1 Bonke abako-Israyeli baya kuDavida eHebhroni bafika bathi: “Thina siyinyama yakho legazi lakho.
2 Esikhathini esedlulayo, lanxa uSawuli eseseyinkosi, wena nguwe owawukhokhela u-Israyeli emkhankasweni wezimpi. Njalo uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho wathi kuwe, ‘Wena uzakuba ngumelusi wabantu bami u-Israyeli, njalo uzakuba ngumbusi wabo.’ ”
3 Kwathi abadala bonke bako-Israyeli sebefikile enkosini uDavida eHebhroni, wenza isivumelwano labo eHebhroni phambi kukaThixo, basebegcoba uDavida ukuba abe yinkosi ko-Israyeli, njengesithembiso sikaThixo asenza ngoSamuyeli.
4 UDavida labo bonke abako-Israyeli baya eJerusalema (kusitsho iJebusi). AmaJebusi ayehlala khona
5 athi kuDavida, “Kawuyikungena lapha.” Kodwa lanxa kunjalo, uDavida wayithumba inqaba yaseZiyoni, uMuzi kaDavida.
6 UDavida wayethe, “Ozakhokhela ekuhlaseleni amaJebusi uzakuba nguMlawuli omkhulu wempi.” UJowabi indodana kaZeruya nguye owaqala ukuya khona, ngakho wazuza ubukhokheli.
7 UDavida wasehlala enqabeni, yikho yathiwa ibizo lokuthi nguMuzi kaDavida.
8 Wakha idolobho inxa zonke kusukela emadundulwini kuze kuyefinyelela emidulini ehonqolozeleyo, ngalesosikhathi uJowabi esakha evuselela umuzi.
9 UDavida waqhubeka njalo esiba lamandla, ngoba uThixo uSomandla wayelaye.
10 Lezi zinduna zamaqhawe kaDavida ezazimsekele ngokuqinileyo embusweni kanye laye wonke u-Israyeli, ukuba abe yinkosi, njengokuthembisa kukaThixo.
11 Lolu yiluhlu lwalawo maqhawe kaDavida:
12 Yena elandelwa ngu-Eliyazari indodana kaDodo umʼAhohi omunye wamaqhawe amathathu.
13 WayeloDavida ePhasi Damimi, ekuhlomeni kwamaFilistiya elungiselela ukudibana empini. Endaweni ethile kwakulensimu yebhali, amabutho abaleka ebalekela amaFilistiya.
14 Kodwa bona bema bajama phakathi kwensimu. Bayivikela bawabulala amaFilistiya, uThixo wabapha ukunqoba okukhulu.
15 Izinduna ezintathu kwezingamatshumi amathathu zaya edwaleni kuDavida ebhalwini lwase-Adulami, ngalesosikhathi amanye amaFilistiya ayebuthene eSigodini saseRefayi.
16 Ngalesosikhathi uDavida wayesenqabeni, iviyo lamabutho amaFilistiya laliseBhethilehema.
17 UDavida womela amanzi wasesithi, “Oh, sengathi kungaba lomuntu ongangikhela amanzi okunatha emthonjeni oseduze lesango laseBhethilehema!”
18 Ngakho abathathu laba badabula phakathi kweviyo lamaFilistiya bayakukha amanzi eduzane lesango laseBhethilehema bayawanika uDavida. Kodwa wala ukuwanatha, wakhetha ukuwathululela phambi kukaThixo.
19 Wasesithi, “UNkulunkulu kangangivumeli ukukwenza lokhu! Kufanele yini ukuthi nginathe igazi lalababantu abanikele impilo yabo engozini bewaletha?” Ngoba babeka impilo zabo engozini bewaletha, uDavida kawanathanga.
20 U-Abhishayi umfowabo kaJowabi wayeyinduna yabaThathu labo. Waphakamisela umkhonto wakhe phezu kwabangamakhulu amathathu, ababulalayo, ngakho waba lodumo njengabaThathu.
21 Waba lodumo oluphindwe kabili phezu kwalaba abaThathu waze waba ngumlawuli wabo, loba engazange abe phakathi kwabo.
22 UBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada wayeliqhawe elilesibindi laseKhabhizeli, elenza izenzo zobuqhawe obukhulu. Wabulala amaqhawe amaMowabi amabili ayezintshantshu ekulweni. Wake wangena emgodini wabulala isilwane mhla kulongqwaqwane.
23 Wabulala umGibhithe owayemude okwezingalo eyisikhombisa njalo eqatha. Lanxa umGibhithe wayephethe umkhonto esandleni kwakungani uphethe umkhonto onjengogodo lomaluki, uBhenayiya waqondana laye ngenduku. Wahluthuna umkhonto esandleni somGibhithe wambulala ngawo umkhonto wakhe.
24 Lezi zaziyizenzo zobuqhawe zikaBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada, laye futhi wayedume njengamaqhawe amathathu.
25 Wayehlonitshwa kakhulu ukwedlula bonke abangamatshumi amathathu, kodwa wayengabalwa kanye labaThathu. UDavida wambeka ukuba abe ngumphathi wabalindi bakhe.
26 Amaqhawe ayelamandla ayeyila:
27 uShamothi umHarori,
28 u-Ira indodana ka-Ikheshi waseThekhowa,
29 uSibhekhayi umHushathi,
30 uMaharayi umNethofathi,
31 u-Ithayi indodana kaRibhayi owaseGibhiya koBhenjamini,
32 uHurayi wasezindongeni zaseGashi,
33 u-Azimavethi umBhaharumi,
34 amadodana kaHashemi umGizoni,
35 u-Ahiyamu indodana kaSakhari umHarari,
36 uHeferi indodana kaMekherathi,
37 uHeziro umKhameli,
38 uJoweli umfowabo kaNathani,
39 uZelekhi umʼAmoni,
40 u-Ira umʼIthira,
41 u-Uriya umHithi,
42 lo-Adina indodana kaShiza owakoRubheni, owayeyinduna yakoRubheni, kanye labangamatshumi amathathu ababelaye,
43 loHanani indodana kaMahakha,
44 lo-Uziya umʼAshitherathi,
45 loJediyeli indodana kaShimiri,
46 lo-Eliyeli umʼMahavi,
47 lo-Eliyeli, lo-Obhedi kanye loJasiyeli waseMezobha.