1 Ngokuqhubeka kwesikhathi, u-Amnoni indodana kaDavida wathanda uThamari, owayemuhle, engudadewabo ka-Abhisalomu indodana kaDavida.

2 U-Amnoni wabindeka waze wagula ngenxa kadadewabo uThamari, ngoba wayeyintombi egcweleyo, njalo kwakukhanya kungeke kwenzeke ukuthi enze loba yini kuye.

3 U-Amnoni wayelomngane wakhe owayethiwa nguJehonadabi indodana kaShimeya, umfowabo kaDavida. UJehonadabi wayeliqili lendoda. 4 Wabuza u-Amnoni wathi, “Kungani wena, ndodana yenkosi, ukhanya uhlobile nsuku zonke ekuseni? Awungeke ungitshele na?”

U-Amnoni wathi kuye, “Ngiyamthanda uThamari, udadewabo ka-Abhisalomu umfowethu.”

5 UJehonadabi wathi, “Hamba uyelala uzenze ogulayo. Lapho uyihlo ezekubona, wothi kuye, ‘Ngifuna udadewethu uThamari azenginika ulutho lokudla. Ukudla lokho kazekulungisela emehlweni ami, ukuze ngimkhangele ngikudle kuvela esandleni sakhe.’ ”

6 Ngakho u-Amnoni walala phansi wazenza ogulayo. Kwathi inkosi isifikile ukuzambona, u-Amnoni wathi kuyo, “Ngicela udadewethu uThamari azengenzela isinkwa khonapha ukuze ngidle ngisamukela esandleni sakhe.”

7 UDavida wathumela ilizwi kuThamari endlini yobukhosi esithi: “Hamba endlini yomnewenu u-Amnoni umlungisele ukudla.” 8 Ngakho uThamari waya endlini kamnewabo u-Amnoni owayelele phansi. Wathatha inhlama wayivuba, wenza isinkwa khonapho.

9 Wasethatha ipane wamnika isinkwa, kodwa wala ukudla. U-Amnoni wasesithi, “Batshele baphume bonke abalapha.” Ngakho bonke baphuma bamtshiya. 10 U-Amnoni wasesithi kuThamari, “Letha ukudla lapha endlini yami yokulala ukuze ungifunze ngesandla sakho.” UThamari wathatha isinkwa ayesilungisile wasisa kumnewabo u-Amnoni endlini yakhe yokulala. 11 Kodwa esefike laso kuye ukuba adle, wamxhakala wathi, “Woza ulale lami, dadewethu.”

12 Yena wathi kuye, “Ungaqali, mnewethu! Ungangigebengi. Into enje akumelanga yenziwe ko-Israyeli! Ungenzi into le embi. 13 Mina-ke? Ngingalisusela ngaphi ihlazo lami? Wena-ke? Angithi ungafana lesinye seziphukuphuku ezixhwalileyo ko-Israyeli. Ake ukhulume lenkosi, kayisoze ingalele ukwendela kuwe.” 14 Kodwa u-Amnoni wala ukumlalela, kwathi njengoba wayelamandla kulaye, wamgebenga.

15 Emva kwalokho u-Amnoni wamzonda ngenzondo ebuhlungu kakhulu. Ngeqiniso wamzonda okudlula ukumthanda kwakhe. U-Amnoni wathi kuye, “Vuka uphume!”

16 Yena wathi, “Hatshi! Ukungixotsha kungaba yibubi obudlula lokhu osukwenze kimi.”

Kodwa wala ukumlalela. 17 Wabiza inceku eyayiqondane laye wathi, “Susa umfazi lo lapha, ukhiye umnyango ngemva kwakhe.” 18 Ngakho inceku yakhe yamkhuphela phandle yakhiya umnyango. Wayegqoke isigqoko esasiceciswe kakuhle, ngoba lolu yilo uhlobo lwesigqoko esasigqokwa ngamadodakazi enkosi ayezintombi ezigcweleyo. 19 UThamari wazithela ngomlotha ekhanda wadabula isigqoko esicecisiweyo ayesigqokile. Wathwala imikhono ekhanda wasuka, wahamba ekhala kakhulu.

20 Umnewabo u-Abhisalomu wathi kuye, “U-Amnoni lowo, umnewenu, kade elawe na? Zithulele dadewethu; ungumnewenu. Ungayibeki enhliziyweni yakho into le.” UThamari wahlala endlini kamnewabo u-Abhisalomu, engowesifazane ohlulukelweyo.

21 Inkosi uDavida esekuzwile konke lokhu wathukuthela kakhulu. 22 U-Abhisalomu kazange atsho lizwi ku-Amnoni, elihle loba elibi; wamzonda u-Amnoni ngoba wayehlazise udadewabo uThamari.

23 Emva kweminyaka emibili, lapho abagundi bezimvu zika-Abhisalomu babeseBhali Hazori phansi komngcele wako-Efrayimi, wanxusa wonke amadodana enkosi ukuba aye khonale. 24 U-Abhisalomu waya enkosini wathi, “Inceku yakho abagundi bayo bafikile. Kambe inkosi lezikhulu zayo ingahamba lami na?”

25 Inkosi yaphendula yathi, “Hatshi, ndodana yami. Akumelanga sonke sihambe; singaba ngumthwalo onzima kuwe.” Lanxa u-Abhisalomu wayincenga, yala ukuhamba, kodwa yena yamvumela.

26 U-Abhisalomu wasesithi, “Nxa kungenjalo, ake uvumele umfowethu u-Amnoni ahambe lathi.”

Inkosi yambuza yathi, “Kungani kumele ahambe lani?” 27 Kodwa u-Abhisalomu wayincenga, ngakho yavuma ukuba u-Amnoni ahambe laye kanye lamanye amadodana enkosi.

28 U-Abhisalomu walaya abantu bakhe wathi, “Lalelani! Nxa u-Amnoni esethabe kakhulu ngenxa yokunatha iwayini ngingathi kini, ‘Mbulaleni u-Amnoni!’ limbulale. Lingesabi. Kangiliphanga umlayo lo na? Qinani libe lesibindi.” 29 Ngakho abantu baka-Abhisalomu benza ku-Amnoni lokho u-Abhisalomu ayebalaye khona. Lapho-ke wonke amadodana enkosi asuka, agada imbongolo zawo abaleka.

30 Esesendleleni umbiko wafika kuDavida usithi, “U-Abhisalomu usewabulele wonke amadodana enkosi, akukho leyodwa eseleyo.” 31 Inkosi yasukuma, yadabula izigqoko zayo yalala phansi emhlabathini; izinceku zayo zonke zema khonapho iziqgoko zazo sezizidabulile.

32 Kodwa uJehonadabi indodana kaShimeya, umfowabo kaDavida, wathi, “Inkosi yami kayingacabangi ukuthi babulele wonke amakhosana, ngu-Amnoni kuphela ofileyo. Le yinhloso ka-Abhisalomu ebivele ikhona kusukela mhla u-Amnoni egebenga udadewabo uThamari. 33 Umhlekazi wami inkosi kayinganqineki ngombiko othi wonke amadodana enkosi afile. Ngu-Amnoni kuphela ofileyo.”

34 Ngalesosikhathi u-Abhisalomu wayesebalekile.

Kwathi umuntu owayelinda wabona abantu abanengi emgwaqweni ngasentshonalanga, besehla eceleni lentaba. Umlindi lowo wahamba wayabikela inkosi wathi, “Ngibona abantu ngokuya eHoronayimi, eceleni kwentaba.”

35 UJehonadabi wasesithi enkosini, “Khangela, amadodana enkosi asefikile; kwenzakale njengoba inceku yakho itshilo.”

36 Wathi eqeda ukukhuluma, amadodana enkosi angena ekhala kakhulu. Layo inkosi, kanye lezinceku zayo zonke bakhala kabuhlungu.

37 U-Abhisalomu wabaleka waya kuThalimayi indodana ka-Amihudi inkosi yaseGeshuri. Kodwa Inkosi uDavida walilela indodana yakhe insuku zonke.

38 Emva kokuba u-Abhisalomu esebaleke waya eGeshuri, wahlala khonale iminyaka emithathu. 39 Umoya wenkosi wafisa ukuya ku-Abhisalomu, ngoba yayisiduduzekile ngokufa kuka-Amnoni.

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