1 Zonke izizwana zako-Israyeli zaya kuDavida eHebhroni zathi, “Thina siyinyama yakho legazi lakho. 2 Esikhathini esedlulayo, uSawuli eseseyinkosi yethu, wena nguwe owawukhokhela u-Israyeli emkhankasweni wakhe wezimpi. LoThixo wathi kuwe, ‘Wena uzakuba ngumelusi wabantu bami u-Israyeli, njalo uzakuba ngumbusi wabo.’ ”

3 Kwathi abadala bonke bako-Israyeli sebefikile enkosini uDavida eHebhroni, inkosi yenza isivumelwano labo eHebhroni phambi kukaThixo, basebegcoba uDavida ukuba abe yinkosi ko-Israyeli.

4 UDavida waba yinkosi eleminyaka engamatshumi amathathu, wabusa iminyaka engamatshumi amane. 5 EHebhroni wabusa uJuda iminyaka eyisikhombisa lezinyanga eziyisithupha, kwathi eJerusalema wabusa u-Israyeli wonke loJuda iminyaka engamatshumi amathathu lantathu.

6 Inkosi labantu bayo baya eJerusalema ukuyahlasela amaJebusi ayehlala khona. AmaJebusi athi kuDavida, “Kawuyikungena lapha; leziphofu labaqhulayo bangakuvimba.” Acabanga athi, “UDavida angeke angene lapha.” 7 Kodwa uDavida wayithumba inqaba yaseZiyoni, uMuzi kaDavida.

8 Ngalolosuku uDavida wathi, “Lowo onqoba amaJebusi kuzamele asebenzise umgelo wamanzi ukuba afinyelele ‘abaqhulayo leziphofu’ labo abayizitha zikaDavida.” Yikho-nje besithi, “Iziphofu labaqhulayo” kabayikungena esigodlweni.

9 UDavida wasehlala enqabeni waseyibiza ngokuthi nguMuzi kaDavida. Wakha enhlangothini zonke zayo kusukela emadundulwini ayelapho kusiya phakathi. 10 Waqhubeka njalo esiba lamandla ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu uSomandla wayelaye.

11 Ngalesosikhathi uHiramu inkosi yaseThire wathuma izithunywa kuDavida zilezigodo zemisedari lababazi bamapulanka kanye lababazi bamatshe, bakhela uDavida isigodlo. 12 UDavida wakwazi ukuthi uThixo wayembekile ukuba abe yinkosi yako-Israyeli wawuphakamisa lombuso wakhe ngenxa yabantu bakhe u-Israyeli.

13 Esesukile eHebhroni uDavida wathatha abanye abafazi beceleni kanye labafazi eJerusalema, kwazalwa amanye amadodana lamadodakazi futhi. 14 Nanka amabizo abantwana abazalelwa khona: uShamuwa, uShobabi, uNathani, uSolomoni, 15 u-Ibhari, u-Elishuwa, uNefegi, uJafiya, 16 u-Elishama, u-Eliyada kanye lo-Elifelethi.

17 Kwathi amaFilistiya esezwe ukuthi uDavida wayegcotshwe ukuba yinkosi yako-Israyeli wonke aphuma ehlome ephelele esiyamdinga, kodwa uDavida wakuzwa lokho wasesehlela enqabeni. 18 AmaFilistiya ayesefikile njalo esegcwele eSigodini saseRefayi, 19 ngakho uDavida wabuza uThixo wathi, “Ngingayawahlasela amaFilistiya na? Uzawanikela kimi na?”

UThixo wamphendula wathi, “Hamba, ngoba impela amaFilistiya ngizawanikela kuwe.”

20 Ngakho uDavida waya eBhali Pherazimi, lapho awehlula khona. Wathi, “Njengamanzi efohla, uThixo ufohlele ezitheni zami phambi kwami.” Ngakho leyondawo yasibizwa ngokuthi yiBhali Pherazimi. 21 AmaFilistiya abaleka atshiya izithombe zawo khonapho, uDavida labantu bakhe bazithatha bahamba lazo.

22 AmaFilistiya aphinda njalo abuya, agcwala eSigodini saseRefayi; 23 ngakho uDavida wabuza uThixo, yena waphendula wathi, “Ungayi uqondile, kodwa bhoda ngemva kwawo uwahlasele maqondana lezihlahla zebhalisamu. 24 Kuzakuthi lapho usizwa izisinde zabahambayo ezihlahleni zebhalisamu, uqhubeke ngokuphangisa, ngoba lokho kuzakutsho ukuthi uThixo usehambe phambi kwakho ukuyahlasela amabutho amaFilistiya.” 25 Ngakho uDavida wenza njengokulaywa kwakhe nguThixo, njalo amaFilistiya wawacakazela phansi umango wonke kusukela eGibhiyoni kusiya eGezeri.

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