1 Ngalesosikhathi kwenzakala ukuthi umxabanisi owayethiwa nguShebha indodana kaBhikhiri umBhenjamini abekhona. Wakhalisa icilongo waklabalala esithi,

2 Ngakho bonke abantu bako-Israyeli bahlubuka kuDavida balandela uShebha indodana kaBhikhiri. Kodwa abantu bakoJuda babambelela enkosini yabo umango wonke kusukela eJodani kusiya eJerusalema.

3 UDavida esebuyele esigodlweni sakhe eJerusalema, wathatha abafazi bakhe beceleni abalitshumi ayebatshiye begcine isigodlo wababeka endlini elindwayo. Wabanika ababekuswela, kodwa kembathanga labo. Babehlala bevalelwe kuze kube lusuku lokufa kwabo, baphila njengabafelokazi.

4 Inkosi yasisithi ku-Amasa, “Biza abantu bakoJuda beze kimi phakathi kwensuku ezintathu, lawe ube lapha wena ngokwakho.” 5 Kodwa u-Amasa eseyebiza uJuda, wathatha isikhathi eside kulaleso inkosi eyayimisele sona.

6 UDavida wasesithi ku-Abhishayi, “Khathesi uShebha indodana kaBhikhiri uzasenzela umonakalo odlula owenziwa ngu-Abhisalomu. Thatha abantu benkosi yakho umlandele, hlezi athole amadolobho avikelweyo aphunyuke kithi.” 7 Ngakho abantu bakaJowabi lamaKherethi lamaPhelethi kanye lamaqhawe wonke alamandla baphuma belawulwa ngu-Abhishayi. Bahamba besuka eJerusalema belandela uShebha indodana kaBhikhiri.

8 Kwathi besesedwaleni elikhulu eGibhiyoni, u-Amasa wayabahlangabeza. UJowabi wayegqoke ibhatshi lakhe lempi, phezu kwalo, ekhalweni lwakhe, kubophe ibhanti lilomhedla esikhwameni sawo. Esahamba esiya phambili, umhedla wawela ngaphandle kwesikhwama sawo.

9 UJowabi wasesithi ku-Amasa, “Unjani, mfowethu?” UJowabi wasebamba u-Amasa ngendevu ngesandla sakhe sokudla wasemanga. 10 U-Amasa kawunanzelelanga umhedla owawuphethwe nguJowabi, uJowabi wasemgwaza esiswini sakhe, amathumbu akhe ahutshukela phandle emhlabathini. Lanxa engasagwazwanga futhi, u-Amasa wafa. Emva kwalokho uJowabi lomfowabo u-Abhishayi baxotshana loShebha indodana kaBhikhiri.

11 Omunye wabantu bakaJowabi wema phansi kuka-Amasa wathi, “Lowo othanda uJowabi, lalowo ongokaDavida, kalandele uJowabi!” 12 U-Amasa walala ezibhixeka egazini lakhe phakathi komgwaqo, umuntu lowo wabona ukuthi amabutho wonke afika ame khonapho. Kwathi esenanzelele ukuthi umuntu wonke owafika ku-Amasa wema, wamhudula emsusa emgwaqweni wamusa egangeni, waphosela isembatho phezu kwakhe. 13 Emva kokuba u-Amasa esesusiwe emgwaqweni, abantu bonke bedlula loJowabi ukuyaxotshana loShebha indodana kaBhikhiri.

14 UShebha wadabula phakathi kwazo zonke izizwana zako-Israyeli kusiya e-Abheli-Bhethi-Mahakha laphakathi kwesabelo sonke samaBikiri, aqoqanayo amlandela. 15 Wonke amabutho ayeloJowabi afika amvimbezela uShebha e-Abheli-Bhethi-Mahakha. Bakha idundulu lokuvimbezela elalifika edolobheni njalo laleyame izinqaba zangaphandle. Besagqula umduli ukuba bawudilize, 16 owesifazane ohlakaniphileyo wamemeza esedolobheni wathi, “Lalelani! Lalelani! Tshelani uJowabi eze lapha ukuze ngikhulume laye.” 17 Wahamba esiya kuye, wasembuza esithi, “UnguJowabi na?”

Yena waphendula wathi, “Nginguye.”

Wasesithi, “Lalela okuzatshiwo yincekukazi yakho.”

Wathi, “Ngilalele.”

18 Owesifazane waqhubeka wathi, “Kudala babejwayele ukuthi, ‘Funani impendulo e-Abheli-Bhethi-Mahakha,’ lokho kwakuyiqeda indaba. 19 Thina singabathuleyo labathembekileyo ko-Israyeli. Wena uzama ukudiliza idolobho elingunina ko-Israyeli. Kungani ufuna ukuginya ilifa likaThixo na?”

20 UJowabi waphendula wathi, “Akusikho lokho! Akusikho lokho ukuginya loba ukudiliza! 21 Akunjalo. Umuntu othiwa nguShebha indodana kaBhikhiri, owaselizweni lezintaba lako-Efrayimi, uphakamisele inkosi isandla sakhe emelana layo, emelana loDavida. Mletheni umuntu lowo, ngisuke edolobheni.”

Owesifazane wathi kuJowabi “Ikhanda lakhe lizaphoswa kuwe lisuka emdulini.”

22 Emva kwalokho owesifazane lowo waya ebantwini bonke leseluleko sakhe esikhaliphileyo, baquma ikhanda likaShebha indodana kaBhikhiri baliphosela kuJowabi. Ngakho wakhalisa icilongo, abantu bakhe bachitheka besuka edolobheni, lowo lalowo ebuyela emzini wakhe. UJowabi wabuyela enkosini eJerusalema.