1 Amakhosi 12

1 URehobhowamu wasesiya eShekema ngoba uIsrayeli wonke wayefike eShekema ukumbeka abe yinkosi.

And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

2 Kwasekusithi uJerobhowamu indodana kaNebati, owayelokhu eseGibhithe, ekuzwa lokhu (ngoba wayebaleke esuka phambi kukaSolomoni inkosi, uJerobhowamu wahlala eGibhithe),

And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt; )

3 bathuma bambiza. UJerobhowamu lebandla lonke lakoIsrayeli basebesiza bakhuluma loRehobhowamu besithi:

That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,

4 Uyihlo wenza ijogwe lethu laba lukhuni; ngakho-ke wena yenza kube lula umsebenzi olukhuni kayihlo, lejogwe lakhe elinzima abesithwalise lona, njalo sizakukhonza.

Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

5 Wasesithi kibo: Hambani futhi okwensuku ezintathu, libe selibuya kimi. Basebehamba abantu.

And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

6 Inkosi uRehobhowamu yasicebisana labadala ababesima phambi kukaSolomoni uyise esaphila, isithi: Licebisa njani ukubuyisela impendulo kulababantu?

And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?

7 Basebekhuluma kuyo besithi: Uba uzakuba yinceku yalababantu lamuhla ubasebenzele, ubaphendule, ukhulume kibo amazwi amahle, khona bezakuba zinceku zakho zonke izinsuku.

And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

8 Kodwa wasitshiya iseluleko sabadala ababemeluleke ngaso, wacebisana lamajaha ayeyintanga yakhe, ayemi phambi kwakhe.

But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:

9 Wasesithi kuwo: Lipha seluleko bani ukuthi sibuyisele impendulo kulababantu abakhulume lami besithi: Yenza libe lulanyana ijogwe uyihlo alibeka phezu kwethu?

And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?

10 Amajaha ayeyintanga yakhe asekhuluma kuye esithi: Uzakutsho njalo kulababantu abakhuluma kuwe besithi: Uyihlo wenza ijogwe lethu laba nzima, kodwa wena yenza libe lulanyana kithi; uzakutsho njalo kibo: Ucikilicane wami uqatha kulokhalo lukababa.

And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.

11 Uba-ke ubaba walethwesa ijogwe elinzima, mina-ke ngizakwengezelela ejogweni lenu. Ubaba walijezisa ngeziswepu, kodwa mina ngizalijezisa ngabofezela.

And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

12 Ngakho uJerobhowamu labo bonke abantu beza kuRehobhowamu ngosuku lwesithathu njengokutsho kwenkosi isithi: Libuye kimi futhi ngosuku lwesithathu.

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.

13 Inkosi yasibaphendula abantu kalukhuni, yatshiya iseluleko sabadala ababeyeluleke ngaso.

And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;

14 Yakhuluma kubo njengokweseluleko samajaha isithi: Ubaba wenza ijogwe lenu laba nzima, kodwa mina ngizakwengezelela ejogweni lenu; ubaba walijezisa ngeziswepu, kodwa mina ngizalijezisa ngabofezela.

And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

15 Ngalokho inkosi kayibalalelanga abantu; ngoba inguquko yayivela eNkosini ukuze iqinise ilizwi layo, iNkosi eyayilikhulume ngesandla sikaAhiya umShilo kuJerobhowamu indodana kaNebati.

Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from YHWH, that he might perform his saying, which YHWH spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 Lapho uIsrayeli wonke ebona ukuthi inkosi kayibalalelanga, abantu babuyisela impendulo enkosini besithi: Silesabelo bani kuDavida? Yebo, kasilalifa endodaneni kaJese. Emathenteni akho, Israyeli! Khathesi, zibonele indlu yakho, Davida. Ngakho uIsrayeli waya emathenteni akhe.

So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

17 Mayelana labantwana bakoIsrayeli ababehlala emizini yakoJuda, uRehobhowamu wabusa phezu kwabo.

But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

18 Khona inkosi uRehobhowamu yathuma uAdoniramu owayephezu kwezibhalwa; uIsrayeli wonke wasemkhanda ngamatshe waze wafa. Ngakho inkosi uRehobhowamu yakhwela masinyane inqola yayo, ukubalekela eJerusalema.

Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

19 Ngokunjalo uIsrayeli wayihlamukela indlu kaDavida kuze kube lamuhla.

So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

20 Kwasekusithi uIsrayeli wonke esezwile ukuthi uJerobhowamu ubuyile, bathuma bambizela enhlanganweni, bamenza inkosi phezu kukaIsrayeli wonke; kakubanga khona olandela indlu kaDavida ngaphandle kwesizwe sakoJuda sodwa.

And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

21 Kwathi uRehobhowamu esefikile eJerusalema wabuthanisa yonke indlu yakoJuda lesizwe sakoBhenjamini, abakhethiweyo abayizinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi ayisificaminwembili, abalwa impi, ukulwa lendlu yakoIsrayeli, ukubuyisela umbuso kuRehobhowamu indodana kaSolomoni.

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

22 Kodwa ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lafika kuShemaya umuntu kaNkulunkulu lisithi:

But the word of Elohim came unto Shemaiah the man of Elohim, saying,

23 Khuluma kuRehobhowamu indodana kaSolomoni, inkosi yakoJuda, lakuyo yonke indlu yakoJuda leyakoBhenjamini, lensali yabantu, uthi:

Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

24 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Lingenyuki njalo lingalwi labafowenu, abantwana bakoIsrayeli. Buyelani, ngulowo lalowo endlini yakhe; ngoba linto ivela kimi. Basebelilalela ilizwi leNkosi, babuyela ukuhamba, njengokwelizwi leNkosi.

Thus saith YHWH, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of YHWH, and returned to depart, according to the word of YHWH.

25 UJerobhowamu wasesakha iShekema entabeni yakoEfrayimi, wahlala kuyo; wasephuma lapho wakha iPenuweli.

Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.

26 UJerobhowamu wasesithi enhliziyweni yakhe: Khathesi umbuso uzabuyela endlini kaDavida.

And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:

27 Uba lesisizwe sisenyukela ukwenza imihlatshelo endlini yeNkosi eJerusalema, khona inhliziyo yalesisizwe izabuyela enkosini yabo, kuRehobhowamu inkosi yakoJuda, njalo bazangibulala babuyele kuRehobhowamu inkosi yakoJuda.

If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of YHWH at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their master, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

28 Ngakho inkosi yathatha icebo, yenza amathole amabili egolide, yathi kubo: Kunzima kakhulu kini ukwenyukela eJerusalema; khangela, onkulunkulu bakho, Israyeli, abakukhuphula elizweni leGibhithe.

Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy elohim, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

29 Wasemisa elinye eBhetheli, lelinye walifaka eDani.

And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.

30 Loludaba lwaselusiba yisono; ngoba abantu baya phambi kwelinye kuze kube seDani ukuyakhonza.

And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

31 Wasesenza indlu yezindawo eziphakemeyo, wenza abapristi ngabaphansi kakhulu babantu, ababengeyisiwo bamadodana amaLevi.

And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

32 UJerobhowamu wasesenza umkhosi ngenyanga yesificaminwembili ngosuku lwetshumi lanhlanu lwenyanga njengomkhosi owawukoJuda, wanikela phezu kwelathi. Wenza njalo eBhetheli, ehlabela amathole ayewenzile. Wabeka eBhetheli abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo ayezenzile.

And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.

33 Wasenikela phezu kwelathi ayelenzile eBhetheli ngosuku lwetshumi lanhlanu enyangeni yesificaminwembili, enyangeni ayeyiqambile evela enhliziyweni yakhe. Wenzela abantwana bakoIsrayeli umkhosi, wanikela phezu kwelathi etshisa impepha.

So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.