-Israyeli koJuda lakoBhenjamini uthi,
4‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo*: Lingaphumi ukuthi liyekulwa labafowenu. Buyelani emizini yenu, lina lonke, ngoba lokhu kuyikwenza kwami.’ ” Ngakho balalela ilizwi likaThixo*, babuyela emizini yabo, kabasayanga kulwa loJerobhowamu.
5URehobhowami wahlala eJerusalema njalo wakha imizi eyizinqaba koJuda:
6iBhethilehema, le-Ethamu, leThekhowa,
7leBhethi Zuri, leSokho, le-Adulami,
8leGathi, leMaresha, leZifi,
9le-Adorayimi, leLakhishi, le-Azekha,
10leZora, le-Ayijaloni, kanye leHebhroni. Le kwakuyimizi ebiyelweyo koJuda lakoBhenjamini.
11Waqinisa izinqaba zayo wabeka abalawuli bempi kuyo, wabuthela ezinqabeni ukudla lamafutha omʼoliva lewayini.
12Wafaka izihlangu lemikhonto kuyo yonke imizi, wayiqinisa kakhulu. Ngakho-ke wabusa koJuda lakoBhenjamini.
13Abaphristi labaLevi kulezozabelo kulolonke elako-Israyeli bamsekela.
14AbaLevi bahle batshiya amadlelo abo lempahla, baya koJuda laseJerusalema, ngoba uJerobhowamu lamadodana akhe wala ukuthi bangabaphristi bakaThixo*.
15Wasekhetha abakhe abaphristi wababeka ezindaweni zokukhonzela, labezithombe zembuzi lezamathole ayezenzile.
16Abezizwana zonke zako-Israyeli ababezimisele ukukhonza uThixo* uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, balandela abaLevi eJerusalema ukuyanikela imihlatshelo yabo kuThixo*, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo.
17Baqinisa umbuso kaJuda basekela uRehobhowami indodana kaSolomoni iminyaka emithathu, belandela indlela kaDavida lekaSolomoni ngalesosikhathi.
18URehobhowami wathatha uMahalathi, indodakazi kaJerimothi indodana kaDavida, leka-Abhihayili indodakazi ka-Eliyabi indodana kaJese, waba ngumkakhe,
19wamzalela amadodana la: uJewushi loShemariya loZahamu.
20Wasethatha njalo uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abhisalomu owamzalela o-Abhija lo-Athayi loZiza loShelomithi.
21URehobhowami wathanda kakhulu uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abhisalomu ukwedlula bonke omkakhe labafazi beceleni; wathatha abafazi abalitshumi lasificaminwembili, labafazi beceleni abangamatshumi ayisithupha.
22URehobhowami wabeka u-Abhija indodana kaMahakha ukuba abe yinkosana enkulu kubafowabo ngoba wayeqonde ukumenza inkosi.