Eyesibili EkaSamuyeli
10 Ngemva kwesikhathi inkosi yama-Amoni+ yafa, indodana yayo uHanuni yasisiba yinkosi esikhundleni sayo.+ 2 UDavida wathi: “Ngizakuba lothando oluqotho kuHanuni indodana kaNahashi ngoba uyise waba lothando oluqotho kimi.” Ngakho wathuma izinceku zakhe ukuthi ziyemduduza njengoba wayefelwe nguyise. Kodwa izinceku zikaDavida zathi zifika elizweni lama-Amoni, 3 izinduna zama-Amoni zathi kuHanuni inkosi yazo: “Ubona angani uDavida uthume abantu ukuthi bazokududuza ngenxa yokuthi uhlonipha uyihlo yini? Ubathume ukuthi bazohlola idolobho, badingisise konke okwenzakala kulo ukuze alihlasele alinqobe.” 4 Ngakho uHanuni wathatha amadoda ayethunywe nguDavida wawagela indevu+ nganxanye kwesilevu, wasika lezigqoko zawo ngemuva, izihlalo zawo zasala zisegcekeni wasewayekela ahamba. 5 INkosi uDavida yathi ikuzwa lokho yahle yathuma abantu ukuthi bayehlangabeza amadoda lawo ngoba ayeyangiswe kakhulu. Yathi kuwo: “Hlalani eJerikho+ indevu zenu zize zikhule beselibuya.”
6 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ama-Amoni ananzelela ukuthi uDavida wayesewazonda. Yikho asuka ayabhadala amaSiriya aseBhethi-rehobhi+ lawaseZobha,+ aphiwa amabutho angu-20 000. Abhadala lenkosi yeMahakha+ aphiwa angu-1 000, futhi e-Ishithobi* aphiwa angu-12 000.+ 7 UDavida wathi ekuzwa lokhu wathuma uJowabi lebutho lonke kanye lamaqhawe akhe ayewathembile.+ 8 Ama-Amoni aphuma ayakuma egedini ledolobho elungele ukulwa. AmaSiriya aseZobha leRehobhi lamabutho e-Ishithobi* leMahakha wona ayewodwa emagcekeni egangeni.
9 UJowabi wathi ebona ukuthi amabutho esitha ayethutsha emuva laphambili, wakhetha amanye amadoda ako-Israyeli ayeyazi kuhle impi, wawahlela kuhle ukuze ayedibana lamabutho eSiriya.+ 10 Wabeka umfowabo u-Abhishayi+ ukuthi akhokhele wonke amanye amadoda ayesele, awahlele ukuze ayedibana lama-Amoni+ empini. 11 Wathi: “Nxa amaSiriya esengikhulela kumele ubuye uzongincedisa njalo nxa ama-Amoni esekukhulela, lami ngizabuya ngizokuncedisa. 12 Kumele siqine futhi sibe lesibindi+ silwele abantu bakithi lamadolobho kaNkulunkulu wethu. UJehova yena uzakwenza lokho akubona kukuhle.”+
13 UJowabi lamadoda ayelaye basuka bayadibana lamaSiriya, amaSiriya ambalekela.+ 14 Ama-Amoni athi ebona ukuthi amaSiriya asebalekile, lawo abalekela u-Abhishayi ayangena edolobheni. Ngemva kokulwa lama-Amoni, uJowabi wabuyela eJerusalema.
15 AmaSiriya athi ebona ukuthi anqotshwe ngabako-Israyeli aphinda aqoqana futhi.+ 16 UHadadezeri+ wabiza amaSiriya ayesesabelweni semfuleni,*+ abuya eHelamu ekhokhelwa nguShobhakhi induna yebutho likaHadadezeri.
17 UDavida wathi ekuzwa lokhu wahle waqoqa wonke amabutho ako-Israyeli wachapha uJodani waya eHelamu. AmaSiriya ahlela amabutho awo ayakulwa loDavida.+ 18 Kodwa anqotshwa awabalekela ama-Israyeli. UDavida wabulala abagadi bezinqola abangu-700 lamasotsha angu-40 000 ayegade amabhiza, wabulala loShobhakhi induna yebutho labo.+ 19 Wonke amakhosi ayezinceku zikaHadadezeri athi ebona ukuthi asenqotshwe ngabako-Israyeli, ahle enza ukuthula labo aba ngaphansi kwabo.+ Kusukela lapho amaSiriya ayesesesaba ukuncedisa ama-Amoni.