1Bonke abako-Israyeli baya kuDavida eHebhroni bafika bathi: “Thina siyinyama yakho legazi lakho.
2Esikhathini esedlulayo, lanxa uSawuli eseseyinkosi, wena nguwe owawukhokhela u-Israyeli emkhankasweni wezimpi. Njalo uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho wathi kuwe, ‘Wena uzakuba ngumelusi wabantu bami u-Israyeli, njalo uzakuba ngumbusi wabo.’ ”
3Kwathi abadala bonke bako-Israyeli sebefikile enkosini uDavida eHebhroni, wenza isivumelwano labo eHebhroni phambi kukaThixo, basebegcoba uDavida ukuba abe yinkosi ko-Israyeli, njengesithembiso sikaThixo asenza ngoSamuyeli.
4UDavida labo bonke abako-Israyeli baya eJerusalema (kusitsho iJebusi). AmaJebusi ayehlala khona
5athi kuDavida, “Kawuyikungena lapha.” Kodwa lanxa kunjalo, uDavida wayithumba inqaba yaseZiyoni, uMuzi kaDavida.
6UDavida wayethe, “Ozakhokhela ekuhlaseleni amaJebusi uzakuba nguMlawuli omkhulu wempi.” UJowabi indodana kaZeruya nguye owaqala ukuya khona, ngakho wazuza ubukhokheli.
7UDavida wasehlala enqabeni, yikho yathiwa ibizo lokuthi nguMuzi kaDavida.
8Wakha idolobho inxa zonke kusukela emadundulwini kuze kuyefinyelela emidulini ehonqolozeleyo, ngalesosikhathi uJowabi esakha evuselela umuzi.
9UDavida waqhubeka njalo esiba lamandla, ngoba uThixo uSomandla wayelaye.
10Lezi zinduna zamaqhawe kaDavida ezazimsekele ngokuqinileyo embusweni kanye laye wonke u-Israyeli, ukuba abe yinkosi, njengokuthembisa kukaThixo.
11Lolu yiluhlu lwalawo maqhawe kaDavida:
12Yena elandelwa ngu-Eliyazari indodana kaDodo umʼAhohi omunye wamaqhawe amathathu.
13WayeloDavida ePhasi Damimi, ekuhlomeni kwamaFilistiya elungiselela ukudibana empini. Endaweni ethile kwakulensimu yebhali, amabutho abaleka ebalekela amaFilistiya.
14Kodwa bona bema bajama phakathi kwensimu. Bayivikela bawabulala amaFilistiya, uThixo wabapha ukunqoba okukhulu.
15Izinduna ezintathu kwezingamatshumi amathathu zaya edwaleni kuDavida ebhalwini lwase-Adulami, ngalesosikhathi amanye amaFilistiya ayebuthene eSigodini saseRefayi.
16Ngalesosikhathi uDavida wayesenqabeni, iviyo lamabutho amaFilistiya laliseBhethilehema.
17UDavida womela amanzi wasesithi, “Oh, sengathi kungaba lomuntu ongangikhela amanzi okunatha emthonjeni oseduze lesango laseBhethilehema!”
18Ngakho abathathu laba badabula phakathi kweviyo lamaFilistiya bayakukha amanzi eduzane lesango laseBhethilehema bayawanika uDavida. Kodwa wala ukuwanatha, wakhetha ukuwathululela phambi kukaThixo.
19Wasesithi, “UNkulunkulu kangangivumeli ukukwenza lokhu! Kufanele yini ukuthi nginathe igazi lalababantu abanikele impilo yabo engozini bewaletha?” Ngoba babeka impilo zabo engozini bewaletha, uDavida kawanathanga.
20U-Abhishayi umfowabo kaJowabi wayeyinduna yabaThathu labo. Waphakamisela umkhonto wakhe phezu kwabangamakhulu amathathu, ababulalayo, ngakho waba lodumo njengabaThathu.
21Waba lodumo oluphindwe kabili phezu kwalaba abaThathu waze waba ngumlawuli wabo, loba engazange abe phakathi kwabo.
22UBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada wayeliqhawe elilesibindi laseKhabhizeli, elenza izenzo zobuqhawe obukhulu. Wabulala amaqhawe amaMowabi amabili ayezintshantshu ekulweni. Wake wangena emgodini wabulala isilwane mhla kulongqwaqwane.
23Wabulala umGibhithe owayemude okwezingalo eyisikhombisa njalo eqatha. Lanxa umGibhithe wayephethe umkhonto esandleni kwakungani uphethe umkhonto onjengogodo lomaluki, uBhenayiya waqondana laye ngenduku. Wahluthuna umkhonto esandleni somGibhithe wambulala ngawo umkhonto wakhe.
24Lezi zaziyizenzo zobuqhawe zikaBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada, laye futhi wayedume njengamaqhawe amathathu.
25Wayehlonitshwa kakhulu ukwedlula bonke abangamatshumi amathathu, kodwa wayengabalwa kanye labaThathu. UDavida wambeka ukuba abe ngumphathi wabalindi bakhe.
26Amaqhawe ayelamandla ayeyila:
27uShamothi umHarori,
28u-Ira indodana ka-Ikheshi waseThekhowa,
29uSibhekhayi umHushathi,
30uMaharayi umNethofathi,
31u-Ithayi indodana kaRibhayi owaseGibhiya koBhenjamini,
32uHurayi wasezindongeni zaseGashi,
33u-Azimavethi umBhaharumi,
34amadodana kaHashemi umGizoni,
35u-Ahiyamu indodana kaSakhari umHarari,
36uHeferi indodana kaMekherathi,
37uHeziro umKhameli,
38uJoweli umfowabo kaNathani,
39uZelekhi umʼAmoni,
40u-Ira umʼIthira,
41u-Uriya umHithi,
42lo-Adina indodana kaShiza owakoRubheni, owayeyinduna yakoRubheni, kanye labangamatshumi amathathu ababelaye,
43loHanani indodana kaMahakha,
44lo-Uziya umʼAshitherathi,
45loJediyeli indodana kaShimiri,
46lo-Eliyeli umʼMahavi,
47lo-Eliyeli, lo-Obhedi kanye loJasiyeli waseMezobha.