1 Kwathi u-Ishi-Bhoshethi indodana kaSawuli esezwile ukuthi u-Abhineri wayefile eHebhroni, wahedezela, lo-Israyeli wonke wathithibala. 2 Indodana kaSawuli yayilabantu ababili ababezinduna zamaqembu okuhlasela. Omunye wayethiwa nguBhana omunye enguRekhabi; babengamadodana kaRimoni umBherothi owesizwana sakoBhenjamini, iBherothi ithathwa njengengxenye yakoBhenjamini, 3 ngoba abantu baseBherothi babalekela eGithayimi njalo sebahlala khona njengezizwe kuze kube lamhla.

4 (UJonathani indodana kaSawuli wayelendodana eyayiqhula inyawo zombili. Yayileminyaka emihlanu ubudala bayo ekufikeni kombiko ngoSawuli loJonathani uvela eJezerili. Umlizane wayo wayiphakamisa wabaleka, kodwa wathi ephanga ukusuka yawela phansi yagogeka. Ibizo layo lalinguMefibhoshethi.)

5 Ngalesosikhathi uRekhabi loBhana, amadodana kaRimoni umBherothi, basuka baya endlini ka-Ishi-Bhoshethi, bafika khona emini enkulu ilanga livutha yena ephumula okwemini. 6 Baya phakathi kakhulu kwendlu kungathi bayathatha amabele, basebemgwaza esiswini. Emva kwalokho uRekhabi loBhana bathi nyelele bahamba.

7 Babengene endlini yena elele embhedeni ekamelweni lakhe lokulala. Emva kokuba sebemgwaze bambulala, baquma ikhanda lakhe. Balithatha, bahamba ubusuku bonke ngendlela yase-Arabha. 8 Ikhanda lika-Ishi-Bhoshethi balisa kuDavida eHebhroni bathi enkosini, “Nanti ikhanda lika-Ishi-Bhoshethi indodana kaSawuli, isitha sakho, esazama ukukubulala. Ngalolusuku uThixo umphindiselele umhlekazi wami inkosi kuSawuli lenzalo yakhe.”

9 UDavida waphendula uRekhabi lomfowabo uBhana, amadodana kaRimoni umBherothi wathi, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ukhona, yena ongihlenge kuzozonke inhlupheko, 10 kwathi umuntu engitshela ukuthi, ‘USawuli usefile,’ ecabanga ukuthi wayeletha umbiko omuhle ngamxhakalaza ngambulala eZikhilagi. Lowo waba ngumvuzo engamupha wona ngenxa yalowombiko! 11 Pho kudlula ngokungakanani nxa abantu ababi bebulele umuntu omsulwa endlini engeyakhe njalo embhedeni ongowakhe, ngingalithonisi yini khathesi igazi lakhe ezandleni zenu ngilisuse emhlabeni na!”

12 Ngakho uDavida walaya abantu bakhe, bababulala. Baquma izandla zabo lezinyawo, balengisa izidumbu phansi kwechibi eHebhroni. Kodwa bathatha ikhanda lika-Ishi-Bhoshethi bayalingcwaba ethuneni lika-Abhineri eHebhroni.

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