1 IZikhronike 21:1-17

USathane wamelana no-Israyeli, wamyenga uDavide ukuba abale u-Israyeli. UDavide wathi kuJowabe nakubaholi babantu: “Hambani nibale u-Israyeli kusukela eBheri Sheba kuze kube kwaDani, nilethe inani labo kimi ukuze ngazi ukuthi ungakanani.” UJowabe wathi: “USimakade makenezelele kubantu bakhe kuphindwe kayikhulu. Nkosi yami, nkosi, kanti abasizo yini izinceku zenkosi yami bonke na? Inkosi yami ifunelani ukwenza lokhu na? Kungani ifuna ukuba yimbangela yecala ku-Israyeli na?” Izwi lenkosi nokho lamehlula uJowabe. UJowabe waphuma walihamba lonke elakwa-Israyeli waze wayofika eJerusalema. UJowabe wamnika uDavide inani labantu ababebaliwe. Esewonke u-Israyeli wayeyisi-1 100 000 ababengaphuma baye empini, uJuda yena eyizi-470 000. AbaLevi nabakwaBhenjamini abazange babalwe, ngokuba uJowabe wayecunulwe yizwi elalikhishwe yinkosi. Lokhu kwakukubi phambi kukaNkulunkulu, ngalokho-ke wamjezisa u-Israyeli. UDavide wayesethi kuNkulunkulu: “Ngonile kakhulu ngale nto engiyenzileyo. Manje Simakade, ake uthethelele inceku yakho icala elenzileyo, ngokuba ngenzile ubuwula obukhulu.” USimakade wayesekhuluma kuGadi, umboni kaDavide, ethi: “Hamba uyokhuluma noDavide, uthi: ‘Usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: “Nginezinto ezintathu engizibeka phambi kwakho; khetha ibe yinye kuzo ukuba ngikwenzele yona.” ’ ” UGadi wafika kuDavide, wathi kuye: “Usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: ‘Zikhethele noma kube yiminyaka emithathu yendlala, noma izinyanga ezintathu unqotshwa yizitha zakho ngenkemba yazo, noma izinsuku ezintathu zenkemba kaSimakade nobhubhane ezweni, ingelosi kaSimakade ibhubhisa kulo lonke elakwa-Israyeli. Manje-ke qoka, lizwi lini engiyakulibuyisela kongithumileyo na?’ ” UDavide wathi kuGadi: “Ngidabuka kakhulu; kungcono mangiwele esandleni sikaSimakade, ngokuba umusa wakhe mkhulu kakhulu, kunokuba ngiwele esandleni somuntu.” USimakade wathumela ubhubhane kwa-Israyeli, kwafa abantu abayizi-70 000 kwa-Israyeli. UNkulunkulu wathumela ingelosi eJerusalema ukuba ilibhubhise. Kwathi lapho isabhubhisa uSimakade wabuka, wazisola ngale nhlekelele, wathi engelosini eyayibhubhisa: “Sekwanele manje, finyeza isandla sakho.” Ingelosi kaSimakade yayimi ngasesibuyeni sika-Orinani, umJebusi. UDavide waphakamisa amehlo akhe wayibona ingelosi kaSimakade imi emkhathini womhlaba nezulu, ikhokhe inkemba esandleni sayo iyelulele phezu kweJerusalema. UDavide namalunga babembethe ingubo yesaka base bekhothama bathi mbo ngobuso. UDavide wathi kuNkulunkulu: “Akumina yini owayaleza ukuba kubalwe abantu na? Yimi engonileyo, ngenze okubi kakhulu, kodwa lezi zimvu zenzeni na? Isandla sakho, Simakade Nkulunkulu wami, masijezise mina nendlu kababa, hhayi laba bantu bakho obashaya ngobhubhane.”