2 Samuweli 2:1-32

Ngemva kwalokho uDavida wabuza kuJehova wathi: “Ngingenyukele yini komunye wemizi yakoJuda? INkosi yasisithi kuye: Vuka. UDavide wathi: “Ngikhuphukele ngaphi na? Wathi: “EHebroni!” UDavide wenyukela khona, kanye nabafazi bakhe ababili, o-Ahinohama waseJizreyeli, no-Abigayili umkaNabali waseKarmeli. UDavide wayesethuma amadoda akhe aye naye ukuba akhuphuke, kube yilowo nalowo nendlu yakhe, ahlala emizini yaseHebroni. Amadoda akwaJuda afika amgcoba lapho uDavide abe yinkosi phezu kwendlu yakwaJuda. Bamtshela uDavide, bathi: “Ngamadoda aseJabeshi eGileyadi ammbela uSawule.” UDavide wathuma izithunywa kubantu baseJabeshi kwaGileyadi, wathi kubo: “Manibusiswe nguJehova ukuba nenze lomusa enkosini yenu kuSawule, nammbela. Manje uJehova unibonisile umusa nokwethembeka, futhi ngizokubuyisela lomusa kini, ngoba nenzile le nto. Manje izandla zenu maziqiniswe, zibe nesibindi, ngokuba inkosi yenu uSawule ifile, nendlu yakwaJuda nayo ingigcobile ngibe yinkosi phezu kwayo. Kepha u-Abineri indodana kaNeri, induna yempi kaSawule, wathatha u-Ishi Bosheti indodana kaSawule, wamyisa eMahanayimi; wamenza inkosi kwaGileyadi, naseAsiriya, naseJizreyeli, nakuEfrayimi, nakuBenjamini, nakuIsrayeli wonke. U-Ishi Bosheti indodana kaSawule wayeneminyaka engamashumi amane lapho eqala ukubusa phezu kuka-Israyeli, wabusa iminyaka emibili. Kodwa indlu yakwaJuda yamlandela uDavide. Isikhathi uDavide abusa 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 echibini laseGibeyoni; bahlala phansi, omunye engapha kokugeza omunye engapha kokugeza. U-Abineri wayesethi kuJowabe: “Mazisukume izinsizwa, zidlale phambi kwethu; Wathi uJowabe: “Mabasuke.” Kwase kusuka kwadabula ngokwenani eliyishumi nambili lakwaBenjamini lika-Ishi Bosheti indodana kaSawule, nezinceku eziyishumi nambili zikaDavide. Futhi babamba yilowo nalowo umngane wakhe ngekhanda futhi wamgwaza inkemba yakhe ohlangothini lwakhe; ngalokho bawa phansi kanyekanye. Ngalokho leyo ndawo yabizwa ngokuthi iHelikati Hassurimi eseGibeyoni. Futhi kwaba khona impi enzima kakhulu ngalolo suku; u-Abineri namadoda akwa-Israyeli babulawa phambi kwezinceku zikaDavide. Kwakukhona lapho amadodana amathathu kaSeruya, uJowabe, no-Abishayi, no-Asaheli; u-Asaheli wayelula ezinyaweni zakhe njengemfene. U-Asaheli wamxosha u-Abineri; ekuhambeni kwakhe, akaphendukanga ku-Abineri ngakwesokunene noma ngakwesokhohlo. U-Abineri wayesebheka emva kwakhe, wathi: “Wena u-Asaheli na?” Wathi: “Nginguye.” U-Abineri wayesethi kuye: “Phendukela ngakwesokunene noma ngakwesokhohlo sakho, ubambe enye yezinsizwa, uzithathele izikhali zayo.” Kodwa u-Asaheli akazange aphambuke ekumlandeleni. U-Abineri wabuye wathi ku-Asaheli: “Suka ekungisukeleni; kungani kufanele ngikushaye phansi? ngingabumisa kanjani ubuso bami kuJowabe umfowenu na? Kodwa wala ukuphambuka; ngalokho u-Abineri wamgwaza ngengemuva lomkhonto ngaphansi kombambo lwesihlanu, kwaze kwaphuma umkhonto emva kwakhe; wawela khona lapho, wafela khona lapho. OJowabe no-Abishayi nabo bamxosha u-Abineri, lashona ilanga befika entabeni yase-Ama engaphambi kweGiya endleleni eya ehlane laseGibeyoni. Abantwana bakwaBenjamini babuthana emva kuka-Abineri, baba yiviyo linye, bema esiqongweni sentaba. U-Abineri wayesembiza uJowabe, wathi: “Inkemba izophela kuze kube phakade na? Anazi yini ukuthi ekugcineni kuyoba umunyu? koze kube nini ungayaleli abantu ukuba babuye ekulandeleni abafowabo na? Wayesethi uJowabe: “Kuphila kukaNkulunkulu, uma ungakhulumanga, abantu bebeyakukhuphuka nokukhuphuka ekuseni, kube yilowo nalowo kubafowabo emva kwakhe.” UJowabe wayesevuthela icilongo, bonke abantu bema, ababe besaxosha u-Israyeli, ababe besalwa. U-Abineri nabantu bakhe badabula ethafeni lobo busuku bonke, bawela iJordani, badabula iBitroni yonke, bafika eMahanayimi. UJowabe wabuya emva kuka-Abineri, wababizela ndawonye bonke abantu, kwadabula amadoda ayishumi nesishiyagalolunye no-Asaheli ezincekwini zikaDavide. Kepha izinceku zikaDavide zabulala abanye bakwaBenjamini nabakwa-Abineri, kwafa abantu abangamakhulu amathathu namashumi ayisithupha. Bamthatha u-Asaheli, bammbela ethuneni likayise eliseBhetlehema. UJowabe nabantu bakhe bahamba ubusuku bonke, bafika eHebroni ekuseni kakhulu.