1. Intukuthelo kaJehova yabuye yavuthela u-Israyeli, wamvusa uDavide ngabo ngokuthi: “Hamba ubale u-Israyeli noJuda.”
2. Inkosi yathi kuJowabe induna yempi eyayinaye: “Hamba ezizweni zonke zakwa-Israyeli kusukela kwaDani kuze kube seBeri Sheba, nibale abantu ukuba ngiwazi umumo wabantu.”
3. Wayesethi uJowabe enkosini: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho makenezele kubantu kuphindwe kayikhulu phezu kwalokhu abayikho, kubonwe ngamehlo enkosi yami, inkosi; kepha inkosi yami, inkosi, yenamelelani le nto na?”
4. Nokho izwi lenkosi lamahlula uJowabe nezinduna zempi. UJowabe nezinduna zempi baphuma ebusweni benkosi ukuba babale abantu bakwa-Israyeli.
5. Bawela iJordani, bamisa e-Aroweri ngakwesokunene komuzi ophakathi nesigodi sakwaGadi ngaseJazeri;
6. base befika kwaGileyadi nasezweni laseTahetimi Hodishi; bafika naseDani Jahani nangaseSidoni,
7. bafika enqabeni yaseTire, nasemizini yonke yamaHivi namaKhanani; baphuma baya nangaseningizimu kwaJuda eBeri Sheba.
8. Sebedabule izwe lonke bafika eJerusalema ngasekupheleni kwezinyanga eziyisishiyagalolunye nezinsuku ezingamashumi amabili.
9. UJowabe wayesenika inkosi umumo wabantu ababaliweyo; kwaba khona kwa-Israyeli amadoda anamandla ayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu ayisishiyagalombili ahloma inkemba; amadoda akwaJuda ayeyizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu ayisihlanu.
10. UDavide wahlabeka enhliziyweni emva kokuba esebabalile abantu. UDavide wathi kuJehova: “Ngonile kakhulu ngalokho engikwenzileyo; kepha manje, Jehova, mawuthethelele ububi benceku yakho, ngokuba ngintumazele kakhulu.”
11. Wathi ukuba uDavide avuke ekuseni, kwafika izwi likaJehova kumprofethi uGadi umboni kaDavide lokuthi:
12. “Hamba ukhulume kuDavide ngokuthi: ‘UJehova usho kanje, uthi: Ngiyakubekela izinto ezintathu; khetha enye kuzo ukuba ngikwenzele yona.’ ”
13. UGadi wayesefika kuDavide, wamtshela, wathi kuye: “Kufike kuwe yini iminyaka eyisikhombisa yendlala ezweni lakini, noma ubalekele izitha zakho izinyanga ezintathu zisakuxosha, noma kube khona izinsuku ezintathu zesifo ezweni lakini na? Manje cabanga, ubone ukuthi yiliphi izwi engiyakulibuyisela kongithumileyo.”
14. Wayesethi uDavide kuGadi: “Nginosizi kakhulu; masiwele esandleni sikaJehova, ngokuba umusa wakhe mkhulu; kepha esandleni somuntu mangingaweli kuso.”