Utabiri Wa Shamaya
(1 Wafalme 12:21-24)
111:1 1Fal 12:21Ikawa Rehoboamu alipofika Yerusalemu, akakusanya nyumba ya Yuda na ya Benyamini, wanaume wapiganaji 180,000, kufanya vita dhidi ya nyumba ya Israeli na kuurudisha tena ufalme kwa Rehoboamu mwana wa Solomoni.
211:2 1Sam 2:27; 1Fal 12:22-24; 2Nya 12:15; Kum 33:1; 2Nya 8:14; 1Tim 6:11Lakini neno hili la Bwana likamjia Shemaya mtu wa Mungu: 3“Mwambie Rehoboamu mwana wa Solomoni mfalme wa Yuda, na Israeli wote walioko Yuda na Benyamini, 411:4 2Nya 28:8-11; 28:8-11‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Msipande kupigana dhidi ya ndugu zenu. Nendeni nyumbani, kila mmoja wenu, kwa kuwa hili nimelitenda mimi.’ ” Kwa hiyo wakalitii neno la Bwana na wakaacha kwenda kupigana dhidi ya Yeroboamu.
Yeroboamu Ajengea Yuda Ngome
5Rehoboamu akaishi Yerusalemu akajenga miji yenye ngome katika Yuda: 611:6 Mwa 35:19; Amu 15:8; 1Sam 17:12; 2Nya 20:20; 2Sam 14:2; Neh 3:5; Yer 3:5; 6:1; Amo 1:1Akajenga Bethlehemu, Etamu, Tekoa, 7Beth-Suri, Soko, Adulamu, 8Gathi, Maresha, Zifu, 9Adoraimu, Lakishi, Azeka, 10Sora, Aiyaloni na Hebroni. Hii ndiyo iliyokuwa miji iliyojengewa ngome katika Yuda na Benyamini. 11Akaimarisha ulinzi wake na kuweka majemadari ndani yake, pamoja na ghala za mahitaji ya vyakula, mafuta ya zeituni na divai. 12Akaweka ngao na mikuki katika miji na kuifanya iwe imara sana. Kwa hiyo Yuda na Benyamini zikawa zake.
13Makuhani na Walawi kutoka sehemu zote za Israeli wakawa upande wake. 1411:14 Hes 35:2-5; 1Nya 6:81; 2Nya 13:9; 1Fal 12:28-33Pia Walawi wakaacha maeneo yao ya malisho na mali zao, wakaja Yuda na Yerusalemu kwa sababu Yeroboamu na wanawe walikuwa wamewakataa wasiwe makuhani wa Bwana. 1511:15 1Fal 12:28-31; 13:33; Law 17:7; 2Nya 13:8; Kum 32:15-17; Hos 13:2; 1Kor 10:20; Ufu 16:14; 1Fal 12:28Naye akawa amechagua makuhani wake mwenyewe kwa ajili ya mahali pa juu pa kuabudia sanamu za mbuzi na za ndama ambazo alikuwa ametengeneza. 1611:16 2Nya 15:9; Za 69:32; 2Nya 30:11Wale waliotoka katika kila kabila la Israeli ambao walielekeza mioyo yao kumtafuta Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, wakawafuata Walawi huko Yerusalemu kumtolea Bwana dhabihu, Mungu wa baba zao. 1711:17 2Nya 12:1; Mt 13:18; Hos 6:4Wakaimarisha ufalme wa Yuda na kumuunga mkono Rehoboamu mwana wa Solomoni miaka mitatu, wakienenda katika njia za Daudi na Solomoni katika wakati huu.
Jamaa Ya Rehoboamu
18Rehoboamu alimwoa Mahalati ambaye alikuwa binti Yeremothi mwana wa Daudi, mamaye alikuwa Abihaili binti Eliabu mwana wa Yese. 1911:19 1Fal 15:2Mahalati alimzalia Rehoboamu wana: Yeushi, Shemaria na Zahamu. 2011:20 1Fal 15:2; 2Nya 12:16Kisha akamwoa Maaka binti Absalomu, ambaye alimzalia: Abiya, Atai, Ziza na Shelomithi. 2111:21 Kum 15:17Rehoboamu akampenda Maaka binti Absalomu zaidi kuliko wakeze wengine na masuria wake. Kwa jumla alikuwa na wake kumi na wanane na masuria sitini, wana ishirini na wanane na binti sitini.
2211:22 Kum 21:15-17Rehoboamu akamweka Abiya mwana wa Maaka, kuwa mkuu wa wana wa mfalme miongoni mwa ndugu zake ili amfanye mfalme. 2311:23 Kum 17:17; 1Fal 11:3Akatenda kwa busara, akiwasambaza baadhi ya wanawe katika wilaya zote za Yuda na Benyamini, pamoja na miji yote yenye ngome. Akawapa mahitaji tele na kuwaoza wake wengi.
1Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem. He brought together 180,000 capable young men from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. He had decided to go to war against Israel. He wanted his fighting men to get the kingdom of Israel back for him.
2But a message came to Shemaiah from the Lord. Shemaiah was a man of God. The Lord said to him, 3“Speak to Solomon’s son Rehoboam, the king of Judah. Speak to all the people of Israel in Judah and Benjamin. Tell them, 4‘The Lord says, “Do not go up to fight against your relatives. I want every one of you to go back home. Things have happened exactly the way I planned them.” ’ ” So the young men obeyed the Lord’s message. They turned back. They didn’t march out against Jeroboam.
Rehoboam Builds Up Judah’s Towns
5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem. He made Judah more secure by building up its towns. 6He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7Beth Zur, Soko and Adullam. 8He also built up Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. All of them were cities in Judah and Benjamin that had high walls around them. 11Rehoboam made those cities even more secure. He put commanders in them. He gave the cities plenty of food, olive oil and wine. 12He put shields and spears in all those cities. He made them very strong. So he ruled over Judah and Benjamin.
13The priests and Levites were on Rehoboam’s side. They came from their territories all over Israel. 14The Levites even left their grasslands and other property behind. They came to Judah and Jerusalem. That’s because Jeroboam and his sons had refused to accept them as priests of the Lord. 15Jeroboam had appointed his own priests to serve at the high places. He had made statues of gods that looked like goats and calves. His priests served those gods. 16Some people from every tribe in Israel followed the Levites to Jerusalem. With all their hearts they wanted to worship the Lord. He is the God of Israel. They came to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to him. He was the God of their people of long ago. 17All those who came to Jerusalem made the kingdom of Judah strong. They helped Solomon’s son Rehoboam for three years. During that time they lived the way David and Solomon had lived.
Rehoboam’s Family
18Rehoboam married Mahalath. She was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth. Her mother was Abihail. Abihail was the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab. 19Mahalath had sons by Rehoboam. Their names were Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham. 20Then Rehoboam married Maakah. She was the daughter of Absalom. She had sons by Rehoboam. Their names were Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith. 21Rehoboam loved Absalom’s daughter Maakah. In fact, he loved her more than any of his other wives and concubines. He had a total of 18 wives and 60 concubines. And he had a total of 28 sons and 60 daughters.
22Rehoboam appointed Maakah’s son Abijah to be the chief prince among his brothers. He did it because he wanted to make him king. 23Rehoboam acted wisely. He scattered some of his sons through all the territories of Judah and Benjamin. He put them in all the cities that had high walls around them. He gave them plenty of food and everything else they needed. He also gave them many wives.
