2 Samuel 14

U-Abhsalomi ubuyela eJerusalema

1UJowabi indodana kaZeruyiya wakwazi ukuthi inhliziyo yenkosi yayimkhumbula u-Abhsalomi. 2Ngakho uJowabi wathuma umuntu eThekhowa wayabuya khona lowesifazana ohlakaniphileyo. Wathi kuye, “Yenza angathi uyalila. Gqoka izigqoko zokulila. Ungagcobi amafutha okubukeka. Yenza njengowesifazana oseqede izinsuku ezinengi elilela ofileyo. 3Uye enkosini ukhulume amazwi la kuyo.” UJowabi wasemfunza lawomazwi.

4Kwathi owesifazana owavela eThekhowa esefikile enkosini wathi mbo phansi ngobuso eyihlonipha, wasesithi, “Ake ungisize, awu nkosi!”

5Inkosi yambuza yathi, “Kuyini okukuhluphayo?” Yena wathi, “Ngingumfelokazi impela, umkami wafa. 6Mina ncekukazi yakho ngangilamadodana amabili. Alwa egangeni njalo akulamuntu owayelapho ukuba awalamule. Enye yatshaya enye yayibulala. 7Manje-ke bonke abosendo sebevukele incekukazi yakho, bathi, ‘Sinike lowo owabulala umfowabo ukuze simbulale ngenxa yempilo kamfowabo ambulalayo; lapho-ke sizasusa lendlalifa futhi.’ Bazacitsha ilahle lami elivuthayo eliyilo lodwa engilalo eliseleyo, umkami asale engaselabizo loba inzalo ebusweni bomhlaba.”

8Inkosi yasisithi kowesifazana lowo, “Buyela ekhaya, ngizakhupha umlayo ngimele wena.”

9Kodwa owesifazana waseThekhowa wathi kuyo, “Mhlekazi wami, nkosi, umlandu kawube kimi lakwabendlu kababa, kuthi inkosi lomqhele wayo ingabi lecala.”

10Inkosi yaphendula yathi, “Uma loba ngubani esitsho loba yini kuwe, mlethe kimi, njalo kasoze akuhluphe futhi.”

11Wasesithi, “Inkosi kayincenge uJehova uNkulunkulu wayo ukuba avimbele umphindiseli wegazi ekwengezeleleni incithakalo, ukuze indodana yami ingabhujiswa.” Inkosi yathi, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uJehova ekhona, akukho lalunye unwele lwekhanda lendodana yakho oluzawela phansi.”

12Lapho-ke owesifazana wasesithi, “Vumela incekukazi yakho ikhulume ilizwi enkosini yami.” Yathi, “Khuluma.”

13Owesifazana wasesithi, “Pho kungani ucebe into enje ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu na? Nxa inkosi isitsho lokhu kayizidlisi ngecala na, ngoba inkosi kayiyibuyisanga indodana yayo eyaxotshwayo. 14Njengamanzi achithekele phansi, angeke abuthwe, kanjalo kumele sife. Kodwa uNkulunkulu kakususi ukuphila, esikhundleni salokho yena uceba izindlela zokuthi umuntu oxotshiweyo angehlukaniswa laye kokuphela.

15“Ngilande ukuzakutsho lokhu kumhlekazi wami inkosi, ngoba abantu sebengethusile. Incekukazi yakho icabange yathi, ‘Ngizakhuluma lenkosi, engxenye izakwenza lokho okucelwa yincekukazi yayo. 16Engxenye inkosi izavuma ukuhlenga incekukazi yayo esandleni somuntu ozama ukungisusa mina lendodana yami elifeni esaliphiwa nguNkulunkulu.’

17“Khathesi incekukazi yakho ithi, ‘Sengathi izwi lomhlekazi wami, uJehova lingangilethela ukuphumula, ngoba umhlekazi wami, inkosi unjengengilosi kaNkulunkulu ekuphawuleni okuhle lokubi. Sengathi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho angaba lawe.’ ”

18Inkosi yasisithi kowesifazana lowo, “Ungangifihleli impendulo kulokhu engizakubuza khona.” Owesifazana wathi “Mhlekazi wami, inkosi kayikhulume.”

19Inkosi yasibuza yathi, “Isandla sikaJowabi kasilawe yini kukho konke lokhu na?” Owesifazana waphendula wathi, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uphila, mhlekazi wami, inkosi, kakho ongaphambukela kwesokudla kumbe kwesenxele kwaloba yini umhlekazi wami, inkosi ekutshoyo. Ye, yinceku yakho uJowabi engilaye ukuba ngenze lokhu onguye njalo ofunze amazwi wonke la emlonyeni wencekukazi yakho. 20Inceku yakho uJowabi yenze lokhu ukuba iguqule umumo okhona khathesi. Inkosi yami ilenhlakanipho efana leyengilosi kaNkulunkulu – yazi konke okwenzakalayo elizweni.”

21Inkosi yasisithi kuJowabi, “Kulungile, ngizakwenza lokho. Hamba uyebuya lalo ijaha u-Abhsalomi.”

22UJowabi wathi mbo phansi ngobuso eyihlonipha, waseyibonga inkosi. UJowabi wasesithi, “Lamhla inceku yakho isikwazi ukuthi isithole umusa emehlweni akho, mhlekazi wami, nkosi, ngoba inkosi isivumile isicelo senceku yayo.”

23Emva kwalokho uJowabi waya eGeshuri wayabuya lo-Abhsalomi eJerusalema.

24Kodwa inkosi yathi, “Kaye endlini yakhe, akumelanga abone ubuso bami.” Ngakho u-Abhsalomi waya endlini yakhe akaze abubona ubuso benkosi.

25Kulo lonke elako-Israyeli kakho umuntu owayebatshazwa kakhulu ngobuhle bakhe njengo-Abhsalomi. Kusukela ekhanda lakhe kusiya ephangweni lonyawo lwakhe kwakungekho sici kuye. 26Kwakusithi lapho egele izinwele zekhanda lakhe wayejwayele ukuzigela izinwele zakhe ngezikhathi ezithize nxa zasezimsinda kakhulu – wayezilinganisa esikalini, isisindo sazo sasingamakhulu amabili amashekeli ngesilinganiso sesikhosini.

27U-Abhsalomi wazala amadodana amathathu lendodakazi eyodwa. Ibizo lendodakazi lalinguThamari, owayengumfazi omuhle.

28U-Abhsalomi wahlala iminyaka emibili eJerusalema engabuboni ubuso benkosi.

29Yikho u-Abhsalomi wabiza uJowabi wamthuma enkosini, kodwa uJowabi wala ukuya kuye. Wathumela okwesibili, kodwa wala ukuza.

30Wasesithi ezincekwini zakhe, “Khangelani, insimu kaJowabi iphansi kweyami, njalo ulamabele kuyo. Hambani liyeyithungela ngomlilo.” Ngakho izinceku zika-Abhsalomi zayithungela insimu ngomlilo.

31Lapho-ke uJowabi waya endlini ka-Abhsalomi wathi kuye, “Kungani izinceku zakho zithungele insimu yami ngomlilo?”

32U-Abhsalomi wathi kuJowabi, “Khangela, ngithumele ilizwi kuwe ngathi, ‘Woza lapha ukuze ngikuthume enkosini ukuyabuza ukuthi, “Pho ngisukeleni eGeshuri? Kade kuzakuba ngcono kimi aluba ngilokhu ngikhonale!” ’ Khathesi nje, mina ngifuna ukubona ubuso benkosi, nxa ngilecala laloba yini kangibulale.”

33Ngakho uJowabi waya enkosini wayitshela lokhu. Inkosi yambiza u-Abhsalomi, wafika wangena wasesithi mbo phansi ngobuso phambi kwenkosi. Inkosi yamanga u-Abhsalomi.