4. UAbhiya wema kwintaba iZemarayim kwelo leentaba lakwaEfrayim, waza wathi: “Phulaphulani, Jerobhowam nani nonke maSirayeli!
5. Ngaba anazi na ukuba *uNdikhoyo uThixo wakwaSirayeli umbuso wakwaSirayeli wawunikela kwindlu kaDavide nesizukulwana sayo ngomnqophiso wetyuwa oya kuma ngonaphakade?
6. Kambe ke yena uJerobhowam unyana kaNebhati owayeliphakathi likaSolomon unyana kaDavide wasuka wavukelana nenkosi yakhe.
7. Iqedlana leendlavini lasuka langakuye, lachasana noRehobhowam unyana kaSolomon, bamvuyelela kuba eselula, engekabi namava, futhi engekomeleli ukuba abe nokuchasana naye.
8. “Nangoku ke nisazimisele ukuwuchasa umbuso kaNdikhoyo osesandleni sikaDavide nesizukulwana sakhe. Ngenene ningumkhosi omkhulu, futhi ninaloo mathole enziwe ngegolide enawanikwa nguJerobhowam ukuze abe *ngoothixo benu.
9. Andithi na kaloku nabagxotha ababingeleli bakaNdikhoyo abangoonyana baka-Aron kunye nabaLevi, naza nina nazimisela abenu ababingeleli njengezinye izizwe? Kuni nabani na ozihlambulula ngenkunzi yenkomo eselula, kunye nesixhenxe seenkunzi zeegusha, lowo ke uba ngumbingeleli wento engenguye nothixo.
10. “Ke thina uNdikhoyo nguThixo wethu, asimlahlanga. Ababingeleli abalungiselela uNdikhoyo ngoonyana baka-Aron bencediswa ngabaLevi.
11. Ngazo zonke iintsasa neenjikalanga banikela amadini atshiswayo, benzele uNdikhoyo isiqhumiso esivumba liyolileyo. Babeka isonka kwitafile ehlambulukileyo, balumeke izibane ezikwisiphatho segolide ngazo zonke iinjikalanga. Thina siyazigqala izinto ezifunwa nguNdikhoyo uThixo wethu. Ke nina nisuke namfulathela.
12. Niyabona, uThixo unathi; nguye osikhokelayo. Nangoku ababingeleli bakhe baza kunihlabel' umkhosi ngamaxilongo abo. Ewe, maSirayeli, musani ukulwa noNdikhoyo onguThixo wooyihlo, kuba ke soze niphumelele.”
13. Ke kaloku uJerobhowam wathumela inxenye yomkhosi wakhe, warhawula uJuda ngasemva, kodwa yena wayengaphambili.
14. UJuda ke wathi akujonga ngemva wafumanisa ukuba uhlaselwa ngaphambili nangesemva. Waza ke wakhala kuNdikhoyo, ababingeleli bona bakhalisa amaxilongo.
15. Ke wona amadoda akwaJuda ahlab' umkhosi. Yathi yakuvakala intlaba-mkhosi, uThixo wamvuthulula uJerobhowam namaSirayeli onke phambi koAbhiya noJuda.
16. AmaSirayeli ke aswantsula phambi koJuda; uThixo wamhlangula uJuda esandleni sawo.