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.
22 Wabuyela kubemi balapho necebo lakhe, bamnqumla intloko uShebha, bayijula ngaphandle kodonga kuJowabhi. Wasivuthela isigodlo, amadoda akhe ayeka ukusihlasela isixeko, agoduka. Wenjenjeya noJowabhi ukubuyela kukumkani eJerusalem.
23 Umphathi-mkhosi wakwaSirayeli yayinguJowabhi. Abalindi bakakumkani uDavide abangamaKreti namaPleti umphathi wabo yayinguBhenaya unyana kaJoyada.