1 Ndị Eze 12
1 Rehoboam gara Shekem, nʼihi na Izrel niile zukọrọ ebe ahụ ime ya eze.
Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king.
2 Mgbe Jeroboam nwa Nebat nụrụ nke a (ọ ka nọ nʼIjipt ebe ọ gbagara ọsọ ndụ site nʼaka eze Solomọn), o sitere Ijipt lọta.
When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he was still in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon and had been living ever since.
3 Ya mere, ha ziri ozi kpọọ Jeroboam, ya na ọgbakọ Izrel niile jekwuru Rehoboam sị ya:
So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel came to Rehoboam and said,
4 “Nna gị boro anyị ibu arọ, ma ugbu a mee ka ibu arọ na ịyagba arọ a nke o bokwasịrị anyị, dị mfe, anyị ga-ejere gị ozi.”
“Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you should lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”
5 Rehoboam zara ha sị, “Laanụ, ụbọchị atọ gasịa unu bịaghachikwutenụ m.” Nʼihi ya ndị ahụ lara.
Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days and then return to me.” So the people departed.
6 Mgbe ahụ, eze Rehoboam gara ịnata ndụmọdụ nʼaka ndị okenye, bụ ndị jeere nna ya Solomọn ozi nʼoge ọ dị ndụ, sị ha, “Olee ndụmọdụ unu ga-enye m maka mụ inye ndị a ọsịsa?”
Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked.
7 Ha zara ya, “Ọ bụrụ na ị ga-abụ odibo nye ndị a taa, jeere ha ozi, nyekwa ha ọsịsa dị mma, ha ga-anọgide bụrụ ndị ohu gị mgbe niile.”
They replied, “If you will be a servant to these people and serve them this day, and if you will respond by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”
8 Ma ọ nabataghị ndụmọdụ ndị okenye nyere ya, ọ gakwuru ụmụ okorobịa ndị ya na ha tokọrọ, bụkwa ndị na-ejere ya ozi, ka ha nye ya ndụmọdụ.
But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him.
9 Rehoboam jụrụ ha sị, “Gịnị bụ ndụmọdụ unu? Gịnị bụ ọsịsa anyị ga-enye ndị a na-asị, ‘Mee ka ibu arọ nna gị bokwasịrị anyị dị mfe’?”
He asked them, “What message do you advise that we send back to these people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”
10 Ụmụ okorobịa ahụ, bụ ndị ya na ha tokọrọ, zaghachiri sị, “Gwa ndị ahụ sịrị gị, ‘Nna gị bokwasịrị anyị ibu arọ, ma mee ka ibu anyị dị mfe,’ ị ga-agwa ha, sị, ‘Mkpịsịaka nta dị nʼaka m gbara okpotokpo karịa ukwu nna m.
The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you should make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!
11 Nna m boro unu ibu arọ; aga m atụkwasị ihe nʼibu ahụ mee ka ọ dị arọ karịa. Nna m ji apịpịa dọọ unu aka na ntị, maọbụ akpị ka m ga-eji mekpaa unu ahụ.’”
Whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.’”
12 Mgbe ụbọchị atọ gasịrị, Jeroboam na ndị Izrel niile bịaghachiri ịnụrụ ọsịsa Rehoboam, dịka eze kwuru, sị, “Laghachitenụ nʼụbọchị nke atọ.”
After three days, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, since the king had said, “Come back to me on the third day.”
13 Eze sara ndị a okwu nʼolu dị ike. Ọ jụrụ ndụmọdụ nke ndị okenye nyere ya,
And the king answered the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the elders
14 ma gbasoro ndụmọdụ nke ụmụ okorobịa nyere. Ọ sịrị, “Nna m mere ka ibu unu dị arọ, aga m eme ka ibu unu dị arọ karịa. Nna m ji apịpịa dọọ unu aka na ntị, aga m eji akpị mekpaa unu ahụ.”
and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.”
15 Ya mere, eze aṅaghị ndị ahụ ntị, nʼihi mgbanwe nke ọnọdụ niile a sitere nʼebe Onyenwe anyị nọ, ka e mezuo okwu ahụ Onyenwe anyị gwara Jeroboam nwa Nebat site nʼọnụ Ahija onye Shilo.
So the king did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word He had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.
16 Mgbe Izrel niile hụrụ na eze jụrụ ige ha ntị, ha zaghachiri ya sị, “Olee oke anyị nwere nʼime Devid? Olee ihe nketa anyị nwere nʼime nwa Jesi? Ndị Izrel, laanụ nʼụlọ ikwu unu! Gị Devid lekọtakwa ụlọ nke gị.” Ya mere, ndị Izrel lara nʼụlọ ha.
When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So the Israelites went home,
17 Ma banyere ndị Izrel bi nʼobodo niile nke Juda, Rehoboam gara nʼihu bụrụ eze ha.
but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah.
18 Eze Rehoboam zipụrụ Adoniram, onyeisi na-elekọta ndị ọrụ mmanye, ma ndị Izrel niile ji nkume tugbuo ya. Ma eze Rehoboam jisiri ike gbaba nʼime ụgbọ agha ya, gbalaga laa Jerusalem.
Then King Rehoboam sent out Adoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem.
19 Ya mere, Izrel nọ na nnupu isi megide ụlọ Devid ruo taa.
So to this day Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David.
20 Mgbe ndị Izrel nụrụ na Jeroboam alaghachitala, ha ziri ya ozi sị ya pụta nʼihu ọha mmadụ. Nʼebe ahụ ka ha nọ mee ya eze Izrel. Ọ dịghị ebo ọbụla kwenyere iso ụlọ Devid, karịakwa ebo Juda.
When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.
21 Mgbe Rehoboam bịarutere Jerusalem, ọ kpọkọtara ndị ụlọ Juda niile na ndị ebo Benjamin, ha dị narị puku na iri asatọ nʼọnụọgụgụ, ụmụ okorobịa ndị tozuru ịga agha, ka ha gaa buso ụlọ Izrel agha ma weghachitekwa alaeze nʼokpuru ọchịchị Rehoboam, nwa Solomọn.
And when Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the whole house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against the house of Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.
22 Ma okwu Chineke rutere Shemaya onye nke Chineke ntị, sị,
But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God:
23 “Gwa Rehoboam, nwa Solomọn eze Juda, na ndị Juda niile, na Benjamin na ndị ọzọ niile, sị ha,
“Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people
24 Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru, ‘Unu agakwala gaa buso ụmụnna unu, bụ ndị Izrel agha. Laghachinụ, nwoke ọbụla nʼụlọ ya, nʼihi na ọ bụ m na-eme nke a.’” Ya mere, ha rubere isi nʼokwu Onyenwe anyị, onye ọbụla nʼime ha laghachikwara nʼụlọ ya dịka Onyenwe anyị nyere nʼiwu.
that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you must return home, for this word is from Me.’” So they listened to the word of the LORD and turned back according to the word of the LORD.
25 Mgbe ahụ, Jeroboam wusiri Shekem dị nʼala ugwu Ifrem ike, biri nʼebe ahụ. Nʼebe ahụ ka o si pụọ, gaa wuo obodo Peniel.
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And from there he went out and built Penuel.
26 Ma Jeroboam chere nʼobi ya, sị “Ugbu a, ka alaeze nwere ike laghachikwa nʼaka ụlọ Devid.
Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom might revert to the house of David.
27 Nʼihi na ọ bụrụ na ndị mmadụ gaa ịchụ aja nʼụlọnsọ ukwu Onyenwe anyị nke dị na Jerusalem, obi ha nwere ike laghachikwuru onyenwe ha, bụ Rehoboam eze Juda. Ha ga-egbu m, laghachikwuru eze Rehoboam.”
If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, their hearts will return to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah; then they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.”
28 Mgbe ọ natachara ndụmọdụ, eze kpụrụ ụmụ ehi ọlaedo abụọ. Ọ sịrị ndị mmadụ, “Ọ bụ oke ọrụ nye unu ịgbago Jerusalem. Leenụ chi unu, ndị Izrel, ndị sitere nʼIjipt kpọpụta unu.”
After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
29 Otu nʼime ha ka o guzobere na Betel, tinyekwa nke ọzọ na Dan.
One calf he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan.
30 Ihe a ghọrọ mmehie dịrị ha, nʼihi na ndị mmadụ na-abịa kpọọ isiala nye nke dị na Betel ma gaakwa ebe dị anya, dịka Dan, nʼihi ife ehi ọlaedo nke dị nʼebe ahụ ofufe.
And this thing became a sin; the people walked as far as Dan to worship before one of the calves.
31 Jeroboam wuru ebe ịchụ aja nʼebe dị elu dị iche iche. Ọ họpụtara ndị nchụaja site nʼetiti ndị Izrel niile, nʼagbanyeghị na ha abụghị ndị Livayị.
Jeroboam also built shrines on the high places and appointed from every class of people priests who were not Levites.
32 O hiwere mmemme a na-eme nʼụbọchị nke iri na ise nʼọnwa nke asatọ, dịka mmemme a na-eme na Juda. Ọ chụkwara aja nʼebe ịchụ aja. O mere nke a na Betel, chụọrọ ụmụ ehi ọlaedo ahụ ọ kpụrụ aja. O tinyere ndị nchụaja nʼọrụ nʼebe niile dị elu nke o mere ka ha dịrị na Betel.
And Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar; he made this offering in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had set up, and he installed priests in Bethel for the high places he had set up.
33 Nʼụbọchị nke iri na ise, nʼọnwa asatọ, bụ ọnwa nke ya onwe ya chepụtara, ọ chụrụ aja dị iche iche nʼelu ebe ịchụ aja o wuru na Betel. Ya mere, o hiwere mmemme a ka ọ dịịrị ndị Izrel niile; ya onwe ya kwa gara chụọ aja onyinye dị iche iche nʼelu ebe ịchụ aja.
On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar he had set up in Bethel. So he ordained a feast for the Israelites, offered sacrifices on the altar, and burned incense.
