U-Israyeli Ucela Ijoka Elilula
U-Israyeli ucela uRehobowamu ukuba enze lula ijoka likayise; yena ulandela iseluleko sabangane bakhe futhi esikhundleni salokho uthembisa ofezela. Izizwe eziyishumi ziyahamba futhi zibeka uJerobowamu inkosi — kwenziwa nguBaba wethu uqobo — owenza amathole amabili egolide eBhetheli naseDani ukuze kungabikho obuyela eJerusalema.
12 1URehobowamu waya eShekemi, ngokuba wonke u-Israyeli wayefike eShekemi ukuba bambeke abe yinkosi. 2Kwathi uJerobowamu indodana kaNebati esekuzwile lokho—wayesaseGibhithe, lapho ayebalekele khona iNkosi uSolomoni, wahlala khona. 3Bathumela bambiza. UJerobowamu nalo lonke ibandla lika-Israyeli bafika bathi kuRehobowamu: 4“Uyihlo walenza laba lukhuni ijoka lethu. Manje yenza kube lula ukusebenza okulukhuni nejoka elisindayo uyihlo akubeke phezu kwethu, thina sizakukukhonza.”
5Wathi kubo: “Hambani izinsuku ezintathu, bese nibuyela kimi.” Base behamba abantu.
6INkosi uRehobowamu yacebisana namadoda amadala ayekhonza uyise uSolomoni esaphila. Yathi: “Ningeluleka ukuthi ngibaphendule kanjani laba bantu?”
7Baphendula bathi: “Uma namuhla ukhonza laba bantu, ubaphendule ngomusa, bazakuba yizinceku zakho kuze kube phakade.”
8Kodwa walila iseluleko samadoda amadala, wacebisana nezinsizwa ezazikhule naye ezazimkhonza. 9Wathi kuzo: “Niceba ukuthini? Sibaphendule kanjani laba bantu abathe kimi, ‘Yenza libe lula ijoka uyihlo alibeke phezu kwethu’?”
10Izinsizwa ezazikhule naye zaphendula zathi: “Tshela laba bantu abathe kuwe, ‘Uyihlo walenza lasinda ijoka lethu, kodwa wena ulenze libe lula’—ubatshele lokhu, uthi: ‘Ucikicane wami mkhulu kunokhalo lukababa.’ 11Ubaba wabeka ijoka elisindayo phezu kwenu; mina ngizakwenza lisinde nakakhulu. Ubaba wanijezisa ngeziswebhu; mina ngizakunijezisa ngofezela.”
12Emva kwezinsuku ezintathu uJerobowamu nabo bonke abantu babuyela kuRehobowamu, njengokusho kwenkosi ukuthi: “Buyelani kimi emva kwezinsuku ezintathu.” 13INkosi yabaphendula kalukhuni abantu. Yasilila iseluleko ayesinikwe ngamadoda amadala, 14yakhuluma kubo njengokweluleka kwezinsizwa, yathi: “Ubaba walenza lasinda ijoka lenu; mina ngizakwenza lisinde nakakhulu. Ubaba wanijezisa ngeziswebhu; mina ngizakunijezisa ngofezela.”
15Ngakho inkosi ayibalalelanga abantu, ngokuba lokhu kuguquka kwezinto kwavela kuBaba wethu, ukuze kugcwaliseke izwi uBaba wethu alikhuluma ngo-Ahiya waseShilo kuJerobowamu indodana kaNebati.
16Kwathi lapho wonke u-Israyeli ebona ukuthi inkosi iyala ukubalalela, bayiphendula bathi: “Sinasabelo sini kuDavide? Asinalifa endodaneni kaJese! Buyelani emathendeni enu, Israyeli! Manje zibonele eyakho indlu, Davide!” Ngakho u-Israyeli waya emathendeni akhe.
17Kodwa uRehobowamu wayeselokhu ebusa phezu kwabantwana baka-Israyeli ababehlala emizini yakwaJuda. 18INkosi uRehobowamu yathuma u-Adorama, owayephethe umsebenzi wokucindezela, kodwa wonke u-Israyeli wamkhanda ngamatshe waze wafa. INkosi uRehobowamu yashesha yakhwela inqola yayo yabalekela eJerusalema. 19Kanjalo u-Israyeli uselokhu ehlubukile endlini kaDavide kuze kube namuhla.
20Kwathi lapho wonke u-Israyeli ezwa ukuthi uJerobowamu usebuyile, bambiza ebandleni bambeka inkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli wonke. Isizwe sakwaJuda sodwa esalandela indlu kaDavide.
21Kwathi lapho uRehobowamu efika eJerusalema, wabutha yonke indlu kaJuda nesizwe sakwaBenjamini—amadoda alwayo akhethiweyo ayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi ayisishiyagalombili—ukuba alwe nendlu ka-Israyeli ukuze abuyisele umbuso kuRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni.
22Kodwa izwi likaBaba wethu lafika kuShemaya, umuntu kaBaba wethu, lithi:
23“Tshela uRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni, inkosi yakwaJuda, nayo yonke indlu yakwaJuda neyakwaBenjamini, nabantu abaseleyo, uthi:
24‘Usho kanje uBaba wethu, uthi: Ningakhuphukeli ukulwa nabafowenu, abantwana baka-Israyeli. Yilowo nalowo akabuyele ekhaya, ngokuba lokhu kuvela kimi.’” Base beligcina izwi lakhe, babuyela emuva ekhaya, njengokusho kwakhe.
UJerobowamu Wakha Izithombe eBhetheli naseDani
25UJerobowamu wakha iShekemi ezweni lezintaba lakwa-Efrayimi, wahlala khona. Esuka lapho waphuma wakha iPhenuweli. 26UJerobowamu wacabanga enhliziyweni yakhe, wathi: “Manje umbuso ungabuyela endlini kaDavide. 27Uma laba bantu bekhuphuka ukuba benze imihlatshelo endlini kaBaba wethu eJerusalema, izinhliziyo zabo zizakubuyela enkosini yabo, uRehobowamu inkosi yakwaJuda. Bazakungibulala babuyele kuRehobowamu inkosi yakwaJuda.” 28Emva kokucebisana, inkosi yenza amathole amabili egolide. Yathi kubantu: “Kuningi kakhulu kini ukukhuphukela eJerusalema. Nampa onkulunkulu benu, Israyeli, abanikhuphula ezweni laseGibhithe.” 29Wamisa elinye eBhetheli, nelinye eDani. 30Lokhu kwaba yisono, ngokuba abantu baya ukukhonza phambi kwalelo ithole kuze kuyofika eDani. 31UJerobowamu wakha izindlu zokukhonzela ezindaweni eziphakemeyo, wenza abapristi abavela kuzo zonke izinhlobo zabantu, abangesibo abakwaLevi. 32UJerobowamu wamisa umkhosi ngosuku lweshumi nanhlanu lwenyanga yesishiyagalombili, njengomkhosi wakwaJuda, wanikela imihlatshelo e-altare. Wenza kanjalo eBhetheli, enikela imihlatshelo kuwo amathole ayewenzile, wamisa khona abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo ayezenzile. 33Ngosuku lweshumi nanhlanu lwenyanga yesishiyagalombili—inyanga ayeziqambele yona ngokwakhe—wakhuphukela e-altare ayelakhile eBhetheli, wamisela abantwana baka-Israyeli umkhosi, wakhuphukela e-altare ukuba ashise impepho.
