15 UJowabhi nomkhosi wakhe bamngqinga uShebha apho eAbhele-bhete-mahaka. Benza amanqwanqwa ngomhlaba okuqabela udonga lwangaphandle, bemba ngaphantsi kodonga, befuna ukuluwisa.
16 Kweso sixeko kwakukho umfazi owayehlakaniphile. Wamemeza engaphakathi, wathi: “Khawuphulaphule apha. Nceda undibizele uJowabhi; ndifuna ukuthetha naye.”
17 Efikile uJowabhi, wabuza loo mfazi wathi: “UnguJowabhi?”Wathi: “Ewe, ndinguye.”Umfazi lowo wathi kuye: “Khawuphulaphule ke, mhlekazi, oko isicakazana sakho sikuthethayo.”Yena wathi: “Ewe, qhuba, ndimamele.”
18 Umfazi lowo wathi: “Kudala kwakudla ngokuthiwa: ‘Yiya kwidolophu iAbhele, uye kuvisa khona.’ Yayisenziwa ke loo nto.
19 Le yidolophu exolileyo nethembekileyo kwaSirayeli; kutheni ke ngoku uyidiliza nje, utshabalalisa isixeko esingunozala kuSirayeli? Ngani ukuba ufune ukucima isixeko esililifa *likaNdikhoyo?”
20 Waphendula uJowabhi wathi: “Hayi, andingeke ndisidilize isixeko senu ndisicime.
21 Asiyiyo injongo yam leyo. Kukho umfo okuthiwa nguShebha, unyana kaBhikri wakweleentaba kwaEfrayim; nguye oqale olu dushe ngokuvukela ukumkani uDavide. Mkhupheni ngaphandle; ndosiyeka esi sixeko.”“Kulungile, intloko yakhe soyijula ngaphandle kodonga,” utshilo loo mfazi.