Eyokuqala EyemiLando
19 Ngemva kwesikhathi uNahashi inkosi yama-Amoni wafa, indodana yakhe yasisiba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.+ 2 UDavida wathi: “Ngizakuba lothando oluqotho+ kuHanuni indodana kaNahashi ngoba uyise waba lothando oluqotho kimi.” Ngakho wathuma izinceku zakhe ukuthi ziyemduduza njengoba wayefelwe nguyise. Kodwa izinceku zikaDavida zathi zifika elizweni lama-Amoni+ zisiyaduduza uHanuni, 3 izinduna zama-Amoni zathi kuHanuni: “Ubona angani uDavida uthume abantu ukuthi bazokududuza ngenxa yokuthi uhlonipha uyihlo yini? Ubathume ukuthi bazohlolisisa lokuthi badingisise konke okwenzakala elizweni ukuze akuhlasele akunqobe.” 4 Ngakho uHanuni wathatha amadoda ayethunywe nguDavida wawagela indevu,+ wasika izigqoko zawo ngemuva, izihlalo zawo zasala zisegcekeni wasewayekela ahamba. 5 INkosi uDavida yathi ikuzwa lokhu yahle yathuma abantu ukuthi bayewahlangabeza ngoba ayeyangiswe kakhulu. Yathi kuwo: “Hlalani eJerikho+ indevu zenu zize zikhule beselibuya.”
6 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ama-Amoni ananzelela ukuthi uDavida wayesewazonda. Yikho uHanuni lama-Amoni bathumela amathalenta* esiliva angu-1 000 eMesophothamiya,* le-Aramu-mahakha, leZobha+ ukuze baqhatshe izinqola zempi labagadi bamabhiza. 7 Baqhatsha inkosi yeMahakha labantu bayo kanye lezinqola zempi ezingu-32 000. Basebesuka bayamisa inkamba yabo duze leMedebha.+ Ama-Amoni aphuma emadolobheni awo aqoqana ezokulwa impi.
8 UDavida wathi ekuzwa lokhu wathuma uJowabi+ lebutho lonke kanye lamaqhawe akhe ayewathembile.+ 9 Ama-Amoni aphuma ayakuma egedini ledolobho elungele ukulwa. Amakhosi ayebuyile wona ayewodwa emagcekeni egangeni.
10 UJowabi wathi ebona ukuthi amabutho esitha ayethutsha emuva laphambili, wakhetha amanye amadoda ako-Israyeli ayeyazi kuhle impi, wawahlela kuhle ukuze ayedibana lamabutho eSiriya.+ 11 Wabeka umfowabo u-Abhishayi+ ukuthi akhokhele wonke amanye amadoda ayesele, awahlele ukuze ayedibana lama-Amoni empini. 12 Wathi: “Nxa amaSiriya+ esengikhulela kumele ubuye uzongincedisa njalo nxa ama-Amoni esekukhulela, lami ngizabuya ngizokuncedisa. 13 Kumele siqine futhi sibe lesibindi+ silwele abantu bakithi lamadolobho kaNkulunkulu wethu. UJehova yena uzakwenza lokho akubona kukuhle.”
14 UJowabi lamadoda ayelaye basuka bayadibana lamaSiriya, amaSiriya ambalekela.+ 15 Ama-Amoni athi ebona ukuthi amaSiriya asebalekile, lawo abalekela u-Abhishayi umfowabo kaJowabi ayangena edolobheni. Ngemva kwalokho uJowabi wabuyela eJerusalema.
16 AmaSiriya athi ebona ukuthi anqotshwe ngabako-Israyeli athuma izithunywa ukuthi ziyebiza amaSiriya ayesesabelweni semfuleni.*+ AmaSiriya lawa ayekhokhelwa nguShofaki induna yebutho likaHadadezeri.+
17 UDavida wathi ekuzwa lokhu wahle waqoqa wonke amabutho ako-Israyeli wachapha uJodani wabalanda. Wahlela amabutho akhe ukuthi ayedibana lamaSiriya. AmaSiriya abuya alwa laye+ 18 kodwa anqotshwa ababalekela abako-Israyeli. UDavida wabulala abagadi bezinqola abangu-7 000 lamanye amasotsha eSiriya angu-40 000, wabulala loShofaki induna yebutho. 19 Izinceku zikaHadadezeri zathi zibona ukuthi sezinqotshwe ngabako-Israyeli,+ zahle zenza ukuthula loDavida zaba ngaphansi kwakhe.+ AmaSiriya ayengasafuni ukuphinda ancedise ama-Amoni.