1URehobowamu waya eShekemi, ngokuba wonke u-Israyeli wayefikile eShekemi ukumbeka inkosi.
2Kwathi lapho uJerobowamu indodana kaNebati ekuzwile ngokuba wayeseGibithe, lapho ayebalakele khona, ebalekele ubuso benkosi uSolomoni uJerobowamu wabuya eGibithe.
3Bathuma bambiza; uJerobowamu naye wonke u-Israyeli beza, bakhuluma kuRehobowamu, bathi:
4“Uyihlo wenza ijoka lethu laba lukhuni; ngalokho yenza wena ube lula umsebenzi olukhuni kayihlo nejoka lakhe elisindayo owalibeka phezu kwethu, siyakukukhonza.”
5Wathi kubo: “Buyelani kimi emva kwezinsuku ezintathu.” Basuka-ke abantu.
6Inkosi uRehobowamu yelulekana namalunga ayemile phambi kukaSolomoni uyise esekhona, yathi: “Nina ningeluleka ukubuyisela mpenduloni kulaba bantu na?”
7Akhuluma kuye, athi: “Uma uzakuba muhle kulaba bantu, ubathokozise, ukhulume amazwi amahle kubo, bayakuba yizinceku zakho izinsuku zonke.”
8Kepha walahla isiluleko samalunga ameluleke ngaso, welulekana nezinsizwa eziyintanga yakhe, ezazimi phambi kwakhe.
9Wathi kuzo: “Nina niluleka ukuba sibuyise mpenduloni kulaba bantu abakhulume kimi ngokuthi: ‘Yenza ijoka uyihlo alibeka phezu kwethu libe lula,’ na?”
10Zase zikhuluma kuye izinsizwa eziyintanga yakhe, zithi: “Uyakusho kanje kubantu abakhulume kuwe ngokuthi: ‘Uyihlo walenza ijoka lethu lasinda, kepha wena ulenze libe lula kithina,’ uyakusho kubo kanje ukuthi: ‘Ucikicane wami mkhulu kunokhalo lukababa.
11Manje ubaba wanithwesa ijoka elisindayo, mina ngiyakwenezela ejokeni lenu; ubaba wanishaya ngeziswebhu, mina ngawofezela.’ ”
12UJerobowamu nabantu bonke base befika kuRehobowamu ngosuku lwesithathu njengokusho kwenkosi ithi: “Buyelani kimi ngosuku lwesithathu.”
13Inkosi yabaphendula kalukhuni; inkosi uRehobowamu yalahla isiluleko samalunga,
14yakhuluma kubo njengesiluleko sezinsizwa ngokuthi: “Ubaba walenza ijoka lenu lasinda, mina ngiyakwenezela kulo; ubaba wanishaya ngesiswebhu, mina ngawofezela.”
15Inkosi ayibalalelanga abantu, ngokuba kwakuyisiyiba esivela kuNkulunkulu, ukuze uJehova amise izwi lakhe alikhulumayo ngesandla sika-Ahiya waseShilo kuJerobowamu indodana kaNebati.
16Wonke u-Israyeli esebonile ukuthi inkosi ayibalalelanga, abantu babuyisela izwi enkosini, bathi: “Sinasabelo sini kuDavide na? Ifa asinalo endodaneni kaJese. Yilowo nalowo makaye etendeni lakhe, Israyeli; zibhekele indlu yakho manje, Davide.” Wayesesuka u-Israyeli wonke, waya ematendeni akhe.
17Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli abakhe emizini yakwaJuda, uRehobowamu wabusa phezu kwabo.
18Inkosi uRehobowamu yathuma u-Adoramu owayephezu kwezisebenzi; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bamkhanda ngamatshe, wafa. Inkosi uRehobowamu yashesha ukukhwela inqola yayo ukuba ibalekele eJerusalema.
19U-Israyeli wayeseyihlubuka-ke indlu kaDavide kuze kube namuhla.