Verse 1: URehobowamu esefikile eJerusalema wabutha indlu yakwaJuda noBenjamini, abantu abakhethiweyo abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi ayisihiyagalombili, amabutho, ukuba balwe no-Israyeli, bawubuyisele umbuso kuRehobowamu.
Verse 2: Lase lifika izwi likaJehova kuShemaya umuntu kaNkulunkulu, lathi:
Verse 3: “Khuluma kuRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni, inkosi yakwaJuda, nakuye wonke u-Israyeli kwaJuda noBenjamini, ngokuthi:
Verse 4: ‘Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Aniyikukhuphuka, ningalwi nabafowenu; buyelani, kube yilowo nalowo endlini yakhe, ngokuba le nto ivela kimi.’ ” Balalela amazwi kaJehova, babuya ekumhlaseleni uJerobowamu.
Verse 5: URehobowamu wahlala eJerusalema, wakha imizi ukuba ibe yizinqaba kwaJuda.
Verse 6: Wakha iBetlehema, ne-Etamu, neThekhowa,
Verse 7: neBeti Suri, neSoko, ne-Adulamu,
Verse 8: neGati, neMaresha, neZifi,
Verse 9: ne-Adorayimi, neLakishi, ne-Azeka,
Verse 10: neSora, ne-Ajaloni, neHebroni, ekwaJuda nakwaBenjamini, imizi ebiyelweyo.
Verse 11: Waziqinisa izinqaba, wabeka izinduna kuzo, nokudla, namafutha, newayini.
Verse 12: Emizini yonke, yileyo naleyo, wabeka izihlangu nemikhonto, wayiqinisa kakhulu impela. ElakwaJuda nelakwaBenjamini lalingelakhe.
Verse 13: Abapristi namaLevi ayekwa-Israyeli wonke bazihlanganisa naye bephuma emikhawulweni yonke.
Verse 14: Ngokuba amaLevi ashiya amadlelo awo nefa lawo, aya kwaJuda naseJerusalema, ngokuba uJerobowamu namadodana akhe bawalahla ukuba angabe esaba ngabapristi bakaJehova,
Verse 15: wazimisela abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo, nabamademoni, nabamathole awenzileyo.
Verse 16: Emva kwabo kwaphuma ezizweni zonke zakwa-Israyeli abanhliziyo zabo zibhekiswe ukufuna uJehova uNkulunkulu wakwa-Israyeli, bafika eJerusalema ukuhlabela uJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise.
Verse 17: Base bewuqinisa-ke umbuso wakwaJuda, benza uRehobowamu indodana kaSolomoni waba namandla iminyaka emithathu, ngokuba bahamba iminyaka emithathu endleleni kaDavide noSolomoni.
Verse 18: URehobowamu wazithathela umfazi, uMahalati, indodakazi kaJerimoti indodana kaDavide neka-Abihayili, indodakazi ka-Eliyabe, indodana kaJese.
Verse 19: Wamzalela amadodana: ngoJewushe, noShemariya, noZahamu.
Verse 20: Emva kwakhe wathatha uMahakha, indodakazi ka-Abisalomu; wamzalela o-Abiya, no-Athayi, noZiza, noShelomiti.
Verse 21: URehobowamu wamthanda uMahakha indodakazi ka-Abisalomu phezu kwabo bonke abafazi bakhe nezancinza zakhe, ngokuba wathatha abafazi abayishumi nesishiyagalombili nezancinza ezingamashumi ayisithupha, wazala amadodana angamashumi amabili nesishiyagalombili namadodakazi angamashumi ayisithupha.
Verse 22: URehobowamu wabeka u-Abiya, indodana kaMahakha, abe yinhloko, abe ngumbusi phakathi kwabafowabo, ngokuba wacabanga ukumbeka inkosi.
Verse 23: Wenza ngokuhlakanipha, wahlakaza onke amadodana akhe emazweni onke akwaJuda noBenjamini, emizini yonke ebiyelweyo, wawanika ukudla okuningi, wawafunela abafazi abaningi.