2 Samuweli 2:8-32

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.