1. Ngomnyaka weshumi nesishiyagalombili wenkosi uJerobowamu u-Abiya waba yinkosi kwaJuda.
2. Wabusa iminyaka emithathu eJerusalema; igama likanina lalinguMikhaya indodakazi ka-Uriyeli waseGibeya. Kwakukhona ukulwa phakathi kuka-Abiya noJerobowamu.
3. U-Abiya waqala ukulwa enempi yamaqhawe anamandla, abantu abakhethiweyo abayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane, kepha uJerobowamu wahlela ukulwa naye enabantu abakhethiweyo abayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu ayisishiyagalombili, bengamaqhawe anamandla.
4. U-Abiya wema entabeni yaseSemarayimi esezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, wathi: “Ngizweni wena Jerobowamu no-Israyeli wonke:
5. Bekunganifanele ukwazi yini ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wanika uDavide umbuso kwa-Israyeli kuze kube phakade, yena namadodana akhe, ngesivumelwano sikasawoti, na?
6. Nokho uJerobowamu indodana kaNebati, inceku kaSolomoni indodana kaDavide, wavuka, wahlubuka inkosi yakhe.
7. Kwabuthana kuye amayiyane, abantu ababi, aziqinisa ukulwa noRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni, uRehobowamu esemusha, inhliziyo isathambile, engenakumelana nawo.
8. “Manje nithi niyakumelana nobukhosi bukaJehova obusesandleni samadodana kaDavide, lokhu niyisixuku esikhulu, futhi kukhona amathole egolide enenzelwa wona nguJerobowamu ukuba abe ngonkulunkulu benu.
9. Anixoshanga yini abapristi bakaJehova, amadodana ka-Aroni namaLevi, nazenzela abapristi ngendlela yabantu bezizwe; bonke abafika ukwahlukaniselwa, bephethe iduna nezinqama eziyisikhombisa, bangaba ngabapristi babangesibo onkulunkulu.
10. “Kepha thina, uJehova unguNkulunkulu wethu; asimshiyanga; sinabapristi abamkhonzayo uJehova, amadodana ka-Aroni namaLevi emisebenzini yabo;
11. bamshisela uJehova iminikelo yokushiswa nempepho ethaphukayo ekuseni nakusihlwa njalo, basihlela isinkwa sokubukwa etafuleni elihlanzekileyo, bokhela uthi lwezibani lwegolide nezibani zalo kusihlwa njalo, ngokuba thina sigcina imfanelo kaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, kepha nina nimshiyile.