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.
And Roboam came to Jerusalem; and he assembled Juda and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand young men fit for war, and he waged war with Israel to recover the kingdom to Roboam.
2 Kodwa ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuShemaya umuntu kaNkulunkulu lisithi:
And the Word of the Lord came to Samaias the man of God, saying,
3 “Tshela uRehobhowami indodana kaSolomoni inkosi yakoJuda, labo bonke abako-Israyeli koJuda lakoBhenjamini uthi,
Speak to Roboam the [son] of Solomon, and to all Juda 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.
Thus says the Lord, You shall not go up, and you shall not war against your brethren: return every one to his home; for this thing is of me. And they listened to the word of the Lord, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
5 URehobhowami wahlala eJerusalema njalo wakha imizi eyizinqaba koJuda:
And Roboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built walled cities in Judea.
6 iBhethilehema, le-Ethamu, leThekhowa,
And he built Bethleem, and Aetan and Thecoe,
7 leBhethi Zuri, leSokho, le-Adulami,
and Baethsura, and Sochoth, and Odollam,
8 leGathi, leMaresha, leZifi,
and Geth, and Marisa, and Ziph,
9 le-Adorayimi, leLakhishi, le-Azekha,
and Adorai, and Lachis, and Azeca,
10 leZora, le-Ayijaloni, kanye leHebhroni. Le kwakuyimizi ebiyelweyo koJuda lakoBhenjamini.
and Saraa, and Aelom, and Chebron, which belong to Juda and Benjamin, walled cities.
11 Waqinisa izinqaba zayo wabeka abalawuli bempi kuyo, wabuthela ezinqabeni ukudla lamafutha omʼoliva lewayini.
And he fortified them with walls, and placed in them captains, and stores of provisions, oil and wine,
12 Wafaka izihlangu lemikhonto kuyo yonke imizi, wayiqinisa kakhulu. Ngakho-ke wabusa koJuda lakoBhenjamini.
shields and spears in every several city, and he fortified them very strongly, and he had on his side Juda and Benjamin.
13 Abaphristi labaLevi kulezozabelo kulolonke elako-Israyeli bamsekela.
And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel were gathered to him out of all the coasts.
14 AbaLevi bahle batshiya amadlelo abo lempahla, baya koJuda laseJerusalema, ngoba uJerobhowamu lamadodana akhe wala ukuthi bangabaphristi bakaThixo.
For the Levites left the tents of their possession, and went to Juda to Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had ejected them so that they should not minister to the Lord.
15 Wasekhetha abakhe abaphristi wababeka ezindaweni zokukhonzela, labezithombe zembuzi lezamathole ayezenzile.
And he made for himself priests of the high places, and for the idols, and for the vanities, and for the calves which Jeroboam made.
16 Abezizwana zonke zako-Israyeli ababezimisele ukukhonza uThixo uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, balandela abaLevi eJerusalema ukuyanikela imihlatshelo yabo kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo.
And he cast out from the tribes of Israel those who set their heart to seek the Lord God of Israel: and they came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the Lord God of their fathers.
17 Baqinisa umbuso kaJuda basekela uRehobhowami indodana kaSolomoni iminyaka emithathu, belandela indlela kaDavida lekaSolomoni ngalesosikhathi.
And they strengthened the kingdom of Juda; and [Juda] strengthened Roboam the [son] of Solomon for three years, for he walked three years in the ways of David and Solomon.
18 URehobhowami wathatha uMahalathi, indodakazi kaJerimothi indodana kaDavida, leka-Abhihayili indodakazi ka-Eliyabi indodana kaJese, waba ngumkakhe,
And Roboam took to himself for a wife, Moolath daughter of Jerimuth the son of David, and Abigaia daughter of Heliab the son of Jessae.
19 wamzalela amadodana la: uJewushi loShemariya loZahamu.
And she bore him sons; Jeus, and Samoria, and Zaam.
20 Wasethatha njalo uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abhisalomu owamzalela o-Abhija lo-Athayi loZiza loShelomithi.
And afterwards he took to himself Maacha the daughter of Abessalom; and she bore him Abia, and Jetthi, and Zeza, and Salemoth.
21 URehobhowami wathanda kakhulu uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abhisalomu ukwedlula bonke omkakhe labafazi beceleni; wathatha abafazi abalitshumi lasificaminwembili, labafazi beceleni abangamatshumi ayisithupha.
And Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Abessalom more than all his wives and all his concubines: for he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines; and he begot twenty-eight sons, and sixty daughters.
22 URehobhowami wabeka u-Abhija indodana kaMahakha ukuba abe yinkosana enkulu kubafowabo ngoba wayeqonde ukumenza inkosi.
And he made Abia the son of Maacha chief, [even] a leader amongst his brethren, 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.
And he was exalted beyond all his [other] sons in all the coasts of Juda and Benjamin, and in the strong cities; and he gave them provisions in great abundance: and he desired many wives.
