[1] Rehobowamu atafika ku Yerusalemu anasonkhanitsa asilikali 180,000 a fuko la Yuda ndi Benjamini kuti akachite nkhondo ndi Israeli, kuti abwezeretse ufumu kwa Rehobowamu.
[2] Koma Yehova anayankhula ndi munthu wa Mulungu Semaya kuti,
[3] “Kawuze Rehobowamu mwana wa Solomoni mfumu ya Yuda ndi Aisraeli onse ali mu Yuda ndi Benjamini kuti,
[4] ‘Yehova akuti: Musapite kukamenyana ndi abale anu. Pitani kwanu, aliyense wa inu, pakuti izi ndikuchita ndine.’ ” Choncho anamvera mawu a Yehova ndi kubwerera osapita kukamenyana ndi Yeroboamu.
[5] Rehobowamu amakhala mu Yerusalemu ndipo anamanga mizinda ya chitetezo iyi mu Yuda:
[6] Betelehemu, Etamu, Tekowa,
[7] Beti Zuri, Soko, Adulamu,
[8] Gati, Maresa, Zifi,
[9] Adoraimu, Lakisi, Azeka,
[10] Zora, Ayaloni ndi Hebroni. Iyi ndiye inali mizinda yotetezedwa ya Yuda ndi Benjamini.
[11] Iye anakhwimitsa chitetezo cha mizindayi ndipo anayikamo atsogoleri a ankhondo, pamodzi ndi chakudya, mafuta a olivi ndi vinyo.
[12] Mʼmizinda yonse anayikamo zishango zikuluzikulu ndi mikondo, ndipo anachititsa kuti mizindayo ikhale yamphamvu. Choncho iye amalamulira Yuda ndi Benjamini.
[13] Ansembe ndi Alevi a mʼmadera onse a Israeli anakhala mbali ya Rehobowamu.
[14] Alevi anasiya malo awo owetera ziweto ndi katundu wawo, ndi kubwera ku Yuda ndi ku Yerusalemu chifukwa Yeroboamu ndi ana ake anawakana kukhala ansembe a Yehova.
[15] Ndipo iye anasankha ansembe akeake a pa malo opatulika ndi a mafano a mbuzi ndi mwana wangʼombe amene anapanga.
[16] Anthu ochokera fuko lililonse la Israeli amene anatsimikiza mitima yawo kufunafuna Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli, ankapitabe ku Yerusalemu kukapereka nsembe kwa Yehova, Mulungu wa makolo awo.
[17] Iwo analimbikitsa ufumu wa Yuda, ndipo anathandiza Rehobowamu mwana wa Solomoni kwa zaka zitatu. Pa nthawi imeneyi iye amatsatira zochita za Davide ndi Solomoni.
[18] Rehobowamu anakwatira Mahalati, amene abambo ake anali Yerimoti, mwana wa Davide, ndipo amayi ake anali Abihaili, mwana wa Eliabu, mwana wa Yese.
[19] Mkaziyo anamubereka ana aamuna awa: Yeusi, Semariya ndi Zahamu.
[20] Kenaka anakwatira Maaka, mwana wamkazi wa Abisalomu, amene anamubereka Abiya, Atai, Ziza ndi Selomiti.
[21] Rehobowamu ankamukonda Maaka mwana wa Abisalomu kuposa aliyense mwa akazi ake ndi azikazi. Iye anali ndi akazi 18, azikazi 60, ana aamuna 28 ndi ana aakazi 60.
[22] Rehobowamu anasankha Abiya mwana wa Maaka kuti akhale mtsogoleri pa abale ake, ndi cholinga choti adzakhale mfumu.
[23] Iye anachita mwanzeru, pomwaza ena mwa ana ake ku madera onse a Yuda ndi Benjamini, ndi ku mizinda yonse yotetezedwa. Iye anawapatsa zinthu zambiri ndiponso anawafunira akazi ambiri.