1 Kwathi emva kwalokho uNahashi inkosi yabantwana bakwa-Amoni wafa, indodana yakhe yaba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.
2 UDavide wathi: “Ngiyakumenzela umusa uHanuni, indodana kaNahashi, ngokuba uyise wangenzela umusa.” UDavide wayesethuma izithunywa ukumduduza ngoyise. Zafika-ke izinceku zikaDavide ezweni labantwana bakwa-Amoni kuHanuni ukumduduza.
3 Kepha izikhulu zabantwana bakwa-Amoni zathi kuHanuni: “Imbala ngokubona kwakho uthume abaduduzi kuwe ukuba atuse uyihlo na? Azifikanga yini izinceku zakhe kuwe ukuba ziphenye umuzi, ziwuchithe, ziwuhlole, na?”
4 UHanuni wayesebamba izinceku zikaDavide, waziphucula, wahina izingubo zazo phakathi, kwaze kwaba sezinqeni zazo, wazimukisa.
5 Bahamba, bamtshela uDavide ngalawo madoda. Wathuma ukuwahlangabeza, ngokuba ayenamahloni kakhulu lawo madoda. Yathi inkosi: “Hlalani eJeriko, zize zihlume izilevu zenu, bese nibuya.”
6 Abantwana bakwa-Amoni sebebone ukuthi bazenzile ukuba banengeke kuDavide, uHanuni nabantwana bakwa-Amoni bathuma amatalenta* ayinkulungwane esiliva ukuziqashela izinqola nabamahhashi e-Aramu Naharayimi, nase-Aramu Mahakha, naseSoba.
7 Base beziqashela izinqola eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu nambili kanye nenkosi yaseMahakha nabantu bayo abeza ukumisa ngaphambi kweMedeba. Abantwana bakwa-Amoni babuthana ndawonye bephuma emizini yabo; baya ukulwa.
8 UDavide esezwile lokho wamthuma uJowabe nempi yonke yamaqhawe.
9 Abantwana bakwa-Amoni baphuma, bahlela impi ngasesangweni lomuzi; kepha amakhosi ayefikile ayewodwa endle.
10 UJowabe esebona ukuthi impi ibhekene naye ngaphambili nangasemuva, wakhetha kwabakhethekileyo bonke bakwa-Israyeli, wabahlela ukuba balwe nama-Aramu;
11 abantu abaseleyo wababeka esandleni sika-Abishayi umfowabo, bazihlela ukulwa nabantwana bakwa-Amoni.
12 Wathi: “Uma ama-Aramu engahlula, uyakungisiza; kepha uma abantwana bakwa-Amoni bekwahlula, ngiyakukusiza.
13 Qinani, masiziqinise ngenxa yabantu bakithi nangenxa yemizi kaNkulunkulu wethu; uJehova makenze okuhle emehlweni akhe.”
14 UJowabe nabantu ababe naye base besondela kuwo ama-Aramu ukuba balwe; kepha abaleka phambi kwakhe.
15 Lapho abantwana bakwa-Amoni bebona ukuthi ama-Aramu abalekile, babaleka nabo phambi kuka-Abishayi umfowabo, bangena emzini; kepha uJowabe waya eJerusalema.
16 Ama-Aramu esebonile ukuthi anqotshiwe phambi kuka-Israyeli, athuma izithunywa, akhipha ama-Aramu ayephesheya koMfula* noShofaki induna yempi kaHadarezeri phambi kwawo.
17 UDavide watshelwa, wabutha wonke u-Israyeli, wawela iJordani, wawafikela, wahlela impi ukulwa nawo. UDavide esehlelile impi ukulwa nama-Aramu, alwa naye.
18 Ama-Aramu abaleka phambi kuka-Israyeli; uDavide wabulala kuma-Aramu izinqola eziyizinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa nemigundatshani eyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amane, wabulala noShofaki induna yempi.
19 Lapho izinceku zikaHadarezeri zibonile ukuthi zinqotshiwe phambi kuka-Israyeli, zenza ukuthula noDavide, zamkhonza; ama-Aramu awathandanga ukusiza abantwana bakwa-Amoni futhi.