2 Samuel 18

Ukufa kuka-Abhsalomi

1UDavida wabutha bonke abantu ababelaye wababekela abalawuli bezinkulungwane labalawuli bamakhulu.

2UDavida wawaphaka amabutho akhe – ingxenye eyodwa kokuthathu ilawulwa nguJowabi, ingxenye eyodwa ingaphansi kukamfowabo kaJowabi u-Abhishayi indodana kaZeruyiya, lengxenye eyodwa kokuthathu ingaphansi kuka-Ithayi umGithi. Inkosi yatshela amabutho yathi, “Mina ngokwami impela ngizaphuma lani.”

3Kodwa abantu bathi, “Akumelanga uphume; uma sizacindezeleka ukuba sibaleke, kabayikuzihlupha ngathi. Lanxa kungaze kufe ingxenye yethu, kabayikuzihlupha; kodwa wena ulingana labethu abayizinkulungwane ezilitshumi. Kungaba ngcono khathesi ukuba usisekele usedolobheni.”

4Inkosi yaphendula yathi, “Ngizakwenza loba kuyini lokho okukhanya kungcono kini.” Ngakho inkosi yema eceleni kwesango abantu sebephuma ngamaviyo amakhulu lawezinkulungwane. 5Inkosi yalaya uJowabi, lo-Abhishayi kanye lo-Ithayi yathi, “Libe lesisa ejaheni u-Abhsalomi ngenxa yami.” Amabutho wonke ayizwa inkosi ilaya umlawuli ngamunye ngo-Abhsalomi.

6Ibutho lahamba lisiya egangeni ukuyakulwa lo-Israyeli, njalo ukulwa kwenzakala eguswini lako-Efrayimi. 7Khonapho ibutho lako-Israyeli lehlulwa ngabantu bakaDavida, njalo ukubulalana kwaba kukhulu ngalelolanga – abantu abayizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili. 8Impi yaqhela yagcwala ilizwe lonke, njalo igusu laqeda abantu abanengi kulenkemba ngalolosuku.

9Kwenzakala nje ukuthi u-Abhsalomi ahlangane labantu bakaDavida. Wayegade imbongolo yakhe, kwasekusithi imbongolo idlula ngaphansi kwezingatsha ezenileyo zesihlahla esikhulu som-okhi, ikhanda likaAbhsalomi labanjwa esihlahleni. Wasala elenga emoyeni, imbongolo ayeyigadile ilokhu ihamba.

10Kwathi omunye wabantu esebone lokhu, watshela uJowabi wathi, “Ngibone u-Abhsalomi elenga esihlahleni som-okhi.”

11UJowabi wasesithi emuntwini owayemtshele lokhu, “Ini? Umbonile? Pho kungani ungamcakazelanga phansi khonapho na? Kade ngizakupha amashekeli esiliva alitshumi kanye lebhanti lobuqhawe.”

12Kodwa umuntu lowo waphendula wathi, “Lanxa amashekeli ayinkulungwane engalinganiselwa ezandleni zami, ngingeke ngiphakamise isandla sami ngihlasele indodana yenkosi. Sizizwele inkosi ilaya wena lo-Abhishayi kanye lo-Ithayi yathi, ‘Vikelani ijaha u-Abhsalomi ngenxa yami.’ 13Aluba ngibeke ukuphila kwami engozini – njalo akulanto efihlakeleyo enkosini – ubungayikuba lobuzalwane lami.”

14UJowabi wathi, “Mina angiyikulindela wena kanje.” Ngakho wathatha imikhonto emithathu wayitikitela enhliziyweni ka-Abhsalomi, u-Abhsalomi elokhu esaphila esesihlahleni som-okhi. 15Njalo abathwali bezikhali zikaJowabi bamhanqa u-Abhsalomi, bamtshaya bambulala.

16Emva kwalokho uJowabi wakhalisa icilongo, amabutho aseyekela ukuxotshana lo-Israyeli, ngoba uJowabi wawamisa.

17Bamthatha u-Abhsalomi bamphosela egodini elikhulu eguswini babuthelela inqwaba enkulu yamatshe phezu kwakhe. Ngalesosikhathi wonke u-Israyeli wabalekela ekhaya lakhe.

18U-Abhsalomi esaphila wayethethe insika wayimisa eSigodini seNkosi njengesikhumbuzo sakhe, ngoba wacabanga wathi, “Angilandodana yokuqhuba ukukhunjulwa kwebizo lami.” Insika wayibiza ngaye, njalo ithiwa Isikhumbuzo sika-Abhsalomi kuze kube lamhla.

UDavida uyalila

19Ngalesosikhathi u-Ahimazi indodana kaZadoki wathi, “Kuhle ngigijime ngihambise umbiko enkosini ukuthi uJehova useyihlengile esandleni sezitha zayo.”

20UJowabi wathi kuye, “Kawusuwe omele ahambise imibiko lamhla. Ungayihambisa imibiko ngesinye isikhathi, kodwa akumelanga wenzenjalo lamhla, ngoba indodana yenkosi ifile.”

21UJowabi wasesithi kumKhushi, “Hamba uyetshela inkosi lokho okubonileyo.” UmKhushi wakhothama phambi kukaJowabi wasesuka egijima.

22U-Ahimazi indodana kaZadoki waphinda wathi kuJowabi, “Loba kunjani, ake ungivumele ngigijime ngilandele umKhushi.” Kodwa uJowabi waphendula wathi, “Ndodana yami, kungani ufuna ukuhamba? Kawulambiko ozakulethela umvuzo.”

23Yena wathi, “Loba kunjani, mina ngifuna ukugijima.” Ngakho uJowabi wathi, “Gijima!” UAhimazi wagijima ngendlela yasemagcekeni, wamdlula umKhushi.

24Kwathi uDavida ehlezi phakathi kwesango langaphakathi lelangaphandle, umlindi wakhwela waya phezulu ephahleni lwesango, phansi komduli. Kwathi lapho ekhangela, wabona umuntu egijima eyedwa. 25Umlindi wamemeza inkosi wayibikela lokho. Inkosi yathi, “Uma eyedwa, uzakuba lezindaba ezinhle.” Umuntu waqhubeka elokhu esondela eduze.

26Umlindi wabona omunye umuntu egijima, wasebiza umlindi wesango ngaphansi, wathi, “Khangela, omunye umuntu ugijima eyedwa!” Inkosi yathi, “Laye uzakuba ngoletha izindaba ezinhle.”

27Umlindi wasesithi, “Ngibona angathi owakuqala ugijima njengo-Ahimazi indodana kaZadoki.” Inkosi yathi, “Ungumuntu olungileyo. Uza lezindaba ezinhle.”

28Lapho-ke u-Ahimazi wamemeza enkosini wasesithi, “Konke kulungile.” Wakhothama phambi kwenkosi wathi mbo phansi ngobuso, wathi, “Kadunyiswe uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho. Usebanikele abantu abaphakamisa izandla zabo ukuhlasela inkosi yami.”

29Inkosi yasibuza isithi, “Ijaha u-Abhsalomi usindile na?” U-Ahimazi waphendula wathi, “Ngibone ukuphithizela okukhulu uJowabi esezathuma inceku yenkosi lami, inceku yakho, kodwa kangazi ukuthi kade kuyini.”

30Inkosi yasisithi, “Buyela eceleni ume khona.” Ngakho wabuyela eceleni wama khona.

31Lapho-ke umKhushi wafika wathi, “Mhlekazi wami, nkosi, zwana izindaba ezinhle! UJehova lamhla usekukhulule kubo bonke abakuhlamukelayo.”

32Inkosi yambuza yathi, “Ijaha u-Abhsalomi usindile na?” UmKhushi waphendula wathi, “Sengathi izitha zomhlekazi inkosi yami labo bonke abayihlamukelayo ukuba bayilimaze bangaba njengejaha leliyana.”

33Inkosi yadabuka kakhulu. Yakhwela yaya ekamelweni elingaphezu kwesango yakhala. Yahamba ikhala isithi, “O, ndodana yami Abhsalomi! Ndodana yami, ndodana yami Abhsalomi! Aluba kufe mina esikhundleni sakho – O Abhsalomi, ndodana yami, ndodana yami!”