1 Ngokuqhubeka kwesikhathi u-Abhisalomu wazidingela inqola yempi lamabhiza kanye labantu abangamatshumi amahlanu ukuba ngabagijima phambi kwakhe. 2 Wayevuka ekuseni kakhulu ame eceleni komgwaqo oya esangweni ledolobho. Kwakusithi loba ngubani ofikayo ukuyamangala icala enkosini ukuba liqunywe, u-Abhisalomu wayembiza athi, “Wena uvela kuliphi idolobho?” Wayephendula athi, “Inceku yakho ivela kwesinye sezizwana zako-Israyeli.” 3 Lapho-ke u-Abhisalomu wayesithi kuye, “Khangela, okufunayo kuqondile njalo kufanele, kodwa akulammeli wenkosi ukuba akuzwe.” 4 U-Abhisalomu wayeqhubeka athi, “Sekuze kungathi ngabe ngabekwa ukuba ngumahluleli elizweni! Loba ngubani olensolo kumbe icala wayezakuza kimi ngibone ukuthi wahlulelwa kuhle.”

5 Njalo kwakusithi umuntu angafika kuye akhothamele phansi phambi kwakhe, u-Abhisalomu wayeselula isandla sakhe ambambe amange. 6 U-Abhisalomu waziphatha ngale indlela kubo bonke abako-Israyeli abaya enkosini ukuyacela ukwahlulelwa kuhle, ngalokho wakhanga inhliziyo zabantu abanengi ko-Israyeli.

7 Ekupheleni kweminyaka emine, u-Abhisalomu wathi enkosini, “Ngisake ngiye eHebhroni ukuyagcwalisa isifungo engasenzayo kuThixo. 8 Inceku yakho isahlala eGeshuri e-Aramu, yenza isifungo lesi: ‘Nxa uThixo engangibuyisela eJerusalema ngizamkhonza uThixo eHebhroni.’ ”

9 Inkosi yathi kuye, “Hamba ngokuthula.” Ngakho waya eHebhroni.

10 Emva kwalokho u-Abhisalomu wathuma izithunywa ezifihlakeleyo kuzozonke izizwana zako-Israyeli ukuba zithi, “Lingezwa nje ukukhala kwecilongo, tshonini lithi, ‘U-Abhisalomu uyinkosi eHebhroni!’ ” 11 Abantu abangamakhulu amabili baseJerusalema babehambe lo-Abhisalomu. Babenxuswe njengezethekeli njalo behambe bekhululekile, bengazi lutho ngendaba leyo. 12 U-Abhisalomu esanikela imihlatshelo, wabiza u-Ahithofeli umGiloni, umeluleki kaDavida, ukuba eze evela eGilo, umuzi wakibo. Ngalokho icebo lomvukela laqina, labalandeli baka-Abhisalomu baqhubeka besanda.

13 Kwafika isithunywa kuDavida sathi, “Inhliziyo zabantu bako-Israyeli ziku-Abhisalomu.”

14 UDavida wasesithi kuzozonke izikhulu zakhe ezazilaye eJerusalema, “Wozani! Kumele sibaleke, hlezi kungabi lamunye wethu ozaphepha ku-Abhisalomu. Kumele sisuke masinyane hlezi asixhume alethe incithakalo kithi njalo ahlasele idolobho ngenkemba.”

15 Izikhulu zenkosi zaphendula zathi, “Izinceku zakho zilungele ukwenza loba yini umhlekazi wethu inkosi akukhethayo.”

16 Inkosi yaphuma labendlu yayo bonke beyilandela; kodwa yatshiya abafazi beceleni abalitshumi ukuba bagcine isigodlo. 17 Ngakho inkosi yasuka, labantu bonke beyilandela, basebesima endaweni elibanga elithize. 18 Bonke abantu bayo bayedlula, ndawonye lawo wonke amaKherethi lamaPhelethi, kanye lawo wonke amaGithi angamakhulu ayisithupha ayehambe layo kusukela eGathi ahamba phambi kwenkosi.

19 Inkosi yasisithi ku-Ithayi umGithi, “Kungani uhamba lathi na? Buyela emuva uyehlala lenkosi u-Abhisalomu. Wena ungumuntu wezizweni, owaxotshwayo elizweni lakini. 20 Ufike izolo nje. Kambe sekungathi lamhla lokhu ngikwenze uzulazule lathi, mina ngingakwazi lalapho engingaya khona? Buyela emuva uthathe abantu bakini. Sengathi uThixo angakwenzela umusa lokuhle.”

21 Kodwa u-Ithayi wayiphendula inkosi wathi, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ekhona, njalo njengoba umhlekazi wami inkosi, ephila, loba kungaphi lapho umhlekazi wami inkosi ezakuba ikhona, loba kusitsho ukuphila kumbe ukufa, inceku yakho izakuba khonapho.”

22 UDavida wasesithi ku-Ithayi, “Qhubeka, hamba.” Ngakho u-Ithayi umGithi wahamba labantu bakhe bonke kanye lezimuli ezazilaye.

23 Ilizwe lonke lakhala kakhulu lapho abantu bonke besedlula. Inkosi yachapha isiHotsha saseKhidironi, abantu bonke bahamba beqonde enkangala.

24 UZadokhi laye wayekhona, labaLevi bonke ababelaye babethwele ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, njalo u-Abhiyathari wanikela imihlatshelo abantu bonke baze baphela ukusuka edolobheni.

25 Inkosi yasisithi kuZadokhi, “Buyisela ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu edolobheni. Ngingathola umusa emehlweni kaThixo, uzangibuyisela emuva enze ukuba ngilibone futhi kanye lendawo yakhe yokuhlala. 26 Kodwa angathi, ‘Kangithokozi ngawe,’ lapho-ke ngizilungisele; kenze kimi loba kuyini okukhanya kulungile kuye.”

27 Inkosi yabuya yathi kuZadokhi umphristi, “Uyazwisisa na? Buyela emuva edolobheni ngokuthula, lendodana yakho u-Ahimazi loJonathani indodana ka-Abhiyathari. Wena lo-Abhiyathari hambani lamadodana enu. 28 Mina ngizakuma emazibukweni enkangala kuze kufike ilizwi elivela kini lingazisa.” 29 Ngakho uZadokhi lo-Abhiyathari balibuyisela eJerusalema ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu lahlala khona.

30 Kodwa uDavida waqhubeka ekhwela iNtaba yama-Oliva, ehamba ekhala; ikhanda lakhe lalimboziwe njalo ebhadula ngezinyawo. Bonke abantu ababelaye labo bamboza amakhanda abo njalo bakhwela bekhala. 31 UDavida wayetshelwe ukuthi, “U-Ahithofeli uphakathi kwabahlamuki lo-Abhisalomu.” Ngakho uDavida wakhuleka wathi, “Oh, Thixo phendula ukululeka kuka-Ahithofeli kube yibuthutha.”

32 Kwathi uDavida esefikile engqongeni, lapho abantu ababejayele ukukhonzela khona uNkulunkulu, uHushayi umʼArikhi wayekhonapho ukuba amhlangabeze, isembatho sakhe sidabukile njalo elothuli ekhanda. 33 UDavida wathi kuye, “Ungahamba lami, uzakuba ngumthwalo onzima kimi. 34 Kodwa nxa ubuyela edolobheni uyekuthi ku-Abhisalomu, ‘Ngizakuba yinceku yakho, awu nkosi, ngangiyinceku kayihlo kudala, kodwa khathesi ngizakuba yinceku yakho,’ lapho-ke ungangisiza ngokufubisa izeluleko zika-Ahithofeli. 35 Abaphristi uZadokhi lo-Abhiyathari kabayikuba khonale lawe na? Batshele konke okuzwayo esigodlweni senkosi. 36 Amadodana abo amabili, u-Ahimazi indodana kaZadokhi loJonathani indodana ka-Abhiyathari, akhonale kanye labo. Bathumele kimi ngakho konke okuzwayo.”

37 Ngakho umngane kaDavida uHushayi wafika eJerusalema khonapho u-Abhisalomu laye engena edolobheni.