5 Ukumkani wabayalela ooJowabhi noAbhishayi kunye noItayi, wathi: “Nize nindincede niyiphathe kakuhle laa ntwana inguAbhasalom.” Loo myalelo kaDavide awayewubhekisa kwiinjengele weviwa ngawo onke amadoda omkhosi.
6 Wenjenjeya umkhosi kaDavide ukuya kuqubisana namaSirayeli endle ngakwihlathi lakwaEfrayim, zanqoza.
7 AmaSirayeli oyiswa ngumkhosi kaDavide. Abethwa kakubi, kwasala apho edabini amawaka angamashumi amabini.
8 Idabi layigqiba yonke loo ndawo, uninzi lwafela ehlathini, lwangaphezulu kwabo babefele edabini.
9 UAbhasalom wagaxeleka phakathi kweqela lamadoda kaDavide. Wayekhwele embongolweni. Kuthe xa ithubeleza ngaphantsi kom-oki omkhulu, wabambeka ngentloko kuloo masebe omthi. Yabaleka yemka imbongolo, wasala yena ejinga emoyeni.
10 Wabonwa ngumfo othile owaxelela uJowabhi wathi: “UAbhasalom ndimbone ejinga emthini wom-oki.”
11 Uthe uJowabhi kuloo ndoda: “Xa umbonileyo kutheni ukuze ungambulali kwangoko nje? Mna bendiya kukuhlawula ngeshumi leesiliva, ndikuthi jize ngomxhaka ngaphezu koko.”