18. Yayisiphendula inkosi, yathi kowesifazane: “Ake ungafihli lutho kimi engiyakulubuza mina kuwe.”Wathi owesifazane: “Mayikhulume inkosi yami, inkosi.”
19. Yathi-ke inkosi: “Isandla sikaJowabe sinawe yini kukho konke lokhu na?”Owesifazane waphendula wathi: “Kuphila kwakho, nkosi yami, nkosi, akukho muntu ongaphendukela ngakwesokunene nangakwesokhohlo kukho konke okukhulunywe yinkosi yami, inkosi, ngokuba inceku yakho uJowabe yangiyaleza, yafunza onke lawo mazwi emlonyeni wencekukazi yakho;
20. uJowabe inceku yakho wenzile lokho ukuba aphendukezele ubuso bendaba; inkosi yami ihlakaniphile njengokuhlakanipha kwengelosi kaNkulunkulu ukwazi konke okusemhlabeni.”
21. Inkosi yayisithi kuJowabe: “Bheka-ke, yenza lokhu: hamba ubuyise umfana u-Abisalomu.”
22. UJowabe wawa phansi ngobuso, wakhuleka, wayibusisa inkosi; uJowabe wathi: “Namuhla inceku yakho iyazi ukuthi ngifumene umusa emehlweni akho, nkosi yami, nkosi, lokhu inkosi ilenzile izwi lenceku yayo.”
23. Wayesesuka uJowabe wahamba, waya eGeshuri, wamletha u-Abisalomu eJerusalema.
24. Inkosi yathi: “Makaye endlini yakhe, angaboni nokho ubuso bami.” Wayeseya u-Abisalomu endlini yakhe, akabubona ubuso benkosi.
25. Kwa-Israyeli wonke kwakungekho muntu omuhle njengo-Abisalomu owababazeka kakhulu, kungekho sici kuye kusukela ematheni onyawo kuze kube sokhakhayini.
26. Nxa ephucula ikhanda lakhe ngokuba wayelokhu eliphucula njalo ngasekupheleni komnyaka, lokhu izinwele zakhe zamsinda; ngalokho waziphucula wazilinganisa izinwele zekhanda lakhe, zalingana namashekeli* angamakhulu amabili ngesisindo senkosi.