Yokuthoma YeenKronike
19 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uNarhatjhi ikosi yama-Amoni wahlongakala begodu indodanakhe yaba yikosi esikhundleni sakhe.+ 2 Yeke uDavida wathi: “Ngizokuthanda+ uRhanuni indodana kaNarhatjhi njengombana uyise angithanda.” Nje-ke uDavida wathumela iinthunywa bona ziyomtjhiriya ngokuhlongakalelwa nguyise. Kodwana iinsebenzi zakaDavida nazifika enarheni yama-Amoni+ bona zitjhiriye uRhanuni, 3 amakhosana wama-Amoni athi kuRhanuni: “Ucabanga bona uDavida uhlonipha uyihlo ngokuthumela abantu bazokutjhiriya? Kghani akakathumeli iinsebenzi zakhe kuwe bona zizokufunisisa, zihlole inarha begodu akuketule?” 4 Nje-ke uRhanuni wathatha iinsebenzi zakaDavida wazirhuna iindevu,+ wasika izambatho zazo ngaphezu kwamadini kwavela amahlalwazo begodu wazilisa zakhamba. 5 UDavida nakabikelwa ngokwehlakalele amadoda la, wathumela abanye khonokho bona bayowahlangabeza ngombana amadoda la bewarhubutjheke khulu; ikosi yathi kiwo: “Hlalani eJerikho+ bekukhule iindevu zenu, ngemva kwalokho nibuye.”
6 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi ama-Amoni abona ukuthi sekaliphunga elimbi kuDavida, yeke uRhanuni nama-Amoni bathumela amatalende* wesiliva ayi-1 000 bayokuqatjha ngawo iinkarana nabakhweli beenjomani beMesopotamiya,* be-Aramu-Maka nebeTsoba.+ 7 Nje-ke baqatjha iinkarana ezizii-32 000 nekosi yeMaka nabantu bayo. Ngemva kwalokho beza bakampa phambi kweMedeba.+ Ama-Amoni abuthana ndawonye avela emadorobhenawo begodu aphuma eza epini.
8 Kuthe uDavida nakezwa ngalokho, wathumela uJowabi+ nalo loke ibutho neengorho zakhe ezinamandla khulu.+ 9 Ama-Amoni aphuma, ajama ngendlela ehlelekileko njengeenqhema zamasotja esangweni ledorobho. Ngesikhatheso amakhosi ebewezile bewawodwa emmangweni.
10 UJowabi nakabona ukuthi ipi iyamragelela ngaphambili nangemva, wakhetha amanye wamasotja aziinkutani kwa-Israyeli wawajamisa ngendlela ehlelekileko njengeenqhema zamasotja bona aqalane namaSiriya.+ 11 Wabeka u-Abitjhayi umfowabo bona anqophise amanye amasotja,+ awajamise ngendlela ehlelekileko njengeenqhema zamasotja, aqalane nama-Amoni. 12 Ngemva kwalokho, wathi: “Nange amaSiriya+ aba namandla khulu kimi, kufuze uzongisindisa kodwana nange ama-Amoni aba namandla khulu kuwe, ngizokusindisa. 13 Kufuze siqine besibe nesibindi+ ngebanga labantu bekhethu nangebanga lamadorobho kaZimethu begodu uJehova uzokwenza okuhle emehlwenakhe.”
14 Yeke uJowabi nabantu bakhe batjhidela bona bayokuhlangana namaSiriya epini kodwana abaleka phambi kwakhe.+ 15 Ama-Amoni nawabona ukuthi amaSiriya abalekile nawo abaleka phambi kwaka-Abitjhayi umfowabo kaJowabi, angena ngedorobheni. Ngemva kwalokho, uJowabi wabuyela eJerusalema.
16 AmaSiriya nawabona ukuthi ahlulwe ma-Israyeli, athumela iinthunywa bona kubizwe amaSiriya asesifundeni soMlambo,*+ arholwa nguTjhofaki induna yebutho lakaHadadi-Ezeri.+
17 Kwathi uDavida nakabikelwa ngalokho, wabuthelela u-Israyeli woke khonokho, bayama iJordani baya kiwo, wajamisa amasotjakhe ngendlela ehlelekileko njengeenqhema zamasotja. UDavida waphuma wayokulwa namaSiriya begodu amaSiriya alwa naye.+ 18 Kodwana amaSiriya abaleka phambi kwaka-Israyeli; uDavida wabulala abatjhayeli beenkarana abazii-7 000 namasotja wamaSiriya akhamba ngeenyawo azii-40 000, wabulala noTjhofaki induna yebutho. 19 Iinsebenzi zakaHadadi-Ezeri nazibona ukuthi zihlulwe ngu-Israyeli,+ zenza ukuthula noDavida khonokho bezaba ziinsebenzi zakhe;+ kusukela mhlokho amaSiriya akhenge asafuna ukusiza ama-Amoni.