Ukuhlamuka kukaShebha

20Kwasekusenzakala ukuthi kube khona lapho umuntu kaBheliyali, obizo lakhe linguShebha indodana kaBikiri umBhenjaminia; wasevuthela uphondo wathi: Kasilasabelo kuDavida, kasilalifa endodaneni kaJeseb; wonke umuntu emathenteni akhe, Israyelic! 2 Ngakho wonke umuntu wakoIsrayeli wenyuka wasuka emva kukaDavida, elandela uShebha indodana kaBikiri; kodwa abantu bakoJuda banamathela enkosini yabo, kusukela eJordani kwaze kwaba seJerusalema.

3 UDavida wasefika endlini yakhe eJerusalema; inkosi yathatha abafazi abalitshumi, abafazi abancane, eyayibatshiye ukuze balinde indlu, yababeka endlini elindiweyo, yabanika ukudla, kodwa kayingenanga kubod. Basebevalelwa kwaze kwaba lusuku lokufa kwabo, bephila ebufelokazini. 4 Inkosi yasisithi kuAmasae: Biza abantu bakoJuda babuthane kimi ngensuku ezintathu, lawe ube khona lapha. 5 UAmasa wasehamba ukubuthanisa uJuda, kodwa waphuza phezu kwesikhathi esimisiweyo ayemmisele sona. 6 UDavida wasesithi kuAbishayi: Khathesi uShebha indodana kaBikiri uzasenzela okubi okwedlula uAbisalomu; wena thatha inceku zenkosi yakho, uxotshane laye, hlezi azitholele imizi ebiyelwe ngemithangala, asiphunyukef. 7 Kwasekuphuma emva kwakhe amadoda kaJowabi lamaKerethi lamaPelethi lamaqhawe wonke, basebephuma eJerusalema ukuxotshana loShebha indodana kaBikirig. 8 Sebeselitsheni elikhulu eliseGibeyoni, uAmasa weza phambi kwabo. UJowabi wayebhince isigqoko ayesigqokile, laphezu kwaso kulebhanti elilenkemba ebotshelwe ekhalweni lwakhe isesikhwameni sayo; esaqhubeka inkemba yawa. 9 UJowabi wasesithi kuAmasa: Uyaphila yini, mfowethu? UJowabi wasebamba uAmasa ngesilevu ngesandla sokunene ukuze amangeh. 10 Kodwa uAmasa wayengayinanzeleli inkemba eyayisesandleni sikaJowabi; wasemtshaya ngayoi kubambo lwesihlanu, wathululela imibilini yakhe emhlabathini, kamphindanga, wafaj. UJowabi loAbishayi umfowabo basebexotshana loShebha indodana kaBikiri. 11 Omunye wamajaha kaJowabi wema phansi kwakhe, wathi: Omthandayo uJowabi, longokaDavida, landela uJowabi. 12 UAmasa wasegiqika egazini phakathi komgwaqo omkhuluk. Lapho lowomuntu ebona ukuthi bonke abantu bayema, wamsusa uAmasa emgwaqweni omkhulu wamusa egangeni, waphosela isembatho phezu kwakhe, lapho ebona ukuthi wonke ofika ngakuye wema. 13 Esesusiwe emgwaqweni omkhulul, bonke abantu badlula bamlandela uJowabi ukuze baxotshane loShebha indodana kaBikiri.

14 Wasedabula kuzo zonke izizwe zakoIsrayeli, waya eAbelim ngitsho iBeti-Mahakan, lawo wonke amaBerio; basebebuthana bamlandela labo. 15 Basebefika, bamgombolozela eAbeli-Beti-Mahakap; babuthelela idundulu maqondana lomuziq, lema emthangaleni; bonke abantu ababeloJowabi basebewona umduli ukuwuwisela phansi.

16 Kwasekumemeza owesifazana ohlakaniphileyo phakathi komuzi wathi: Zwanini, zwanini! Ake lithi kuJowabi: Sondela lapha, ukuze ngikhulume lawe. 17 Esesondele kuye, owesifazana wathi: Nguwe uJowabi yini? Yena wathi: Nginguye. Wasesithi kuye: Zwana amazwi encekukazi yakho. Wasesithi: Ngiyezwa. 18 Wasekhuluma esithi: Endulo babejwayele ukukhuluma besithi: Kababuze lokubuza eAbelir; basebeqeda ngokunjalo. 19 Ngingowabokuthula, owabathembekileyo bakoIsrayeli; udinga ukuchitha umuzi lonina koIsrayeli. Uginyelanis ilifa leNkosit? 20 UJowabi wasephendula wathi: Kakube khatshana, kakube khatshana lami ukuthi ngiginye loba ngichitheu. 21 Udaba kalunjalo; kodwa umuntu wasentabeni yakoEfrayimi, nguShebha indodana kaBikiri ibizo lakhe, uphakamisile isandla sakhe emelene lenkosi, emelene loDavida; nikelani yena kuphela, ngizasuka emziniv. Owesifazana wasesithi kuJowabi: Khangela, ikhanda lakhe lizaphoselwa kuwe ngaphezu komduli. 22 Owesifazana wasesiya ngenhlakanipho yakhe ebantwini bonke. Basebequma ikhanda likaShebha indodana kaBikiri, baliphosela kuJowabiw. Wasevuthela uphondo, bahlakazeka besuka kulowomuzi, ngulowo lalowo waya emathenteni akhe. UJowabi wasebuyela eJerusalema enkosini.

23 Njalo uJowabi wayephezu kwebutho lonke lakoIsrayelix; loBhenaya indodana kaJehoyaday wayephezu kwamaKerethi laphezu kwamaPelethiz; 24 loAdoniramu wayephezu kwezibhalwaa; loJehoshafathi indodana kaAhiludi wayengumabhalaneb; 25 loSheva wayengumbhali; loZadoki loAbhiyatha babengabapristic; 26 loIra layed umJayiri wayengumpristi kaDavidae.