2 Chronicles 11
1 URehobhowamu esefikile eJerusalema, waqoqa yonke indlu yakwaJuda nesizwana sakwaBhenjamini, abantu abakhethiweyo abayizi-180 000, amabutho, ukuze balwe nendlu yakwa-Israyeli, umbuso bawubuyisele kuye uRehobhowamu, indodana kaSolomoni.
2 Kwase kufika izwi likaNkulunkulu kuShemaya, umuntu kaNkulunkulu, lathi:
3 “Yisho kuRehobhowamu, indodana kaSolomoni, inkosi yakwaJuda, nayo yonke indlu yakwa-Israyeli ekwaJuda neyakwaBhenjamini, uthi:
4 ‘Usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: ningakhuphuki ukuyolwa nabafowenu, abantu bakwa-Israyeli; phindelani, kube yilowo nalowo endlini yakhe, ngokuba lokhu kuvela kimi.’ ” Balilalela izwi likaSimakade, baphindela emuva, kabamhlasela uJerobhowamu.
5 URehobhowamu wahlala eJerusalema, wakha imizi eyizinqaba kwaJuda.
6 Wakha iBhethlehema, i-Ethamu, iThekhowa,
7 iBhethi Zuri, iSoko, i-Adulamu,
8 iGathi, iMaresha, iZifi,
9 i-Adorayimi, iLakhishi, i-Azekha,
10 iZora, i-Ajaloni, neHebhroni; leyo mizi ebiyelweyo yayikwaJuda nakwaBhenjamini.
11 Izinqaba waziqinisa, kuzo wabeka abakhuzi bempi, wagcina ukudla, amafutha, newayini kuzo.
12 Kuyo yonke imizi, wabeka izihlangu nemikhonto emzini ngamunye, wayiqinisa kakhulu impela. ElakwaJuda nelakwaBhenjamini kwakungokwakhe.
13 Abaphristi nabaLevi ababekulo lonke elakwa-Israyeli bazihlanganisa noRehobhowamu, bevela kuzo zonke izifundazwe.
14 AbaLevi bashiya amadlelo abo nefa labo, baya kwaJuda naseJerusalema, ngokuba uJerobhowamu namadodana akhe bawenqabela ukuba abe ngabaphristi bakaSimakade.
15 Wazimisela abaphristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo, abezimbuzi nabamathole ayewabumbile.
16 Emva kokuhamba kwabo, kwalandela ababevela kuzo zonke izizwana zakwa-Israyeli, ababenhliziyo ziphokophelele ukufuna uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, baya eJerusalema ukuyohlabela uSimakade uNkulunkulu wokhokho babo.
17 Base bewuqinisa-ke umbuso wakwaJuda, benza uRehobhowamu, indodana kaSolomoni, waba namandla iminyaka emithathu, ngokuba bahamba iminyaka emithathu endleleni kaDavide noSolomoni.
18 URehobhowamu waganwa nguMahalathi, indodakazi kaJerimothi, indodana kaDavide neka-Abhihayili, indodakazi ka-Eliyabe, indodana kaJese.
19 Wamzalela lawa madodana: uJewushe, uShemiya noZahamu.
20 Emva kwakhe, wathatha uMahakha, indodakazi ka-Absalomu. Yona yamzalela: u-Abhiya, u-Athayi, u-Uza, noShelomithi.
21 URehobhowamu wamthanda uMahakha, indodakazi ka-Absalomu, ukwedlula bonke abafazi bakhe nezanciza zakhe; wayeganwe ngabafazi abali-18 nezancinza ezingama-60. Wazala amadodana angama-28, namadodakazi angama-60.
22 URehobhowamu wabeka u-Abhiya, indodana kaMahakha, waba yinhloko nombusi phakathi kwabafowabo, kwazise wayehlose ukumbeka abe yinkosi.
23 Wenza ukuhlakanipha, amadodana akhe wawehlukanisa, ahlala emazweni wonke akwaJuda nakwaBhenjamini, nasemizini yonke ebiyelweyo; wawanika ukudla okuningi, wawatholela nabafazi abaningi.