1. Kwathi emva kwalokho inkosi yabantwana bakwa-Amoni yafa, uHanuni indodana yakhe waba yinkosi esikhundleni sayo.
2. UDavide wathi: “Ngiyakumenzela umusa uHanuni indodana kaNahashi, njengalokho uyise angenzela umusa.” UDavide wayesethuma ngesandla sezinceku zakhe ukumduduza ngoyise. Zafika-ke izinceku zikaDavide ezweni labantwana bakwa-Amoni.
3. Kepha izikhulu zabantwana bakwa-Amoni zathi kuHanuni inkosi yazo: “Imbala ngokubona kwakho uDavide uthume abaduduzi kuwe ukuba atuse uyihlo na? UDavide akazithumanga yini izinceku zakhe kuwe ukuba ziphenye umuzi, ziwuhlole, ziwuchithe, na?”
4. UHanuni wayesebamba izinceku zikaDavide, waphucula inxenye yezilevu zazo, wahina izingubo zazo phakathi kwaze kwaba sezinqeni zazo, wazimukisa.
5. Lapho sebemtshela uDavide lokho, wathumela ukuzihlangabeza, ngokuba ayenamahloni kakhulu lawo madoda. Yathi inkosi: “Hlalani eJeriko, zize zihlume izilevu zenu, bese nibuya.”
6. Abantwana bakwa-Amoni sebebone ukuthi banengekile kuDavide, abakwa-Amoni bathuma baqasha ama-Aramu aseBeti Rehobe nama-Aramu aseSoba, imigundatshani eyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili, nenkosi yaseMahakha inabantu abayinkulungwane, nabantu baseThobi beyizinkulungwane eziyishumi nambili.
7. UDavide esezwile lokho wamthuma uJowabe nempi yonke yamaqhawe.
8. Abantwana bakwa-Amoni baphuma, bahlela impi ngasesikhaleni sesango; ama-Aramu aseSoba naseRehobe, nabantu baseThobi, nabaseMahakha babebodwa endle.
9. Kepha uJowabe esebona ukuthi izimpondo zempi zimhaqile ngaphambili nangasemuva wakhetha kwabakhethekileyo bakwa-Israyeli, wabahlela ukuba balwe nama-Aramu;
10. abantu abaseleyo wababeka esandleni sika-Abishayi umfowabo, wabahlela ukuba balwe nabantwana bakwa-Amoni.
11. Wathi: “Uma ama-Aramu engahlula, uyakungisiza; kepha uma abantwana bakwa-Amoni bekwahlula, ngiyakufika ngikusize.
12. Qinani, masiziqinise ngenxa yabantu bakithi nangenxa yemizi kaNkulunkulu wethu; uJehova makenze okuhle emehlweni akhe.”
13. UJowabe nabantu ababe naye base besondela ukuba balwe nama-Aramu; kepha abaleka phambi kwakhe.
14. Lapho abantwana bakwa-Amoni bebona ukuthi ama-Aramu abalekile, babaleka nabo phambi kuka-Abishayi, bangena emzini. UJowabe wayesebuya kubantwana bakwa-Amoni, weza eJerusalema.
15. Ama-Aramu esebonile ukuthi anqotshiwe phambi kuka-Israyeli, abuthana ndawonye.
16. UHadadezeri wathuma wakhipha ama-Aramu ayephesheya koMfula;* afika eHelamu, uShobaki induna yempi kaHadadezeri ephambi kwawo.
17. UDavide watshelwa, wabutha wonke u-Israyeli, wawela iJordani, wafika eHelamu. Ama-Aramu azihlela ukuhlangabezana noDavide, alwa naye.
18. Ama-Aramu abaleka phambi kuka-Israyeli; uDavide wabulala kuma-Aramu izinqola ezingamakhulu ayisikhombisa nabamahhashi abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amane, wamshaya uShobaki induna yempi yabo, wafela khona lapho.
19. Lapho onke amakhosi ayeyizinceku zikaHadadezeri ebonile ukuthi anqotshiwe phambi kuka-Israyeli, enza ukuthula no-Israyeli, abakhonza. Ama-Aramu ayesesaba ukusiza abantwana bakwa-Amoni futhi.