Eyesibili KaSamuweli
20 Kwakukhona umuntu owuhlupho okwakuthiwa nguSheba, + indodana kaBikri, umBhenjamini. Washaya uphondo + wathi: “Asinasabelo kuDavide, asinafa endodaneni kaJese. + O Israyeli, yilowo nalowo makaye konkulunkulu bakhe!” *+ 2 Ngenxa yalokho wonke amadoda akwa-Israyeli ayeka ukulandela uDavide alandela uSheba indodana kaBikri; + kodwa amadoda akwaJuda anamathela enkosini yawo, kusukela eJordani kuya eJerusalema. +
3 Lapho uDavide efika emzini* wakhe eJerusalema, + inkosi yathatha izancinza eziyishumi eyayizishiye ngemuva ukuba zinakekele umuzi, + yazifaka endlini yabeka onogada. Yayizinika ukudla, kodwa ayizange ilale nazo. + Zahlala zivalelwe kwaze kwaba usuku lokufa kwazo, zinjengabafelokazi nakuba zazinomyeni ophilayo.
4 Inkosi yayisithi ku-Amasa: + “Biza amadoda akwaJuda eze kimi zingakapheli izinsuku ezintathu, nawe kufanele ube khona.” 5 Ngakho u-Amasa wahamba wayoqoqa uJuda, kodwa wabuya sesidlulile isikhathi ayesibekelwe. 6 UDavide wathi ku-Abhishayi: + “USheba + indodana kaBikri angase abe yingozi kakhulu kithi kuno-Absalomu. + Thatha izinceku zenkosi yakho umjahe, ukuze angazitholeli amadolobha anezivikelo eziqinile bese ephunyuka.” 7 Ngakho izinsizwa zikaJowabe, + amaKhereti, amaPheleti + nawo wonke amadoda anamandla baphuma bamlandela; baphuma eJerusalema ukuze bajahe uSheba indodana kaBikri. 8 Lapho sebeseduze netshe elikhulu eliseGibheyoni, + kwafika u-Amasa + ezobahlangabeza. UJowabe wayegqoke izembatho zempi, egaxe inkemba okhalweni lwakhe isesikhwameni sayo. Lapho esondela, wawisa inkemba yakhe.
9 UJowabe wathi ku-Amasa: “Usaphila mfowethu?” Khona-ke uJowabe wabamba intshebe ka-Amasa ngesandla sakhe sokudla njengokungathi ufuna ukumqabula. 10 U-Amasa wayengayiqaphele inkemba eyayisesandleni sikaJowabe, ngakho uJowabe wamgwaza ngayo esiswini, + amathumbu akhe achithekela emhlabathini. Akudingekanga ukuba amphinde; ukumgwaza kanye kwakwanele ukuba ambulale. Ngemva kwalokho uJowabe no-Abhishayi umfowabo, bajaha uSheba indodana kaBikri.
11 Enye yezinsizwa zikaJowabe yama ngaku-Amasa yathi: “Noma ubani ongasohlangothini lukaJowabe nanoma ubani ongokaDavide, makalandele uJowabe!” 12 Phakathi naso sonke leso sikhathi u-Amasa wayepaquza egazini phakathi nomgwaqo. Lapho le nsizwa ibona ukuthi bonke abantu babema lapho befika ngakuye, yamsusa u-Amasa emgwaqweni yambeka esigangeni, ngemva kwalokho yaphonsa ingubo phezu kwakhe. 13 Lapho isimsusile emgwaqweni, wonke amadoda alandela uJowabe ukuze ajahe uSheba + indodana kaBikri.
14 USheba wadabula kuzo zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli waze wafika e-Abela laseBheti-mahakha. + AmaBikri abuthana ndawonye amlandela nawo angena kulelo dolobha.
15 UJowabe namadoda ayekanye naye* bafika bamvimbezela e-Abela laseBheti-mahakha, banqwabelanisa inhlabathi ngasodongeni lwedolobha ukuze balihlasele, njengoba lalizungezwe udonga. Wonke amadoda ayenoJowabe ayemba ngaphansi kodonga ukuze aluwise. 16 Owesifazane othile ohlakaniphile wamemeza esedolobheni wathi: “Lalelani, madoda, lalelani! Ngicela nithi kuJowabe, ‘Woza lapha ngikhulume nawe.’ ” 17 Ngakho wasondela kuye, owesifazane wathi: “Ingabe nguwena uJowabe?” UJowabe wathi: “Yebo yimina.” Owesifazane wathi kuye: “Lalela amazwi encekukazi yakho.” Yena wathi: “Ngilalele.” 18 Waqhubeka wathi: “Endulo babevame ukuthi, ‘Mabayobuza e-Abela,’ kanjalo izinkinga zabo zazixazululeka. 19 Ngimelela abanokuthula nabathembekile bakwa-Israyeli. Wena ufuna ukubhubhisa idolobha elinjengomama kwa-Israyeli. Kungani kufanele ushabalalise* ifa likaJehova?” + 20 UJowabe waphendula wathi: “Anginakulokotha ngilishabalalise noma ngiliqothule. 21 Akuyona neze inhloso yami leyo. Kunalokho, indoda okuthiwa nguSheba + yasezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi + indodana kaBikri, ivukele* iNkosi uDavide. Uma niyinikela leyo ndoda, yona yodwa nje, ngizoliyeka idolobha.” Owesifazane wathi kuJowabe: “Ikhanda layo lizophonswa kuwe ngaphandle kodonga!”
22 Ngaso leso sikhathi lona wesifazane ohlakaniphile waya kubo bonke abantu, balinquma ikhanda likaSheba indodana kaBikri baliphonsa kuJowabe. Ngemva kwalokho uJowabe washaya uphondo, base behlakazeka bahamba kulelo dolobha, ngamunye waya ekhaya; + uJowabe wabuyela eJerusalema enkosini.
23 UJowabe wayeyinduna yalo lonke ibutho lakwa-Israyeli; + uBhenaya + indodana kaJehoyada + wayengamele amaKhereti namaPheleti. + 24 U-Adoramu + wayengamele labo ababuthelwe ukwenza umsebenzi wenkosi; uJehoshafati + indodana ka-Ahiludi wayengumgcini-mibhalo. 25 USheva wayengunobhala; uZadoki + no-Abhiyathara + babengabapristi. 26 U-Ira umJayire naye waba yisikhulu esivelele* sikaDavide.