2 uSamuweli 2:8-32

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.