1 Kwathi emva kwesikhathi, uNahashi inkosi yama-Amoni wafa, ngakho indodana yakhe yathatha isikhundla yaba yinkosi.
2 UDavida wacabanga wathi, “Ngizakuba lomusa kuHanuni indodana kaNahashi ngoba uyise wayelomusa kimi.” Ngakho uDavida wathuma izithunywa ukuyakhalela uHanuni ngoyise.
3 izikhulu zama-Amoni zathi kuHanuni, “Wena nkosi unakana ukuthi uDavida uhlonipha uyihlo ngokuthuma izithunywa zokukukhalela na? Amadoda akhe la kawasizinhloli ezithunywe ukuzahlola umumo welizwe ukuze ahluthune umbuso na?”
4 Ngenxa yalokho uHanuni wabamba izithunywa zikaDavida, waziphuca, waquma izigqoko zazo zafika ezibunu, wasezixotsha.
5 Kwathi uDavida esekuzwile lokho wathuma izithunywa ukuba zihlangabeze izithunywa, njengoba zazihlukuluzwe zayangiswa kakhulu. Inkosi yathi, “Lina hlalani eJerikho indevu zenu zize zikhule, libe selisiza ngapha.”
6 Kwathi ama-Amoni esebonile ukuthi asenuka emakhaleni kaDavida, uHanuni lama-Amoni bathumela amathalenta esiliva ayinkulungwane okuqhatsha izinqola zokulwa labatshayeli bazo e-Aramu Naharayimu, le-Aramu-Mahakha laseZobha.
7 Baqhatsha izinqola zokulwa labatshayeli bazo abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amathathu lambili, banxusa lenkosi uMahakha lamabutho akhe, yona eyeza yazakanisa eMedebha labantu bayo, ama-Amoni lawo eqoqana emadolobheni awo aphuma ukuya empini.
8 Uthe ekuzwa lokho uDavida, wathumela uJowabi kanye lamabutho akhe wonke.
9 Ama-Amoni asondela esehlome aphelela emangenelweni edolobho lakibo, kanti amakhosi ayenxusiwe ayejamile lawo wodwa egangeni.
10 UJowabi wabona ukuthi kwakulamaviyo amabutho phambi kwakhe langemva kwakhe, ngakho wakhetha amanye amaqhawe athenjiweyo ko-Israyeli wabahlela ukuba bamelane lama-Aramu.
11 Amanye amabutho ayesele wathi kawalawulwe ngu-Abhishayi umfowabo, wona-ke ajamelana lama-Amoni.
12 UJowabi wasesithi, “Nxa ama-Aramu ezangikhulela, wena uzangihlomulela; kanti-ke nxa ama-Amoni ezakukhulela lami ngizakuhlomulela.
13 Qina, kasilwe ngesibindi silwela abantu bakithi lemizi kaNkulunkulu wethu. UThixo uzakwenza lokho okufaneleyo njengokubona kwakhe.”
14 Ngakho uJowabi lamabutho ayelawo wasuka ukuyakulwa lama-Aramu, wona ahle abaleka phambi kwakhe.
15 Kuthe ama-Amoni ebona ukuthi ama-Aramu ayabaleka, abaleka lawo phambi kuka-Abhishayi umfowabo kaJowabi, abuyela phakathi kwedolobho. Ngakho uJowabi wasebuyela eJerusalema.
16 Kwathi ama-Aramu esebonile ukuthi ehlulwe ngama-Israyeli, athuma izithunywa zayaphendula ama-Aramu ayengaphetsheya koMfula, kanye loShofaki umlawuli wamabutho kaHadadezeri lamabutho ayekhokhele.
17 Kwathi uDavida esekutsheliwe lokhu, waqoqa bonke abako-Israyeli, wachapha uJodani, wajamelana labo ngamaviyo ayeqondene laye. UDavida walungiselela amaviyo akhe ukudibana lama-Aramu empini, lakanye alwa lawo.
18 Abaleka ebona u-Israyeli, ngakho uDavida wabulala abatshayeli bezinqola zokulwa abazinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa lamabutho ahamba ngezinyawo azinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane. Waze wabulala loShofaki umlawuli wamabutho akhona.
19 Kwathi izinceku zikaHadadezeri zibona ukuthi zehlulwe ngabako-Israyeli, zaxolisana loDavida, zathela kuye.