20. Ngokuba inceku yakho iyazi ukuthi yonile; bheka, ngifikile namuhla ngingowokuqala wendlu yonke kaJosefa, ngehle ukuhlangabeza inkosi yami, inkosi.”
21. Kepha u-Abishayi indodana kaSeruya waphendula wathi: “UShimeyi akayikubulawa yini ngalokho, njengokuba wathuka ogcotshiweyo kaJehova, na?”
22. UDavide wathi: “Nginamsebenzi muni nani madodana kaSeruya ukuba nimelane nami namuhla na? Kuzakubulawa umuntu namuhla kwa-Israyeli na? Angazi yini mina ukuthi namuhla ngiyinkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli na?”
23. Inkosi yayisithi kuShimeyi: “Awuyikufa.” Inkosi yafunga kuye.
24. Naye uMefibosheti indodana kaSawule wehla ukuhlangabeza inkosi; wayengalungisanga izinyawo zakhe, engalungisanga nesilevu sakhe, engahlanzanga futhi izingubo zakhe, kwasukela osukwini inkosi eyamuka ngalo kwaze kwaba lusuku owabuya ngalo ngokuthula.
25. Kwathi esefike eJerusalema ukuyihlangabeza inkosi, inkosi yathi kuye: “Awuhambanga ngani nami, Mefibosheti, na?”
26. Wathi: “Nkosi yami, nkosi, inceku yami yangikhohlisa, ngokuba inceku yakho yathi: ‘Ngiyakuzibophelela imbongolo ukuba ngiyikhwele, ngihambe nenkosi, ngokuba inceku yakho ilunyonga.’
27. Ihlebile inceku yakho enkosini yami, inkosi, kepha inkosi yami, inkosi, injengengelosi kaNkulunkulu; ngalokho yenza okuhle emehlweni akho.
28. Ngokuba yonke indlu kababa yayinjengabantu abafileyo phambi kwenkosi yami, inkosi; kepha wayibeka inceku yakho phakathi kwabadla etafuleni lakho. Ngisenalungelo lini ukuba ngibuye ngikhale enkosini na?”