1 Ukumkani uNahashe wama-Amon wahlasela idolophu iJabheshe ekummandla wamaGiliyadi, wayivingcela. Amadoda onke alapho eJabheshe athi kukumkani uNahashe: “Masenze umnqophiso woxolo. Siyavuma ukukuthobela.”
2 UNahashe uthe ukuphendula: “Loo mnqophiso ndiya kuwenza kuphela xa sivanayo ukuba ndikrolonqe iliso lasekunene kumntu ngamnye, khon' ukuze ndiwahlazise amaSirayeli.”
3 Athe ukuphendula amadoda amakhulu aseJabheshe: “Khawusiphe iintsuku zibe sixhenxe, sikhe sithumele izigidimi kulo lonke elakwaSirayeli kuqala. Ukuba akakho osihlangulayo, sozincama sinikezele.”
4 Ezo zigidimi zaya kugaleleka eGibheya kuloSawule. Zathi zakuziphalaza ezo ndaba, basitsho abantu isikhalo.
5 Wayesafika evela emasimini neenkabi zakhe uSawule. “Kwenzeke ntoni ebantwini? Sisijwili sani esi basenzayo?” NguSawule obuzayo. Abantu bamxelela ezo ndaba zazize nezigidimi zaseJabheshe.
6 Akuyiva loo nto uSawule wafikelwa nguMoya kaThixo ngamandla, wabila ngumsindo.
7 Wathatha iinkabi zambini, wazihlahla zayimibengo, wathi izigidimi maziyise kulo lonke elakwaSirayeli, zihambe ziyala abantu zisithi: “Umntu ongayiyo emfazweni kunye noSawule noSamweli iinkabi zakhe zoba yimibengo.”AmaSirayeli onganyelwa kukuhlonela uNdikhoyo, aphuma onke, akwasala nempunde le.
8 USawule wawaqokelela eBhezeki. Yayingamakhulu mathathu amawaka amadoda avela kwaSirayeli, namashumi mathathu amawaka amadoda avela kwaJuda.
9 Izigidimi ezivela eJabheshe kwathiwa mazigoduke nomyalezo othi: “Ze niwaxelele amawenu nithi: ‘Ngomso oku, ngemini emaqanda, nobe nihlangulwe.’ ” Bavuya kakhulu wakufika loo myalezo abantu baseJabheshe.
10 Bathumela kuma-Amon, bathi: “Siyanikezela ngomso, yaye ningenza unothanda ngathi.”
11 Kwangentseni ngengomso uSawule wawenza amabutho amathathu umkhosi wakhe. Wasuka indulumbane ukuphuma kwekhwezi, wawahlasela ama-Amon. Kuthe kwakuba yimini emaqanda baba sebewaxhaxhile. Aba ziintsali amadoda asindileyo, iyileyo izihambela yodwa.
12 Emva koko amadoda aya kuSamweli, afika athi: “Aphi laa madoda ayesithi: ‘Singaphathwa nguSawule na thina?’ Wakhuphe, siwacime igama!”
13 “Akuyi kubulawa mntu namhlanje, kuba olu lusuku uNdikhoyo ahlangule ngalo uSirayeli,” watsho uSawule.
14 USamweli yena uvakele esithi: “Yizani, makuyiwe eGiligali, sizinzise ubukumkani bukaSawule.”
15 Kwayiwa ke, baza apho, ngaphambi kukaNdikhoyo, bazinzisa ubukumkani bukaSawule. Kwenziwa amadini obudlelwane apho, uSawule namaSirayeli ephela bebhiyozela eso siganeko.