1. Ke kaloku uBhenadadi ukumkani wama-Aram wawuqokelela wonke umkhosi wakhe. Wayencediswa ngookumkani abamashumi mathathu anambini, benamahashe neenqwelo zabo, wayingqinga iSamariya wayihlasela.
2. Wathumela abathunywa apho esixekweni kukumkani uAhabhi wakwaSirayeli, esithi: “Mna Bhenadadi ndithi:
3. ‘Loo siliva naloo golide yakho yeyam ngoku; nezona nzwakazi zabafazi ngabam, ngokunjalo nabantwana.’ ”
4. Waphendula ke ukumkani wakwaSirayeli esithi: “Kanye njengoko sewutshilo, mhlekazi kumkani; xa sisonke nje singabákho, nako konke esinako.”
5. Zabuza kwakhona izithunywa ezo zisithi: “UBhenadadi uthi: ‘Bendithumele ndifuna isiliva negolide nabafazi bakho nabantwana.
6. Kodwa ngomso malunga neli xesha ndothumela amagosa am aligqogqe ibhotwe lakho kunye nezindlu zamaphakathi akho. Aya kubutha yonke into oyixabisileyo, emke nayo.’ ”
7. Ke ukumkani wakwaSirayeli wawabiza onke amadoda amakhulu elizwe lakhe, wathi: “Niyambona lo mfo; uzingelana nenkathazo! Ngokuya ebethumele efuna isiliva negolide, abafazi nabantwana bam, khange ndale.”
8. Aphendula ke amadoda amakhulu nabantu xa bebonke bathi: “Hayi suka, sukuyiphulaphula le nkewu le; nezo zinto izifunayo sukuvuma nazo!”
9. Ke kaloku wathi kubathunywa bakaBhenadadi: “Yixeleleni inkosi yam ukumkani nithi mna sicaka sakhe zonke izinto ebethe uyazifuna kwisihlandlo sokuqala ndizimisele ukumnika, kodwa ke yona le ayithethayo ngoku andinakuyenza.” Bemka ke abathunywa abo, basa olu daba kuBhenadadi.
10. Uphindile ke uBhenadadi wathumela olunye udaba kwalapho kuAhabhi, esithi: “Mabandohlwaye oothixo, nokuba kuqatha kangakanani na, ukuba ngaba eSamariya apho kuthe kwashiyeka uthuli olwaneleyo ukuze ijoni lam ngalinye libe nokulufumbatha ngesandla.”
11. Waphendula ke ukumkani wakwaSirayeli wathi: “Mxeleleni nithi: ‘Umntu osabhinqa ikrele akafanele kuziqhayisa njengalowo uselelikhulula.’ ”
12. Olu daba lwamfikela uBhenadadi xa kanye yena nezo zikumkani babesela ezintenteni zabo. Ngoko nangoko wayalela umkhosi wakhe, wathi: “Kuf' ayayo, mawethu!” Baxhoba ke ukuze basihlasele isixeko eso.
13. Ke kaloku ukumkani uAhabhi wakwaSirayeli wafikelwa *ngumshumayeli, wathi: “Utsho *uNdikhoyo ukuthi: ‘Uyayibona le nyambalala yomkhosi? Ewe, kanye namhlanje ndiza kuwunikela esandleni sakho, ukuze uqonde ukuba mna ndinguNdikhoyo.’ ”
14. Ke yena uAhabhi wathi: “Ngubani kodwa oya kuyenza loo nto?”Umshumayeli ke lowo wathi: “Utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi: ‘Abafana bamabutho aphantsi kweenjengele zamaphondo ngabo abaza kuyenza le nto.’ ”UAhabhi wathi: “Ngubani oya kuqala ahlasele?”Umshumayeli lowo waphendula esithi: “Nguwe!”
15. Ngoko ke uAhabhi wawabiza amajoni aselula aphantsi kweenjengele zamaphondo. Ayengamadoda angamakhulu amabini anamashumi amathathu anambini. Wawuhlanganisa emva kwawo umndilili wamaSirayeli ungabantu abamawaka asixhenxe.