Verse 1: Kwathi lapho umbuso kaRehobowamu usuqinisiwe, yena esenamandla, washiya umthetho kaJehova no-Israyeli wonke kanye naye.
Verse 2: Kepha kwathi ngomnyaka wesihlanu wenkosi uRehobowamu, uShishaki inkosi yaseGibithe wakhuphukela eJerusalema, ngokuba babephambukile kuJehova,
Verse 3: enezinqola eziyinkulungwane namakhulu amabili, nabamahhashi abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisithupha; abantu babengenakubalwa abaphuma naye eGibithe: ngamaLubi, namaSuki, namaKushe.
Verse 4: Wayithatha imizi ebiyelweyo yakwaJuda, wafika eJerusalema.
Verse 5: Wayesefika uShemaya umprofethi kuRehobowamu nasezikhulwini zakwaJuda ezazibuthene eJerusalema ngenxa kaShishaki, wathi kubo: “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Nina ningishiyile; ngalokho nami nginishiyile esandleni sikaShishaki.’ ”
Verse 6: Zase zizithoba izikhulu zakwa-Israyeli nenkosi, bathi: “UJehova ulungile.”
Verse 7: Lapha uJehova ebona ukuthi bayazithoba, kweza izwi likaJehova kuShemaya, lathi: “Bazithobile; angiyikubachitha, kepha ngiyakubakhulula emva kwesikhashana, nentukuthelo yami ayiyikuthululelwa phezu kweJerusalema ngesandla sikaShishaki.
Verse 8: Nokho bayakuba yizinceku zakhe ukuba bazi inkonzo yami nenkonzo yemibuso yezizwe.”
Verse 9: UShishaki, inkosi yaseGibithe, wakhuphukela eJerusalema, wathatha ingcebo yendlu kaJehova nengcebo yendlu yenkosi, yebo, wathatha konke, wathatha izihlangu zegolide ezenziwe nguSolomoni.
Verse 10: Inkosi uRehobowamu yenza izihlangu zethusi esikhundleni sazo, yazinikela ezandleni zezinduna zabalindi abagcina umnyango wendlu yenkosi.
Verse 11: Kwathi njalo uma inkosi ingena endlini kaJehova, zafika izigijimi zizithwele, zazibuyisela ekamelweni labalindi.
Verse 12: Kepha lapho esezithoba, intukuthelo kaJehova yabuya kuye ukuba angamchithi ngokupheleleyo, futhi kwakusekhona nokuhle kwaJuda.
Verse 13: Inkosi uRehobowamu yayisiziqinisa-ke eJerusalema yabusa, ngokuba uRehobowamu wayeneminyaka engamashumi amane nanye ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa; wabusa iminyaka eyishumi nesikhombisa eJerusalema, umuzi uJehova awukhethileyo ezizweni zonke zakwa-Israyeli ukuba abeke khona igama lakhe; igama likanina lalinguNahama umAmonikazi.
Verse 14: Wenza okubi, ngokuba akabhekisanga inhliziyo yakhe ukumfuna uJehova.
Verse 15: Izindaba zikaRehobowamu, ezokuqala nezokugcina, angithi zilotshiwe ezindabeni zikaShemaya umprofethi nezika-Ido umboni, zibhalwe ngezizukulwane, na? Kwakukhona njalo ukulwa phakathi kukaRehobowamu noJerobowamu.
Verse 16: URehobowamu wayeselala koyise, wembelwa emzini kaDavide; u-Abiya indodana yakhe waba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.