21. U-Abineri wayesethi kuDavide: “Ngiyakusuka ngihambe ngiqoqele wonke u-Israyeli enkosini yami, inkosi, ukuba benze isivumelwano nawe nokuba ubuse phezu kwakho konke ekufisayo inhliziyo yakho.” UDavide wammukisa u-Abineri, wahamba ngokuthula.
22. Bheka, izinceku zikaDavide nezikaJowabe zabuya eviyweni, zaletha impango enkulu; kepha u-Abineri wayengekho kuDavide eHebroni, ngokuba wayemmukisile, wahamba ngokuthula.
23. Esefikile uJowabe nempi yonke eyayinaye, bamtshela uJowabe ukuthi: “U-Abineri indodana kaNeri wafika enkosini; immukisile, wahamba ngokuthula.”
24. UJowabe wayeseya enkosini, wathi: “Wenzeni na? Bheka, u-Abineri wafika kuwe; ummukiseleni wahamba nokuhamba na?
25. Uyamazi u-Abineri indodana kaNeri ukuthi wafika ukukukhohlisa nokwazi ukuphuma kwakho nokungena kwakho, nokwazi konke okwenzayo.”
26. UJowabe esephumile kuDavide wathuma izithunywa ukulandela u-Abineri, zambuyisa emthonjeni waseSira, kepha uDavide wayengakwazi lokho.
27. U-Abineri esebuyele eHebroni, uJowabe wamchezukisela phakathi kwesango ukuba akhulume naye bebodwa, wamgwaza lapho esiswini waze wafa ngenxa yegazi lika-Asaheli umfowabo.
28. Esekuzwa lokho ngasemuva uDavide wathi: “Mina nombuso wami asinacala phambi kukaJehova kuze kube phakade ngegazi lika-Abineri indodana kaNeri;
29. maliwele ekhanda likaJowabe nakuyo yonke indlu kayise. Makungaphuthi endlini kaJowabe ukuba kube khona ocucuzayo, nonochoko, nozimelelayo ngodondolo, nowayo ngenkemba, noswele isinkwa.”
30. OJowabe no-Abishayi umfowabo base bembulele u-Abineri, ngokuba wayebulele umfowabo u-Asaheli eGibeyoni empini.
31. UDavide wathi kuJowabe nakubantu bonke ababe naye: “Klebhulani izingubo zenu, nibhince indwangu yamasaka, nilile phambi kuka-Abineri.” Inkosi uDavide yalandela uhlaka.
32. Bammbela u-Abineri eHebroni; inkosi yadazuluka, yakhala ngasethuneni lika-Abineri; nabantu bonke bakhala.
33. Inkosi yamlilela u-Abineri, yathi:“Afe u-Abineri njengokufa kwesiwula na?
34. Izandla zakho zazingaboshiwe,nezinyawo zakho zazingafakwanga emaketangeni;wawa njengomuntu owayo phambi kwabantu ababi.”Bonke abantu baphinda bemkhalela.
35. Bonke abantu bafika ukuba bamdlise uDavide isinkwa kusesemini; kepha uDavide wafunga wathi: “Makenze njalo kimi uNkulunkulu, enezele futhi, uma ngidla isinkwa noma okunye lingakashoni ilanga.”
36. Bonke abantu bakubona, kwaba kuhle emehlweni abo, njengalokho konke eyakwenza inkosi kwaba kuhle emehlweni abantu bonke.