1 Ngalesosikhathi u-Abhija indodana kaJerobhowamu wagula, 2 uJerobhowamu wathi kumkakhe, “Hamba, uzifihle ngesinye isimo, ukuze kungabikhona ozakunanzelela ukuthi ungumkaJerobhowamu. Ube ususiya eShilo. U-Ahija umphrofethi ukhonale onguye owangitshela ukuthi ngizakuba yinkosi yabantu laba. 3 Uthathe izinkwa ezilitshumi, amakhekhe athile kanye legabha loluju, ube ususiya kuye. Uzakutshela okumele kwenzakale emntwaneni.” 4 Ngakho umkaJerobhowamu wenza lokho ayekutshilo wasesiya endlini ka-Ahija eShilo.

U-Ahija wayengasaboni, eseyisiphofu ngenxa yokuluphala. 5 Kodwa uThixo wayetshele u-Ahija ukuthi, “UmkaJerobhowamu uyeza uzokubuza ngendodana yakhe, iyagula, njalo uzamnika impendulo le lale ngalokhu lalokhuyana. Ekufikeni kwakhe uzakwenza kungathi kayisuye ezifihla.”

6 Kwathi u-Ahija esizwa izisinde zakhe phandle wahle wema emnyango, wathi, “Ngena, Nkosikazi kaJerobhowamu, kanti ngokwani ukuzenzisa? Ngithunywe kuwe ngilombiko omubi. 7 Hamba, uyetshela uJerobhowamu ukuthi lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Ngakondla wakhula phakathi kwabantu ngakwenza umkhokheli wabantu bami bako-Israyeli. 8 Ngaxebula umbuso endlini kaDavida ngawunika wena, kodwa awuzange wenze njengenceku yami uDavida, yena owagcina imilayo yami njalo wangilandela ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakhe, esenza konke okuhle phambi kwami. 9 Wonile okudlula bonke abakwandulelayo. Usuzidalele abanye onkulunkulu, izithombe ezikhandwe ngensimbi, ungithukuthelisile ngazonda njalo ungifulathele.

10 Ngenxa yalokho ngizakwehlisela incithakalo endlini kaJerobhowamu. Ngizabhubhisa bonke abesilisa bokucina ekuzalweni kwabakaJerobhowamu ko-Israyeli loba yisigqili loba okhululekileyo. Ngizayitshisa indlu kaJerobhowamu kungathi ngibase ubulongwe, ize iphele du. 11 Izinja zizabadla bonke abakaJerobhowamu abafele edolobheni, lezinyoni zemkhathini zizazitika ngalabo abafela emaphandleni. UThixo usekhulumile!’

12 Wena, buyela ekhaya. Uzakuthi ubeka unyawo lwakho edolobheni umfana ahle afe. 13 U-Israyeli uzalila amngcwabe. Nguye yedwa kwabakaJerobhowamu ozangcwatshwa, ngoba nguye yedwa endlini kaJerobhowamu, uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, amthole enze ukulunga.

14  UThixo uzazivusela owakhe umbusi ozakuba yinkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli, ozachitha imuli kaJerobhowamu. Lamuhla yikho ukuqala kwakho lokho.* 14.14 Okutshiwo ngumutsho lo ngesiHebheru akukho sobala. 15  UThixo uzamtshaya u-Israyeli, kungathi ngumhlanga uzunguzeka emanzini. Uzamquphuna u-Israyeli elizweni lakhe elihle alinika okhokho bakhe abachithe ngaphetsheya komfula uYufrathe, ngoba uThixo bamvuse ulaka ngokwenza izinsika zikankulunkulukazi u-Ashera. 16 Njalo uzamlahla u-Israyeli ngenxa yezono zikaJerobhowamu azenzileyo wakhokhelela lo-Israyeli ukuzenza.”

17 UmkaJerobhowamu wasuka lapho waqonda eThiza. Wathi enyathela egumeni, indodana yafa. 18 Bayingcwaba njalo, u-Israyeli wonke wayililela njengoba uThixo wayetshilo ngenceku yakhe umphrofethi u-Ahija.

19 Ezinye izehlakalo zombuso kaJerobhowamu, izimpi lokuthi wabusa njani, kulotshiwe egwalweni lwembali yamakhosi ako-Israyeli. 20 Wabusa okweminyaka engamatshumi amabili lambili wasesiyaphumula labokhokho bakhe ekufeni. Indodana yakhe uNadabi wathatha isikhundla sakhe waba yinkosi.

21 URehobhowami indodana kaSolomoni waba yinkosi wabusa koJuda. Wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amane lanye eqalisa ukubusa, wabusa okweminyaka elitshumi lesikhombisa eJerusalema idolobho elakhethwa nguThixo phakathi kwezizwana zonke zako-Israyeli ukubeka iBizo lakhe. Unina wayenguNahama; engowase-Amoni.

22 AbakoJuda bona phambi kukaThixo. Ngokona lokhu, bavusa ubukhwele bolaka lwakhe ukwedlula okwakwenziwe ngoyise. 23 Bazakhela njalo indawo eziphakemeyo zeminikelo, amatshe azilayo lezinsika zika-Ashera ezintabeni zonke langaphansi kwemithunzi yezihlahla eziyizithingithingi. 24 Kwakukhona lapho amadoda afeba lamanye amadoda ezindaweni zemihlatshelo phakathi kwelizwe; abantu ababesenza wonke amanyala ezizwe uThixo ayezixotshile phansi kwabako-Israyeli.

25 Ngomnyaka wesihlanu kaRehobhowami, uShishakhi inkosi yaseGibhithe wahlasela iJerusalema. 26 Wabutha yonke inotho yethempeli likaThixo kanye lenotho yesigodlo sobukhosi. Wahuquluza konke kanye lamahawu enziwe ngegolide ayekhandwe nguSolomoni. 27 Ngakho iNkosi uRehobhowami yakhanda amahawu ethusi ukwenanisa lawo yawabela abakhokheli babalindimasango besigodlweni. 28 Kwakusithi nxa inkosi isiya ethempelini likaThixo, abalindi babewathwala amahawu lawo, baphinde bawabuyisele endlini yabalindi.

29 Ezinye izehlakalo ekubuseni kukaRehobhowami, lakho konke akwenzayo, akulotshwanga yini egwalweni lwembali yamakhosi akoJuda? 30 Kwahlala kulempi phakathi kukaRehobhowami loJerobhowamu. 31 URehobhowami wakhothama, wangcwatshwa labokhokho bakhe eMzini kaDavida. Unina wayenguNahama, engumʼAmoni. U-Abhija indodana yakhe wathatha ubukhosi waba yinkosi ngemva kukayise.