UDavida ulwa nama-Amoni nama-Aramu
1Kwathi emva kwalokho ikosi yakwa-Amoni yahlongakala. URhanuni indodanayo waba yikosi esikhundleni sayo. 2UDavida wadlumbana wathi: “Ngizakuba nomusa kuRhanuni umsa kaNarhatjhi kanjengombana uyise waba nomusa kimi.” Nje-ke uDavida wathumela abazenda bakhe bona bayomtjhiriyela kuRhanuni ngoyise.
Kwathi lokha abantu bakaDavida nabafika enarheni yama-Amoni, 3abaphathi bakwa-Amoni bathi kuRhanuni ikosabo: “Ikosi icabanga bona uDavida uhlonipha usokosi kangangobana angabe athumele abantwaba bona bazokutjhiriya na? Uthi akakabathumeli nje bona bazozihlolisa idorobheli, bekuthi emva kwesikhathi balibhubhise?”
4Yeke uRhanuni wabamba abantu bakaDavida wabarhuna, ngiloyo naloyo ingcenye yesilevu sakhe. Waqunta izambatho zabo ngehla kwedini iindunu zabo zaba semtarini, wabalisa-ke bakhamba. 5Kuthe lokha uDavida nakatjelwako lokho, wathumela iinthunywa bona zihlangabeze abantu bakhe ngombana gade barhubutjhwe kabuhlungu. Ikosi uDavida yathi: “Hlalani eJerikho iintjebe zenu bezikhule kuhle bese niyabuya-ke.”
6Lokha ama-Amoni nalemukako bona atlhorholoje uDavida ngesidunwini, aqatjha amajoni weenyawo wama-Aramu aziinkulungwana ezimatjhumi amabili eBhethe-Rerhobu neTsoba, nekulungwana yabantu ekosini yeMakha, kanye neenkulungwana ezilitjhumi nambili zabantu eTobu. 7Lokha uDavida nezwa lokho, wathumela uJowabi bona aphume nebutho loke leengorho zamajoni. 8Bakwa-Amoni baphuma bazihlela bona babe yipi ekungeneni kwesango ledorobhabo, ukube ama-Aramu weTsoba neRerhobu namadoda weTobu neweMakha bekathiyelele emrhuleni.
9Lokha uJowabi nabona bonyana ubhodwe yipi ngaphambili nangemuva, wakhetha abomakadebona beengorho kwa-Israyeli, wabahlela bona baqalane nama-Aramu. 10Wabeka inengi lamajoni ezandleni zaka-Abitjhayi umnakwabo, wawahlela bona aqalane nebakwa-Amoni. 11UJowabi wathi ku-Abitjhayi: “Nakube ama-Aramu anamandla kunami, ubuye uzongisiza; kodwana nakube bakwa-Amoni banamandla kunawe ngizakuza bona ngikusize. 12Qina ndoda, silwele isizwe sethu namadorobho wakaZimethu ngesibindi. UZimu uzakwenza okulungileko kuye.”
13Yeke uJowabi nebutho lakhe baphuma basahlela ama-Aramu, bawahlula abe abaleka. 14Lokha bakwa-Amoni nababona bonyana ama-Aramu ayabaleka, nabo babaleka phambi kwaka-Abitjhayi bangena ngaphakathi kwedorobhabo. Nje-ke uJowabi wajika ekusahleleni bakwa-Amoni wabuyela eJerusalema.
15Emuva kokobana ama-Aramu abone bona ahlulwe ngu-Israyeli, azihlela ngobutjha godu. 16UHadadi-Ezeri wabuyisa ngitjho nama-Aramu angaphetjheya komlambo iYufrathe, eza eRhelamu. Ayerholwa nguTjhobaki induna ekulu yebutho lakaHadadi-Ezeri. 17Lokha uDavida natjelwa lokho, wahlanganisa woke u-Israyeli, wayama iJordani waya eRhelamu. Ama-Aramu azihlela bona ahlangabeze uDavida alwe naye. 18Kodwana abaleka phambi kwaka-Israyeli. UDavida wabulala amakhulu alikhomba wabakhweli beenkarana nabakhweli beenjomani abaziinkulungwana ezimatjhumi amane. Wamadlha phasi noTjhobaki induna yebutho labo bewafela khonapho. 19Kwathi lokha amakhosi ebegade angaphasi kwakaHadadi-Ezeri nakabona bonyana u-Israyeli uhlulile, enza ukuthula no-Israyeli abe akhosela ngaphasi kwakhe. Nje-ke, ama-Aramu esaba ukubuye asize bakwa-Amoni godu.
