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.
27. U-Abisalomu wazalelwa amadodana amathathu nendodakazi inye egama layo linguTamari; yayingowesifazane obukeka emuhle.
28. U-Abisalomu wahlala eJerusalema iminyaka emibili epheleleyo, engabuboni ubuso benkosi.
29. U-Abisalomu wayesethumela kuJowabe ukuba amthume enkosini, kepha akavumanga ukuza kuye; waphinda wathumela ngokwesibili, kepha akavumanga ukuza.
30. Wayesethi ezincekwini zakhe: “Bhekani, insimu kaJowabe iseduze neyami, unebhali* khona; hambani niyithungele ngomlilo.” Izinceku zika-Abisalomu zayithungela-ke insimu ngomlilo.
31. Wayesesuka uJowabe, waya ku-Abisalomu endlini yakhe, wathi kuye: “Izinceku zakho ziyithungeleleni insimu yami ngomlilo na?”
32. U-Abisalomu wathi kuJowabe: “Bheka, ngithumele kuwe, ngithi: ‘Woza lapha ukuba ngikuthume enkosini ukuyothi: “Ngisukeleni eGeshuri na? Ngabe kungcono kimi ukuba bengisekhona lapho.” ’ Ngalokho mangibone ubuso benkosi; uma kukhona icala kimi, mayingibulale.”
33. Wayeseya uJowabe enkosini, wayitshela; isimbizile u-Abisalomu, weza enkosini, wakhothamela kuyo, ubuso bakhe bubheke phansi, phambi kwenkosi; inkosi yamanga u-Abisalomu.