1 URehabheham waya kwaShekem; ngokuba amaSirayeli onke abeye kumenza ukumkani kwaShekem.
2 Kwathi akuva uYarobheham, unyana kaNebhati (eseYiputa, apho wayebalekele khona ebusweni bukaSolomon ukumkani; ehleli uYarobheham eYiputa, bathumela bambiza),
3 weza uYarobheham nebandla lonke lakwaSirayeli, bathetha noRehabheham, besithi,
4 Uyihlo wayenza nzima idyokhwe yethu; ke wena yenze lula inkonzo elukhuni kayihlo, nedyokhwe yakhe enzima awayibeka phezu kwethu, ukuze sikukhonze.
5 Wathi kubo, Khanindikhwelele iintsuku zibe ntathu, nibuye nize kum. Bemka ke abantu.
6 Ukumkani uRehabheham wacebisana namadoda amakhulu, abesakuma phambi koSolomon uyise oko abesahleli, wathi, Ninika cebo lini na nina, ukuze ndibanike ilizwi aba bantu?
7 Athetha ke kuye, esithi, Ukuba uthe namhla waba ngumkhonzi kwaba bantu, wabakhonza, wabaphendula, wathetha amazwi amahle kubo, boba ngabakhonzi bakho yonke imihla.
8 Walishiya icebo lamadoda amakhulu abemnike lona, wacebisana namadodana aziintanga zakhe, abemi phambi kwakhe;
9 wathi kuwo, Ninika cebo lini na nina, ukuze sibanike ilizwi aba bantu bathethileyo kum, besithi, Yenze lula idyokhwe awayibeka phezu kwethu uyihlo?
10 Athetha ke kuye amadodana aziintanga zakhe, esithi, Yithi kwaba bantu bathethe kuwe, besithi, Uyihlo wayenza nzima idyokhwe yethu, yenze lula kuthi wena; yithi kubo, Ucikicane wam uya kuba nesibili kunesinqe sikabawo.
11 Ke, ekubeni ubawo ebenithwalise idyokhwe enzima, mna ke ndiya kongeza edyokhweni yenu; ubawo ubenibetha ngeentsontelo, mna ke ndiya kunibetha ngeekatsi.
12 Baya ke ooYarobheham nabantu bonke kuRehabheham ngomhla wesithathu, njengoko wayethethe ngako ukumkani, esithi, Nobuya nize kum ngomhla wesithathu.
13 Ukumkani wabaphendula abantu kalukhuni, walishiya icebo lamadoda amakhulu abemnike lona.
14 Wathetha kubo ngokwecebo lamadodana, esithi, Ubawo wayenza nzima idyokhwe yenu, mna ke ndiya kongeza edyokhweni yenu; ubawo wanibetha ngeentsontelo, mna ke ndiya kunibetha ngeekatsi.
15 Akabaphulaphulanga ke abantu ukumkani; ngokuba esi siphendu sibe siphuma kuYehova, ukuze alimise izwi lakhe, abelithethile uYehova ngoAhiya waseShilo kuYarobheham, unyana kaNebhati.
16 Akubona ke onke amaSirayeli ukuba ukumkani akawaphulaphuli, abantu bambuyisela ukumkani ilizwi elithi, Sinasabelo sini na kuDavide? Asinalifa kunyana kaYese. Ezintenteni zenu, maSirayeli! Zikhangelele ngoku ngokwakho indlu yakho, Davide! Aya ezintenteni zawo ke amaSirayeli.
17 Ke oonyana bakaSirayeli ababehleli emizini yakwaYuda, uRehabheham waba ngukumkani kubo.
18 Ukumkani uRehabheham wathuma uAdoram, obephethe abafakwa uviko. Esuka onke amaSirayeli, amxuluba ngamatye; wafa. Ukumkani uRehabheham wakhawuleza waya kukhwela enqwelweni yakhe, ukuba asabele eYerusalem.
19 Akreqa ke amaSirayeli endlwini kaDavide unanamhla.
20 Kwathi, akuva onke amaSirayeli ukuba uYarobheham ubuyile, athumela ambizela ebandleni, amenza ukumkani wamaSirayeli onke; akwabakho ulandela indlu kaDavide, saba sisizwe sakwaYuda sodwa.
21 Weza uRehabheham eYerusalem, wabizela ndawonye yonke indlu yakwaYuda, kwanesizwe sakwaBhenjamin, ikhulu elinamanci asibhozo lamawaka amadodana okulwa imfazwe, ukuba aye kulwa nendlu kaSirayeli, bubuyiselwe ubukumkani kuRehabheham unyana kaSolomon.
22 Lafika ilizwi likaThixo kuShemaya, umfo wakwaThixo, lisithi,
23 Yitsho kuRehabheham unyana kaSolomon, ukumkani wakwaYuda, nakwindlu yonke yakwaYuda, nakuBhenjamin, nakubantu abaseleyo, ukuthi,
24 Utsho uYehova ukuthi, Ize ninganyuki; ize ningalwi nabazalwana benu oonyana bakaSirayeli. Buyani, aye elowo endlwini yakhe; ngokuba iphuma kum le nto. Baliphulaphula ilizwi likaYehova, babuya, bahamba ngokwelizwi likaYehova.
25 Ke uYarobheham wawakha umzi wakwaShekem kweleentaba lakwaEfrayim, wahlala khona; waphuma apho wakha iPenuweli.
26 Wathi uYarobheham entliziyweni yakhe, Kaloku ubukumkani buya kubuyela endlwini kaDavide.
27 Ukuba bathe benyuka aba bantu, baya kubingelela endlwini kaYehova eYerusalem, yobuya intliziyo yaba bantu iye enkosini yabo, kuRehabheham, ukumkani wakwaYuda; bandibulale mna, babuyele kuRehabheham ukumkani wakwaYuda.
28 Waceba ke ukumkani, wenza amathole egolide amabini; wathi kubo, Niyaxhamleka kukunyuka niye eYerusalem. Nanku uThixo wakho, Sirayeli, owakukhuphayo ezweni laseYiputa!
29 Walimisa ke elinye eBhetele, walimisa elinye kwaDan.
30 Yathi loo nto yaba sisono; bahamba abantu baya phambi kwelo likwaDan.
31 Wenza indlu yasezigangeni, wenza ababingeleli eluntwini lonke, ababengengabo abakoonyana bakaLevi.
32 UYarobheham wenza umthendeleko ngenyanga yesibhozo, ngoweshumi elinesihlanu umhla kuloo nyanga, onjengomthendeleko wakwaYuda; wenyusa amadini esibingelelweni.
33 Wenjenjalo eBheteli, ebingelela kumathole lawo abewenzile; wamisa eBheteli ababingeleli beziganga awazenzayo. Wenyusa amadini esibingelelweni awasenzayo eBheteli, ngoweshumi elinesihlanu umhla wenyanga yesibhozo, ngenyanga leyo abeyicamangile kweyakhe intliziyo; wabenzela umthendeleko oonyana bakaSirayeli, wenyusa amadini esibingelelweni, ukuba kuqhunyiselwe.