18. Wathi: “Noma bephumele ukuthula, babambeni besaphila, noma bephumele ukulwa, babambeni besaphila.”
19. Zaphuma-ke emzini izinsizwa lezo zezikhulu zezifunda kanye nempi eyazilandela.
20. Babulala, kwaba yilowo nalowo umuntu wakhe; ama-Aramu abaleka, u-Israyeli wawaxosha; uBeni Hadadi inkosi yama-Aramu waphunyuka ngehhashi kanye nabamahhashi.
21. Inkosi yakwa-Israyeli yaphuma, yagenca amahhashi nezinqola, yabulala ama-Aramu ngokuceka okukhulu.
22. Umprofethi wasondela enkosini yakwa-Israyeli, wathi kuyo: “Hamba uziqinise, uqaphele, ubone oyakukwenza, ngokuba emva komnyaka inkosi yama-Aramu iyakwenyuka ukulwa nawe.”
23. Izinceku zenkosi yama-Aramu zathi kuyo: “Unkulunkulu wabo ungunkulunkulu wezintaba, ngalokho basahlula; kepha masilwe nabo ethafeni, impela siyakubahlula.
24. Futhi yenza lokhu: Susa amakhosi onke, kube yileyo naleyo endaweni yayo, ubeke ababusi ezikhundleni zawo,
25. uzibalele impi njengaleyo mpi olahlekelwe yiyo, ihhashi ngehhashi, inqola ngenqola, silwe nabo ethafeni, sibahlule impela.” Yalalela izwi labo, yenze njalo.
26. Kwathi emva komnyaka uBeni Hadadi wabala ama-Aramu, wenyukela e-Afeki ukuba alwe no-Israyeli.
27. Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babalwa, baphiwa ukudla, bahamba ukuhlangabezana nabo; abakwa-Israyeli bamisa phambi kwabo njengemihlanjana emibili yamazinyane ezimbuzi, kepha ama-Aramu agcwalisa izwe.
28. Wayesesondela umuntu kaNkulunkulu, wathi enkosini yakwa-Israyeli: “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Ngokuba ama-Aramu eshilo ukuthi uJehova ungunkulunkulu wezintaba, kasiye unkulunkulu wezigodi, ngiyakusinikela sonke lesi sixuku esikhulu esandleni sakho, nize nazi ukuthi nginguJehova.’ ”
29. Base bemisile bebhekana izinsuku eziyisikhombisa. Kwathi ngosuku lwesikhombisa kwaqala ukuliwa; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babulala ama-Aramu ayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu ayimigundatshani ngalusuku lunye.
30. Abaseleyo babalekela emzini wase-Afeki; ugange lwawela phezu kwabantu abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nesikhombisa abaseleyo. Naye uBeni Hadadi wabaleka, wangena emzini amakamelo ngamakamelo.