2 Imilando 11
1 Kwathi uRehobhowami esefike eJerusalema, wabuthanisa abakoJuda labakoBhenjamini, amadoda empi azinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi ayisificaminwembili ukuba bayekulwa labako-Israyeli ukuze babuyisele uRehobhowami embusweni.
When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.
2 Kodwa ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuShemaya umuntu kaNkulunkulu lisithi:
But Yahweh’s word came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
3 “Tshela uRehobhowami indodana kaSolomoni inkosi yakoJuda, labo bonke abako-Israyeli koJuda lakoBhenjamini uthi,
“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
4 ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: Lingaphumi ukuthi liyekulwa labafowenu. Buyelani emizini yenu, lina lonke, ngoba lokhu kuyikwenza kwami.’” Ngakho balalela ilizwi likaThixo, babuyela emizini yabo, kabasayanga kulwa loJerobhowamu.
‘Yahweh says, “You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers! Every man return to his house; for this thing is of me.”’” So they listened to Yahweh’s words, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
5 URehobhowami wahlala eJerusalema njalo wakha imizi eyizinqaba koJuda:
Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.
6 iBhethilehema, le-Ethamu, leThekhowa,
He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7 leBhethi Zuri, leSokho, le-Adulami,
Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam,
8 leGathi, leMaresha, leZifi,
Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
9 le-Adorayimi, leLakhishi, le-Azekha,
Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
10 leZora, le-Ayijaloni, kanye leHebhroni. Le kwakuyimizi ebiyelweyo koJuda lakoBhenjamini.
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.
11 Waqinisa izinqaba zayo wabeka abalawuli bempi kuyo, wabuthela ezinqabeni ukudla lamafutha omʼoliva lewayini.
He fortified the strongholds and put captains in them with stores of food, oil and wine.
12 Wafaka izihlangu lemikhonto kuyo yonke imizi, wayiqinisa kakhulu. Ngakho-ke wabusa koJuda lakoBhenjamini.
He put shields and spears in every city, and made them exceedingly strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
13 Abaphristi labaLevi kulezozabelo kulolonke elako-Israyeli bamsekela.
The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him out of all their territory.
14 AbaLevi bahle batshiya amadlelo abo lempahla, baya koJuda laseJerusalema, ngoba uJerobhowamu lamadodana akhe wala ukuthi bangabaphristi bakaThixo.
For the Levites left their pasture lands and their possessions, and came to Judah and Jerusalem; for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest’s office to Yahweh.
15 Wasekhetha abakhe abaphristi wababeka ezindaweni zokukhonzela, labezithombe zembuzi lezamathole ayezenzile.
He himself appointed priests for the high places, for the male goat and calf idols which he had made.
16 Abezizwana zonke zako-Israyeli ababezimisele ukukhonza uThixo uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, balandela abaLevi eJerusalema ukuyanikela imihlatshelo yabo kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo.
After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, those who set their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
17 Baqinisa umbuso kaJuda basekela uRehobhowami indodana kaSolomoni iminyaka emithathu, belandela indlela kaDavida lekaSolomoni ngalesosikhathi.
So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon.
18 URehobhowami wathatha uMahalathi, indodakazi kaJerimothi indodana kaDavida, leka-Abhihayili indodakazi ka-Eliyabi indodana kaJese, waba ngumkakhe,
Rehoboam took a wife for himself, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.
19 wamzalela amadodana la: uJewushi loShemariya loZahamu.
She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
20 Wasethatha njalo uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abhisalomu owamzalela o-Abhija lo-Athayi loZiza loShelomithi.
After her, he took Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
21 URehobhowami wathanda kakhulu uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abhisalomu ukwedlula bonke omkakhe labafazi beceleni; wathatha abafazi abalitshumi lasificaminwembili, labafazi beceleni abangamatshumi ayisithupha.
Rehoboam loved Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
22 URehobhowami wabeka u-Abhija indodana kaMahakha ukuba abe yinkosana enkulu kubafowabo ngoba wayeqonde ukumenza inkosi.
Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the prince among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.
23 Wenza ngokuhlakanipha, amadodana akhe wawabeka ezindaweni zonke zakoJuda lakoBhenjamini, kuyo yonke imizi ebiyelweyo. Wasebanika ukudla okunengi, wabadingela labafazi abanengi.
He dealt wisely, and dispersed some of his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city. He gave them food in abundance; and he sought many wives for them.
