7. Emva kweminyaka emine uAbhasalom ubhekise kukumkani wathi: “Mhlekazi, ndiyakucela ndikhulule ndiye kuzalisekisa isibhambathiso endasenza *kuNdikhoyo eHebron.
8. Kaloku ndandenze isifungo ngokuya ndandisahlala eGeshuri kwelama-Aram, ndathi uNdikhoyo ndiya kumenzela idini xa andibuyisele ekhaya eJerusalem.”
9. Ukumkani wathi kuye: “Hamba ngoxolo.”Wesuka ke wemka uAbhasalom waya eHebron.
10. Kanti wayeshiye ethume oongcothoza kuzo zonke izizwe zakwaSirayeli esithi: “Xa nithe neva umtyangampo wesigodlo, ze nithi: ‘UAbhasalom ungukumkani eHebron!’ ”
11. UAbhasalom wakhatshwa ngamakhulu amabini amadoda ukuya kwakhe eHebron esuka eJerusalem. Ahamba ngesimemo engazi nto wona phofu ngeli yelenqe.
12. Kwathi xa uAhitofele waseGilo, iphakathi likakumkani uDavide, laliye kokwalo eGilo, lisiya kunyusa amadini, uAbhasalom wathuma isigidimi kuye, embiza. Iyelenqe lokuvukela ukumkani laya likhula, namanani eqela lika-Abhasalom aya esanda ngokwanda.
13. Kwafika isigidimi kuDavide, sathi: “Iintliziyo zamadoda akwaSirayeli zijikile, zilandela uAbhasalom.”
14. Ke uDavide wathi kumaphakathi akhe onke awayeseJerusalem: “Masibaleke kusengoku, kuba asiyi kusinda kuAbhasalom. Masikhawuleze simke, hleze asihlasele ngephanyazo, asihlisele ububi, abulale abemi balo mzi ngekrele.”
15. Aphendula ngelithi amaphakathi kuDavide: “Makube njengokubona kwakho, mhlekazi; thina zicaka zakho sesilungile.”
16. Wanduluka ke ukumkani nalo lonke usapho lwakhe. Kwasala ishumi labafazi elalingamaqadi, agcina umzi wakomkhulu.
17. Ukumkani kunye nabantu awayehamba nabo bathi bakufika ngakwindlu yokugqibela bakha bathi xha apho.
18. Onke amaphakathi akhe ema ngakuye lo gama abalindi bakhe abangamaKreti namaPleti badlulayo ngaphambi kwakhe. Emva koko kuze amakhulu amathandathu amadoda omkhosi owamlandela ukusuka eGati.
19. Kwesi sithuba ke ukumkani uthe kuItayi waseGati: “Ulapha nawe? Ufunani emva kwam? Hamba uye kungenelela kulaa kumkani mtsha; kaloku ungumntu wasemzini wena, imbacu eyasaba amawayo.
20. Hayi, mandingambhadulisi umntu ofika izolo! Andikazi nalapho ndiya kuphelela khona. Jika, wena kunye nala madoda akuni. Akwaba inceba nenyaniso yaba nawe.”
21. UItayi wamphendula ukumkani wathi: “Mhlekazi, ekho nje *uNdikhoyo, ikho nje inkosi yam ukumkani, inene, apho iya khona inkosi yam ukumkani, nam sicaka sakho ndiya kuya khona, nditsho nokuba kusebomini nokuba kusekufeni.”