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.
Then Rehoboam went to Jerusalem, and he called together the entire house of Judah and of Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand elect men of war, so that he might contend against Israel, and turn back his kingdom to himself.
2 Kodwa ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuShemaya umuntu kaNkulunkulu lisithi:
And the word of the Lord 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, the king of Judah, and to all of Israel who are of Judah, or of Benjamin:
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 ascend and fight against your brothers. Let each one return to his own house. For it is by my will that this has happened.” And when they had heard the word of the Lord, they turned back, and they did not continue on against Jeroboam.
5 URehobhowami wahlala eJerusalema njalo wakha imizi eyizinqaba koJuda:
Then Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built fortified cities in Judah.
6 iBhethilehema, le-Ethamu, leThekhowa,
And he built up Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
7 leBhethi Zuri, leSokho, le-Adulami,
and also Bethzur, and Soco, and Adullam,
8 leGathi, leMaresha, leZifi,
indeed also Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
9 le-Adorayimi, leLakhishi, le-Azekha,
then too Adoram, and Lachish, and Azekah,
10 leZora, le-Ayijaloni, kanye leHebhroni. Le kwakuyimizi ebiyelweyo koJuda lakoBhenjamini.
as well as Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which were very fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.
11 Waqinisa izinqaba zayo wabeka abalawuli bempi kuyo, wabuthela ezinqabeni ukudla lamafutha omʼoliva lewayini.
And when he had enclosed them with walls, he placed in them rulers, and storehouses of provisions, that is, of oil and wine.
12 Wafaka izihlangu lemikhonto kuyo yonke imizi, wayiqinisa kakhulu. Ngakho-ke wabusa koJuda lakoBhenjamini.
Moreover, in each city he made an armory of shields and spears, and he strengthened them with the utmost diligence. And he ruled over Judah and Benjamin.
13 Abaphristi labaLevi kulezozabelo kulolonke elako-Israyeli bamsekela.
Then the priests and Levites, who were in all of Israel, came to him from all their settlements,
14 AbaLevi bahle batshiya amadlelo abo lempahla, baya koJuda laseJerusalema, ngoba uJerobhowamu lamadodana akhe wala ukuthi bangabaphristi bakaThixo.
leaving behind their suburbs and possessions, and crossing over to Judah and to Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his followers had cast them out, so that they could not exercise the priestly office to the Lord.
15 Wasekhetha abakhe abaphristi wababeka ezindaweni zokukhonzela, labezithombe zembuzi lezamathole ayezenzile.
And he appointed for himself priests of high places, and of demons, and of calves that he had made.
16 Abezizwana zonke zako-Israyeli ababezimisele ukukhonza uThixo uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, balandela abaLevi eJerusalema ukuyanikela imihlatshelo yabo kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo.
Moreover, out of all the tribes of Israel, whosoever would give their heart so that they sought the Lord God of Israel, they went to Jerusalem to immolate their victims before the Lord, the 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 Judah, and they confirmed Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, for three years. For they walked in the ways of David and of Solomon, but only for three years.
18 URehobhowami wathatha uMahalathi, indodakazi kaJerimothi indodana kaDavida, leka-Abhihayili indodakazi ka-Eliyabi indodana kaJese, waba ngumkakhe,
Then Rehoboam took as wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, son of David, and also Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse.
19 wamzalela amadodana la: uJewushi loShemariya loZahamu.
They bore sons for him: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.
20 Wasethatha njalo uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abhisalomu owamzalela o-Abhija lo-Athayi loZiza loShelomithi.
And also after her, he married Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, who bore for him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.
21 URehobhowami wathanda kakhulu uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abhisalomu ukwedlula bonke omkakhe labafazi beceleni; wathatha abafazi abalitshumi lasificaminwembili, labafazi beceleni abangamatshumi ayisithupha.
But Rehoboam loved Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, above all his wives and concubines. For he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines. And he conceived twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
22 URehobhowami wabeka u-Abhija indodana kaMahakha ukuba abe yinkosana enkulu kubafowabo ngoba wayeqonde ukumenza inkosi.
Truly, he appointed as the head, Abijah, the son of Maacah, to be the ruler over all his brothers. For he thought to make him king,
23 Wenza ngokuhlakanipha, amadodana akhe wawabeka ezindaweni zonke zakoJuda lakoBhenjamini, kuyo yonke imizi ebiyelweyo. Wasebanika ukudla okunengi, wabadingela labafazi abanengi.
since he was wiser and more powerful than all his sons, even in all the regions of Judah and Benjamin, and in all the fortified cities. And he provided them with very much food, and he sought many wives.
