Kwathi sekwedlule unyaka, ngesikhathi amakhosi aphuma ngaso ukuyohlasela izitha zawo, uDavide wathumela uJowabe nezinceku zakhe no-Israyeli wonke, ukuba bayoshaya babhuqe kubantu bakwa-Amoni. Balivimbezela iRabha, nokho uDavide wayeseJerusalema ngaleso sikhathi.
Kwakungesikhathi sakusihlwa lapho uDavide evuka embhedeni, wayesehamba ophahleni lwesigodlo sakhe. Wabona owesifazane egeza, lo wesifazane wayemuhle ngokwedlulele, ebukeka kahle. UDavide wathumela, wabuza ngalo wesifazane, wathi: “Lo akusiye yini uBhathisheba, indodakazi ka-Eliyamu ongumka-Uriya, umHithi na?”
UDavide wathumela izithunywa ukuba zimlande, wafika kuye, walala naye, ngokuba wayesehlambulukile ekungcoleni kwakhe, wayesebuyela ekhaya. Owesifazane wakhulelwa, wathumela ukuba kuyobikelwa uDavide, wathi: “Ngikhulelwe.”
UDavide wayesethumela kuJowabe, ethi: “Thumela kimi u-Uriya, umHithi.”
UJowabe wamthumela u-Uriya kuDavide. U-Uriya wafika kuye, uDavide wayesebuza ukuthi unjani uJowabe, nokuthi impi ihamba kanjani. UDavide wathi ku-Uriya: “Yehla uye endlini yakho, ugeze izinyawo zakho.”
U-Uriya waphuma esigodlweni senkosi, inkosi yamthumelela isipho. Kepha u-Uriya walala ngasemnyango wendlu yenkosi kanye nazo zonke izinceku zenkosi yakhe, akehlelanga endlini yakhe.
UDavide esebikelwe ukuthi u-Uriya akehlelanga endlini yakhe, uDavide wathi ku-Uriya: “Awuhambanga yini indlela ende na? Pho, kungani ungehlelanga endlini yakho?”
U-Uriya wathi kuDavide: “Umphongolo, u-Israyeli, noJuda bahlezi emadokodweni. Inkosi yami, uJowabe nezinceku zenkosi yami, bakanise endle. Pho mina ngingangena kanjani endlini yami, ngidle, ngiphuze, ngilale nomkami na? Ngifunga ngiyagomela phambi kwakho, angisoze ngakwenza lokho.”
UDavide wathi ku-Uriya: “Hlala lapha namuhla nangomuso, ngizokuphindisela emuva.”
U-Uriya wahlala eJerusalema ngalolo lusuku nangomuso. UDavide wambiza futhi, wadla phambi kwakhe, waphuza waze wadakwa, waphuma ebusuku wayolala embhedeni wakhe kanye nezinceku zenkosi, akazange ehlele endlini yakhe.
Kwathi ekuseni uDavide walobela uJowabe incwadi, wayiphathisa u-Uriya. Encwadini wayebhale wathi: “Mmiseni u-Uriya phambili, lapho impi ishisa khona, bese niyahlehla ukuze abulawe, afe.”
Ngesikhathi uJowabe esewuvimbezela umuzi, wammisa u-Uriya endaweni lapho ayazi ukuthi kunamadoda anamandla. Amadoda akulowo muzi aphuma ukuzolwa noJowabe. Kwafa abantu abathile ezincekwini zikaDavide; kwafa no-Uriya, umHithi.
UJowabe wathumela, wambikela konke uDavide ngempi. Wayala isithunywa, wathi kuso: “Lapho usuqedile ukubikela inkosi ngezindaba zonke zempi, kuyothi lapho kuvuka ulaka, ithi kuwe: ‘Nisondeleleni kangako emzini ngesikhathi niwuhlasela na? Beningazi yini ukuthi bazoniciba besongangeni? Ngubani owabulala u-Abimelekhi, indodana kaJerubheshethi na? Akubanga yini ngowesifazane owagingqela kuye itshe lokusila esogangeni, wafela eThebezi na? Nisondeleleni ogangeni, na?’
“Uyokuthi: ‘Inceku yakho u-Uriya umHithi, nayo ifile.’ ”
Isithunywa sahamba, safika sambikela uDavide konke uJowabe ayesithume khona. Isithunywa sathi kuDavide: “Amadoda ayesehlula, aphumela kithi, kepha sawaficezela kwaze kwaba sesikhaleni sesango. Ababeciba ngemicibisholo besogangeni, baziciba izinceku zakho; ezinye zezinceku zenkosi zifile, nenceku yakho u-Uriya, umHithi nayo ifile.”
Uhlelo Lokusebenza lweBhayibheli
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