17 Bamthatha u-Abisalomu, bamlahla emgodini omkhulu ehlathini, babeka phezu kwakhe inqwaba enkulu kakhulu yamatshe; bonke abakwa-Israyeli, kwaba yilowo nalowo, babalekela ematendeni abo.
18 U-Abisalomu esekhona wayethathe insika, wazimisela yona esiGodini seNkosi, ngokuba wathi: “Anginandodana yokukhumbuzela igama lami.” Wayiqamba insika ngegama lakhe; ithiwa isikhumbuzo sika-Abisalomu kuze kube namuhla.
19 U-Ahimahasi indodana kaSadoki wayesethi: “Ake ngigijime, ngiyibikele inkosi ukuthi uJehova uyiphindisele ezitheni zayo.”
20 UJowabe wathi kuye: “Awuyikuba ngumbiki wendaba namuhla, kepha uyakubika ngolunye usuku; namuhla awuyikubika lutho, ngokuba indodana yenkosi ifile.”
21 Wayesethi uJowabe kumKushe: “Hamba, uyitshele inkosi okubonileyo.” UmKushe wamkhothamela uJowabe, wagijima.
22 U-Ahimahasi indodana kaSadoki wabuye wathi kuJowabe: “Noma kanjani, ake ngigijime nami, ngimlandele umKushe.”Kepha uJowabe wathi: “Uyakugijimelani wena mntanami, lokhu kungekho mvuzo wombiko kuwe, na?”
23 Wathi: “Noma kanjani, ake ngigijime.”Wathi kuye: “Gijima.” Wayesegijima u-Ahimahasi ngendlela yasethafeni, wamdlula umKushe.