2 IziKronike

11 Lapho uRehobowamu efika eJerusalema,+ wabutha masinyane indlu kaJuda noBhenjamini,+ amadoda ekhethelo ayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi ayisishiyagalombili ayimiqemane yempi,+ ukuba alwe no-Israyeli ukuze abuyisele umbuso kuRehobowamu. 2 Khona-ke izwi likaJehova lafika kuShemaya+ umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, lathi: 3 “Khuluma noRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni inkosi yakwaJuda+ no-Israyeli wonke kwaJuda nakwaBhenjamini uthi, 4 ‘Yilokhu uJehova akushilo: “Akumelwe nikhuphuke niyolwa nabafowenu.+ Buyelani yilowo nalowo endlini yakhe, ngoba le nto ivelé ngokuthanda kwami.”’”+ Ngakho balilalela izwi likaJehova babuya ekumelaneni noJerobowamu.+

5 URehobowamu waqhubeka ehlala eJerusalema wakha imizi enezivikelo eziqinile kwaJuda. 6 Ngakho wakha kabusha iBhetlehema+ ne-Etamu+ neThekhowa,+ 7 neBheti-zuri+ neSoko+ ne-Adulamu,+ 8 neGati+ neMareshahi+ neZifi,+ 9 ne-Adorayimi neLakishi+ ne-Azeka,+ 10 neZora+ ne-Ajaloni+ neHebroni,+ imizi enezivikelo eziqinile, eyayikwaJuda nakwaBhenjamini. 11 Ngaphezu kwalokho, waqinisa izindawo ezinezivikelo eziqinile+ wabeka abaholi+ kuzo nokudla namafutha newayini, 12 futhi kuyo yonke imizi ehlukahlukene wabeka izihlangu ezinkulu+ nezijula;+ waqhubeka eyiqinisa ngezinga elikhulu kakhulu. UJuda noBhenjamini baqhubeka bengabakhe.

13 Abapristi namaLevi ababekulo lonke elakwa-Israyeli bema ngakuye bevela kuzo zonke izindawo zabo. 14 Ngoba amaLevi ashiya amadlelo awo+ nefa lawo+ ayeseza kwaJuda naseJerusalema,+ ngoba uJerobowamu+ namadodana akhe babewaxoshile+ ukuba angabe esaba abapristi kuJehova. 15 Wazibekela ezikhundleni abapristi bezindawo eziphakeme+ nabamademoni amisé okwezimbuzi+ nabamathole ayewenzile.+ 16 Futhi ngemva kwabo, labo abavela kuzo zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli ababenikela inhliziyo yabo ekufuneni uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli beza ngokwabo eJerusalema+ bezohlabela+ uJehova uNkulunkulu wokhokho babo. 17 Futhi baqhubeka beqinisa ubukhosi bakwaJuda+ futhi beqinisa uRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni iminyaka emithathu, ngoba bahamba ngendlela kaDavide noSolomoni iminyaka emithathu.+

18 Khona-ke uRehobowamu wathatha uMahalati indodakazi kaJerimoti indodana kaDavide, futhi eka-Abhihayili indodakazi ka-Eliyabe+ indodana kaJese ukuba abe umkakhe. 19 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wamzalela amadodana, uJewushi noShemariya noZahamu. 20 Ngemva kwakhe wathatha uMahakha+ umzukulu ka-Absalomu.+ Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wamzalela u-Abhiya+ no-Athayi noZiza noShelomoti. 21 URehobowamu wayethanda kakhulu uMahakha umzukulu ka-Absalomu kunabo bonke abanye abafazi bakhe+ nezancinza zakhe; ngoba wayethathe abafazi abayishumi nesishiyagalombili, nezancinza ezingamashumi ayisithupha, wazala amadodana angamashumi amabili nesishiyagalombili namadodakazi angamashumi ayisithupha. 22 Ngenxa yalokho uRehobowamu wabeka u-Abhiya indodana kaMahakha esikhundleni sokuba inhloko, njengomholi phakathi kwabafowabo, ngoba wayecabanga ukumbeka inkosi. 23 Nokho, wenza ngokuqonda+ wabela abanye emadodaneni akhe wonke kuwo wonke amazwe akwaJuda nakwaBhenjamini,+ kuyo yonke imizi enezivikelo eziqinile,+ futhi wawanika insada yokudla+ wawatholela nabafazi abaningi.+