1 Kings 12

U-Israyeli Uhlamukela uRehobhowami

1URehobhowami waya eShekemu, njengoba abako-Israyeli bonke babeye khona ukuyambeka ukuba abe yinkosi.

2UJerobhowami indodana kaNebhathi wakuzwa lokhu (elokhu eseGibhithe, lapho ayebalekele khona ebalekela inkosi uSolomoni) wabuya evela eGibhithe. 3Ngakho bakhupha ilizwi lokumema uJerobhowami; kwathi yena labo bonke abako-Israyeli baya kuRehobhowami bafika bathi kuye:

4“Uyihlo wasethesa ijogwe elinzima kakhulu, wena phungula lumthwalo olochuku lejogwe elinzima esaletheswa nguyihlo, yikho sizakukhonza.”

5URehobhowami waphendula wathi: “Sukani lapha okwezinsuku ezintathu beseliphenduka libuye kimi.” Ngakho abantu bahamba.

6INkosi uRehobhowami wabuza abadala besizwe ababehlale njalo basebenza loyise uSolomoni esaphila. Wababuza abadala wathi: “Lingangicebisa ukuthi ngibaphendule ngithini lababantu?”

7Baphendula bathi, “Nxa lamuhla ungazenza inceku yalababantu ubasebenzele ubaphe impendulo abavumelana layo, bazahlala beyizinceku zakho ngezikhathi zonke.”

8Kodwa uRehobhowami kazange amukele ukucebisa kwabadala wakhetha ukudinga ulwazi kwabayintanga yakhe ababekhule bonke kuyibo njalo abasebeyizinceku zakhe.

9Wababuza wathi, “Lingangicebisani? Singabapha mpendulo bani lababantu abathi, ‘Yethula ijogwe leli esaletheswa nguyihlo?’ ” 10Amajaha la ayekhule lawo amphendula athi, “Tshela lababantu abakubuzayo ukuthi, ‘Uyihlo wasethesa ijogwe elinzima, kodwa elethu lenze libe lula’ – batshele uthi, ‘Umunwe wami omncane uqatha kulokhalo lukababa. 11Ubaba walethesa ijogwe elinzima; mina ngizalenza libe nzima kulalokho. Ubaba walixathula ngezaswebhu; mina ngizalintinyela ngenkume.’ ”

12Ngemva kwensuku ezintathu uJerobhowami labo bonke abantu babuyela kuRehobhowami, njengalokho okwakutshiwo yinkosi ukuthi, “Phendukani lize kimi ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu.” 13Inkosi yasiphendula abantu ngolaka. Yalahla izicebiso eyayiziphiwe ngabadala, 14yalandela ukucebisa kwabatsha, yathi, “Ubaba walethesa ijogwe elinzima, mina ngizalenza libe nzima okuphindiweyo. Ubaba walixathula ngemichilo, mina ngizalintinyela ngenkume.” 15Ngakho inkosi ayizange ibalalele abantu, ngoba lokhu okwakusenzakala ngokwakuvela kuJehova, ukugcwalisa ilizwi likaJehova elaphiwa uJerobhowami indodana kaNebhathi ngo-Ahija umShiloni.

16Kwathi bonke abako-Israyeli sebebonile ukuthi inkosi yalile ukubalalela, bayiphendula inkosi bathi: “Silesabelo bani kuDavida, yingxenye bani endodaneni kaJese? Emathenteni enu bako-Israyeli! Gcina indlu yakho, wena kaDavida!” Ngakho abako-Israyeli babuyela emakhaya.

17Kodwa-ke abako-Israyeli ababehlala emadolobheni akoJuda, basala bebuswa nguRehobhowami.

18INkosi uRehobhowami yathuma u-Adoniramu, owayephethe izibhalwa, kodwa bonke abako-Israyeli bamkhanda ngamatshe bambulala. Kodwa iNkosi uRehobhowami, yona yenelisa ukubaleka ngenqola yempi yaya eJerusalema. 19Ngalokho u-Israyeli wahlamukela indlu kaDavida kuze kube lamuhla.

20Kwathi bonke abako-Israyeli besizwa ukuthi uJerobhowami usebuyile bambizela enkundleni lapho abafika bambeka ukuba abe yinkosi yalo lonke elako-Israyeli. Isizwana sakoJuda saba yiso sodwa esasala sibuswa yindlu kaDavida.

21Kwathi uRehobhowami ekufikeni eJerusalema, wenelisa ukubutha abendlu kaJuda labesizwana sikaBhenjamini – wenelisa ukubutha ibutho lamadoda okulwa ayizi-180,000 – ukuze balwe labendlu ka-Israyeli bahluthune kutsha ubukhosi bubuyele kuRehobhowami indodana kaSolomoni.

22Kodwa kwafika lelilizwi likaNkulunkulu kuShemiya umuntu kaNkulunkulu lathi:

23“Tshono kuRehobhowami indodana kaSolomoni inkosi yakoJuda, kubo bonke abendlu kaJuda lekaBhenjamini, lakubo bonke abanye abantu uthi, 24‘Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova ukuthi: Lingahambi ukuyakulwa labafowenu, abako-Israyeli. Yanini emakhaya enu, munye ngamunye, ngoba lokhu okwenzakalayo kuvela kimi.’ ” Ngakho balilalela ilizwi likaJehova babuyela emakhaya abo, njengokulaywa kwabo nguJehova.

Amathole Egolide eBhetheli kanye lakoDani

25UJerobhowami wasevikela iShekemu elizweni lamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi wahlala khonale. Esuka lapho waphuma wayakwakha ePheniyeli.

26UJerobhowami wacabanga wathi, “Umbuso usuzabuyela endlini kaDavida. 27Nxa abantu laba bangayanikela imihlatshelo ethempelini likaJehova eJerusalema, bazaphinda baphe usekelo lwabo enkosini babuyele eNkosini uRehobhowami.”

28Ngemva kokudinga ukwelulekwa, inkosi yenza amathole egolide amabili. Yasisithi ebantwini, “Kunzima kakhulu kini ukuthi liye eJerusalema. Nampa onkulunkulu benu, O Israyeli, abalikhupha eGibhithe.” 29Wasemisa elinye eBhetheli, elinye njalo eDani. 30Lokhu kwaba yisono; abantu babesiya khonale eDani ukuyakhonza lelo elalikhonale.

31UJerobhowami wakha amathempeli ezindaweni eziphakemeyo wasebeka abaphristi emihlotsheni yonke yabantu, lakulabo ababengasibo abaLevi. 32Wamisa umkhosi ngosuku lwetshumi lanhlanu ngenyanga yetshumi lesificamibili, owawunjengomkhosi owasusenziwa koJuda, wanikela imihlatshelo ealithareni. Lokhu wakwenza eBhetheli, enikela ematholeni ayewenzile. LeBhetheli wabeka abaphristi ezindaweni eziphezulu ayezenzile.

33Ngosuku lwetshumi lanhlanu lwenyanga yesificamibili, inyanga ayezikhethele yona, wanikela imihlatshelo e-alithareni ayelakhile eBhetheli. Ngakho wamisa umkhosi kwabako-Israyeli waya e-alithareni ukuyanikela imihlatshelo.