Solomoni babe waRehobowamu wabusa ka-Israyeli iminyaka lengu-40. (1 Khos. 11:42) Solomoni washona nga-997 B.C.E. Rehobowamu wasuka eJerusalema waya eShekemu wafike wagcotjwa kutsi abe yinkhosi. (2 Khr. 10:1) Rehobowamu bekesaba yini kuba yinkhosi? Solomoni bekatiwa ngekutsi uhlakaniphe kakhulu. Ngako Rehobowamu bekufanele akhombise kutsi uhlakaniphile ngekutsi alungise inkinga lematima.

Ema-Israyeli bekacindzetelekile, ngako atfumela bantfu kutsi batjele Rehobowamu loko lobekufanele akwente. Batsi: “Uyihlo abesetfwese lijoko lelimatima kakhulu, manje-ke wena sinciphisele lomtfwalo lomatima nalelijoko lelimatima labelibeke etikwetfu; tsine sitakukhonta.”​—2 Khr. 10:3, 4.

Bekumatima kutsi Rehobowamu akhetse latakwenta ngoba yena, umndeni wakhe kanye nebantfu basesigodlweni sakhe bebangalahlekelwa ngulomunye wemcebo lebebanawo. Noma kunjalo, bantfu bebatamvukela nakangavumi. Yini Rehobowamu layenta? Wacale wakhuluma nemadvodza lamadzala lebekasite Solomoni. Kodvwa waphindze wafuna seluleko kubontsanga yakhe. Wasilalela seluleko sabo futsi wakhetsa kuhlukubeta bantfu. Watsi: “Babe wanetfwesa umtfwalo lowesindzako, mine-ke ngitawengeta, unisindze kakhulu kunakucala. Babe abenibhacabula ngetiswebhu; mine ngitanibhacabula ngetiswebhu letinetipikili.”​—2 Khr. 10:6-14.

Ngusiphi sifundvo lesisitfolako? Lamuhla sinebazalwane labanyenti lesebakhulile lesebakhonte Jehova sikhatsi lesidze futsi bangasisita kutsi sente tincumo letikahle. Kufanele sibalalele kute sihlakaniphe.​—Jobe 12:12.

Rehobowamu wahlela kutsi libutfo lakhe lilwe naletive letamvukela. Kodvwa Jehova  wangenela futsi watfuma umphrofethi wakhe Shemaya kutsi atjele Rehobowamu atsi: “Ningakhuphuki kuyakulwa nabomnakenu, ema-Israyeli. Hambani niye emakhaya enu nonkhe, ngobe loku kungumuno wami.”​—1 Khos. 12:21-24. *

Rehobowamu wakutfola kumelula yini kulalela Jehova? Yini bantfu lebebatayicabanga ngalenkhosi lensha? Rehobowamu bekangeke yini alwe naletive letinyenti kantsi watjela bantfu kutsi utabajezisa “ngetiswebhu letinetipikili?” (Catsanisa na-2 Tikhronike 13:7.) Noma kunjalo, lenkhosi kanye nelibutfo layo “balilalela livi laSimakadze babuyela emakhaya abo, njengobe abeshito.”

Loku kusifundzisa kutsi kukuhlakanipha kulalela Jehova ngisho noma bantfu bangahlekisa ngatsi. Sitawutfola umusa waNkulunkulu kanye nesibusiso sakhe nangabe simlalela.​—Dut. 28:2.

Yini leyenteka kuRehobowamu? Njengobe abesolo ayinkhosi yakaJuda neyakaBenjamini, wakhetsa kwakha emadolobha lamasha futsi waphindze “wawenta acina kakhulu.” (2 Khr. 11:5-12) Lokubaluleke kakhulu kutsi abeyilalela imitsetfo yaJehova. Ngisho noma lombuso lowakhiwa tive letilishumi taka-Israyeli longephasi kwaJerobowamu bewukhonta titfombe, labanyenti “basekela Rehobowamu” ngekutsi baye eJerusalema kuze bamelele kukhonta kweliciniso. (2 Khr. 11:16, 17) Ngako umbuso waRehobowamu wacina ngobe bekalalela Jehova.

Noma kunjalo, ngesikhatsi umbuso wakhe sewucinile, Rehobowamu wenta intfo lebeyingakalindzeleki. Akazange awulalele umyalo waJehova futsi wacala kukhonta titfombe. Yini leyambangela kutsi ente loku? Make wakhe bekangumAmoni. (1 Khos. 14:21) Umphumela waloku waba kutsi sonkhe lesive sakhonta tithico. Ngako Jehova wavumela Shishaki inkhosi yaseGibhithe kutsi itfumbe emadolobha lamanyenti akaJuda ngisho noma Rehobowamu bekawente acina.​—1 Khos. 14:22-24; 2 Khr. 12:1-4.

Simo saba matima kakhulu ngesikhatsi Shishaki kanye nelibutfo lakhe bayohlasela iJerusalema, lapho bekubusa khona Rehobowamu. Ngaleso sikhatsi, umphrofethi Shemaya watjela Rehobowamu nebaholi bakaJuda umlayeto lobuya kuJehova lotsi: “Ningilahlile, nami-ke senginiyekelela kuShishaki.” Yini Rehobowamu layenta? LiBhayibheli litsi: “Baholi baka-Israyeli kanye nenkhosi batitfoba batsi: ‘Simakadze ulungile.’” Ngako Jehova wasindzisa Rehobowamu neJerusalema.​—2 Khr. 12:5-7, 12.

Ngemuva kwaloko, Rehobowamu wachubeka abusa umbuso waseningizimu. Ngaphambi kwekutsi afe, waniketa onkhe emadvodzana akhe tipho kuze angavukeli Abiya umnakabo labetawuba yinkhosi emvakwakhe. (2 Khr. 11:21-23) Ngekwenta loku, Rehobowamu wakhombisa kuhlakanipha labengenako ekucaleni.

Ngisho noma Rehobowamu etama kwenta tintfo letinhle, liBhayibheli litsi: “Wenta lokubi.” Kungani? Kungobe “inhlitiyo yakhe yayingakunaki kufunisisa Simakadze.”​—2 Khr. 12:14.

Yini lesingayifundza kulokwenteka kuRehobowamu? Ngaletinye tikhatsi bekamlalela Jehova futsi waphindze wentela nebantfu bakhe tintfo letinhle. Kodvwa bekete buhlobo lobuhle naJehova futsi bekangafisi kwenta tintfo letitamjabulisa. Ngesizatfu saloko, wenta tintfo letimbi futsi wahlanganyela ekukhonteni kwemanga. Ungatibuta kutsi: ‘Ngesikhatsi Rehobowamu alalela sicondziso saJehova, bekafuna kujabulisa bantfu yini noma bekaphendvuke ngalokusuka enhlitiyweni futsi afuna kujabulisa Nkulunkulu?’ (2 Khr. 11:3, 4; 12:6) Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi waphindze wenta lokubi. Wenta lokwehluke kakhulu kulokwentiwa yiNkhosi Davide longumkhulu wakhe. Kuliciniso kutsi Davide bekawenta emaphutsa, kodvwa bekamtsandza  kakhulu Jehova, atinikele ekukhonteni kweliciniso futsi bekaphendvuka ngalokusuka enhlitiyweni nakente sono.​—1 Khos. 14:8; Hla. 51:1, 17; 63:1.

Sikhona sifundvo lesingasifundza kuRehobowamu. Kuyintfo lenhle kutsi bantfu banakekele imindeni yabo futsi bayentele lokuhle. Kodvwa kuze semukelwe nguNkulunkulu kubaluleke kakhulu kutsi sisekele kukhonta kweliciniso futsi singesuki kuko.

Loko kutawenteka nangabe sihlale simtsandza kakhulu Jehova. Nangabe sifuna kugcina umlilo uvutsa, kufanele siwukhwetele. Ngendlela lefanako, kuze sichubeke simtsandza Jehova, kufanele sidadishe liBhayibheli njalo, sizindle ngaloko lesikufundzako futsi sithantaze njalo. (Hla. 1:2; Rom. 12:12) Nangabe simtsandza Jehova, ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi sitawufuna kwenta tintfo letitamjabulisa. Loko kutawusenta siphendvuke ngalokusuka enhlitiyweni nangabe sonile. Nasenta njalo, angeke sifane naRehobowamu, kodvwa sitawuhlale setsembekile ekukhonteni kweliciniso.​—Juda 20, 21.