1. Kwabikelwa uJowabe ukuthi: “Bheka, inkosi iyakhala, imlilela u-Abisalomu.”
2. Ukunqoba ngalolo suku kwaphenduka isililo kubantu bonke, ngokuba abantu bezwa kwathiwa ngalolo suku: “Inkosi idabukile ngendodana yayo.”
3. Abantu bangena emzini ngalolo suku ngokunyenya njengabantu abanamahloni benyenya, bebalekela impi.
4. Inkosi yamboza ubuso bayo, inkosi yakhala ngezwi elikhulu, yathi: “Hhawu, ndodana yami Abisalomu, Abisalomu, ndodana yami, ndodana yami!”
5. UJowabe wangena endlini enkosini, wathi: “Udumazile namuhla ubuso bazo zonke izinceku zakho ezisindisile ukuphila kwakho namuhla, nokuphila kwamadodana akho namadodakazi akho, nokuphila kwabafazi bakho, nokuphila kwezancinza zakho
6. ngokubathanda abakuzondayo nangokubazonda abakuthandayo. Ngokuba umemezele namuhla ukuthi izikhulu nezinceku azilutho kuwe, lokhu ngibona namuhla ukuthi uma ebephilile u-Abisalomu thina sonke besifile namuhla, ngabe kulungile emehlweni akho.
7. Ngalokho suka, ukhulume kahle ezincekwini zakho, ngokuba ngifunga uJehova ngithi, uma ungaphumi, akuyikusala muntu kuwe ngalobu busuku; lokhu kuyakuba kubi kuwe kunakho konke okubi okukwehlele kwasebusheni bakho kuze kube namuhla.”
8. Yayisisuka inkosi, yahlala esangweni. Kwathiwa kubo bonke abantu: “Bhekani, inkosi ihlezi esangweni.” Base befika abantu bonke phambi kwenkosi. Kepha abakwa-Israyeli babebalekele, kwaba yilowo nalowo etendeni lakhe.
9. Bonke abantu babephikisana ezizweni zonke zakwa-Israyeli, bethi: “Inkosi yasophula esandleni sezitha zethu, yasikhulula esandleni samaFilisti; manje isibalekile ezweni, imbalekele u-Abisalomu.
10. U-Abisalomu esamgcoba ukuba abe phezu kwethu usefile empini. Manje nithuleleni, ningayibuyisi inkosi na?”
11. Inkosi uDavide yathumela kuSadoki naku-Abiyathara abapristi, yathi: “Khulumani kumalunga akwaJuda, nithi: ‘Kungani ukuba nibe ngabokugcina ukubuyisela inkosi endlini yayo, lokhu kufinyelele enkosini nasendlini yayo konke ukukhuluma kuka-Israyeli, na?