1. UDavide uwaqokelele onke amadoda omkhosi wakhe, wawahlula-hlula, wawamisela izinxiba-mxhaka eziphethe amajoni aliwaka neziphethe amajoni alikhulu.
2. Emva koko umkhosi uwahlule waba ngamaqela amathathu, elinye liphethwe nguJowabhi, elinye nguAbhishayi umntakwabo-Jowabhi, elinye liphethwe nguItayi waseGati. Ke uDavide wathi kumkhosi wakhe: “Nam ngenkqu ndiza kuphuma kunye nani.”
3. Amadoda omkhosi athi: “Hayi, mhlekazi, mus' ukuya edabini. Akungebi lutho xa utshaba luswantsulisa thina, nokuba kungade kuwe isiqingatha sethu, kodwa ubukho bakho bufana neshumi lamawaka amadoda. Kuhle ke ukuba usale apha esixekweni, uze ukwazi ukusithumela amancedo.”
4. Ukumkani wathi kubo: “Kulungile ke, mandenze loo nto ikholekileyo kuni.” Wema ngasesangweni, ewajongile ukunduluka kwawo, ephuma engamaqela amajoni alikhulu naliwaka.
5. Ukumkani wabayalela ooJowabhi noAbhishayi kunye noItayi, wathi: “Nize nindincede niyiphathe kakuhle laa ntwana inguAbhasalom.” Loo myalelo kaDavide awayewubhekisa kwiinjengele weviwa ngawo onke amadoda omkhosi.
6. Wenjenjeya umkhosi kaDavide ukuya kuqubisana namaSirayeli endle ngakwihlathi lakwaEfrayim, zanqoza.
7. AmaSirayeli oyiswa ngumkhosi kaDavide. Abethwa kakubi, kwasala apho edabini amawaka angamashumi amabini.
8. Idabi layigqiba yonke loo ndawo, uninzi lwafela ehlathini, lwangaphezulu kwabo babefele edabini.
9. UAbhasalom wagaxeleka phakathi kweqela lamadoda kaDavide. Wayekhwele embongolweni. Kuthe xa ithubeleza ngaphantsi kom-oki omkhulu, wabambeka ngentloko kuloo masebe omthi. Yabaleka yemka imbongolo, wasala yena ejinga emoyeni.