USamyela Wesibili
10 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ikosi yama-Amoni+ yahlongakala begodu indodanayo uRhanuni yaba yikosi esikhundleni sayo.+ 2 Yeke uDavida wathi: “Ngizokuthanda uRhanuni indodana kaNarhatjhi njengombana uyise angithanda.” Nje-ke uDavida wathumela iinsebenzi zakhe bona ziyomtjhiriya ngokuhlongakalelwa nguyise. Kodwana iinsebenzi zakaDavida nazifika enarheni yama-Amoni, 3 amakhosana wama-Amoni athi kuRhanuni ikosawo: “Ucabanga bona uDavida uhlonipha uyihlo ngokuthumela abantu bazokutjhiriya? Kghani uDavida akakathumeli iinsebenzi zakhe kuwe bona zizokufunisisa ngedorobho bezilihlole khona azaliketula?” 4 Nje-ke uRhanuni wathatha iinsebenzi zakaDavida, warhuna isiquntu seendevu zazo,+ wasika izambatho zazo ngaphezu kwamadini kwavela amahlalwazo emtarini begodu wazilisa zakhamba. 5 UDavida nakabikelwa ngalokho, wathumela abantu khonokho bona bayozihlangabeza ngombana iinsebenzi zakhe bezirhubutjheke khulu; ikosi yathi kizo: “Hlalani eJerikho+ bekukhule iindevu zenu, ngemva kwalokho nibuye.”
6 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ama-Amoni abona ukuthi sekaliphunga elimbi kuDavida, yeke ama-Amoni athumela begodu aqatjha amaSiriya weBhethe-Rerhobu+ namaSiriya weTsoba,+ amasotja akhamba ngeenyawo azii-20 000; ikosi yeMaka+ nabantu abayi-1 000; begodu e-Itjhitobu* abantu abazii-12 000.+ 7 Kuthe uDavida nakezwa ngalokho, wathumela uJowabi nalo loke ibutho neengorho zakhe ezinamandla khulu.+ 8 Ama-Amoni aphuma, ajama ngendlela ehlelekileko njengeenqhema zamasotja esangweni ledorobho, ngesikhatheso amaSiriya weTsoba neweRerhobu, i-Itjhitobu* neMaka bewawodwa emmangweni.
9 UJowabi nakabona ukuthi ipi iyamragelela ngaphambili nangemva, wakhetha amanye wamasotja aziinkutani kwa-Israyeli, wawajamisa ngendlela ehlelekileko njengeenqhema zamasotja bona aqalane namaSiriya.+ 10 Wabeka u-Abitjhayi+ umfowabo bona anqophise amanye amasotja, awajamise ngendlela ehlelekileko njengeenqhema zamasotja, aqalane nama-Amoni.+ 11 Ngemva kwalokho, wathi: “Nange amaSiriya aba namandla khulu kimi, kufuze uzongisindisa kodwana nange ama-Amoni aba namandla khulu kuwe, ngizokusindisa. 12 Kufuze siqine besibe nesibindi+ ngebanga labantu bekhethu nangebanga lamadorobho kaZimethu begodu uJehova uzokwenza okuhle emehlwenakhe.”+
13 Yeke uJowabi nabantu bakhe batjhidela bona bayokuhlangana namaSiriya epini kodwana abaleka phambi kwakhe.+ 14 Ama-Amoni nawabona ukuthi amaSiriya abalekile, nawo abaleka phambi kwaka-Abitjhayi, angena ngedorobheni. Ngemva kwepi le nama-Amoni, uJowabi wabuyela eJerusalema.
15 AmaSiriya nawabona ukuthi ahlulwe ma-Israyeli, azihlela kabutjha.+ 16 Yeke uHadadi-Ezeri+ wathumela bona kuyokubizwa amaSiriya asesifundeni soMlambo*+ begodu eza eRhelamu, arholwa nguTjhobaki induna yebutho lakaHadadi-Ezeri.
17 Kwathi uDavida nakabikelwa ngalokho, wabuthelela u-Israyeli woke khonokho bayama iJordani baya eRhelamu. AmaSiriya ajama ngendlela ehlelekileko njengeenqhema zamasotja bona ayokuqalana noDavida begodu alwe naye.+ 18 Kodwana amaSiriya abaleka phambi kwaka-Israyeli; uDavida wabulala abatjhayeli beenkarana abama-700 nabakhweli beenjomani bamaSiriya abazii-40 000, godu warhayila noTjhobaki induna yebutho lawo, owahlongakalela lapho.+ 19 Amakhosi woke, iinsebenzi zakaHadadi-Ezeri, nawabona ukuthi ahlulwe ngu-Israyeli, enza ukuthula no-Israyeli khonokho bese aba ziinsebenzi zakhe;+ kusukela mhlokho amaSiriya asaba ukusiza ama-Amoni.