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 when Rehoboam had entered Jerusalem, he called together the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, warriors, —to fight against Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam.
2 Kodwa ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuShemaya umuntu kaNkulunkulu lisithi:
Then came the word of Yahweh, unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying:
3 “Tshela uRehobhowami indodana kaSolomoni inkosi yakoJuda, labo bonke abako-Israyeli koJuda lakoBhenjamini uthi,
Speak unto Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, —and unto all Israel in Judah and in 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, saith Yahweh, Ye shall not go up neither shall ye fight against your brethren, return every man to his own house, for, from me, hath this thing been brought about. So they hearkened unto the words of Yahweh, and turned back from going against Jeroboam.
5 URehobhowami wahlala eJerusalema njalo wakha imizi eyizinqaba koJuda:
And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, —and built cities for defence, in Judah;
6 iBhethilehema, le-Ethamu, leThekhowa,
yea he built Bethlehem and Etam, and Tekoa;
7 leBhethi Zuri, leSokho, le-Adulami,
and Beth-zur and Soco, and Adullam;
8 leGathi, leMaresha, leZifi,
and Gath and Mareshah, and Ziph;
9 le-Adorayimi, leLakhishi, le-Azekha,
and Adoraim and Lachish, and Azekah;
10 leZora, le-Ayijaloni, kanye leHebhroni. Le kwakuyimizi ebiyelweyo koJuda lakoBhenjamini.
and Zorah, and Aijalon and Hebron, which are in Judah and Benjamin, —as fortified cities.
11 Waqinisa izinqaba zayo wabeka abalawuli bempi kuyo, wabuthela ezinqabeni ukudla lamafutha omʼoliva lewayini.
And he strengthened the fortified places, —and put therein captains, and stores of food, and oil and wine;
12 Wafaka izihlangu lemikhonto kuyo yonke imizi, wayiqinisa kakhulu. Ngakho-ke wabusa koJuda lakoBhenjamini.
and, in every several city, shields and spears, and made them exceedingly strong, —thus Judah and Benjamin remained his.
13 Abaphristi labaLevi kulezozabelo kulolonke elako-Israyeli bamsekela.
And, the priests and Levites that were in all Israel, took their stand with him, out of all their boundaries.
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 to Jerusalem, —for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, from ministering as priests unto Yahweh;
15 Wasekhetha abakhe abaphristi wababeka ezindaweni zokukhonzela, labezithombe zembuzi lezamathole ayezenzile.
and appointed for himself priests for the high places, and for the demons—and for the calves 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.
And, after them—out of all the tribes of Israel, such as were setting their heart to seek Yahweh God of Israel, came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto Yahweh, 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 emboldened Rehoboam son of Solomon, for three years, —for they walked in the way of David and Solomon, for three years.
18 URehobhowami wathatha uMahalathi, indodakazi kaJerimothi indodana kaDavida, leka-Abhihayili indodakazi ka-Eliyabi indodana kaJese, waba ngumkakhe,
And Rehoboam took him to wife, Mahalath, daughter of Jerimoth, son of David, —and Abihail, daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse;
19 wamzalela amadodana la: uJewushi loShemariya loZahamu.
and she bare him sons, —Jeush and Shamariah and Zaham.
20 Wasethatha njalo uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abhisalomu owamzalela o-Abhija lo-Athayi loZiza loShelomithi.
And, after her, he took Maacah, daughter of Absolom, —and she bare 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.
And Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absolom, above all his wives and his concubines, for, eighteen wives, took he, and sixty concubines, —and begat twenty-eight sons, and sixty daughters.
22 URehobhowami wabeka u-Abhija indodana kaMahakha ukuba abe yinkosana enkulu kubafowabo ngoba wayeqonde ukumenza inkosi.
So then Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as head, to be chief ruler among his brethren, —yea that he might make him king.
23 Wenza ngokuhlakanipha, amadodana akhe wawabeka ezindaweni zonke zakoJuda lakoBhenjamini, kuyo yonke imizi ebiyelweyo. Wasebanika ukudla okunengi, wabadingela labafazi abanengi.
So he took heed, and dispersed all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, unto all the fortified cities, and gave them food in abundance, —and asked a multitude of wives.
