‏ 2 Samuel 2

UDavida Ugcotshwa Ukuba Yinkosi YakoJuda

1Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uDavida wabuza uThixo wathi, “Ngingaya yini kwelinye lamadolobho akoJuda na?”

UThixo wathi, “Hamba.”

UDavida wabuza wathi, “Ngiye ngaphi na?”

UThixo waphendula wathi, “EHebhroni.”

2Ngakho uDavida waya khonale labafazi bakhe ababili, u-Ahinowama waseJezerili lo-Abhigeli, umfelokazi kaNabhali waseKhameli. 3UDavida wathatha amadoda ayelaye, leyo laleyo labendlu yayo, bayahlala eHebhroni lasemizini yakhona. 4Ngakho abantu bakoJuda bafika eHebhroni bamgcobela khona uDavida ukuba yinkosi yendlu kaJuda.

Kwathi uDavida esetsheliwe ukuthi abantu baseJabheshi Giliyadi yibo ababengcwabe uSawuli, 5wathuma izithunywa ebantwini baseJabheshi Giliyadi ukuba bayekuthi kubo, “UThixo kalibusise ngokubonakalisa umusa lo kuSawuli inkosi yenu ngokumgcwaba. 6Sengathi khathesi uThixo angalitshengisa umusa lokwethembeka, njalo lami futhi ngizalitshengisa lona lolothando ngoba lenze lokhu. 7Khathesi-ke qinani libe lesibindi, ngoba uSawuli inkosi yenu usefile, njalo indlu yakoJuda isigcobe mina ukuba yinkosi yabo.”

Impi Phakathi Kwendlu KaDavida LekaSawuli

8Ngalesisikhathi, u-Abhineri indodana kaNeri, umlawuli webutho likaSawuli, wayethethe u-Ishi-Bhoshethi indodana kaSawuli wamletha ngaseMahanayimi. 9Wamenza waba yinkosi yaseGiliyadi, e-Ashuri kanye leJezerili, eyako-Efrayimi, lakoBhenjamini kanye lo-Israyeli wonke.

10U-Ishi-Bhoshethi indodana kaSawuli waba yinkosi yako-Israyeli eleminyaka engamatshumi amane ubudala bakhe, njalo wabusa iminyaka emibili. Kodwa indlu kaJuda yalandela uDavida. 11Isikhathi uDavida eyinkosi yendlu yakoJuda eHebhroni saba yiminyaka eyisikhombisa lezinyanga eziyisithupha.

12U-Abhineri indodana kaNeri, ekanye labantu baka-Ishi-Bhoshethi indodana kaSawuli, basuka eMahanayimi baya eGibhiyoni. 13UJowabi indodana kaZeruya kanye labantu bakaDavida baphuma bayahlangana labo echibini laseGibhiyoni. Elinye ixuku lahlala phansi ngakwelinye icele lechibi kwathi elinye lalo ixuku lahlala ngakwelinye icele.

14U-Abhineri wasesithi kuJowabi, “Ezinye zezinsizwa kazisukume zilwe mathupha phambi kwethu.”

UJowabi wathi, “Kulungile, kazikwenze lokho.”

15Ngakho zasukuma zabalwa, abantu abalitshumi lambili bakoBhenjamini ngaku-Ishi-Bhoshethi indodana kaSawuli letshumi lambili abakoDavida. 16Indoda ngayinye yabamba lowo eyayisilwa laye ngekhanda yatshonisa inkemba yayo emhlubulweni walowo eyayisilwa laye, bawela phansi bonke. Ngakho indawo leyo eGibhiyoni yathiwa yiHelikhathi Hazurimi.

17Impi ngalolosuku yayinzima, njalo u-Abhineri labantu bako-Israyeli behlulwa ngabantu bakaDavida.

18Amadodana amathathu kaZeruya ayekhona: uJowabi, lo-Abhishayi kanye lo-Asaheli. U-Asaheli wayelejubane njengomziki. 19Waxotshana lo-Abhineri, engaphambukeli kwesokudla loba kwesenxele lapho emxhuma. 20U-Abhineri wakhangela emuva kwakhe wabuza wathi, “Kanti nguwe, Asaheli?”

Yena waphendula wathi, “Yimi.”

21U-Abhineri wasesithi kuye, “Phambukela eceleni kwesokudla loba kwesenxele; ubambe enye yezinsizwa uyithathele izikhali zayo.” Kodwa u-Asaheli kayekelanga ukuxotshana laye.

22U-Abhineri wamxwayisa futhi wathi, “Yekela ukuxotshana lami. Kungani kumele ngikulahle phansi na? Ngingamkhangela njani ebusweni umfowethu uJowabi na?”

23Kodwa u-Asaheli wala ukuyekela ukuxotshana laye; ngakho u-Abhineri wamgwaza esiswini ngomcijo womkhonto wakhe, umkhonto waze wayathutsha emhlane wakhe. Wawela khonapho, wafela khonapho. Amadoda afika ema nxa efika endaweni lapho u-Asaheli ayewe wafela kuyo.

24Kodwa uJowabi lo-Abhishayi baxotshana lo-Abhineri, kwathi ilanga selitshona bafika eqaqeni lwase-Ama, eduzane leGiya endleleni yenkangala yaseGibhiyoni. 25Lapho-ke abantu bakoBhenjamini bema ngemva kuka-Abhineri. Benza ixuku bayajama phezu koqaqa.

26U-Abhineri wabiza uJowabi wathi, “Kanti inkemba sekumele idle kokuphela na? Kawuboni ukuthi kuzaphetha kabuhlungu na? Koze kube nini phambi kokuba ulaye abantu bakho ukuba bayekele ukuxotshana labafowabo na?”

27UJowabi waphendula wathi, “Ngeqiniso njengoba uNkulunkulu ekhona, aluba kawukhulumanga, amadoda la abezaxotshana labafowabo kuze kube sekuseni.”

28Ngakho uJowabi watshaya icilongo, bonke abantu bakhe basebesima, kabasaxotshananga lo-Israyeli, kumbe babuye balwe futhi.

29Ngalobobusuku bonke u-Abhineri labantu bakhe bahamba badabula i-Arabha. Bachapha iJodani, baqhubeka bedabula iBhethironi yonke baze bayafika eMahanayimi.

30UJowabi waphenduka ekuxotshaneni lo-Abhineri wasebuthanisa abantu bakhe bonke. Ngaphandle kuka-Asaheli abantu bakaDavida abalitshumi lasificamunwemunye batholakala bengekho. 31Kodwa abantu bakaDavida babebulele abakoBhenjamini ababelo-Abhineri abangamakhulu amathathu lamatshumi ayisithupha. 32Bathatha u-Asaheli bayamngcwaba ethuneni likayise eBhethilehema. Emva kwalokho uJowabi labantu bakhe bahamba ubusuku bonke bafika eHebhroni emadabukakusa.