USamyela Wesibili
16 Kwathi uDavida nasele adlule kancani esiqongolweni,+ uTsiba,+ umsizi kaMefi-Bhotjheti+ bekalapho azomhlangabeza, anabodumbana ababili ababotjhelweko, abathwele uburotho obuma-200, amakhekhe wamadiribe omisiweko ali-100, amakhekhe weenthelo zehlobo* ali-100 nomjeka omkhulu wewayini.+ 2 Yeke ikosi yathi kuTsiba: “Kubayini ulethe izintwezi?” UTsiba waphendula wathi: “Abodumbana ngebomndeni wekosi bona ukhambe ngabo, uburotho namakhekhe weenthelo zehlobo ngezamasokana bona adle begodu iwayini ngelalabo abadinwako emmangweni bona basele.”+ 3 Ikosi yathi: “Alo iphi indodana yekosakho?”*+ UTsiba wathi ekosini: “Isele eJerusalema ngombana ithe, ‘Namhlanjesi indlu ka-Israyeli izokubuyisela ubukhosi bakababa kimi.’”+ 4 Ikosi yathi kuTsiba: “Qala! Koke ebekungekwakaMefi-Bhotjheti sekungekwakho.”+ UTsiba waphendula wathi: “Ngikhothama phambi kwakho. Kwanga ikosami ingaba nomusa esisebenzini sayo.”+
5 Kwathi iKosi uDavida nayifika eBharhurimu, kwaphuma indoda yomndeni wendlu kaSawula ekuthiwa nguTjhimeyi,+ indodana kaGera, ithukana njengombana itjhidela.+ 6 Beyiphosa uDavida nazo zoke iinsebenzi zeKosi uDavida ngamatje, kunye nabantu boke neengorho ebezingesidleni nangesinceleni sakhe. 7 UTjhimeyi bekathukana athi: “Phuma uphele, phuma uphele, wena ndoda enomlandu weengazi! Indoda engazisiko le! 8 UJehova ubuyisele phezu kwakho woke umlandu weengazi zendlu kaSawula, obuse njengekosi esikhundleni sakhe kodwana uJehova unikela ubukhosi esandleni saka-Absalomu indodanakho. Nje wena wehlelwe yihlekelele ngombana uyindoda enomlandu weengazi!”+
9 U-Abitjhayi indodana kaTseruya+ wathi ekosini: “Kubayini inja efileko+ le kufanele ithuke ikosami?+ Ngibawa ungivumele ngiyamele ngale, ngiqunte ihlokwayo.”+ 10 Kodwana ikosi yathi: “Ningenaphi nina endabeni le, madodana kaTseruya?+ Mliseni angithuke,+ ngombana uJehova uthe kuye,+ ‘Thuka uDavida!’ Alo ngubani okufuze athi kuye, ‘Ukwenzelani lokhu?’” 11 UDavida wathi ku-Abitjhayi neesebenzini zakhe zoke: “Indodanami, eyinyama neengazi zami, ifuna ukungibulala,+ kangangani-ke ngomBhenjamini+ lo! Mliseni angithuke ngombana utjelwe nguJehova bona angithuke! 12 Mhlamunye uJehova uzawubona umtlhagwami+ begodu uJehova uzongibuyisela okuhle kuneenhlamba engithukwa ngazo namhlanjesi.”+ 13 Yeke uDavida nabantu bakhe baraga nokwehla ngendlela, kukulapho uTjhimeyi akhamba magega nentaba alinganisene naye, athukana, atjhiya alilibeleko,+ aphosa amatje nehlabathi enengi.
14 Ngemva kwesikhathi eside, ikosi nabo boke abantu ebebanayo bafika badiniwe endaweni ebebaya kiyo, yeke baphumula lapho.
15 Kusesenjalo, u-Absalomu nabo boke abantu bakwa-Israyeli bafika eJerusalema begodu u-Arhitofeli+ bekanaye. 16 Kwathi uRhutjhayi+ umAriki,+ umngani* kaDavida nakangena ngaku-Absalomu, wathi ku-Absalomu: “Bayede Ndabezitha!+ Bayede Ndabezitha!” 17 Nakezwa lokho, u-Absalomu wathi kuRhutjhayi: “Lithando* onalo ngomnganakho leli? Kubayini ungakakhambi nomnganakho?” 18 Yeke uRhutjhayi wathi ku-Absalomu: “Awa, mina ngingehlangothini laloyo okhethwe nguJehova, babantwaba nabantu boke bakwa-Israyeli. Ngizokuhlala naye. 19 Godu ngithi, Ngizokusebenzela bani? Kghani akukafuzi ngisebenzele indodanakhe? Njengombana ngasebenzela uyihlo, nawe ngizokusebenzela.”+
20 Ngemva kwalokho, u-Absalomu wathi ku-Arhitofeli: “Ngibawa iseluleko sakho.+ Senzeni?” 21 Yeke u-Arhitofeli wathi ku-Absalomu: “Lala namakhohlo kayihlo,+ lawo awatjhiye bona atlhogomele indlu.*+ Ngalokho woke u-Israyeli uzokuzwa ukuthi uzenze isivunda kuyihlo begodu abasekeli bakho bazokuqina.” 22 Yeke bahlomela u-Absalomu itende phezu kwephahla,+ u-Absalomu waya emabhayini namakhohlo kayise+ phambi kwaka-Israyeli woke.+
23 Emihleni leyo iseluleko ebesinikelwa ngu-Arhitofeli+ besiqalwa njengelizwi lakaZimu weqiniso. Ngileyo indlela zoke iinluleko zaka-Arhitofeli ebezihlonitjhwa ngayo nguDavida no-Absalomu.