Ngemva kobana uSolomoni abe yikosi yakwa-Israyeli, uJehova wambuza wathi: ‘Yini ongathanda ngikuphe yona?’ USolomoni wathi: ‘Ngisesemncani begodu angazi bona ngenzani. Ngibawa ungiphe ukuhlakanipha, ngikwazi ukutlhogomela abantu bakho.’ UJehova wathi: ‘Ngebanga lokuthi ubawe ukuhlakanipha, ngizokwenza umuntu ohlakaniphe ukubadlula boke ephasini. Ngizokwenza nokuthi unjinge. Kanti nawungangilalela, uzakuphila isikhathi eside.’

USolomoni wathoma ukwakha ithempeli. Wasebenzisa igolide, isiliva, iingodo namatje. Iinkulungwana zabafazi namadoda abanamakghono zasebenza ekwakheni ithempeli. Ngemva kweminyaka elikhomba, ithempeli besele likulungele ukusetjenziselwa ukulotjha uJehova. Beline-aldara, kunomhlatjelo phezu kwalo. USolomoni waguqa phambi kwe-aldara wathandaza: ‘Maye Jehova, ithempeleli alisilikhulu begodu alisilihle ngokwaneleko bona lingaba ngelakho, kodwana sibawa wamukele ukulotjha kwethu ulalele nemithandazwethu.’ UJehova wazizwa njani ngethempeli nomthandazo kaSolomoni? Msinyana ngemva kokuthandaza, umlilo wehla uvela emkayini, watjhisa umhlatjelo ogade uphezu kwe-aldara. UJehova walamukela ithempeli. Kuthe ama-Israyeli angabona isenzakalweso, athaba.

IKosi uSolomoni beyaziwa ngokuhlakanipha kwayo kiyo yoke indawo yakwa-Israyeli ngitjho neendaweni ezikude khulu. Abantu bebeza kuSolomoni ngemirarwabo bafuna isizo. Kazi nendlovukazi yeTjheba yeza kuye izomlinga ngokuthi imbuze imibuzo ebudisi. Kuthe nayizwa iimpendulo zakaSolomoni, yathi: ‘Bengingabakholwa abantu nabangitjela ngawe, kodwana nje ngiyabona ukuthi uhlakaniphe ukudlula indlela abakuhlathulula ngayo. UZimakho, uJehova, ukubusisile.’ Ipilo beyimnandi esitjhabeni sakwa-Israyeli begodu abantu bebathabile. Kodwana izinto besezizokutjhuguluka.

Ngesikhathi uSolomoni alotjha uJehova, bekunokuthula kwa-Israyeli. Kodwana uSolomoni watjhada abafazi abanengi abavela kezinye iinarha begodu abafazabo bebalotjha iinthombe. Kancanikancani, uSolomoni naye watjhuguluka, bewathoma nokulotjha iinthombe. Kwamkwatisa khulu uJehova lokho. Wathi kuSolomoni: ‘U-Israyeli uzokususwa emndeninakho begodu uzokuhlukaniswa kabili. Ingcenye ekulu izakuba ngeyeenceku zakho, kuthi umndenakho usale ngengcenyana encani.’

UJehova wenza isiqunto sakhe sakhanya nangenye indlela. Enye yeenceku zakaSolomoni, uJerobhowamu, beyizikhambela ngendlela nayizakuhlangana nomphorofidi u-Arhiya. U-Arhiya warathula iphuraphurakhe yaba zintokana ezili-12 wathi kuJerobhowamu: ‘UJehova uzowususa umbuso wakwa-Israyeli esandleni somndeni kaSolomoni begodu uzowuhlukanisa kabili. Thatha iintokana ezilitjhumi ngombana uzokuba yikosi phezu kweenkoro ezilitjhumi.’ Ikosi uSolomoni yezwa ngalokho, kusukela lapho yafuna ukubulala uJerobhowamu! Ngalokho uJerobhowamu wabalekela eGibhide. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uSolomoni wahlongakala, indodanakhe uRerhobhowamu, yathoma ukubusa. UJerobhowamu wabona ukuthi sekuphephile bona angabuyela kwa-Israyeli.

Abadala bakwa-Israyeli bathi kuRerhobhowamu: ‘Nange ungabaphatha kuhle abantwaba, bazokuthembeka kuwe.’ Kodwana abangani bakaRerhobowamu abancani bathi: ‘Kufuze ubakhahlumeze abantwaba! Ubenze basebenze budisi ukudlula lokhu!’ URerhobhowamu walalela iseluleko sabangani bakhe. Wabakhahlumeza vele, ngalokho abantu khenge bathembeke, bahlubuka. Benza uJerobhowamu waba yikosi yeenkoro ezilitjhumi, ezagcina sezaziwa ngokuthi mbuso waka-Israyeli. Ezinye iinkoro ezimbili zaziwa ngokuthi mbuso wamaJuda begodu zahlala zingaphasi kwakaRerhobhowamu. Iinkoro ezi-12 zakwa-Israyeli besele zihlukanisiwe nje.

UJerobhowamu bekangafuni ukuthi abantu bakhe bakhambe bayokulotjha eJerusalema, njengombana iJerusalema beyisembusweni kaRerhobhowamu. Uyazi ukuthi kubayini enza njalo? UJerobhowamu bekasaba ukuthi abantu bakhe bebazomjikela basekele uRerhobhowamu. Ngikho enza amakonyana amabili wegolide, wathi ebantwini: ‘IJerusalema likude. Ningalotjha khona la.’ Abantu bathoma ukulotjha amakonyana lawo bakhohlwa ngoJehova godu.