15 Bafika bamvimbezela e-Abela laseBeti Mahakha, banqwabela iduli ngasemzini elema ngasodongeni; abantu bonke ababe noJowabe babhidliza ugange ukuba luwe.
16 Kwase kumemeza owesifazane ohlakaniphileyo esemzini, wathi: “Zwanini! Zwanini! Ake nithi kuJowabe: ‘Sondela lapho ukuba ngikhulume nawe.’ ”
17 Wasondela kuye; owesifazane wayesethi: “Wena unguJowabe na?”Wathi: “Nginguye.”Wayesethi kuye: “Yizwa amazwi encekukazi yakho.”Wathi: “Ngiyezwa.”
18 Wathi-ke: “Endulo babevama ukukhuluma ngokuthi: ‘Kuyakubuzwa nokubuzwa e-Abela.’ Base beqeda.
19 Mina ngingowokuthula nothembekileyo kwa-Israyeli; wena ufuna ukuchitha umuzi nonina kwa-Israyeli; uyakuligwinyelani ifa likaJehova na?”
20 UJowabe waphendula wathi: “Makube kude, makube kude nami ukuba ngigwinye noma ngichithe.
21 Akunjalo, kepha umuntu wasezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, nguSheba indodana kaBikri igama lakhe, uphakamisele isandla sakhe ngasenkosini, kuDavide; nginikeni yena kuphela, khona ngiyakusuka emzini.”Wayesethi owesifazane kuJowabe: “Bheka, ikhanda lakhe liyakuphonswa kuwe ngaphandle kogange.”