Verse 1: Bheka, kwavela kwaJuda umuntu kaNkulunkulu ngezwi likaJehova, weza eBethele; uJerobowamu wayemi e-altare ukushisa impepho.
Verse 2: Walibiza i-altare ngezwi likaJehova, wathi: “Altare, altare, usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Bheka, kuzakuzalwa umntwana kuyo indlu kaDavide, nguJosiya igama lakhe; uyakunikela phezu kwakho ngabapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo abashisa impepho phezu kwakho, bashise namathambo abantu phezu kwakho.’ ”
Verse 3: Wabanika isiboniso ngalolo suku, wathi: “Yilesi esiyisiboniso uJehova akhulume ngaso sokuthi: Bheka, i-altare liyakudatshulwa, umlotha ophezu kwalo uchithwe.”
Verse 4: Kwathi inkosi isizwile izwi lalowo muntu kaNkulunkulu alibiza ngalo i-altare laseBethele, uJerobowamu waselula isandla sakhe ese-altare, wathi: “Mbambeni.” Kepha isandla sakhe aselulela kuye sashwabana, akaba namandla okusibuyisela kuye.
Verse 5: I-altare ladabuka, umlotha we-altare wachitheka e-altare njengesiboniso asinikile lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu ngezwi likaJehova.
Verse 6: Inkosi yayisithatha yathi kulowo muntu kaNkulunkulu: “Ake unxuse phambi kukaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ungikhulekele ukuba isandla sami siphiliswe.” Lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu wanxusa kuJehova, saphiliswa isandla sakhe, saba njengakuqala.
Verse 7: Yayisithi inkosi kulowo muntu kaNkulunkulu: “Woza siye ekhaya, uzihlumelele, ngikuphe isipho.”
Verse 8: Kepha lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu wathi enkosini: “Noma unginika inxenye yendlu yakho, angiyikuya khona nawe; futhi angiyikudla isinkwa, ngiphuze amanzi kuleyo ndawo;
Verse 9: ngokuba ngayalwa kanjalo ngezwi likaJehova ngokuthi: ‘Awuyikudla sinkwa, ungaphuzi manzi, ungabuyi ngendlela oze ngayo.’ ”
Verse 10: Wayesehamba ngenye indlela, kabuyanga ngendlela abeze ngayo eBethele.
Verse 11: Kwakuhlala eBethele umprofethi omdala. Amadodana akhe afika amtshela yonke imisebenzi lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu abeyenzile ngalolo suku eBethele, namazwi abewakhulumile enkosini. Uyise esetsheliwe,
Verse 12: uyise wathi kuwo: “Uhambe ngayiphi indlela na?” Amadodana ayebonile ukuthi uhambe ngayiphi indlela lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu owavela kwaJuda.
Verse 13: Wayesethi kumadodana akhe: “Ngibopheleni imbongolo.” Ambophela-ke imbongolo, wayikhwela.
Verse 14: Wamlandela lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu, wamfumana ehlezi phansi kwe-oki; wathi kuye: “Wena ungumuntu kaNkulunkulu lowo owavela kwaJuda na?” Wathi: “Nginguye.”
Verse 15: Wayesethi kuye: “Woza siye ekhaya, uthole ukudla.”
Verse 16: Kepha wathi: “Anginakubuya nawe, anginakungena kwakho nawe; futhi anginakudla isinkwa, ngiphuze amanzi nawe kuleyo ndawo,
Verse 17: ngokuba kwathiwa kimi ngezwi likaJehova: ‘Awuyikudla sinkwa, ungaphuzi manzi khona, ungabuyi ngendlela oze ngayo.’ ”
Verse 18: Wayesethi kuye: “Nami ngingumprofethi njengawe; kwakhuluma kimi ingelosi ngezwi likaJehova ngokuthi: ‘Mbuyise, uye naye endlini yakho ukuba athole ukudla, aphuze amanzi.’ ” Kodwa waqamba amanga kuye.
Verse 19: Wayesebuya-ke naye, wadla endlini yakhe, waphuza amanzi.
Verse 20: Kwathi besahlezi etafuleni, izwi likaJehova lafika kumprofethi owambuyisa;
Verse 21: wamemeza kulowo muntu kaNkulunkulu owavela kwaJuda, wathi: “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Njengokuba ungalilalelanga izwi likaJehova, ungagcinanga umyalo uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho akuyala ngawo,
Verse 22: kepha ubuyile, wadla, waphuza amanzi endaweni athi ngayo kuwe ungadli sinkwa, ungaphuzi manzi, isidumbu sakho asiyikungeniswa ethuneni lawoyihlo.’ ”
Verse 23: Kwathi esedlile, esephuzile, wambophelela imbongolo yena lowo mprofethi abembuyisile.
Verse 24: Esehambile waficwa yingonyama endleleni, yambulala; isidumbu sakhe santshingwa endleleni, imbongolo yema eceleni kwaso, nengonyama yema ngasesidunjini.
Verse 25: Bheka, abantu badlula, babona isidumbu sintshingwe endleleni nengonyama imi eceleni kwesidumbu, bafika bakhuluma ngakho emzini ayehlala kuwo lowo mprofethi omdala.
Verse 26: Esezwile lokho umprofethi obembuyisile endlelni wathi: “Ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu lowo owayengalaleli izwi likaJehova; ngalokho uJehova umnikele kuyo ingonyama, yamdwengula; yambulala njengezwi likaJehova alikhuluma kuye.”
Verse 27: Wayesekhuluma kumadodana akhe, ethi: “Ngibopheleleni imbongolo.” Ayibophela.
Verse 28: Wahamba, wafumana isidumbu sakhe sintshingwe endleleni, imbongolo nengonyama zimi eceleni kwesidumbu; ingonyama ayidlanga isidumbu, ayidwengulanga nembongolo.
Verse 29: Umprofethi wasiphakamisa isidumbu salowo muntu kaNkulunkulu, wasibeka embongolweni, wasibuyisa; wafika emzini womprofethi omdala ukuba alile, ammbele.
Verse 30: Wasibeka isidumbu ethuneni lakhe; bamlilela bathi: “Maye, mfowethu!”
Verse 31: Kwathi esemmbele, wakhuluma kumadodana akhe, wathi: “Lapho sengifile, ngimbeleni ethuneni embelwe kulo lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu, nibeke amathambo ami eceleni kwamathambo akhe.
Verse 32: Ngokuba izwi alimemezayo ngokusho kukaJehova kulo i-altare laseBethele nakuzo zonke izindlu zezindawo eziphakemeyo ezisemizini yaseSamariya liyakwenzeka nokwenzeka.”
Verse 33: Emva kwalokho uJerobowamu akaphendukanga nokho endleleni yakhe embi, kepha wabuye wenza abapristi bezindawo eziphakemeyo ngeningi labantu; othandayo wahlukaniselwa, wabangumpristi wendawo ephakemeyo.
Verse 34: Leyo nto yaba yisono kuyo indlu kaJerobowamu ngangokuba inqunywe, ichithwe ebusweni bomhlaba.