Eyesibili EkaSamuyeli 20:1-26
20 Kulomuntu owayeluhlupho okwakuthiwa nguShebha,+ indodana kaBhikhiri umBhenjamini. Watshaya uphondo+ wathi: “Bantu bako-Israyeli, asilasabelo kuDavida futhi akulalifa esizalithola endodaneni kaJese!+ Ngakho lonke buyelani kubonkulunkulu benu.”*+
2 Wonke amadoda ako-Israyeli amtshiya uDavida alandela uShebha indodana kaBhikhiri.+ Kodwa wonke amadoda akoJuda kusukela emfuleni uJodani kuze kuyefika eJerusalema+ kawazange ayitshiye inkosi yawo.
3 UDavida wathi efika endlini yakhe* eJerusalema,+ wathatha abafazi bakhe beceleni abalitshumi ayebatshiye bekhangele umuzi wakhe,+ wayabafaka endlini eyayilindwa. Waqhubeka ebanakekela kodwa kazange alale labo.+ Bahlala endlini leyo eyayilindwa baze bafa. Babengathi ngabafelokazi lanxa umkabo wayesaphila.
4 Inkosi yathi ku-Amasa:+ “Biza amadoda akoJuda abuye kimi kungakedluli amalanga amathathu futhi lawe kumele ubekhona.”
5 U-Amasa wahamba wayabiza abantu bakoJuda kodwa isikhathi ayesiphiwe sedlula elokhu engakaphenduki.
6 Yikho uDavida wathi ku-Abhishayi:+ “UShebha+ indodana kaBhikhiri angasidalela umonakalo owedlula owenziwa ngu-Abhisalomu.+ Ngakho thatha izinceku zenkosi yakho limxotshanise ukuze angacini esiyangena kwelinye lamadolobho avikelweyo sehluleke ukumbamba.”
7 Yikho-ke amadoda ayeloJowabi,+ lamaKherethi, lamaPhelethi+ lawo wonke amaqhawe asuka eJerusalema ayaxotshanisa uShebha indodana kaBhikhiri.
8 Bathi sebeseduze lelitshe elikhulu laseGibhiyoni+ kwafika u-Amasa+ ezobahlangabeza. UJowabi wayegqoke izembatho zakhe zempi futhi inkemba yakhe yayisekhalweni ihlonywe esikhwameni sayo. Wathi esondela ku-Amasa inkemba yaphuma esikhwameni yawa.
9 UJowabi wathi ku-Amasa: “Unjani mfowethu?” Wasembamba indevu ngesandla sokudla angathi ufuna ukumqabuza.
10 U-Amasa kazange azihluphe ngenkemba eyayisesandleni sikaJowabi. UJowabi wamgwaza esiswini+ amathumbu aphuma awela phansi. Wamgwaza kanye kuphela, kazange amphinde. Ngemva kwalokhu uJowabi lomfowabo u-Abhishayi baxotshanisa uShebha indodana kaBhikhiri.
11 Elinye ijaha elalihamba loJowabi lama eduze kuka-Amasa lathi: “Loba ngubani osekela uJowabi futhi ongokaDavida kalandele uJowabi!”
12 U-Amasa yena wayelele phansi emgwaqweni egiqika egazini lakhe. Ijaha elalihamba loJowabi lathi libona ukuthi wonke umuntu wayefika ame, lasusa u-Amasa emgwaqweni lamusa egangeni. Lamvala ngesembatho ngoba lananzelela ukuthi wonke umuntu wayefika ame lapho ayekhona.
13 Lathi selimsusile emgwaqweni, wonke amadoda alandela uJowabi axotshanisa uShebha+ indodana kaBhikhiri.
14 UShebha wadabula phakathi kwezizwana zonke zako-Israyeli wayafika e-Abheli yaseBhethi-mahakha.+ Labanye abendlu kaBhikhiri baqoqana bamlandela.
15 UJowabi lamadoda ayelawo bafika bavimbezela uShebha e-Abheli yaseBhethi-mahakha. Benza amadundulu ukuze bahlasele idolobho njengoba laligonjolozelwe ngumbundu. Wonke amadoda ayeloJowabi agebha umduli efuna ukuwudiliza.
16 Omunye owesifazana wamemeza esemdulini wedolobho wathi: “Zwanini lina madoda! Ngicela litshele uJowabi ukuthi asondele lapha ngikhulume laye.”
17 Ngakho uJowabi wasondela, owesifazana wasesithi: “Nguwe uJowabi?” Yena waphendula wathi: “Ye yimi.” Owesifazana waqhubeka wathi: “Lalela amazwi encekukazi yakho.” UJowabi wasesithi: “Ngilalele.”
18 Owesifazana wathi: “Kudala babejayele ukuthi, ‘Nxa abantu belohlupho abafuna lulungiswe, kabayebuza e-Abheli.’
19 Mina ngimele abantu bako-Israyeli abalokuthula futhi abathembekileyo. Kungani ufuna ukudiliza idolobho elinjengomama ko-Israyeli? Kambe usungaze utshabalalise ilifa likaJehova?”+
20 UJowabi waphendula wathi: “Ngeke ngenze into enjalo, angisoze ngilidilize idolobho leli.
21 Ayisikho lokho engifuna ukukwenza. Kulendoda okuthiwa nguShebha,+ indodana kaBhikhiri evela elizweni lezintaba lako-Efrayimi+ evukele iNkosi uDavida. Nxa lingamnikela kithi sizayekela ukuhlasela idolobho.” Owesifazana waphendula uJowabi wathi: “Kulungile. Ikhanda lakhe lizaphoswa phandle komduli.”
22 Owesifazana ohlakaniphileyo wahle waya ebantwini bonke, baquma ikhanda likaShebha indodana kaBhikhiri baliphosela uJowabi. UJowabi wasetshaya uphondo, amadoda ayelaye ahle asuka edolobheni lelo aya emizini yawo.+ UJowabi yena wabuyela enkosini eJerusalema.
23 UJowabi wayeyinduna yebutho lonke lako-Israyeli.+ UBhenaya+ indodana kaJehoyada+ yena wayekhangela amaKherethi lamaPhelethi.+
24 U-Adoramu+ wayekhangela labo ababebuthwa ukuthi bazosebenzela inkosi. UJehoshafathi+ indodana ka-Ahiludi yena wayebhalela inkosi konke okwakusenzakala.
25 USheva wayengunobhala, uZadokhi+ lo-Abhiyatha+ bengabaphristi.
26 U-Ira umJayiri laye wayelesikhundla esikhulu embusweni kaDavida.
