2 Imilando 11
1 URehobhowamu esefikile eJerusalema wabuthanisa indlu yakoJuda leyakoBhenjamini, abakhethiweyo abazinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi ayisificaminwembili, abalwa impi, ukuze balwe loIsrayeli ukubuyisela umbuso kuRehobhowamu.
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 leNkosi lafika kuShemaya umuntu kaNkulunkulu lisithi:
And the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, the man of God, saying:
3 Khuluma kuRehobhowamu indodana kaSolomoni, inkosi yakoJuda, lakuIsrayeli wonke 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 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Kaliyikwenyuka njalo lingalwi labafowenu. Buyelani ngulowo endlini yakhe, ngoba linto yenziwe yimi. Basebelilalela ilizwi leNkosi, baphenduka ekuyenimelana 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 URehobhowamu wasehlala eJerusalema, wakha imizi eyizinqaba koJuda.
Then Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built fortified cities in Judah.
6 Wasesakha iBhethelehema leEtamu leThekhowa
And he built up Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
7 leBeti-Zuri leSoko leAdulamu
and also Bethzur, and Soco, and Adullam,
8 leGathi leMaresha leZifi
indeed also Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
9 leAdorayimi leLakishi leAzeka
then too Adoram, and Lachish, and Azekah,
10 leZora leAjaloni leHebroni, eyayikoJuda lakoBhenjamini, imizi ebiyelweyo.
as well as Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which were very fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.
11 Waseqinisa izinqaba, wabeka abalawulimabutho kizo, leziphala zokudla lamafutha 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 Lakuwo wonke umuzi lomuzi wabeka izihlangu ezinkulu lemikhonto, wayiqinisa kakhulukazi. Njalo uJuda loBhenjamini babengabakhe.
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 Labapristi lamaLevi ababekoIsrayeli wonke bazimisa kuye bevela kuyo yonke imingcele yabo.
Then the priests and Levites, who were in all of Israel, came to him from all their settlements,
14 Ngoba amaLevi atshiya amadlelo awo lemfuyo yabo, aya koJuda leJerusalema, ngoba uJerobhowamu lamadodana akhe bawala ekusebenzeleni iNkosi njengabapristi;
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 wasezibekela abapristi bendawo eziphakemeyo, labamadimoni, labamathole ayewenzile.
And he appointed for himself priests of high places, and of demons, and of calves that he had made.
16 Lemva kwawo kweza eJerusalema labo ababenikele inhliziyo yabo ukuyidinga iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, bevela kuzo zonke izizwe zakoIsrayeli, ukuyahlabela iNkosi, uNkulunkulu waboyise.
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 Ngokunjalo bawuqinisa umbuso wakoJuda, benza uRehobhowamu indodana kaSolomoni waba lamandla iminyaka emithathu; ngoba bahamba endleleni kaDavida loSolomoni iminyaka emithathu.
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 URehobhowamu wasezithathela uMahalathi indodakazi kaJerimothi indodana kaDavida waba ngumkakhe, loAbihayili indodakazi kaEliyabi indodana kaJese,
Then Rehoboam took as wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, son of David, and also Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse.
19 owamzalela amadodana, oJewushi loShemariya loZahamu.
They bore sons for him: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.
20 Langemva kwakhe wathatha uMahaka indodakazi kaAbisalomu, owamzalela oAbhiya loAthayi 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 URehobhowamu wasemthanda uMahaka indodakazi kaAbisalomu okwedlula bonke omkakhe labafazi bakhe abancinyane - ngoba wathatha abafazi abalitshumi lesificaminwembili, labafazi abancinyane abangamatshumi ayisithupha, wazala amadodana angamatshumi amabili lesificaminwembili lamadodakazi angamatshumi 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 URehobhowamu wasebeka uAbhiya indodana kaMahaka waba yinhloko ukubusa phakathi kwabafowabo, ngoba kwakuyikumenza 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, wasabalalisa kuwo wonke amadodana akhe emazweni wonke akoJuda lakoBhenjamini, kuwo wonke umuzi obiyelweyo, wawanika ukudla ngobunengi, wadinga inengi labafazi.
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.
