1 Kwathi uDavida esehambe ibanga elifitshane ngale kwenqongo, wabona uZibha, isikhonzi sikaMefibhoshethi, elindele ukumhlangabeza, elodwendwe lwabobabhemi ababotshelwe izihlalo bethwele izinkwa ezingamakhulu amabili, ikhulu lamakhekhe ezithelo ezonyisiweyo, ikhulu lamakhekhe omkhiwa kanye lomgodla wewayini.

2 Inkosi yabuza uZibha yathi, “Ukuletheleni lokhu na?”

UZibha waphendula wathi, “Obabhemi ngabendlu yenkosi ukuba bagade, izinkwa lezithelo ngokwabantu ukuba badle, iwayini ngelokuqaqabula labo abaphela amandla enkangala.”

3 Inkosi yasibuza yathi, “Indodana yendodana yenkosi yakho ingaphi na?”

UZibha wathi kuyo, “Ihlezi eJerusalema, ngoba icabanga ithi, ‘Lamhla indlu ka-Israyeli izangibuyisela umbuso kababamkhulu.’ ”

4 Inkosi yasisithi kuZibha, “Konke okwakungokuka Mefibhoshethi khathesi sekungokwakho.”

UZibha wathi, “Ngikhothama ngokuzithoba. Sengathi ngingathola umusa emehlweni akho mhlekazi wami, nkosi.”

5 Kwathi Inkosi uDavida efika eBhahurimi, umuntu wosendo lunye labendlu kaSawuli, waphuma evela lapho. Ibizo lakhe lalinguShimeyi indodana kaGera, njalo waphuma esethuka. 6 Wajikijela uDavida lezikhulu zonke zenkosi ngamatshe, lanxa amabutho wonke labalindi abakhethiweyo babengakwesokudla lakwesokhohlo kukaDavida. 7 Ekuthukeni kwakhe uShimeyi wathi, “Phuma, phuma, wena wegazi, wena sixhwali! 8 UThixo usephindisele kuwe ngenxa yegazi lonke owalichithayo kwabendlu kaSawuli, wena osubusa esikhundleni sakhe. UThixo umbuso usewunike indodana yakho u-Abhisalomu. Wena usudilikile ngoba ungumuntu wegazi!”

9 Lapho-ke u-Abhishayi indodana kaZeruya wathi enkosini, “Kungani inja efileyo le ithuka inkosi yami? Ngivumelani ngiyequma ikhanda layo.”

10 Kodwa inkosi yathi, “Kuyini okulihlanganisa lami, lina madodana kaZeruya? Nxa ethuka ngenxa yokuthi uThixo uthe kuye, ‘Mthuke uDavida,’ ngubani ongabuza ukuthi, ‘Lokhu ukwenzelani na?’ ”

11 UDavida wasesithi ku-Abhishayi lakuzo zonke izikhulu zakhe, “Indodana yami, eyinyama yami, izama ukungibulala. Pho umBhenjamini lo-ke! Myekeleni enjalo; yekelani athuke, ngoba uThixo umtshele ukuba enze njalo. 12 Engxenye uThixo uzalubona usizi lwami angibuyisele okuhle ngenxa yokuthukwa engikwenziwayo lamhla.”

13 Ngakho uDavida labantu bonke waqhubeka elandela umgwaqo uShimeyi yena ehamba eyame intaba maqondana laye, ehamba elokhu ethuka njalo emjikijela ngamatshe emthela langengcekeza. 14 Inkosi labantu bayo bafika lapho ababesiya khona sebediniwe. Kulapho abaphumula khona.

15 Ngalesosikhathi, u-Abhisalomu labantu bonke bako-Israyeli bafika eJerusalema, lo-Ahithofeli wayelaye. 16 Lapho-ke uHushayi umʼArikhi, umngane kaDavida, waya ku-Abhisalomu wathi kuye, “Impilo ende nkosi! Impilo ende nkosi!”

17 U-Abhisalomu wabuza uHushayi wathi, “Lolu yilo uthando olutshengisa umngane wakho na? Kungani ungahambanga lomngane wakho na?”

18 UHushayi wathi ku-Abhisalomu, “Hayi, lowo okhethwe nguThixo, langabantu laba, labantu bonke bako-Israyeli ngizakuba ngowakhe, njalo ngizahlala laye. 19 Phezu kwalokho, ngubani engingamkhonza na? Akumelanga ngikhonze indodana na? Njengoba ngakhonza uyihlo, kanjalo ngizakukhonza.”

20 U-Abhisalomu wasesithi ku-Ahithofeli, “Ake useluleke. Kuyini esingakwenza na?”

21 U-Ahithofeli waphendula wathi, “Lala labafazi bakayihlo abaseceleni abatshiya belinde isigodlo. Lapho-ke u-Israyeli wonke uzakuzwa ukuthi wena usuzenze waba liphunga elibi emakhaleni kayihlo, njalo izandla zabantu bonke abalawe zizaqiniswa.” 22 Ngakho u-Abhisalomu bamisela ithente phezu kophahla lwendlu, walala labafazi bakayise beceleni u-Israyeli wonke ekhangele.

23 Ngalezonsuku iseluleko sika-Ahithofeli, sasifana lesalowo obuze uNkulunkulu. Lokho kwaba yiyo indlela uDavida lo-Abhisalomu abakhangela ngayo zonke izeluleko zika-Ahithofeli.

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