UDavide noZibha
1Wathi uDavide esand' ukuthi tyishi nje eyishiya incopho, wagagana noZibha iphakathi likaMefibhoshete. Wayeqhuba iidonki ezimbini zibotshiwe zithwele amakhulu amabini ezonka, nekhulu lezikhinkci zeerasentyisi, nekhulu lezikhinkci zeziqhamo ezisand' ukukhiwa, kunye nemvaba ezele yiwayini. 2Ukumkani wambuza uZibha wathi: “Wenza ntoni ngezi zinto?”
Lithe elikaZibha: “Ezi donki ndizizise ukuze usapho lukakumkani lukhwele kuzo. Izonka kunye neziqhamo ndiziphathele amadoda kakumkani ukuze azixhase ngazo, athobe nangewayini xa aziva ephelelwe entlango.”
3Uqhube wathi ukumkani: “Uphi uMefibhoshete, umzukulwana kaSawule, inkosi yakho?”
UZibha wathi: “Usele eJerusalem. Kaloku uthi: ‘Namhlanje indlu kaSirayeli iza kububuyisela kum ubukhosi bukabawo-mkhulu uSawule.’ ”
4Waqokela wathi ukumkani kuZibha: “Iza kuba yeyakho yonke into ebikade iyeyikaMefibhoshete.”
UZibha wathi: “Ndohlala ndisisicaka sakho, mhlekazi; bendinga ndingasoloko ndisenzelwa inceba nguwe.”
UDavide noShimeyi
5Uthe ukumkani uDavide akuya kufika eBhawurim, kwavela uShimeyi, unyana kaGera, owayezalana noSawule, eze kumhlangabeza, emthuka wonke lo gama aya kuye. 6UShimeyi usuke wagxoga uDavide ngamatye, ekunye naloo maphakathi akhe, engqongwe macala ngamadoda omkhosi nabalindi bakhe. 7Wayemthuka esithi: “Mka apha; hamba sigebengandini setshijolo! 8*UNdikhoyo uya kukubuyekeza ngenxa yegazi lendlu kaSawule othe wena waba ngukumkani esikhundleni sakhe. Ubukhosi uNdikhoyo ubunike uAbhasalom unyana wakho. Hayi ke, sigebengandini, isikhuni sibuye nomkhwezeli!”
9Kwavela uAbhishayi owayezalwa nguZeruya, wathi kukumkani: “Mhlekazi, uyamyeka lo mfi wenja akuthuke wena kumkani? Ndiyeke mna ndiye kumnqumla intloko.”
10Ukumkani wathi: “Ayifuni nina le nto, bonyana bakaZeruya. Ukuba undithuka ngokuthunywa nguNdikhoyo, ngubani onegunya lokuthi kuye: ‘Uyenzela ntoni le nto?’ ” 11Uqhube wathi uDavide, ebhekisa kuAbhishayi nakumaphakathi akhe onke: “Ingunyana wam ozelwe ndim nje lo ufuna ukundibulala, nothuswa yintoni kule nto yenziwa ngulo mBhenjamin? NguNdikhoyo othe makandithuke; myekeni ke andithuke. 12UNdikhoyo angahle ayibone le ntlupheko ndikuyo, andithamsanqele endaweni yesiqalekiso salo mntu.”
13Bahamba indlela yabo ke ooDavide. Wahamba ngaphezu kwenduli leyo uShimeyi eshwabula, egxoga ngamatye, eqhumisa uthuli. 14Ukufika kukakumkani neqela lakhe eJordan babesebefile kukudinwa, bakha baphumla apho.
UAbhasalom eJerusalem
15Wagaleleka eJerusalem uAbhasalom, ehamba namaSirayeli onke, kukho noAhitofele. 16Wathi uHushayi umArki, umhlobo othembekileyo kaDavide, akuthi thu uAbhasalom, wakhahlela esithi: “Huntshu-u-u! Khul' ud' ukhokhobe, kumkani!”
17UAbhasalom wathi kuHushayi: “Tyhini, yindlela obonakalisa ukuthembeka kwakho kumhlobo wakho uDavide le! Kutheni ungahambanga naye nje?”
18UHushayi wathi kuAbhasalom: “Ndingayenza njani into enjalo? Mna ndingakwicala lalowo utyunjwe *nguNdikhoyo nangabantu nangamaSirayeli ephela. Ndiza kuhamba nawe. 19Kakade ke ndingathoba phantsi kukabani xa ingenguye unyana wenkosi? Ndiza kuthoba phantsi kwakho ngoku njengoko bendisenza kuyihlo.”
20Ubuzile ke kuAhitofele uAbhasalom wathi: “Ucebisa ntoni ke? Ngaba masithini?”
21UAhitofele wathi kuAbhasalom: “Yiya kungena kumaqadi kayihlo, lawa awagcinise ibhotwe. Ngaloo ndlela indlu yonke kaSirayeli iya kuqonda ukuba uzinukisile kuyihlo, babe nesibindi ke ngoko abakulandelayo.” 22Kwamiswa intente phezu kophahla lwebhotwe, waza uAbhasalom wawangena amaqadi kayise ejongwe ngamaSirayeli onke.
23Icebo lika-Ahitofele lalithathwa njengelizwi elivela kuThixo ngenkqu. Lalingadli ngakuwa phantsi kuDavide, kanti nakuAbhasalom kwakukwanjalo.
