1 Impi phakathi kwendlu kaSawuli lendlu kaDavida yathatha isikhathi eside. UDavida wathuthuka elokhu esiba lamandla, kodwa indlu kaSawuli yaqhubeka ilokhu iphela amandla.
6 Ngesikhathi sempi phakathi kwendlu kaSawuli lendlu kaDavida, u-Abhineri wayeqinisa isikhundla sakhe endlini kaSawuli. 7 Kunjalo-nje uSawuli wayekade elomfazi weceleni owayethiwa nguRizipha indodakazi ka-Ayiya. U-Ishi-Bhoshethi wasesithi ku-Abhineri, “Kungani wembathe lomkababa owangaphandle na?”
8 U-Abhineri wazonda kakhulu ngenxa yalokho okwatshiwo ngu-Ishi-Bhoshethi, wasephendula esithi, “Kanti ngilikhanda lenja eceleni lakoJuda na? Lanamuhla ngithembekile endlini kayihlo uSawuli lasemulini yakhe lakubangane bakhe. Angikunikelanga kuDavida. Kodwa khathesi usungethesa icala ngowesifazane lo! 9 UNkulunkulu kamjezise u-Abhineri ngokunzima kakhulu, nxa uDavida ngingamenzeli lokho
12 Emva kwalokho u-Abhineri wathuma izithunywa zimele yena ukuba ziyekuthi kuDavida, “Kanti ilizwe ngelikabani na? Yenza isivumelwano lami, mina ngizakusiza ekuletheni u-Israyeli wonke kuwe.”
13 UDavida wathi, “Kulungile, ngizakwenza isivumelwano lawe. Kodwa ngifuna into eyodwa kuwe: Ungezi kimi ngaphandle kokuba uze loMikhali indodakazi kaSawuli lapho usizangibona.” 14 UDavida wasethuma izithunywa ku-Ishi-Bhoshethi indodana kaSawuli ebamba ngamandla esithi, “Ngipha umkami uMikhali, engazendisela yena kimi ngentengo yamajwabu emiphambili yamaFilistiya alikhulu.”
15 Ngakho u-Ishi-Bhoshethi wakhupha imilayo uMikhali wahlubulwa kumkakhe uPhalithiyeli indodana kaLayishi. 16 Kodwa umkakhe wahamba laye ekhala ngemva kwakhe indlela yonke kusiya eBhahurimi. U-Abhineri wasesithi kuye, “Buyela ekhaya!” Ngakho wabuyela.
17 U-Abhineri wakhuluma labadala bako-Israyeli wathi, “Sekulesikhathi esithile lifuna ukwenza uDavida abe yinkosi yenu. 18 Khathesi-ke kwenzeni! Ngoba
19 U-Abhineri wakhuluma njalo labakoBhenjamini yena ngokwakhe. Emva kwalokho waya eHebhroni ukuyatshela uDavida konke u-Israyeli kanye lendlu yonke kaBhenjamini ababefuna ukukwenza. 20 Kwathi u-Abhineri, owayelabantu abangamatshumi amabili, efika kuDavida eHebhroni, uDavida wamenzela idili kanye labantu bakhe. 21 U-Abhineri wasesithi, “Yekela ngihle ngihambe ngiyebuthanisela inkosi, inkosi yami, u-Israyeli wonke, ukuze benze isivumelwano lawe, lokuthi ungabusa konke okufiswa yinhliziyo yakho.” Ngakho uDavida wathi u-Abhineri kahambe, wahamba ngokuthula.
22 Khonokho nje abantu bakaDavida loJowabi babuya bevelahlasela njalo beze lempango enengi kakhulu. Kodwa u-Abhineri wayesesukile kuDavida eHebhroni, ngoba uDavida wayethe kahambe, njalo wayehambe ngokuthula. 23 Kwathi uJowabi lamabutho wonke ayelaye befika, watshelwa ukuthi u-Abhineri indodana kaNeri wayeze enkosini lokuthi inkosi yayithe kahambe njalo ahambe ngokuthula.
24 Ngakho uJowabi waya enkosini wathi, “Kuyini okwenzileyo? Khangela, u-Abhineri ufikile kuwe. Kungani umyekele wahamba? Khathesi usehambile! 25 Uyamazi u-Abhineri indodana kaNeri; ulande ukuzakukhohlisa lokubona ukuhambahamba kwakho kanye lokwazi konke okwenzayo.”
26 UJowabi wasuka kuDavida wasethuma izithunywa ukuba zilandele u-Abhineri, njalo zayabuya laye zivela emthonjeni waseSira. Kodwa uDavida kakwazanga lokho. 27 Khathesi-ke Abhineri, esebuyele eHebhroni, uJowabi wamusa eceleni esangweni, kungani uzakhuluma laye ngasese. Khonapho-ke ukuba aphindisele igazi lomfowabo u-Asaheli, uJowabi wamgwaza esiswini, wafa.
28 Muva, uDavida esekuzwile lokhu, wathi, “Mina lombuso wami kasilacala lanini phambi
30 (UJowabi lomfowabo u-Abhishayi bambulala u-Abhineri ngoba wayebulele umfowabo u-Asaheli empini eGibhiyoni.)
31 UDavida wasesithi kuJowabi lakubo bonke abantu ababelaye, “Dabulani izigqoko zenu ligqoke amasaka lihambe ngokulila phambi kuka-Abhineri.” Inkosi uDavida yena ngokwakhe wahamba ngemva kwethala lesidumbu. 32 U-Abhineri bamgcwaba eHebhroni, njalo inkosi yakhala yaphumisela ethuneni lika-Abhineri. Abantu bonke labo bakhala.
33 Inkosi yahlabelela u-Abhineri isililo lesi:
35 Emva kwalokho bonke beza bancenga uDavida ukuba adle okunye nje kusesemini; kodwa uDavida wafunga esithi, “UNkulunkulu kangijezise, kube nzima kakhulu, nxa nginambitha isinkwa loba olunye ulutho ilanga lingakatshoni!”
36 Abantu bonke bakunanzelela njalo bathaba; impela konke okwenziwa yinkosi kwabathokozisa. 37 Ngakho ngalelolanga abantu bonke lo-Israyeli wonke bakwazi ukuthi inkosi yayingelasandla ekubulaweni kuka-Abhineri indodana kaNeri.
38 Inkosi yasisithi ebantwini bayo, “Kaliboni yini ukuthi inkosana lomuntu odumileyo ifile ko-Israyeli lamhla na? 39 Njalo lamhla, lanxa ngiyinkosi egcotshiweyo, ngibuthakathaka, njalo amadodana kaZeruya la alamandla kakhulu kulami. Sengathi