Eyesibili KaSamuweli
17 U-Ahithofeli wayesethi ku-Absalomu: “Ngicela ungivumele ngikhethe amadoda angu-12 000 bese ngisuka ngijaha uDavide namuhla kusihlwa. 2 Ngizomfica ekhathele engenamandla, *+ ngizomenza athuthumele; bonke abantu abakanye naye bazobaleka bese ngibulala inkosi kuphela. + 3 Ngemva kwalokho ngizobabuyisela kuwe bonke abantu. Ukubuya kwabo bonke abantu kuncike kulokho okuzokwenzeka kulo muntu omfunayo. Khona-ke bonke abantu bazoba nokuthula.” 4 Leli cebo labonakala lilihle impela ku-Absalomu nakuwo wonke amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli.
5 Nokho u-Absalomu wathi: “Ngicela kubizwe noHushayi + umArikhi, ukuze sizwe ukuthi yena uthini.” 6 Ngakho uHushayi weza ku-Absalomu. U-Absalomu wathi kuye: “Nasi iseluleko sika-Ahithofeli. Sisisebenzise yini iseluleko sakhe? Uma kungafanele, sitshele ukuthi senzeni.” 7 UHushayi wathi ku-Absalomu: “Iseluleko sika-Ahithofeli asisihle kulokhu!” +
8 UHushayi waqhubeka wathi: “Wazi kahle ukuthi uyihlo namadoda akanye naye banamandla + futhi banolaka,* njengebhere elilahlekelwe amawundlu alo endle. + Ngaphezu kwalokho uyihlo uyiqhawe, + ngeke alale kanye nabantu. 9 Njengamanje ucashe komunye wemigede* noma kwenye indawo; + uma egadla kuqala, abezwayo ngakho bazothi, ‘Abantu abalandela u-Absalomu bahluliwe!’ 10 Ngisho nendoda enesibindi enenhliziyo enjengeyebhubesi + iyokwesaba nakanjani, ngoba wonke u-Israyeli uyazi ukuthi uyihlo uyindoda enamandla + nokuthi amadoda akanye naye anesibindi. 11 Mina ngicebisa ngokuthi: Makubizwe wonke u-Israyeli eze kuwe, kusukela kwaDani kuze kube seBheri-sheba, + abe mningi ngangesihlabathi solwandle, + wena kufanele umhole aye empini. 12 Sizomhlasela noma kuphi lapho ekhona, sizomthelekela njengamazolo ewela emhlabathini; ngeke kusinde ngisho noyedwa phakathi kwakhe nawo wonke amadoda akanye naye. 13 Uma ebalekela edolobheni elithile, wonke u-Israyeli uzothatha izindophi aye kulelo dolobha, sizolidonsela esigodini kungasali ngisho netshe.”
14 U-Absalomu nawo wonke amadoda akwa-Israyeli bathi: “Iseluleko sikaHushayi umArikhi singcono + kuneseluleko sika-Ahithofeli!” Ngoba uJehova wayesenqume ukusibhuntshisa* iseluleko sika-Ahithofeli nakuba sasisihle, + ukuze uJehova abangele u-Absalomu inhlekelele. +
15 Kamuva uHushayi wathi kuZadoki no-Abhiyathara + abapristi: “Nasi iseluleko u-Ahithofeli asinike u-Absalomu namadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli, mina ngimeluleke kanje. 16 Manje thumelani umyalezo ngokushesha kuDavide, nimxwayise nithi: ‘Ungahlali emazibukweni* oMfula iJordani angasehlane namuhla ebusuku, kodwa kumele uwuwele nakanjani umfula, ngale kwalokho inkosi nabo bonke abantu abakanye nayo bangase baqothulwe.’ ” *+
17 UJonathani + no-Ahimahazi + babehlala e-Eni-rogeli + ngoba babengenakulokotha babonakale bengena edolobheni; ngakho incekukazi yahamba yabatshela, bona bahamba bayotshela iNkosi uDavide. 18 Nokho, insizwa ethile yababona yatshela u-Absalomu. Ngakho bobabili bahamba ngokushesha baya emzini womuntu othile eBhahurimi, + owayenomthombo egcekeni lakwakhe. Bangena kulowo mthombo, 19 ngemva kwalokho inkosikazi yalowo muntu yathatha indwangu yamboza ngayo umthombo yabe isithela umgqakazo phezu kwawo; akukho muntu owayazi ngakho. 20 Izinceku zika-Absalomu zafika kowesifazane emzini wakhe zathi: “Baphi o-Ahimahazi noJonathani?” Owesifazane wathi kuzo: “Badlulile lapha baya emfuleni.” + Ngakho la madoda abafuna kodwa awabatholanga, ngakho abuyela eJerusalema.
21 Ngemva kokuba lawo madoda esehambile, baphuma emthonjeni bahamba bayobikela iNkosi uDavide. Bathi kuyo: “Sukumani niwelele ngaphesheya komfula ngokushesha, ngoba u-Ahithofeli ukhiphe iseluleko ngokumelene nani.” + 22 Ngokushesha uDavide nabo bonke abantu ababekanye naye basukuma bawela iJordani. Lapho kusa, kwakungasekho muntu owayengakaliweli iJordani.
23 Lapho u-Ahithofeli ebona ukuthi kwakungenziwanga ngokuvumelana neseluleko sakhe, wagibela imbongolo wahamba waya emzini wakhe edolobheni lakubo. + Ngemva kokunikeza umndeni wakhe iziyalezo, + wazilengisa* wafa. + Ngakho wangcwatshwa emathuneni okhokho bakhe.
24 Phakathi naleso sikhathi, uDavide wahamba waya eMahanayimi, + u-Absalomu wawela iJordani ekanye nawo wonke amadoda akwa-Israyeli. 25 U-Absalomu wabeka u-Amasa + phezu kwebutho esikhundleni sikaJowabe; + u-Amasa wayeyindodana yendoda yakwa-Israyeli okuthiwa u-Ithira kanye no-Abhigayili + indodakazi kaNahashi, udadewabo kaZeruya, unina kaJowabe. 26 U-Israyeli kanye no-Absalomu bamisa amatende ezweni lakwaGileyadi. +
27 Ngokushesha nje lapho uDavide efika eMahanayimi, uShobi indodana kaNahashi waseRaba + kwa-Amoni, uMakiri + indodana ka-Amiyeli waseLo-debari, noBharizilayi + umGileyadi waseRogelimi 28 baletha imibhede, izindishi, izimbiza, ukolweni, ibhali, ufulawa, okusanhlamvu okugazingiwe, ubhontshisi, udali, okusanhlamvu okomile, 29 uju, ibhotela, izimvu noshizi.* Konke lokhu bakuletha kuDavide nabantu ababekanye naye ukuze badle, + ngoba bathi: “Abantu balambile, bakhathele futhi bomile ehlane.” +