17 Kwaliwa kakhulu ngaloo mini. Wagxothwa uAbhinere namadoda akwaSirayeli phambi kwabakhonzi bakaDavide.
18 Babelapho bobathathu oonyana bakaTseruya: uYowabhi, noAbhishayi, noAsaheli. Ke uAsaheli waye enamendu, enjengebhadi lasendle.
19 UAsaheli wamsukela uAbhinere; akathi gu bucala aye ngasekunene nangasekhohlo emva koAbhinere.
20 Wabheka uAbhinere, wathi, ÙnguAsaheli na? Wathi yena, Ndinguye.
21 Wathi uAbhinere kuye, Tyekela ngasekunene kwakho, nokuba kungasekhohlo kwakho, ubambe enye kumadodana, uzithabathele isikrweqe sayo.
22 Ke uAsaheli akavuma ukutyeka ekumlandeleni. Wabuya waphinda wathi uAbhinere kuAsaheli, Tyeka ekundilandeleni; yini na ukuba ndide ndikubethe, uwe emhlabeni? Ndothini na ukubuphakamisa ubuso bam kuYowabhi, umkhuluwa wakho?
23 Akavuma ukutyeka. UAbhinere wamtsho ngoluthi lwentshuntshe esiswini; yaya kuphuma intshuntshe ngasemva. Wawa khona, wafela kuloo ndawo. Bathi bonke abafika kuloo ndawo wàwa wafela kuyo uAsaheli, bee nqumama.