1. Kwakukhona umuntu omubi ogama lakhe lalinguSheba indodana kaBikri umBenjamini; wabetha icilongo, wathi: “Asinasabelo kuDavide, asinafa endodaneni kaJese; yiyani nonke ematendeni enu, Israyeli.”
2. Bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli base benyuka bengasamlandeli uDavide, bamlandela uSheba indodana kaBikri; kepha abantu bakwaJuda babambelela enkosini yabo kusukela eJordani kuze kube seJerusalema.
3. UDavide wafika endlini yakhe eJerusalema; inkosi yathatha abesifazane abayishumi, izancinza zayo, eyayibashiyile ukuba bayilinde indlu, yababeka endlini yokulindela, yabapha ukudla, kepha ayingenanga kubo. Base bevalelwe kwaze kwaba sosukwini lokufa kwabo, behlezi njengabafelokazi.
4. Yayisithi inkosi ku-Amasa: “Ngibuthele abantu bakwaJuda ngezinsuku ezintathu, ube khona nawe.”
5. Wayesehamba u-Amasa ukubutha uJuda, kepha walibala phezu kwesikhathi asinqunyelweyo.
6. Wayesethi uDavide ku-Abishayi: “Manje uSheba indodana kaBikri uyakwenza okubi kakhulu kithi kuno-Abisalomu; thatha wena izinceku zenkosi yakho, umxoshe, funa azitholele imizi ebiyelweyo, asiphunyuke.”
7. Emva kwakhe kwaphuma amadoda kaJowabe, namaKhereti namaPheleti, namaqhawe onke; baphuma eJerusalema ukuba bamxoshe uSheba indodana kaBikri.
8. Besesetsheni elikhulu eliseGibeyoni, u-Amasa wafika ukubahlangabeza. UJowabe wayebhince isambatho sakhe sokulwa ayelokhu esigqoka; kusona lalikhona ibhande* elinenkemba emgodleni wayo elaligaxwe okhalweni lwakhe; yawa esehamba.
9. UJowabe wayesethi ku-Amasa: “Usaphila, mfowethu, na?” UJowabe wambamba u-Amasa ngesilevu ngesandla sakhe sokunene ukuba amange.
10. Kodwa u-Amasa akayinakanga inkemba eyayisesandleni sikaJowabe; wamgwaza ngayo esiswini, wachithela izibilini zakhe emhlabathini; wafa engamphindanga. OJowabe no-Abishayi umfowabo bamxosha uSheba indodana kaBikri.
11. Kwema ngakuye enye yezinsizwa zikaJowabe, yathi: “Omthanda uJowabe nongokaDavide mabamlandele uJowabe.”
12. U-Amasa wahuquzela egazini lakhe phakathi nomendo. Lapho lo muntu ebona ukuthi bonke abantu bema, wamgudluza u-Amasa emendweni, wamyisa ensimini, waphonsa ingubo phezu kwakhe, lapho ebona ukuthi bonke abadlula ngakuye bema.