1 Amakhosi 12:1-33

Futhi lapho uJerobowamu eya eShekemi, ngokuba wonke u-Israyeli wafika eShekemi ukumbeka inkosi. Kwathi uJerobowamu indodana kaNebati eseseGibithe ekuzwile, ngokuba wabaleka ebusweni benkosi uSolomoni; uJerobowamu wahlala eGibithe. Basebethuma bambiza. UJerobowamu nayo yonke inhlangano yakwa-Israyeli beza bakhuluma kuRehobowamu, bathi: Uyihlo wenza ijoka lethu laba nzima; manje yenza kube lula inkonzo enzima kayihlo nejoka lakhe elisindayo alibeka phezu kwethu, futhi sizokukhonza. Wathi kubo: “Hambani izinsuku ezintathu, nibuye nize kimi.” Bahamba-ke abantu. Inkosi uRehobowamu yacebisana namadoda amadala ayemi phambi kukaSolomoni uyise esekhona, yathi: “Nina macebiso ani ukuba ngiphendule laba bantu na? Basebekhuluma kuye bathi: Uba lamuhla uzakuba yinceku yalababantu, ubakhonze, ubaphendule, ukhulume amazwi amahle kubo, bazakuba yizinceku zakho kuze kube nininini. Kodwa watshiya iseluleko sabadala ababemnike sona, wacebisana lamajaha ayeyintanga yakhe ema phambi kwakhe. Wathi kubo: “Nina iseluleko bani ukuba sibaphendule laba bantu ababekhuluma kimi, bethi: ‘Yenza libe lula ijoka uyihlo alibeka phezu kwethu na? Izinsizwa ezikhule naye zakhuluma kuye, zathi: “Uyakusho kanje kulaba bantu abakhulume kuwe, bathi: ‘Uyihlo walenza ijoka lethu laba nzima, kepha silenze libe lula kithi; ngakho-ke uzothi kubo: Ucikicane wami uyakuba mkhulu kunokhalo lukababa. Manje lapho ubaba enithwese ijoka elinzima, mina ngizonezela ejokeni lenu; UJerobowamu nabo bonke abantu beza kuRehobowamu ngosuku lwesithathu, njengokusho kwenkosi, yathi: “Buyelani kimi ngosuku lwesithathu.” Inkosi yabaphendula kalukhuni abantu, yasishiya iseluleko sabadala ababemnike sona; Njengeseluleko sezinsizwa wakhuluma kubo, wathi: “Ubaba walenza laba nzima ijoka lenu, mina-ke ngiyakwenezela ejokeni lenu; nobaba wanishaya ngeziswebhu, mina ngiyakunishaya ngawofezela. Ngakho inkosi ayizange ibalalele abantu; ngoba kwakuyisizathu sikaJehova ukuba agcwalise izwi lakhe uJehova alikhuluma ngenkonzo ka-Ahiya waseShilo kuJerobowamu indodana kaNebati. Kwathi wonke uIsrayeli ebona ukuthi inkosi kayibalalelanga, abantu baphendula inkosi, bathi: Silesabelo sini kuDavida? futhi asinafa endodaneni kaJese; Ematendeni akho, Israyeli, bheka manje endlini yakho, Davide! u-Israyeli waya ematendeni abo. Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ababehlala emizini yakwaJuda uRehobowamu wabusa phezu kwabo. Inkosi uRehobowamu yayisithuma u-Adoramu owayephethe ukutheliswa; wonke u-Israyeli wamkhanda ngamatshe, wafa. Ngakho inkosi uRehobowamu yashesha ukumvumela ukuba agibele enqoleni yakhe ukuba abalekele eJerusalema. U-Israyeli wayihlubuka indlu kaDavide kuze kube namuhla. Kwathi wonke u-Israyeli esezwile ukuthi uJerobowamu ubuyile, bathumela bambizela ebandleni, bambeka inkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli wonke; akubangakho owalandela indlu kaDavide, kuphela isizwe sakwaJuda sodwa. URehobowamu esefikile eJerusalema, wabutha yonke indlu yakwaJuda nesizwe sakwaBenjamini, amadoda akhethiweyo ayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi ayisishiyagalombili, amadoda empi, ukuba alwe nendlu yakwa-Israyeli, abuyiswe ubukhosi, abuyiswe. KuRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni. Kodwa izwi likaNkulunkulu lafika kuShemaya, umuntu kaNkulunkulu, lathi: Khuluma kuRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni, inkosi yakwaJuda, nakuyo yonke indlu yakwaJuda noBenjamini, nakuyo insali yabantu, uthi: Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Aniyikukhuphuka nilwe nabafowenu, abantwana bakwa-Israyeli; buyelani, kube yilowo nalowo endlini yakhe; ngoba lokhu kungokwami. Balilalela izwi likaJehova, babuyela emuva ukuba bahambe njengezwi likaJehova. UJerobowamu wakha iShekemi ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, wahlala kulo; waphuma lapho, wakha iPnuweli. UJerobowamu wathi enhliziyweni yakhe: “Manje umbuso uzakubuyela endlini kaDavide.” Uma laba bantu bekhuphuka ukuyohlabela endlini kaJehova eJerusalema, inhliziyo yalaba bantu iyakubuyela enkosini yabo, kuRehobowamu, inkosi yakwaJuda, bangibulale, bephindelela kuRehobowamu inkosi yaseGibhithe. Juda, hamba. Juda. Inkosi yasicebisana, yenza amathole amabili egolide, yathi kubo: “Kungaphezu kwamandla enu ukukhuphukela eJerusalema; bheka, Israyeli, onkulunkulu bakho abakukhipha ezweni laseGibithe. Wabeka elinye eBethele, nelinye kwaDani. Le nto yaba yisono, ngokuba abantu bahamba ukukhuleka phambi kwayo kwaDani. Wenza nendlu ephakemeyo, wamisa abapristi besizwe esiphansi, ababengesibo abantwana bakwaLevi. UJerobowamu wenza umkhosi ngenyanga yesishiyagalombili ngosuku lweshumi nanhlanu lwenyanga njengomkhosi wakwaJuda, wanikela ngomhlatshelo e-altare. Wenza njalo eBethele ngokuhlabela amathole awenzileyo; wamisa eBethele abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo abezenzile. Wanikela ngomhlatshelo e-altare alenzayo eBethele ngosuku lweshumi nanhlanu lwenyanga yesishiyagalombili, ngenyanga abeyicabangile kweyakhe inhliziyo; walungisela abantwana bakwa-Israyeli idili, walibeka e-altare, wanyusa impepho.