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.”
22 Owesifazane wayeseya ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe kubantu bonke. Bamnquma uSheba indodana kaBikri ikhanda, baliphonsa kuJowabe. Yena wabetha icilongo, bahlakazeka kulowo muzi, baya, kwaba yilowo nalowo etendeni lakhe. UJowabe wabuyela eJerusalema enkosini.