1 Kwathi emva kwalokho inkosi yabantwana bakwa-Amoni yafa, uHanuni indodana yakhe waba yinkosi esikhundleni sayo.
2 UDavide wathi: “Ngiyakumenzela umusa uHanuni indodana kaNahashi, njengalokho uyise angenzela umusa.” UDavide wayesethuma ngesandla sezinceku zakhe ukumduduza ngoyise. Zafika-ke izinceku zikaDavide ezweni labantwana bakwa-Amoni.
3 Kepha izikhulu zabantwana bakwa-Amoni zathi kuHanuni inkosi yazo: “Imbala ngokubona kwakho uDavide uthume abaduduzi kuwe ukuba atuse uyihlo na? UDavide akazithumanga yini izinceku zakhe kuwe ukuba ziphenye umuzi, ziwuhlole, ziwuchithe, na?”
4 UHanuni wayesebamba izinceku zikaDavide, waphucula inxenye yezilevu zazo, wahina izingubo zazo phakathi kwaze kwaba sezinqeni zazo, wazimukisa.
5 Lapho sebemtshela uDavide lokho, wathumela ukuzihlangabeza, ngokuba ayenamahloni kakhulu lawo madoda. Yathi inkosi: “Hlalani eJeriko, zize zihlume izilevu zenu, bese nibuya.”
6 Abantwana bakwa-Amoni sebebone ukuthi banengekile kuDavide, abakwa-Amoni bathuma baqasha ama-Aramu aseBeti Rehobe nama-Aramu aseSoba, imigundatshani eyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili, nenkosi yaseMahakha inabantu abayinkulungwane, nabantu baseThobi beyizinkulungwane eziyishumi nambili.
7 UDavide esezwile lokho wamthuma uJowabe nempi yonke yamaqhawe.
8 Abantwana bakwa-Amoni baphuma, bahlela impi ngasesikhaleni sesango; ama-Aramu aseSoba naseRehobe, nabantu baseThobi, nabaseMahakha babebodwa endle.
9 Kepha uJowabe esebona ukuthi izimpondo zempi zimhaqile ngaphambili nangasemuva wakhetha kwabakhethekileyo bakwa-Israyeli, wabahlela ukuba balwe nama-Aramu;
10 abantu abaseleyo wababeka esandleni sika-Abishayi umfowabo, wabahlela ukuba balwe nabantwana bakwa-Amoni.
11 Wathi: “Uma ama-Aramu engahlula, uyakungisiza; kepha uma abantwana bakwa-Amoni bekwahlula, ngiyakufika ngikusize.
12 Qinani, masiziqinise ngenxa yabantu bakithi nangenxa yemizi kaNkulunkulu wethu; uJehova makenze okuhle emehlweni akhe.”
13 UJowabe nabantu ababe naye base besondela ukuba balwe nama-Aramu; kepha abaleka phambi kwakhe.
14 Lapho abantwana bakwa-Amoni bebona ukuthi ama-Aramu abalekile, babaleka nabo phambi kuka-Abishayi, bangena emzini. UJowabe wayesebuya kubantwana bakwa-Amoni, weza eJerusalema.
15 Ama-Aramu esebonile ukuthi anqotshiwe phambi kuka-Israyeli, abuthana ndawonye.
16 UHadadezeri wathuma wakhipha ama-Aramu ayephesheya koMfula;* afika eHelamu, uShobaki induna yempi kaHadadezeri ephambi kwawo.
17 UDavide watshelwa, wabutha wonke u-Israyeli, wawela iJordani, wafika eHelamu. Ama-Aramu azihlela ukuhlangabezana noDavide, alwa naye.
18 Ama-Aramu abaleka phambi kuka-Israyeli; uDavide wabulala kuma-Aramu izinqola ezingamakhulu ayisikhombisa nabamahhashi abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amane, wamshaya uShobaki induna yempi yabo, wafela khona lapho.
19 Lapho onke amakhosi ayeyizinceku zikaHadadezeri ebonile ukuthi anqotshiwe phambi kuka-Israyeli, enza ukuthula no-Israyeli, abakhonza. Ama-Aramu ayesesaba ukusiza abantwana bakwa-Amoni futhi.