2 Imilando 11

1 URehobhowamu esefikile eJerusalema wabuthanisa indlu yakoJuda leyakoBhenjamini, abakhethiweyo abazinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi ayisificaminwembili, abalwa impi, ukuze balwe loIsrayeli ukubuyisela umbuso kuRehobhowamu.

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, that were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom back to Rehoboam.

2 Kodwa ilizwi leNkosi lafika kuShemaya umuntu kaNkulunkulu lisithi:

But 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 unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying:

4 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Kaliyikwenyuka njalo lingalwi labafowenu. Buyelani ngulowo endlini yakhe, ngoba linto yenziwe yimi. Basebelilalela ilizwi leNkosi, baphenduka ekuyenimelana loJerobhowamu.

Thus saith the LORD: Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren; return every man to his house, for this thing is of Me.' So they hearkened unto the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

5 URehobhowamu wasehlala eJerusalema, wakha imizi eyizinqaba koJuda.

And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

6 Wasesakha iBhethelehema leEtamu leThekhowa

He built even Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

7 leBeti-Zuri leSoko leAdulamu

and Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adullam,

8 leGathi leMaresha leZifi

and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

9 leAdorayimi leLakishi leAzeka

and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

10 leZora leAjaloni leHebroni, eyayikoJuda lakoBhenjamini, imizi ebiyelweyo.

and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities.

11 Waseqinisa izinqaba, wabeka abalawulimabutho kizo, leziphala zokudla lamafutha lewayini.

And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and oil and wine.

12 Lakuwo wonke umuzi lomuzi wabeka izihlangu ezinkulu lemikhonto, wayiqinisa kakhulukazi. Njalo uJuda loBhenjamini babengabakhe.

And in every city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. And Judah and Benjamin adhered to him.

13 Labapristi lamaLevi ababekoIsrayeli wonke bazimisa kuye bevela kuyo yonke imingcele yabo.

And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel presented themselves to him out of all their border.

14 Ngoba amaLevi atshiya amadlelo awo lemfuyo yabo, aya koJuda leJerusalema, ngoba uJerobhowamu lamadodana akhe bawala ekusebenzeleni iNkosi njengabapristi;

For the Levites left their open land and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem; for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest's office unto the LORD;

15 wasezibekela abapristi bendawo eziphakemeyo, labamadimoni, labamathole ayewenzile.

and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the satyrs, and for the calves which 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.

And after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice unto 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.

So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years; for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon.

18 URehobhowamu wasezithathela uMahalathi indodakazi kaJerimothi indodana kaDavida waba ngumkakhe, loAbihayili indodakazi kaEliyabi indodana kaJese,

And Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;

19 owamzalela amadodana, oJewushi loShemariya loZahamu.

and she bore him sons: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

20 Langemva kwakhe wathatha uMahaka indodakazi kaAbisalomu, owamzalela oAbhiya loAthayi loZiza loShelomithi.

And after her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore 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.

And Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines — for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines, and begot twenty and eight sons and threescore daughters.

22 URehobhowamu wasebeka uAbhiya indodana kaMahaka waba yinhloko ukubusa phakathi kwabafowabo, ngoba kwakuyikumenza inkosi.

And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, even the prince among his brethren; for he was minded 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.

And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fortified city; and he gave them victual in abundance. And he sought for them many wives.