1 Wathi uDavide esand' ukuthi tyishi nje eyishiya incopho, wagagana noZibha iphakathi likaMefibhoshete. Wayeqhuba iidonki ezimbini zibotshiwe zithwele amakhulu amabini ezonka, nekhulu lezikhinkci zeerasentyisi, nekhulu lezikhinkci zeziqhamo ezisand' ukukhiwa, kunye nemvaba ezele yiwayini.
2 Ukumkani wambuza uZibha wathi: “Wenza ntoni ngezi zinto?”Lithe elikaZibha: “Ezi donki ndizizise ukuze usapho lukakumkani lukhwele kuzo. Izonka kunye neziqhamo ndiziphathele amadoda kakumkani ukuze azixhase ngazo, athobe nangewayini xa aziva ephelelwe entlango.”
3 Uqhube wathi ukumkani: “Uphi uMefibhoshete, umzukulwana kaSawule, inkosi yakho?”UZibha wathi: “Usele eJerusalem. Kaloku uthi: ‘Namhlanje indlu kaSirayeli iza kububuyisela kum ubukhosi bukabawo-mkhulu uSawule.’ ”
4 Waqokela wathi ukumkani kuZibha: “Iza kuba yeyakho yonke into ebikade iyeyikaMefibhoshete.”UZibha wathi: “Ndohlala ndisisicaka sakho, mhlekazi; bendinga ndingasoloko ndisenzelwa inceba nguwe.”
5 Uthe ukumkani uDavide akuya kufika eBhawurim, kwavela uShimeyi, unyana kaGera, owayezalana noSawule, eze kumhlangabeza, emthuka wonke lo gama aya kuye.
6 UShimeyi usuke wagxoga uDavide ngamatye, ekunye naloo maphakathi akhe, engqongwe macala ngamadoda omkhosi nabalindi bakhe.
7 Wayemthuka esithi: “Mka apha; hamba sigebengandini setshijolo!
8 *UNdikhoyo uya kukubuyekeza ngenxa yegazi lendlu kaSawule othe wena waba ngukumkani esikhundleni sakhe. Ubukhosi uNdikhoyo ubunike uAbhasalom unyana wakho. Hayi ke, sigebengandini, isikhuni sibuye nomkhwezeli!”
9 Kwavela uAbhishayi owayezalwa nguZeruya, wathi kukumkani: “Mhlekazi, uyamyeka lo mfi wenja akuthuke wena kumkani? Ndiyeke mna ndiye kumnqumla intloko.”
10 Ukumkani wathi: “Ayifuni nina le nto, bonyana bakaZeruya. Ukuba undithuka ngokuthunywa nguNdikhoyo, ngubani onegunya lokuthi kuye: ‘Uyenzela ntoni le nto?’ ”
11 Uqhube wathi uDavide, ebhekisa kuAbhishayi nakumaphakathi akhe onke: “Ingunyana wam ozelwe ndim nje lo ufuna ukundibulala, nothuswa yintoni kule nto yenziwa ngulo mBhenjamin? NguNdikhoyo othe makandithuke; myekeni ke andithuke.
12 UNdikhoyo angahle ayibone le ntlupheko ndikuyo, andithamsanqele endaweni yesiqalekiso salo mntu.”
13 Bahamba indlela yabo ke ooDavide. Wahamba ngaphezu kwenduli leyo uShimeyi eshwabula, egxoga ngamatye, eqhumisa uthuli.
14 Ukufika kukakumkani neqela lakhe eJordan babesebefile kukudinwa, bakha baphumla apho.
15 Wagaleleka eJerusalem uAbhasalom, ehamba namaSirayeli onke, kukho noAhitofele.
16 Wathi uHushayi umArki, umhlobo othembekileyo kaDavide, akuthi thu uAbhasalom, wakhahlela esithi: “Huntshu-u-u! Khul' ud' ukhokhobe, kumkani!”
17 UAbhasalom wathi kuHushayi: “Tyhini, yindlela obonakalisa ukuthembeka kwakho kumhlobo wakho uDavide le! Kutheni ungahambanga naye nje?”
18 UHushayi wathi kuAbhasalom: “Ndingayenza njani into enjalo? Mna ndingakwicala lalowo utyunjwe *nguNdikhoyo nangabantu nangamaSirayeli ephela. Ndiza kuhamba nawe.
19 Kakade ke ndingathoba phantsi kukabani xa ingenguye unyana wenkosi? Ndiza kuthoba phantsi kwakho ngoku njengoko bendisenza kuyihlo.”
20 Ubuzile ke kuAhitofele uAbhasalom wathi: “Ucebisa ntoni ke? Ngaba masithini?”
21 UAhitofele wathi kuAbhasalom: “Yiya kungena kumaqadi kayihlo, lawa awagcinise ibhotwe. Ngaloo ndlela indlu yonke kaSirayeli iya kuqonda ukuba uzinukisile kuyihlo, babe nesibindi ke ngoko abakulandelayo.”
22 Kwamiswa intente phezu kophahla lwebhotwe, waza uAbhasalom wawangena amaqadi kayise ejongwe ngamaSirayeli onke.
23 Icebo lika-Ahitofele lalithathwa njengelizwi elivela kuThixo ngenkqu. Lalingadli ngakuwa phantsi kuDavide, kanti nakuAbhasalom kwakukwanjalo.