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.
9. U-Abisalomu wasuka wahlangana nezinceku zikaDavide. U-Abisalomu wayekhwele umnyuzi* wakhe, umnyuzi wangena phansi kwehlozi le-oki,* ikhanda lakhe labambelela e-okini, waphakanyiselwa emkhathini wezulu nomhlaba; umnyuzi obuphansi kwakhe wadlula.
10. Umuntu othile wakubona, wamtshela uJowabe, wathi: “Bheka, ngibone u-Abisalomu ephanyekekile e-okini.”*
11. UJowabe wathi kumuntu omtshelileyo: “Bheka, ukubonile, awumjuqanga ngani khona, awele phansi, na? Nga ngikunikile izinhlamvu eziyishumi zesiliva nebhande.”*
12. Wathi-ke umuntu kuJowabe: “Noma bengiyakukhokhelwa izinhlamvu eziyinkulungwane zesiliva esandleni sami, nokho bengingayikuselulela isandla sami endodaneni yenkosi, ngokuba ezindlebeni zethu inkosi yakuyala wena no-Abishayi no-Ithayi ukuthi: ‘Yilondeni insizwa u-Abisalomu.’
13. Uma bengisebenzile inkohliso ngokuphila kwakhe, njengokuba kungekho nto efihlwa enkosini, nawe uqobo ngabe umelene nami.”
14. Wayesethi uJowabe: “Anginakulibala kanje nawe.” Wathatha imikhonto emithathu ngesandla sakhe, wambhokoda u-Abisalomu enhliziyweni esezwa, ephakathi kwe-oki.*
15. Izinsizwa eziyishumi ezaziphethe izikhali zikaJowabe zamzungeza, zamshaya u-Abisalomu, zambulala.
16. UJowabe wayesebetha icilongo, abantu babuya ekumxosheni u-Israyeli, ngokuba uJowabe wabagodla abantu.
17. Bamthatha u-Abisalomu, bamlahla emgodini omkhulu ehlathini, babeka phezu kwakhe inqwaba enkulu kakhulu yamatshe; bonke abakwa-Israyeli, kwaba yilowo nalowo, babalekela ematendeni abo.
18. U-Abisalomu esekhona wayethathe insika, wazimisela yona esiGodini seNkosi, ngokuba wathi: “Anginandodana yokukhumbuzela igama lami.” Wayiqamba insika ngegama lakhe; ithiwa isikhumbuzo sika-Abisalomu kuze kube namuhla.
19. U-Ahimahasi indodana kaSadoki wayesethi: “Ake ngigijime, ngiyibikele inkosi ukuthi uJehova uyiphindisele ezitheni zayo.”
20. UJowabe wathi kuye: “Awuyikuba ngumbiki wendaba namuhla, kepha uyakubika ngolunye usuku; namuhla awuyikubika lutho, ngokuba indodana yenkosi ifile.”
21. Wayesethi uJowabe kumKushe: “Hamba, uyitshele inkosi okubonileyo.” UmKushe wamkhothamela uJowabe, wagijima.
22. U-Ahimahasi indodana kaSadoki wabuye wathi kuJowabe: “Noma kanjani, ake ngigijime nami, ngimlandele umKushe.”Kepha uJowabe wathi: “Uyakugijimelani wena mntanami, lokhu kungekho mvuzo wombiko kuwe, na?”
23. Wathi: “Noma kanjani, ake ngigijime.”Wathi kuye: “Gijima.” Wayesegijima u-Ahimahasi ngendlela yasethafeni, wamdlula umKushe.