1. URehobowamu waya eShekemi, ngokuba wonke u-Israyeli wayefikile eShekemi ukumbeka inkosi.
2. Kwathi lapho uJerobowamu indodana kaNebati ekuzwile ngokuba wayeseGibithe, lapho ayebalakele khona, ebalekele ubuso benkosi uSolomoni uJerobowamu wabuya eGibithe.
3. Bathuma bambiza; uJerobowamu naye wonke u-Israyeli beza, bakhuluma kuRehobowamu, bathi:
4. “Uyihlo wenza ijoka lethu laba lukhuni; ngalokho yenza wena ube lula umsebenzi olukhuni kayihlo nejoka lakhe elisindayo owalibeka phezu kwethu, siyakukukhonza.”
5. Wathi kubo: “Buyelani kimi emva kwezinsuku ezintathu.” Basuka-ke abantu.
6. Inkosi uRehobowamu yelulekana namalunga ayemile phambi kukaSolomoni uyise esekhona, yathi: “Nina ningeluleka ukubuyisela mpenduloni kulaba bantu na?”
7. Akhuluma kuye, athi: “Uma uzakuba muhle kulaba bantu, ubathokozise, ukhulume amazwi amahle kubo, bayakuba yizinceku zakho izinsuku zonke.”
8. Kepha walahla isiluleko samalunga ameluleke ngaso, welulekana nezinsizwa eziyintanga yakhe, ezazimi phambi kwakhe.
9. Wathi kuzo: “Nina niluleka ukuba sibuyise mpenduloni kulaba bantu abakhulume kimi ngokuthi: ‘Yenza ijoka uyihlo alibeka phezu kwethu libe lula,’ na?”
10. Zase zikhuluma kuye izinsizwa eziyintanga yakhe, zithi: “Uyakusho kanje kubantu abakhulume kuwe ngokuthi: ‘Uyihlo walenza ijoka lethu lasinda, kepha wena ulenze libe lula kithina,’ uyakusho kubo kanje ukuthi: ‘Ucikicane wami mkhulu kunokhalo lukababa.
11. Manje ubaba wanithwesa ijoka elisindayo, mina ngiyakwenezela ejokeni lenu; ubaba wanishaya ngeziswebhu, mina ngawofezela.’ ”
12. UJerobowamu nabantu bonke base befika kuRehobowamu ngosuku lwesithathu njengokusho kwenkosi ithi: “Buyelani kimi ngosuku lwesithathu.”
13. Inkosi yabaphendula kalukhuni; inkosi uRehobowamu yalahla isiluleko samalunga,
14. yakhuluma kubo njengesiluleko sezinsizwa ngokuthi: “Ubaba walenza ijoka lenu lasinda, mina ngiyakwenezela kulo; ubaba wanishaya ngesiswebhu, mina ngawofezela.”
15. Inkosi ayibalalelanga abantu, ngokuba kwakuyisiyiba esivela kuNkulunkulu, ukuze uJehova amise izwi lakhe alikhulumayo ngesandla sika-Ahiya waseShilo kuJerobowamu indodana kaNebati.
16. Wonke u-Israyeli esebonile ukuthi inkosi ayibalalelanga, abantu babuyisela izwi enkosini, bathi:“Sinasabelo sini kuDavide na?Ifa asinalo endodaneni kaJese.Yilowo nalowo makaye etendeni lakhe, Israyeli;zibhekele indlu yakho manje, Davide.”Wayesesuka u-Israyeli wonke, waya ematendeni akhe.
17. Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli abakhe emizini yakwaJuda, uRehobowamu wabusa phezu kwabo.
18. Inkosi uRehobowamu yathuma u-Adoramu owayephezu kwezisebenzi; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bamkhanda ngamatshe, wafa. Inkosi uRehobowamu yashesha ukukhwela inqola yayo ukuba ibalekele eJerusalema.
19. U-Israyeli wayeseyihlubuka-ke indlu kaDavide kuze kube namuhla.