3 Abantu bangena emzini ngalolo suku ngokunyenya njengabantu abanamahloni benyenya, bebalekela impi.
4 Inkosi yamboza ubuso bayo, inkosi yakhala ngezwi elikhulu, yathi: “Hhawu, ndodana yami Abisalomu, Abisalomu, ndodana yami, ndodana yami!”
5 UJowabe wangena endlini enkosini, wathi: “Udumazile namuhla ubuso bazo zonke izinceku zakho ezisindisile ukuphila kwakho namuhla, nokuphila kwamadodana akho namadodakazi akho, nokuphila kwabafazi bakho, nokuphila kwezancinza zakho
6 ngokubathanda abakuzondayo nangokubazonda abakuthandayo. Ngokuba umemezele namuhla ukuthi izikhulu nezinceku azilutho kuwe, lokhu ngibona namuhla ukuthi uma ebephilile u-Abisalomu thina sonke besifile namuhla, ngabe kulungile emehlweni akho.
7 Ngalokho suka, ukhulume kahle ezincekwini zakho, ngokuba ngifunga uJehova ngithi, uma ungaphumi, akuyikusala muntu kuwe ngalobu busuku; lokhu kuyakuba kubi kuwe kunakho konke okubi okukwehlele kwasebusheni bakho kuze kube namuhla.”
8 Yayisisuka inkosi, yahlala esangweni. Kwathiwa kubo bonke abantu: “Bhekani, inkosi ihlezi esangweni.” Base befika abantu bonke phambi kwenkosi. Kepha abakwa-Israyeli babebalekele, kwaba yilowo nalowo etendeni lakhe.
9 Bonke abantu babephikisana ezizweni zonke zakwa-Israyeli, bethi: “Inkosi yasophula esandleni sezitha zethu, yasikhulula esandleni samaFilisti; manje isibalekile ezweni, imbalekele u-Abisalomu.