18. Ukumkani uRehobhowam wathumela uAdoniram owayeyingqwayi-ngqwayi kwabasebenza ngonyanzelo, kodwa amaSirayeli asuka amxuluba ngamatye wafa. Phofu ke yena ukumkani waba nako ukungena enqwelweni, asabele eJerusalem.
19. Unanamhla ke uSirayeli usavukelene nendlu kaDavide.
20. AmaSirayeli athe asakuqonda ukuba uJerobhowam ubuyile, ambizela embizweni, aza ammisela wangukumkani kaSirayeli ephela, yaba yindlu kaJuda yodwa eyasala isephantsi kwendlu kaDavide.
21. Akufika eJerusalem uRehobhowam waqokelela indlu kaJuda nekaBhenjamin – amawaka alikhulu elinamashumi asibhozo ewonke amadoda omkhosi – ukuze alwe noSirayeli, alubuyisele ulawulo kuRehobhowam unyana kaSolomon.
22. Kambe ke kwafika eli lizwi likaThixo kuShemaya umfo wakwaThixo lisithi:
23. “Thetha noRehobhowam unyana kaSolomon ukumkani wakwaJuda, nayo yonke indlu kaJuda nekaBhenjamin, nakubo bonke abaseleyo, uthi:
24. ‘Utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi: Musani ukuya kulwa namawenu amaSirayeli. Godukani nonke ngabanye, kuba le nto yenziwe ndim.’ ” Ngoko ke balithobela ilizwi likaNdikhoyo, bagoduka ngokomyalelo wakhe.
25. UJerobhowam wayixhobisa iShekem kwelo lakwaEfrayim, waza wahlala khona. Kananjalo waya kuyakha nePeniyeli.
26. UJerobhowam wathi ngaphakathi kwakhe: “Hleze lo mbuso ubuyele kwindlu kaDavide.
27. Ukuba aba bantu bamane besiya kwenza amadini endlwini *kaNdikhoyo eJerusalem, bangasuka baphinde bakhahlele kwinkosi yabo uRehobhowam ukumkani kaJuda. Xa inokwenzeka loo nto bangandibulala, babuyele kukumkani uRehobhowam.”
28. Emva kokucebisana nabathile ukumkani wenza amathole amabini ngegolide. Wabhekisa ebantwini wathi: “Niyaxhamleka kukunyuka niye eJerusalem. Nanku uThixo wakho, Sirayeli, owakukhupha ezweni laseJiputa!”
29. Elinye walibeka eBhetele, elinye lâkwaDan.
30. Yathi ke loo nto yaba sisono; bahamba abantu baya phambi kwelo likwaDan.
31. UJerobhowam wakha izibingelelo ezindulini, waza wamisela ababingeleli beendidi zonke zabantu nâbo bangengabo abaLevi.