1. Ke kaloku uRehobhowam waya eShekem, kuba onke amaSirayeli ayeye khona ukuze ammisele abe ngukumkani.
2. Uthe ke akuyiva loo nto uJerobhowam unyana kaNebhati, wasuka wabuya apho eJiputa – kaloku wayeseJiputa oko wayebaleke ukumkani uSolomon.
3. Ewe, bamthumelela uJerobhowam, waza ke yena nebandla likaSirayeli liphela baya kuRehobhowam, bathi kuye:
4. “Uyihlo wabeka idyokhwe enzima phezu kwethu. Kambe ke wena xa unokuwenza lula umthwalo ebesiwubekwe nguyihlo, ewe kanye idyokhwe enzima abeyibeke phezu kwethu, sokukhonza.”
5. URehobhowam uphendule wathi: “Khanihambe, ze nibuye nize apha kum emva kweentsuku ezintathu.” Bemka ke abantu.
6. Ke ukumkani uRehobhowam wathetha-thethana namadoda amakhulu awayebusa kuyise uSolomon ngexesha lokudla kwakhe ubomi, esithi: “Nicebisa ngelithini na nina, ukuze ndibaphendule aba bantu?”
7. Aphendula athi: “Ukuba uthe namhlanje waba njengesicaka kwaba bantu, wabakhonza, wathetha kakuhle nabo, baya kusoloko bezizicaka zakho.”
8. Kambe ke uRehobhowam walikhaba eli cebiso alinikwa ngamadoda amakhulu, waza wathetha-thethana nabafana abaziintanga zakhe ababembusa.
9. Wabuza kubo wathi: “Nindinika cebiso lini nina? Mandithini ukubaphendula aba bantu bathi: ‘Khawuyenze lula idyokhwe awayibeka phezu kwethu uyihlo’?”