1. USathane wema ukulwa no-Israyeli, wavusa uDavide ukuba abale u-Israyeli.
2. UDavide wayesethi kuJowabe nasezinduneni zabantu: “Hambani nibale u-Israyeli kusukela eBeri Sheba kuze kube kwaDani, nilethe umumo wabo kimi ukuba ngiwazi.”
3. UJowabe wathi: “UJehova makenezele kubantu bakhe, kuphindwe kayikhulu phezu kwalokhu abayikho; kepha, nkosi yami, nkosi, abasizo izinceku zenkosi yami bonke na? Inkosi yami ifunelani le nto na? Iyakuba yicala ngani ku-Israyeli na?”
4. Nokho izwi lenkosi lamahlula uJowabe. UJowabe waphuma, wadabula wonke u-Israyeli, wafika eJerusalema.
5. UJowabe wanika uDavide umumo wabantu ababaliweyo; wonke u-Israyeli wayeyizinkulungwane eziyinkulungwane nezinkulungwane eziyikhulu abahloma inkemba; uJuda wayeyizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane namashumi ayisikhombisa.
6. Kepha oLevi noBenjamini akababalanga phakathi kwabo, ngokuba izwi lenkosi lalinengekile kuJowabe.
7. Kwaba kubi emehlweni kaNkulunkulu; ngalokho washaya u-Israyeli.
8. UDavide wayesethi kuNkulunkulu: “Ngonile kakhulu ngalokho engikwenzileyo; kepha manje, Jehova, mawuthethelele ububi benceku yakho, ngokuba ngintumazele kakhulu.”
9. UJehova wayesekhuluma kuGadi, umboni kaDavide, ethi:
10. “Hamba ukhulume kuDavide ngokuthi: ‘UJehova usho kanje, uthi: Ngiyakubekela izinto ezintathu; khetha enye kuzo ukuba ngikwenzele yona.’ ”
11. UGadi wayesefika kuDavide, wathi kuye: “UJehova usho kanje, uthi:
12. ‘Zikhethele noma indlala yeminyaka emithathu, noma ukuchithwa yizitha zakho izinyanga ezintathu uficwa yinkemba yezitha zakho, noma izinsuku ezintathu zenkemba kaJehova nesifo ezweni, ingelosi kaJehova ichithe emikhawulweni yonke yakwa-Israyeli.’ Manje zibonele izwi engiyakulibuyisela kongithumileyo.”
13. UDavide wathi kuGadi: “Nginosizi kakhulu; mangiwele esandleni sikaJehova, ngokuba umusa wakhe mkhulu kakhulu; kepha esandleni somuntu mangingaweli kuso.”
14. UJehova wayesethuma isifo phezu kuka-Israyeli; kwafa kwa-Israyeli abantu abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa.