1 La ngamazwi okucina kaDavida:
2 Umoya kaThixo wakhuluma ngami,
3 UNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wakhuluma,
4 unjengokukhanya kwekuseni ekuphumeni kwelanga
5 Indlu yami kayifanelanga kuNkulunkulu na?
6 Kodwa abantu ababi bonke bazaphoselwa eceleni njengameva,
7 Loba ngubani othinta ameva
8 La ngamabizo amaqhawe kaDavida:
9 Yena elandelwa ngu-Eliyazari indodana kaDodo umʼAhohi. Njengomunye wamaqhawe amathathu, wayeloDavida lapho bechothoza amaFilistiya ayebuthanele impi ePhasi Damimi. Lapho-ke abantu bako-Israyeli bahlehlela emuva,
10 kodwa yena wajama wawacakazela phansi amaFilistiya isandla sakhe saze sadinwa sanamathela enkembeni. Ngalelolanga uThixo waletha ukunqoba okukhulu. Amabutho abuyela ku-Eleyazari ukuyahlubula abafileyo kuphela nje.
11 Phansi kwakhe kwakuloShama indodana ka-Ageye umHarari. Kwathi amaFilistiya eseqoqene endaweni eyayilezindumba ezinengi, amabutho ako-Israyeli awabalekela.
12 Kodwa uShama wajama phakathi kwensimu. Wayivikela wawacakazela phansi amaFilistiya, uThixo waletha ukunqoba okukhulu.
13 Ngesikhathi sokuvuna, abathathu ezinduneni ezingamatshumi amathathu baya kuDavida ebhalwini lwase-Adulami, lapho ibutho lamaFilistiya lalimise eSigodini saseRefayi.
14 Ngalesosikhathi uDavida wayesenqabeni, iviyo lamabutho amaFilistiya laliseBhethilehema.
15 UDavida womela amanzi wasesithi, “Oh, sengathi kungaba lomuntu ongangikhela amanzi okunatha emthonjeni oseduze lesango laseBhethilehema!”
16 Ngakho amaqhawe amathathu adabula phakathi kwamaviyo amaFilistiya, akha amanzi emthonjeni eduze lesango laseBhethilehema ahamba lawo kuDavida. Kodwa wala ukuwanatha, esikhundleni salokho wawathela phambi kukaThixo.
17 Wathi, “Akungenzeki, Oh Thixo, ukuba ngenze lokhu. Akusigazi labantu abahambe befake ukuphila kwabo engozini na?” UDavida kawanathanga.
18 U-Abhishayi umfowabo kaJowabi indodana kaZeruya wayeyinduna yabaThathu labo. Waphakamisela umkhonto wakhe phezu kwabangamakhulu amathathu, ababulalayo, ngakho waba lodumo njengabaThathu.
19 Kahlonitshwanga kakhulu kulabaThathu na? Waba ngumlawuli wabo, loba engazange abe phakathi kwabo.
20 UBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada wayeliqhawe elilesibindi laseKhabhizeli, elenza izenzo zobuqhawe obukhulu. Wabulala amaqhawe amaMowabi amabili ayezintshantshu ekulweni. Wake wangena emgodini wabulala isilwane mhla kulongqwaqwane.
21 Njalo wabulala umGibhithe owayemkhulu kakhulu. Lanxa umGibhithe lowo wayephethe umkhonto, uBhenaya wamhlasela ngenduku. Wawuhluthuna umkhonto esandleni somGibhithe wambulala ngomkhonto wakhe.
22 Lezi zaziyizenzo zobuqhawe zikaBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada; laye futhi wayedume njengamaqhawe amathathu.
23 Wayehlonitshwa kakhulu ukwedlula bonke abangamaTshumi Amathathu, kodwa wayengabalwa kanye labaThathu. UDavida wambeka ukuba abe ngumphathi wabalindi bakhe.
24 Phakathi kwabangamatshumi amathathu labo kwakuyilaba:
25 uShama umHarodi,
26 uHelezi umPhalithi,
27 u-Abhiyezeri wase-Anathothi,
28 uZalimoni umʼAhohi,
29 uHeledi indodana kaBhana umNethofa,
30 uBhenaya umPhirathoni,
31 u-Abhi-Alibhoni umʼAribhathi,
32 u-Eliyaba umShalibhoni,
33 indodana kaShama
34 u-Elifelethi indodana ka-Ahasibhayi umʼMahakhathi,
35 uHeziro umKhameli,
36 u-Igali indodana kaNathani waseZobha,
37 uZelekhi umʼAmoni,
38 u-Ira umʼIthira,
39 kanye lo-Uriya umHithi.