2 uSamuweli 2:1-32

Kwathi emva kwalokho uDavide wabuza kuJehova, wathi: “Ngenyukele yini komunye wemizi yakwaJuda na?” UJehova wathi kuye: “Yenyuka.” Wathi uDavide: “Ngenyukelephi na?” Wathi: “EHebroni.” Wayesenyukela khona uDavide nabafazi bakhe ababili, o-Ahinohama waseJizreyeli no-Abigayili umkaNabali waseKarmeli. Abantu bakhe ababe noDavide wabenyusa, kwaba yilowo nalowo nomuzi wakhe; bahlala emizaneni yaseHebroni. Bafika abantu bakwaJuda, bamgcoba khona uDavide abe yinkosi yendlu yakwaJuda. Bamtshela uDavide ukuthi: “Abantu baseJabeshi Gileyadi yibo abammbela uSawule.” UDavide wayesethuma izithunywa kubantu baseJabeshi Gileyadi, wathi kubo: “Manibusiswe nguJehova, ngokuba nenzile lowo musa kuyo inkosi yenu, uSawule, nammbela. Manje uJehova makanenzele umusa neqiniso, nami nginibuyisele lowo musa, ngokuba niyenzile leyo nto. Ngalokho maziqine izandla zenu, nibe nesibindi, ngokuba uSawule inkosi yenu ufile; indlu yakwaJuda ingigcobile ngibe yinkosi yayo.” U-Abineri indodana kaNeri induna yempi kaSawule wayethathile u-Ishi Bosheti indodana kaSawule, wamwelisela eMahanayimi, wambeka inkosi kwaGileyadi, nakuma-Ashurimi, naseJizreyeli, nakwa-Efrayimi noBenjamini, nakwa-Israyeli wonke. U-Ishi Bosheti indodana kaSawule wayeneminyaka engamashumi amane ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa phezu kuka-Israyeli; wabusa iminyaka emibili. Kepha indlu yakwaJuda yamlandela uDavide. Isikhathi uDavide eyinkosi ngaso eHebroni phezu kwendlu yakwaJuda sasiyiminyaka eyisikhombisa nezinyanga eziyisithupha. U-Abineri indodana kaNeri nezinceku zika-Ishi Bosheti indodana kaSawule baphuma eMahanayimi, baya eGibeyoni. UJowabe indodana kaSeruya nezinceku zikaDavide baphuma bahlangana ngasechibini laseGibeyoni; bahlala phansi, abanye ngalapha kwechibi, abanye ngalapho kwechibi. U-Abineri wathi kuJowabe: “Ake zisuke izinsizwa, ziqakulizane phambi kwethu.” UJowabe wathi: “Mazisuke.” Zase zisuka, zawela ngamanani, eziyishumi nambili kwaBenjamini naku-Ishi Bosheti indodana kaSawule, neziyishumi nambili ziyizinceku zikaDavide. Zabambana ngekhanda, zagwaza ngenkemba ohlangothini lwezimelene nazo, zawa kanyekanye; ngalokho leyo ndawo yabizwa ngokuthi iHelikati Hasurimi eliseGibeyoni. Kwakuyimpi enzima ngalolo suku; u-Abineri wahlulwa kanye nabantu bakwa-Israyeli phambi kwezinceku zikaDavide. Amadodana amathathu kaSeruya ayelapho, oJowabe, no-Abishayi, no-Asaheli; u-Asaheli wayenezinyawo ezilula njengensephe. U-Asaheli wamxosha u-Abineri; ekuhambeni kwakhe akachezukanga ngakwesokunene nangakwesokhohlo ekumlandeleni u-Abineri. U-Abineri wabheka emuva, wathi: “Ungu-Asaheli na?” Wathi: “Yimi.” U-Abineri wayesethi kuye: “Chezukela ngakwesokunene noma ngakwesokhohlo, ubambe enye yezinsizwa, uthathe izikhali zakhe.” Kepha u-Asaheli akavumanga ukuchezuka ekumlandeleni. U-Abineri wabuye wathi ku-Asaheli: “Chezuka ekungilandeleni; yini ukuba ngikucekele phansi na? Ngingaphakamisa kanjani ubuso bami ngakuJowabe umfowenu na?” Wala nokho ukuchezuka; ngalokho u-Abineri wamgwaza esiswini ngesidunu somkhonto, waze waphuma emuva umkhonto; wawela khona, wafela khona lapho; kwathi bonke abafika endaweni u-Asaheli awele kuyo wafa, bema. Kepha oJowabe no-Abishayi bamxosha u-Abineri; ilanga lashona befike ngasegqumeni lase-Ama elingaphambi kweGiya ngasendleleni yasehlane laseGibeyoni. Abantwana bakwaBenjamini babuthana emva kuka-Abineri, baba yiviyo linye, bema esiqongweni segquma elithile. U-Abineri wayesememeza kuJowabe, wathi: “Inkemba iyakudla njalonjalo na? Awazi yini ukuthi kuyakuba khona umunyu ekugcineni na? Koze kube nini ungabayali abantu ukuba babuye ekubalandeleni abafowabo na?” UJowabe wathi: “Kuphila kukaNkulunkulu, uma ubungakhulumanga, ngempela abantu bonke bebeyakube sebenyukile kusasa ekuxosheni abafowabo.” UJowabe wayesebetha icilongo; bonke abantu bema, ababe besamxosha u-Israyeli, futhi ababe besalwa. U-Abineri nabantu bakhe badabula i-Araba bonke lobo busuku, bawela iJordani, badabula lonke iBitroni, bafika eMahanayimi. UJowabe wabuya ekumxosheni u-Abineri; lapho esebuthile bonke abantu, kwasilala kuzo izinceku zikaDavide abantu abayishumi nesishiyagalolunye no-Asaheli. Kepha izinceku zikaDavide zazibulele abakwaBenjamini nabaka-Abineri, kwafa abantu abangamakhulu amathathu namashumi ayisithupha. Bamthatha u-Asaheli, bammbela ethuneni likayise elaliseBetlehema. UJowabe nabantu bakhe bahamba ubusuku bonke, kwasa beseHebroni.