1 Kwathi inkosi uDavida esemdala kakhulu, wayengasafudumali lanxa elele loba bemembathise kakhulu. 2 Izinceku zakhe zathi kuye, “Kasidinge intombazana yokunakekela inkosi iyifudumeze. Izalala eceleni kwayo ukuze inkosi yethu ifudumale.”

3 Ngakho balibhudula lonke elako-Israyeli bedinga intombi enhle baze bafumana u-Abhishagi, umShunami walethwa enkosini. 4 Intombazana leyo yayinhle kakhulu; yayinakekela inkosi yayilondoloza, kodwa inkosi kayiyenzanga umfazi.

5 Kwathi u-Adonija, unina owayenguHagithi, waziveza wathi, “Yimi engizakuba yinkosi.” Waselungisa izinqola lamabhiza kanye lamadoda angamatshumi amahlanu ukumandulela. 6 (Uyise kazange amkhuze ngokumbuza ukuthi, “Ukwenzeleni konke lokhu?” Laye wayemuhle kakhulu, eselama u-Abhisalomu.)

7 U-Adonija wacebisana loJowabi indodana kaZeruya lo-Abhiyathari umphristi, laba bamsekela. 8 Kodwa uZadokhi umphristi, loBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada, loNathani umphrofethi, loShimeyi, loReyi kanye labalindi benkosi abamsekelanga u-Adonija.

9 U-Adonija wasesenza umhlatshelo ngezimvu, ngenkomo langamathole anonileyo eLitsheni laseZohelethi eduze le-Eni Rogeli. Wanxusa abafowabo, lamadodana enkosi lawo wonke amadoda akoJuda ayengawesikhosini, 10 kodwa kamnxusanga uNathani umphrofethi loba uBhenaya loba abalindi benkosi loba umfowabo uSolomoni.

11 Ngakho uNathani wabuza uBhathishebha, unina kaSolomoni wathi, “Awukezwa yini ukuthi u-Adonija, indodana kaHagithi, useyinkosi, ezibeka inkosi yethu uDavida ingakakwazi lokho? 12 Khathesi-ke lalela ngikweluleke, ukuze uzisindise wena lokuvikela impilo yendodana yakho uSolomoni. 13 Ngena lapha okulenkosi uDavida khona ufike uthi kuyo, ‘Wena omkhulu nkosi yami, awufunganga na phambi kwami mina sichaka sakho ukuthi: “Ngoqotho sibili indodana yakho uSolomoni uzakuba yinkosi ngemva kwakho, uzahlala esihlalweni sami”? Kungani pho u-Adonija esebe yinkosi?’ 14 Uzakuthi usuphakathi ukhuluma layo inkosi, lami ngizangena ngifike ngigcwalisele lokho ozabe ukutshilo.”

15 Ngalokho-ke uBhathishebha wayayibona inkosi eyayivele isiluphele isendlini yayo, lapho u-Abhishagi ongumShunami ayelondoloza khona inkosi. 16 UBhathishebha wakhothama wazehlisa waguqa phambi kwenkosi.

Inkosi yambuza yathi: “Kuyini okufunayo?”

17 Wathi kuyo, “nkosi yami, wena uqobo lwakho wafunga kimi inceku yakho ngoThixo uNkulunkulu wakho wathi: ‘USolomoni indodana yakho uzakuba yinkosi ngemva kwami, njalo uzahlala esihlalweni sami sobukhosi.’ 18 Kodwa khathesi u-Adonija usebe yinkosi, kodwa wena mbusi, nkosi yami awukwazi okwenzakalayo. 19 Usenikele ngenkomo ezinengi, amaguqa anonisiweyo, kanye lezimvu, njalo usenxuse wonke amadodana enkosi, u-Abhiyathari umphristi kanye loJowabi umlawuli webutho, kodwa kamnxusanga uSolomoni inceku yakho. 20 Mbusi wami, nkosi, abako-Israyeli bonke bakukhangele, badinga ukwazi ukuthi ngubani ozahlala esihlalweni sakho sobukhosi ngemva kwakho. 21 Kungenzeka phela ukuthi inkosi yami ingavele iyephumula kubokhokho, mina lendodana yami uSolomoni sizaphathwa njengezigangi.”

22 Kwathi elokhu esakhuluma lenkosi, kwafika uNathani umphrofethi. 23 Bayibikela inkosi bathi, “UNathani umphrofethi ulapha.” Waya phambi kwenkosi wakhothama embele ubuso bakhe phansi.

24 UNathani wabuza wathi, “Kambe, nkosi yami, nguwe na othe u-Adonija uzamele athathe ubukhosi bakho ungasekho wena, utshilo na ukuthi uzahlala esihlalweni sakho sobukhosi? 25 Lamuhla lokhu wehlile wayakwenza umhlatshelo wenkomo ezinengi, amaguqa anonisiweyo, lezimvu. Unxuse wonke amadodana enkosi, abalawuli bamabutho enkosi kanye lo-Abhiyathari umphristi. Khona khathesi nje bayadla benatha kanye laye besitsho besithi, ‘Mpilonde nkosi Adonija!’ 26 Kodwa mina inceku yakho, loZadokhi umphristi, loBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada, kanye lenceku yakho uSolomoni kasinxusanga. 27 Kambe kungaba yikuthi lokhu inkosi yami ikwenze ingatshelanga izinceku zayo ukuthi ngubani ozahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi benkosi yami ngemva kokuba inkosi ingasekho?”

28 Ngalokho iNkosi uDavida yathi, “Mbize, angene uBhathishebha.” Ngakho weza enkosini wema phambi kwayo.

29 Inkosi yasifunga yathi: “Ngeqiniso lokuthi uThixo wami ngophilayo, lowo owangikhipha ezinhluphekweni zami zonke, 30 ngempela khona lamuhla lokhu ngizagcwalisa lokho engakufunga ngoThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: uSolomoni indodana yakho uzakuba yinkosi ngemva kwami, njalo uzahlala esihlalweni sami esikhundleni sami.”

31 Ngalokho uBhathishebha wakhothamisa ikhanda ekhangele phansi, kwathi eseguqe phambi kwenkosi, wathi. “Umbusi wami inkosi uDavida kaphile kuze kube nini lanini!”

32 INkosi uDavida yathi, “Ngibizela uZadokhi umphristi, uNathani umphrofethi kanye loBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada.” Bathe sebephambi kwenkosi, 33 yathi kubo: “Thathani izinceku zenkosi yenu lihambe lazo liyekhweza uSolomoni indodana yami phezu kwembongolo yami lehle laye liye eGihoni. 34 Khonale uZadokhi umphristi loNathani umphrofethi kuzamele bamgcobe ubukhosi phezu kuka-Israyeli wonke. Livuthele icilongo limemeze lithi, ‘Kayiphile okulaphakade iNkosi uSolomoni!’ 35 Lizakhwela laye, abuye azohlala esihlalweni sami sobukhosi aze abuse esikhundleni sami. Sengimkhethile ukuthi abuse phezu kuka-Israyeli lakoJuda.”

36 UBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada waphendula inkosi wathi, “Akube njalo! Kungathi uThixo, uNkulunkulu wombusi lenkosi yami, angakumisa kube njalo. 37 Njengoba uThixo elondoloze umbusi wami oyinkosi, akube njalo lakuSolomoni ukuze enze ubukhosi bakhe bube ngaphezu kwalobo obenkosi yami iNkosi uDavida!”

38 Ngakho uZadokhi umphristi, loNathani umphrofethi, loBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada lamaKherethi lamaPhelethi behla bafika bakhweza uSolomoni embongolweni yeNkosi uDavida bamqhuba bamusa eGihoni. 39 UZadokhi umphristi wathatha uphondo lwamafutha ethenteni elingcwele wagcoba uSolomoni. Ngakho bahle bavuthela icilongo, abantu bonke bahlaba umkhosi behaya besithi, “Mpilonde Nkosi Solomoni!” 40 Bonke bamlandela, bavuthela imihubhe bejabula kakhulu, kwaze kwanyikinyeka umhlaba.

41 U-Adonija kanye lezethekeli ezazilaye zawuzwa lumkhosi njengoba bona basebeqedisa ukudla. UJowabi wathi esizwa icilongo wabuza wathi, “Utshoni umsindo wonke lo edolobheni?”

42 Kwathi elokhu esakhuluma kwafika uJonathani indodana ka-Abhiyathari umphristi. U-Adonija wathi, “Ngena phakathi. Indoda eqakathekileyo njengawe kufanele ukuthi isiphathele izindaba ezimnandi.”

43 UJonathani waphendula wathi, “Akulalutho. Inkosi uDavida uMbusi wethu usegcobe uSolomoni ubukhosi. 44 Inkosi isimthumele kanye loZadokhi umphristi, loNathani umphrofethi, loBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada, lamaKherethi lamaPhelethi, njalo sebehle bamkhweza embongolweni yenkosi. 45 Njalo uZadokhi umphristi loNathani umphrofethi sebehle bamgcobela ubukhosi eGihoni. Besuka lapho bahle bahaya bembuka, kanti ledolobho lonke lihlokoma ngenjabulo. Yiwo lo umkhosi eliwuzwayo. 46 Kunjalo-nje uSolomoni usehle wahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi. 47 Phezu kwalokho izikhulu zesikhosini sezifikile ukuthi zizokwenzela iNkosi uDavida amhlophe zisithi, ‘Sengathi uNkulunkulu wakho angenza ibizo likaSolomoni lidume kulelakho kuthi lesihlalo sakhe sobukhosi sibe lodumo ukwedlula esakho!’ Ngalokho inkosi yakhothama yakhonza isembhedeni wayo 48 yathi, ‘Udumo alube kuye uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, yena ovumele ukuthi ngizibonele ngawami amehlo lowo ozathatha isihlalo sami sobukhosi lamuhla.’ ”

49 Ngenxa yalokhu, izethekeli zika-Adonija zathi lothu zaphakama ngokwethuka zachitheka. 50 Kodwa u-Adonija, ngokwesaba uSolomoni, wahamba wayabamba impondo ze-alithare. 51 USolomoni wasetshelwa ukuthi, “U-Adonija uyayesaba iNkosi uSolomoni ngakho usegagadlele impondo ze-alithare. Uthi yena, ‘INkosi uSolomoni kayifunge kimi lamuhla ithi kayiyikubulala isichaka sayo ngenkemba.’ ”

52 USolomoni waphendula wathi, “Nxa angatshengisela ukuthi uyindoda uqobo lwayo akulanwele lolulodwa lwekhanda lakhe oluzawela emhlabathini; kodwa nxa ebanjwe yikona, uzakufa.” 53 Ngakho iNkosi uSolomoni yathumela amadoda, ayamethula e-alithareni abuya laye. Ngalokho u-Adonija weza wafika wazehlisa wakhothama enkosini uSolomoni, yena uSolomoni wathi. “Hamba, yana emzini wakho.”