24 UDavide wayehlezi emkhathini wamasango omabili; umlindi wakhuphukela ophahleni lwesango ngasogangeni, waphakamisa amehlo akhe, wabheka, nanguya umuntu egijima eyedwa.
25 Umlindi wamemeza, wayitshela inkosi. Yathi inkosi: “Uma eyedwa, unombiko emlonyeni wakhe.” Wayelokhu esondela njalo.
26 Umlindi wayesebona omunye umuntu egijima; umlindi wabiza umlindisango, wathi: “Bheka, omunye umuntu ugijima eyedwa.”Inkosi yathi: “Naye uletha umbiko.”
27 Umlindi wayesethi: “Ngibona kungathi ukugijima kowokuqala kunjengokugijima kuka-Ahimahasi indodana kaSadoki.”Yathi inkosi: “Ngumuntu omuhle yena; uletha umbiko omuhle.”
28 Wayesememeza u-Ahimahasi, wathi enkosini: “Bayede!” Wakhothama phambi kwenkosi ebhekise phansi ubuso bakhe, wathi: “Makabongwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, onikele abantu abaphakamisela isandla sabo enkosini yami, inkosi.”
29 Inkosi yathi: “Isahlezi kahle insizwa u-Abisalomu na?”U-Ahimahasi wathi: “Ngabona isixuku sabantu, lapho uJowabe inceku yenkosi ethuma inceku yakho, kepha angazanga ukuthi kuyini.”
30 Inkosi yathi: “Gudluka, ume lapho.” Wagudluka, wema.