2 USamuweli 24:1-10

Intukuthelo kaSimakade yabuye yamvuthela u-Israyeli. Wamvusa uDavide ukuba amelane naye, ngokuthi kuye: “Hamba ubale u-Israyeli noJuda.” Inkosi yathi kuJowabe, umkhuzi wempi, owayenaye: “Hamba uye kuzo zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli kusukela kwaDani kuze kufike eBheri Sheba; nibale abantu ukuze ngazi ukuthi bangaki.” UJowabe wathi enkosini: “USimakade uNkulunkulu wakho angenezela kubantu kuphindwe kayikhulu phezu kwalokhu abayikho, ikubone lokho ngamehlo inkosi yami, inkosi, isakwazi ukubona. Kodwa kungani inkosi yami, inkosi ifuna ukwenza lokhu na?” Nokho-ke inkosi yayikhulume yaqokothisa kuJowabe, umkhuzi wempi, ngakho-ke laphumelela izwi layo. UJowabe nezikhulu zempi baphuma phambi kwenkosi, bahamba bayobala abantu bakwa-Israyeli. Bawela iJordani, bakanisa e-Aroweri ngakwesokunene somuzi ophakathi nomhosha wakwaGadi, ngaseJazeri. Bafika kwaGileyadi, naseThahethimi Hodeshi, bedlulela kwaDani Jahani. Basuka lapho baya naseSidoni, baze bayofika enqabeni eseThire, nakuyo yonke imizi yamaHivi namaKhanani. Baphuma lapho balibangisa ngaseningizimu yakwaJuda, eBheri Sheba. Sebelihambe lonke izwe, baze bafika eJerusalema sekuphele izinyanga eziyisishiyagalolunye nezinsuku ezingama-20. UJowabe walethula enkosini inani nomumo wabantu ababebaliwe: kwa-Israyeli kwakunamadoda ayizi-800 000 anamandla ayehlome ngenkemba. KwaJuda kunamadoda ayizi-500 000. UDavide wahlabeka enhliziyweni emveni kokuba esebabalile abantu, wathi kuSimakade: “Ngonile kakhulu ngalokhu engikwenzileyo. Kepha manje, Simakade, siza uthethelele isiphambeko esenziwe yinceku yakho, ngokuba yenze ubuwula obukhulu.”