1. Kwathi emva kwalokho u-Abisalomu wazilungiselela inqola, namahhashi, nabantu abangamashumi ayisihlanu ukuba bagijime phambi kwakhe.
2. U-Abisalomu wavuka ekuseni, wema ngaseceleni kwendlela yesango; kwakuthi wonke umuntu onecala eliya enkosini ukuba lithethwe, u-Abisalomu wambiza wathi: “Ungowamuphi umuzi na?” athi: “Inceku yakho ingowesinye sezizwe zakwa-Israyeli.”
3. Wathi u-Abisalomu kuye: “Bheka, izindaba zakho zinhle, zilungile, kepha akukho muntu obekwe yinkosi ukuba akuzwe.”
4. U-Abisalomu wathi futhi: “Sengathi ngingenziwa umahluleli ezweni, kuze kimi wonke umuntu onecala nendaba, ngimenzele ukulunga.”
5. Kwathi lapho kusondela umuntu ukuba akhuleke kuye, waselula isandla sakhe, wambamba, wamanga.
6. Wenze njalo u-Abisalomu kubo bonke abakwa-Israyeli abeza enkosini ngamacala; u-Abisalomu weba izinhliziyo zabantu bakwa-Israyeli.
7. Kwathi ngasekupheleni kweminyaka engamashumi amane u-Abisalomu wathi enkosini: “Mangihambe ukugcwalisa isithembiso sami engasethembisa kuJehova eHebroni.
8. Ngokuba inceku yakho yenza isithembiso ngisahlezi eGeshuri lase-Aramu sokuthi: ‘Uma uJehova engibuyisela impela eJerusalema, ngiyakumkhonza uJehova.’ ”
9. Inkosi yathi kuye: “Hamba ngokuthula.” Wayesesuka, waya eHebroni.
10. Kepha u-Abisalomu wathuma izinhloli ezizweni zonke zakwa-Israyeli ngokuthi: “Lapho nizwa ukukhala kwecilongo, anothi: ‘U-Abisalomu uyinkosi eHebroni.’ ”
11. Kwahamba no-Abisalomu abantu abangamakhulu amabili, bebiziwe bephuma eJerusalema; bahamba bemsulwa, bengazi lutho nakanci.
12. U-Abisalomu wathuma walanda u-Ahithofeli umGiloni, umluleki kaDavide, emzini wakubo waseGilo, esanikela ngemihlatshelo. Uzungu lwaqina, abantu banda njalo ku-Abisalomu.
13. Kwafika umbiki kuDavide, wathi: “Izinhliziyo zabantu bakwa-Israyeli zilandela u-Abisalomu.”
14. UDavide wayesethi ezincekwini zakhe zonke ezazinaye eJerusalema: “Sukani, sibaleke, ngokuba, uma singenzi njalo, akuyikuphunyuka muntu kithi phambi kuka-Abisalomu; sheshani, nimuke, funa asifice masinyane, asehlisele okubi, awuchithe umuzi ngosiko lwenkemba.”
15. Izinceku zenkosi zathi enkosini: “Noma yintoni engayikhetha inkosi yethu, inkosi bheka, nazi izinceku zakho.”
16. Yayisiphuma inkosi, bonke abendlu bayo beyilandela. Inkosi yashiya abesifazane abayishumi abayizancinza ukuba balinde indlu.
17. Yaphuma-ke inkosi, bonke abantu beyilandela; bahlala eBeti Hamerhaki.