1. Kwathi emva kwalokho uNahashi inkosi yabantwana bakwa-Amoni wafa, indodana yakhe yaba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.
2. UDavide wathi: “Ngiyakumenzela umusa uHanuni, indodana kaNahashi, ngokuba uyise wangenzela umusa.” UDavide wayesethuma izithunywa ukumduduza ngoyise. Zafika-ke izinceku zikaDavide ezweni labantwana bakwa-Amoni kuHanuni ukumduduza.
3. Kepha izikhulu zabantwana bakwa-Amoni zathi kuHanuni: “Imbala ngokubona kwakho uthume abaduduzi kuwe ukuba atuse uyihlo na? Azifikanga yini izinceku zakhe kuwe ukuba ziphenye umuzi, ziwuchithe, ziwuhlole, na?”
4. UHanuni wayesebamba izinceku zikaDavide, waziphucula, wahina izingubo zazo phakathi, kwaze kwaba sezinqeni zazo, wazimukisa.
5. Bahamba, bamtshela uDavide ngalawo madoda. Wathuma ukuwahlangabeza, ngokuba ayenamahloni kakhulu lawo madoda. Yathi inkosi: “Hlalani eJeriko, zize zihlume izilevu zenu, bese nibuya.”
6. Abantwana bakwa-Amoni sebebone ukuthi bazenzile ukuba banengeke kuDavide, uHanuni nabantwana bakwa-Amoni bathuma amatalenta* ayinkulungwane esiliva ukuziqashela izinqola nabamahhashi e-Aramu Naharayimi, nase-Aramu Mahakha, naseSoba.
7. Base beziqashela izinqola eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu nambili kanye nenkosi yaseMahakha nabantu bayo abeza ukumisa ngaphambi kweMedeba. Abantwana bakwa-Amoni babuthana ndawonye bephuma emizini yabo; baya ukulwa.
8. UDavide esezwile lokho wamthuma uJowabe nempi yonke yamaqhawe.
9. Abantwana bakwa-Amoni baphuma, bahlela impi ngasesangweni lomuzi; kepha amakhosi ayefikile ayewodwa endle.
10. UJowabe esebona ukuthi impi ibhekene naye ngaphambili nangasemuva, wakhetha kwabakhethekileyo bonke bakwa-Israyeli, wabahlela ukuba balwe nama-Aramu;
11. abantu abaseleyo wababeka esandleni sika-Abishayi umfowabo, bazihlela ukulwa nabantwana bakwa-Amoni.
12. Wathi: “Uma ama-Aramu engahlula, uyakungisiza; kepha uma abantwana bakwa-Amoni bekwahlula, ngiyakukusiza.
13. Qinani, masiziqinise ngenxa yabantu bakithi nangenxa yemizi kaNkulunkulu wethu; uJehova makenze okuhle emehlweni akhe.”
14. UJowabe nabantu ababe naye base besondela kuwo ama-Aramu ukuba balwe; kepha abaleka phambi kwakhe.
15. Lapho abantwana bakwa-Amoni bebona ukuthi ama-Aramu abalekile, babaleka nabo phambi kuka-Abishayi umfowabo, bangena emzini; kepha uJowabe waya eJerusalema.
16. Ama-Aramu esebonile ukuthi anqotshiwe phambi kuka-Israyeli, athuma izithunywa, akhipha ama-Aramu ayephesheya koMfula* noShofaki induna yempi kaHadarezeri phambi kwawo.
17. UDavide watshelwa, wabutha wonke u-Israyeli, wawela iJordani, wawafikela, wahlela impi ukulwa nawo. UDavide esehlelile impi ukulwa nama-Aramu, alwa naye.
18. Ama-Aramu abaleka phambi kuka-Israyeli; uDavide wabulala kuma-Aramu izinqola eziyizinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa nemigundatshani eyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amane, wabulala noShofaki induna yempi.
19. Lapho izinceku zikaHadarezeri zibonile ukuthi zinqotshiwe phambi kuka-Israyeli, zenza ukuthula noDavide, zamkhonza; ama-Aramu awathandanga ukusiza abantwana bakwa-Amoni futhi.