< 2 Chronicles 11 >
1 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, that were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom back to Rehoboam.
Kwathi uRehobhowami esefike eJerusalema, wabuthanisa abakoJuda labakoBhenjamini, amadoda empi azinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi ayisificaminwembili ukuba bayekulwa labako-Israyeli ukuze babuyisele uRehobhowami embusweni.
2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying:
Kodwa ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuShemaya umuntu kaNkulunkulu lisithi:
3 'Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying:
“Tshela uRehobhowami indodana kaSolomoni inkosi yakoJuda, labo bonke abako-Israyeli koJuda lakoBhenjamini uthi,
4 Thus saith the LORD: Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren; return every man to his house, for this thing is of Me.' So they hearkened unto the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
‘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.
5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.
URehobhowami wahlala eJerusalema njalo wakha imizi eyizinqaba koJuda:
6 He built even Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
iBhethilehema, le-Ethamu, leThekhowa,
7 and Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adullam,
leBhethi Zuri, leSokho, le-Adulami,
8 and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
leGathi, leMaresha, leZifi,
9 and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,
le-Adorayimi, leLakhishi, le-Azekha,
10 and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities.
leZora, le-Ayijaloni, kanye leHebhroni. Le kwakuyimizi ebiyelweyo koJuda lakoBhenjamini.
11 And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and oil and wine.
Waqinisa izinqaba zayo wabeka abalawuli bempi kuyo, wabuthela ezinqabeni ukudla lamafutha omʼoliva lewayini.
12 And in every city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. And Judah and Benjamin adhered to him.
Wafaka izihlangu lemikhonto kuyo yonke imizi, wayiqinisa kakhulu. Ngakho-ke wabusa koJuda lakoBhenjamini.
13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel presented themselves to him out of all their border.
Abaphristi labaLevi kulezozabelo kulolonke elako-Israyeli bamsekela.
14 For the Levites left their open land and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem; for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest's office unto the LORD;
AbaLevi bahle batshiya amadlelo abo lempahla, baya koJuda laseJerusalema, ngoba uJerobhowamu lamadodana akhe wala ukuthi bangabaphristi bakaThixo.
15 and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the satyrs, and for the calves which he had made.
Wasekhetha abakhe abaphristi wababeka ezindaweni zokukhonzela, labezithombe zembuzi lezamathole ayezenzile.
16 And after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice unto the LORD, the God of their fathers.
Abezizwana zonke zako-Israyeli ababezimisele ukukhonza uThixo uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, balandela abaLevi eJerusalema ukuyanikela imihlatshelo yabo kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo.
17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years; for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon.
Baqinisa umbuso kaJuda basekela uRehobhowami indodana kaSolomoni iminyaka emithathu, belandela indlela kaDavida lekaSolomoni ngalesosikhathi.
18 And Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;
URehobhowami wathatha uMahalathi, indodakazi kaJerimothi indodana kaDavida, leka-Abhihayili indodakazi ka-Eliyabi indodana kaJese, waba ngumkakhe,
19 and she bore him sons: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.
wamzalela amadodana la: uJewushi loShemariya loZahamu.
20 And after her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.
Wasethatha njalo uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abhisalomu owamzalela o-Abhija lo-Athayi loZiza loShelomithi.
21 And Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines — for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines, and begot twenty and eight sons and threescore daughters.
URehobhowami wathanda kakhulu uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abhisalomu ukwedlula bonke omkakhe labafazi beceleni; wathatha abafazi abalitshumi lasificaminwembili, labafazi beceleni abangamatshumi ayisithupha.
22 And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, even the prince among his brethren; for he was minded to make him king.
URehobhowami wabeka u-Abhija indodana kaMahakha ukuba abe yinkosana enkulu kubafowabo ngoba wayeqonde ukumenza inkosi.
23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fortified city; and he gave them victual in abundance. And he sought for them many wives.
Wenza ngokuhlakanipha, amadodana akhe wawabeka ezindaweni zonke zakoJuda lakoBhenjamini, kuyo yonke imizi ebiyelweyo. Wasebanika ukudla okunengi, wabadingela labafazi abanengi.