1 IINKRONIKE 19

₁Kwathi emva kwalokho uNarhatjhi ikosi yakwa-Amoni wahlongakala, uRhanuni indodanakhe waba yikosi esikhundleni sakhe. ₂UDavida wadlumbana wathi: “Kungcono ngibe nomusa kuRhanuni umsa kaNarhatjhi ngombana uyise waba nomusa kimi.”

Yeke uDavida wathumela abazenda bona bayomtjhiriyela uRhanuni ngoyise.

Kodwana kuthe lokha abazenda bakaDavida nabafika kuRhanuni enarheni yama-Amoni bona bazomtjhiriya, ₃abarholi bama-Amoni bathi kuRhanuni: “Ikosi icabanga bona uDavida uhlonipha usokosi kangangobana angabe athumele abantwaba bona bazokutjhiriya? Uthi amadoda la, akakezi nje bonyana azokuba botamlana abazokuhlola inarha kuthi emva kwesikhathi ayibhubhise?” ₄Yeke uRhanuni wabamba abantu bakaDavida wabarhuna iinlevu. Waqunta izambatho zabo ngehla kwedini iinkhondo zaba semtarini, wabalisa-ke bakhamba. ₅Kuthe lokha omunye nakatjela uDavida ngamadoda lawo, uDavida wathumela isigijimi bonyana sibahlangabeze ngombana gade barhubutjhwe kabuhlungu. Ikosi uDavida yathi: “Hlalani eJerikho iintjebe zenu bezikhule, emuva kwalokho nibuye-ke.”

₆Lokha ama-Amoni nakalemuka bona atlhorholoje uDavida ngesidunwini, uRhanuni nama-Amoni wathumela isiliva elimakhilogremu aziinkulungwana ezimatjhumi amathathu nane eMesopotamiya, e-Aramu-Maka neTsoba bonyana kuyokucatjhwa iinkarana zepi nabakhweli bazo. ₇Bacatjha iinkarana eziziinkulungwana ezimatjhumi amathathu nambili, abakhweli bazo kanye nekosi yeMaka namabuthwayo. Labo beza bazokuhloma amatendabo hlanu kweMedeba, ukube ama-Amoni wona gade asahlanganisa amabutho ngemizinawo bonyana aphume ipi. ₈Kuthe bonyana uDavida ezwe lokhu, wathumela uJowabi nebutho loke leengorho zamajoni. ₉Ama-Amoni aphuma azihlela ngeenqhema esangweni ledorobho lawo, ukube amakhosi agade eze bona azokusiza asazihlalele emmangweni.

₁₀UJowabi wabona bonyana ubhodwe yipi ngaphambili nangemuva, yeke wakhetha abomakadebona beembilinga kwa-Israyeli, wabahlela bona baqalane nama-Aramu. ₁₁Wabeka inengi lamadoda ezandleni zaka-Abitjhayi umnakwabo bona liqalane nebakwa-Amoni. ₁₂UJowabi wathi ku-Abitjhayi: “Nakube ama-Aramu anamandla kunami, ubuye uzongisiza; kodwana nakube ama-Amoni anamandla kunawe, ngizakusiza. ₁₃Qina ndoda, silwele abantu bekhethu namadorobho wakaZimethu. USomnini uZimu uzakwenza akubona kulungile emehlwenakhe.” ₁₄Yeke uJowabi nebutho lakhe baphuma basahlela ama-Aramu, bawahlula abe abaleka. ₁₅Lokha ama-Amoni nakabona bonyana ama-Aramu ayabaleka, nawo abaleka phambi kwaka-Abitjhayi umnakwabo kaJowabi aziphosela ngaphakathi kwedorobho.

Nje-ke uJowabi wabuyela eJerusalema.

₁₆Emva kobana ama-Aramu abone bona ahlulwe ma-Israyeli, athumela iinthunywa bonyana ziyokuthatha amanye ama-Aramu angaphetjheya komlambo. Ama-Aramu la, arholwa nguTjhofaki induna kaHadadi-Ezeri. ₁₇Lokha uDavida nakatjelwa lokhu, wahlanganisa woke ama-Israyeli wayama umlambo iJordani. Kuthe lokha uDavida nakafika kiwo, wahlela amabuthwakhe bona aqalane nama-Aramu. Kwathi lokha uDavida nasele alungele ukuwasahlela, ama-Aramu angena epini. ₁₈Kodwana ama-Aramu abaleka phambi kwaka-Israyeli. UDavida wabulala iinkulungwana ezilikhomba zabakhweli beenkarana namajoni weenyawo amatjhumi amane weenkulungwana. Wabulala noTjhofaki indunabo yepi. ₁₉Kuthe lokha amakhosi agade angaphasi kwakaHadadi-Ezeri nakabona bonyana ahlulwe ma-Israyeli, enza ukuthula noDavida bona abe ngaphasi kwakhe. Nje-ke ama-Aramu akhange asathanda ukusiza bakwa-Amoni godu.