21. Waphuma ke ukumkani wakwaSirayeli, wabahlasela abamahashe nabeenqwelo, wawabetha ee waca ama-Aram.
22. Wafika umshumayeli lowa, wathetha nokumkani wakwaSirayeli, wathi: “Buyani nizihlaziye, nicwangcise ngenyameko, nihlale nomelele, kuba ukumkani wama-Aram lo uza kubuya aphinde anihlasele entlakohlaza.”
23. Kanti ke amaphakathi okumkani wama-Aram wona amcebisa athi: “Kaloku oothixo bamaSirayeli ngoothixo abahlala ezintabeni; yiyo le nto esongamele kangaka nje! Ukuba sinokulwa nawo emathafeni akuthandabuzeki ukuba singawoyisa.
24. Ngoko ke yenza le nto: basuse ookumkani abo, uze ezindaweni zabo ufake amanye amagosa.
25. Gaya umkhosi olingana nalowa besinawo, kube njalo emahashini nasezinqwelweni, ukuze sibe nako ukulwa namaSirayeli emathafeni. Xa siyenzile ke loo nto siya kuwongamela.” Ukumkani walamkela elo cebo, waza ke wenza njengoko.
26. Entlakohlaza uBhenadadi wawuqokelela umkhosi wakhe, waza waphuma nawo ama-Aram, wajonga eAfeki, esiya kulwa namaSirayeli.
27. Athe akuba eqokelelene amaSirayeli, axhoba, anikwa nomphako, aphuma ahlangabeza. Ke amaSirayeli emisa malunga nama-Aram ethe xakalala kuloo ntili, benjengemihlanjana emibini yeebhokhwe.
28. Umfo wakwaThixo ke weza kukumkani wakwaSirayeli, wathi kuye: “Utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi: ‘Ngenxa yokuba ama-Aram la esithi uNdikhoyo nguThixo weentaba, asiThixo wazo iintili, ngoko ke loo nyambalala yomkhosi wawo ndiza kuyinikela ezandleni zakho, ukuze uqonde ukuba ndinguNdikhoyo.’ ”
29. Yaba ziintsuku ezisixhenxe ijamelene loo mikhosi, yaza ke yadibanisa ngolu lwesixhenxe. Ngamini-nye nje, amaSirayeli alalisa iingxwelerha ezilikhulu lamawaka kuma-Aram angamajoni ahamba ngeenyawo.
30. Athi ke aseleyo abalekela kwisixeko iAfeki. Khona apho ke adilikelwa ludonga lwesixeko. Ayengamadoda angamashumi amabini anesixhenxe amawaka.Naye uBhenadadi wabalekela esixekweni, wazimela kwigumbi elingaphakathi.
31. Amaphakathi akhe athi kuye: “Kuthiwa ookumkani bendlu kaSirayeli banovelwano. Masiye kuye, sibhinqe ezirwexayo, iintloko sizithandele ngamagqesha, mhlawumbi anganenceba akusindise.”
32. Ngenene ke babhinqa ezirhwexayo, bazithandela ngamagqesha entloko, baza baya kukumkani wakwaSirayeli, bafika bathi: “Isicaka sakho uBhenadadi sithi: ‘Nceda, sewusindisa nje oku kobomi bam.’ ”Ukumkani wathi: “Ngaba usaphila? Hayi, ngumntakwethu lowo!”