16 Uqhube wathi: “Ke ngoko khawulezani nithumele kuDavide, nithi kuye: ‘Uze ungahlali phaya ngakumazibuko asentlango ngobu busuku. Welela ngaphesheya kweJordan, hleze ukumkani nabantu bonke abanaye bacinywe.’ ”
17 UJonatan kunye noAhimazi babehlala belinde kulaa mthombo wase-En-rogele, kuba bekungafuneki babonwe bengena esixekweni. Kwathunywa isicakazana, saya kubaxelela, baza bona baya kwazisa ukumkani uDavide.
18 Kodwa babhaqwa yinkwenkwana eyaya kuxelela uAbhasalom. Bakhawuleza ke bemka kuloo ndawo, baya kuzimela mzini wasemathileni eBhawurim. Kwakukho iqula ngakuloo mzi, baza ke baya kuhlala ngaphakathi kwalo.
19 Inkosikazi yalapho yathatha into, yaligquma ngayo, yaneka imbewu ngaphezulu, ukuze kungabikho bani urhanela nto.
20 Afika apho kuloo mzi amaphakathi ka-Abhasalom, athi kuloo mfazi: “Baphi ooAhimazi noJonatan?”Waphendula ngelithi loo mfazi: “Bagqithe apha, baya ngasemlanjeni.” Loo maphakathi afuna, afuna, ada ancama, abuyela kwaseJerusalem.
21 Akuba emkile loo madoda, baphuma kwelo qula ooAhimazi noJonatan, basa udaba ababeluthunyiwe kuDavide. Bamxelela ngeyelenqe lika-Ahitofele, batsho besithi: “Phakama ukhawuleze uwelele ngaphesheya komlambo.”
22 Bawela ke ooDavide namaphakathi, kwathi kusisa babe bengaphesheya kweJordan bonke.