18. Kwathi ngosuku lwesikhombisa umntwana wafa. Izinceku zikaDavide zesaba ukumtshela ukuthi umntwana ufile, ngokuba zathi: “Bhekani, umntwana esezwa sakhuluma kuye, akalalelanga izwi lethu; pho, singamtshela kanjani ukuthi umntwana ufile? Angenza ingozi.”
19. Kepha uDavide ebona ukuthi izinceku zakhe ziyanyenyezelana, uDavide waqonda ukuthi umntwana ufile; uDavide wayesethi ezincekwini zakhe: “Usefile umntwana na?”Zathi: “Ufile.”
20. UDavide wayesevuka emhlabathini, wageza, wazigcoba, waphendulela izingubo zakhe, wangena endlini kaJehova, wakhuleka; wayeseya endlini yakhe; lapho esecela ukudla, bakubeka phambi kwakhe, wadla.
21. Zase zithi izinceku zakhe kuye: “Yintoni le oyenzileyo na? Wazila ukudla, wakhala ngomntwana esekhona, kepha lapho esefile, uvukile wadla.”
22. Wathi-ke yena: “Umntwana esekhona ngazila ukudla, ngakhala, ngokuba ngathi: Ngubani owaziyo ingabe uJehova uyakuba nomusa kimi ukuba umntwana aphile na?
23. Manje usefile; ngiyakuzilelani na? Ngingambuyisa yini? Ngiyakuya kuye, kepha yena akayikubuyela kimi.”
24. UDavide wamduduza uBati Sheba umkakhe, wangena kuye, walala naye; wazala indodana, waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uSolomoni. UJehova wamthanda.
25. Wathuma ngesandla sikaNathani umprofethi, wambiza ngokuthi uJedidiya* ngenxa kaJehova.
26. UJowabe walwa neRaba labantwana bakwa-Amoni, wathatha umuzi wenkosi.