1. UDavide wabala abantu ababe naye, wabeka phezu kwabo izinduna zezinkulungwane nezinduna zamakhulu.
2. UDavide wamukisa abantu, inxenye yesithathu iphansi kwesandla sikaJowabe, nenxenye yesithathu iphansi kwesandla sika-Abishayi indodana kaSeruya, umfowabo kaJowabe, nenxenye yesithathu iphansi kwesandla sika-Ithayi umGiti. Inkosi yathi kubantu: “Nami ngiyakuphuma nokuphuma nani.”
3. Kepha abantu bathi: “Awuyikuphuma, ngokuba uma sibaleka, abayikusinakekela; noma kufa inxenye yethu, abayikusikhathalela, kepha wena unjengezinkulungwane eziyishumi zethu; ngalokho kuhle ukuba usisize usemzini.”
4. Yayisithi inkosi kubo: “Okuhle emehlweni enu ngiyakukwenza.” Inkosi yema ngaseceleni kwesango, bonke abantu baphuma ngamakhulu nangezinkulungwane.
5. Inkosi yabayaleza oJowabe no-Abishayi no-Ithayi, yathi: “Anoyiphatha kahle insizwa ngenxa yami, ngisho u-Abisalomu.” Bonke abantu bezwa, lapho inkosi iyaleza zonke izinduna ngo-Abisalomu.
6. Base bephumela endle ukulwa no-Israyeli, kwaliwa ehlathini lakwa-Efrayimi.
7. Abantu bakwa-Israyeli banqotshwa lapho phambi kwezinceku zikaDavide, kwakukhona ukubulalana okukhulu ngalolo suku, abantu abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili.
8. Ngokuba impi yahlakazeka khona ezweni lonke, ihlathi laqeda abantu abaningi ngalolo suku kunabadliwa yinkemba.