Eyokuqala YeziKronike
19 Kamuva uNahashi inkosi yama-Amoni washona, indodana yakhe yabusa esikhundleni sakhe. + 2 UDavide wathi: “Ngizombonisa uthando oluqotho + uHanuni indodana kaNahashi ngoba uyise wangibonisa uthando oluqotho.” Ngakho uDavide wathumela izithunywa ukuba ziyomduduza ngenxa yokushona kukayise. Kodwa lapho izinceku zikaDavide zifika ezweni lama-Amoni + zizoduduza uHanuni, 3 izikhulu zama-Amoni zathi kuHanuni: “Ucabanga ukuthi uDavide udumisa uyihlo ngokuthumela abantu abazokududuza? Akukhona yini ukuthi izinceku zakhe zize kuwe ngoba efuna ukwenza uphenyo ezweni, alihlolisise futhi akugumbuqele?” 4 Ngakho uHanuni wathatha izinceku zikaDavide wazishefa izintshebe, + wasika izingubo zazo ukusuka ezinqeni kwehle, wayesezidedela zahamba. 5 Lapho uDavide etshelwa ngala madoda, ngaso leso sikhathi wathumela abanye ukuba bayowahlangabeza, ngoba ayelulazeke kakhulu; inkosi yathi kuwo: “Hlalani eJeriko + zize zikhule izintshebe zenu, bese niyabuya.”
6 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ama-Amoni abona ukuthi uDavide wayesewazonda, ngakho uHanuni nama-Amoni bathumela amathalenta* esiliva angu-1 000 ukuze baqashe izinqola nabagibeli bamahhashi eMesophothamiya,* e-Aramu-mahakha naseZoba. + 7 Ngakho baqasha izinqola ezingu-32 000, kanye nenkosi yaseMahakha nabantu bayo. Beza bagxumeka amatende phambi kwaseMedeba. + Ama-Amoni ahlangana ndawonye evela emadolobheni awo aya empini.
8 Lapho uDavide ezwa ngalokho, wathumela uJowabe + nalo lonke ibutho kanye namaqhawe akhe anamandla. + 9 Ama-Amoni aphuma alungela impi phambi kwesango ledolobha kuyilapho amakhosi ayezile ayewodwa esigangeni.
10 Lapho uJowabe ebona ukuthi impi yayimqhamukela ngaphambili nangemuva, wakhetha abathile emasosheni angamaqhawe kwa-Israyeli wabahlela ukuba bayolwa namaSiriya. + 11 Wonke amanye amadoda wawabeka ngaphansi* kuka-Abhishayi umfowabo, + ukuze awahlelele ukuyolwa nama-Amoni. 12 Wabe esethi: “Uma amaSiriya + engidonsisa kanzima, kumele uze uzongisiza; kodwa uma ama-Amoni ekudonsisa kanzima, ngizokusiza. 13 Kumele siqine sibe nesibindi + ngenxa yabantu bakithi nangenxa yamadolobha kaNkulunkulu wethu, uJehova uzokwenza okuhle emehlweni akhe.”
14 UJowabe namadoda ayekanye naye basondela balwa namaSiriya, amaSiriya ambalekela. + 15 Lapho ama-Amoni ebona ukuthi amaSiriya abalekile, nawo ambalekela u-Abhishayi umfowabo, angena edolobheni. Ngemva kwalokho uJowabe weza eJerusalema.
16 Lapho amaSiriya ebona ukuthi u-Israyeli uwahlulile, athumela izithunywa ukuba ziyobiza amaSiriya ayehlala ngaseMfuleni, *+ kanye noShofaki induna yebutho likaHadadezeri owayewahola. +
17 Lapho uDavide ethola umbiko, ngokushesha wahlanganisa wonke u-Israyeli wawela iJordani waya kuwo, walungela ukulwa nawo. UDavide walungela impi ukuze abhekane namaSiriya futhi alwa naye. + 18 Kodwa amaSiriya ambalekela u-Israyeli; uDavide wabulala abashayeli bezinqola abangu-7 000 namasosha ahamba ngezinyawo amaSiriya angu-40 000, wabulala noShofaki induna yebutho. 19 Lapho izinceku zikaHadadezeri zibona ukuthi u-Israyeli uzihlulile, + ngokushesha zenza ukuthula noDavide zaba ngaphansi kwakhe; + iSiriya alibange lisafuna ukuphinde lisize ama-Amoni.