UDavide Unqoba Abakwa-Amoni Nama-Aramu
1Kwathi emveni kwalokho uNahashi, inkosi yakwa-Amoni, wakhothama, indodana yakhe yabusa esikhundleni sakhe. 2UDavide wathi: “Ngiyakumenzela umusa uHanuni, indodana kaNahashi, ngokuba uyise wangenzela umusa.”
UDavide wayesethumela izithunywa ukuba ziyomduduza ngokulahlekelwa nguyise. Izinceku zikaDavide zafika kwa-Amoni kuHanuni, zamduduza. 3Kepha izikhulu zakwa-Amoni zathi kuHanuni: “Ngabe ucabanga ukuthi uDavide uthumele abazokududuza, ngokuba ehlonipha uyihlo na? Akazithumelanga yini izinceku zakhe ukuba zizohlola izwe nokuba ziwuqumbe phansi umbuso wakho na?”
4UHanuni wayesezibamba izinceku zikaDavide, waziphuca amakhanda nezilevu, wasika izingubo zazo kwaze kwaba sezinqeni, wayesezikhomba indlela.
5Bahamba bamazisa uDavide ngalawo madoda. Wayesethumela ukuba ahlangatshezwe, ngokuba ayenamahloni kakhulu. Yathi inkosi: “Hlalani eJerikho zize zihlume izilevu zenu, bese niyabuya-ke.”
6Abantu bakwa-Amoni babona ukuthi bazithele ngesigcwagcwa kuDavide. UHanuni nabakwa-Amoni bathumela amathalenta esiliva ayinkulungwane ukuba baqashe izinqola nabamahhashi e-Aramu Naharayimi, e-Aramu Mahakha, naseZobha. 7Baqasha izinqola eziyizi-32 000, nenkosi yaseMahakha nabantu bayo beza bakanisa phambi kweMedebha. Abakwa-Amoni babuthana bephuma emizini yabo; beza ukuzokulwa.
8UDavide wezwa ngalokho, wathumela uJowabe nayo yonke impi namabutho angamaqhawe. 9Abakwa-Amoni baphuma bayihlela impi yabo belungela ukulwa ngasesangweni lomuzi, kepha amakhosi ayefikile ayewodwa endle.
10UJowabe esebona ukuthi impi ingaphambili nangasemva kwakhe, wakhetha amadoda kwabakhethekileyo bonke bakwa-Israyeli, wawahlela ukuze alwe nama-Aramu. 11Abantu abaseleyo wabashiya esandleni sika-Abhishayi, umfowabo, bazihlela ukuba balwe nabakwa-Amoni. 12Wathi: “Uma ama-Aramu eba namandla kunami, uyakuza ungihlenge, kodwa uma abakwa-Amoni beba namandla kunawe, ngizoza ngikophule. 13Qinani, masibe nesibindi ngenxa yabantu bakithi nangenxa yemizi kaNkulunkulu wethu; uSimakade makenze okuhle akubona kufanele.”
14UJowabe namabutho ayenaye basondela kuma-Aramu ukuba balwe nawo, kodwa wona acela empunzini. 15Abakwa-Amoni babona ukuthi ama-Aramu acele empunzini, nabo babaleka phambi kuka-Abhishayi, umfowabo waya emzini. UJowabe waya eJerusalema.
16Ama-Aramu esebonile ukuthi anqotshiwe ngu-Israyeli, athuma izithunywa, akhipha ama-Aramu ayengaphesheya komfula noShofakhi, umkhuzi wempi kaHadadezeri, phambi kwawo.
17UDavide wabikelwa ngalokho, wayeseqoqa wonke u-Israyeli, bawela iJordani, bafika kuwo; wase eyihlela impi, walwa nawo. 18Ama-Aramu abaleka phambi kuka-Israyeli. UDavide wabulala ama-Aramu ayizi-7 000 ayegibele ezinqoleni, nemigundatshani eyizi-40 000, wabulala noShofaki, umkhuzi wempi.
19Izinceku zikaHadadezeri zabona ukuthi zehluliwe ngu-Israyeli, zenza ukuthula noDavide, zamkhonza. Ama-Aramu awaphindanga afuna ukusiza abakwa-Amoni.
