1. UJowabhi waxelelwa kwathiwa: “Uyabona, ukumkani uzilile, elilela uAbhasalom.”
2. Ngaloo mini uvuyo loloyiso lwajika lwaba lusizi kuwo wonke umkhosi kaDavide, kuba eva kusithiwa: “Ukumkani uzilile ngenxa yonyana wakhe.”
3. Loo mkhosi wabuyela edolophini unyoshoza oku komkhosi obaleke edabini.
4. Wazigquma ubuso ukumkani, watsho esikrakra isikhalo, esithi: “Yini umntwana wam uAbhasalom! Abhasalom, nyana wam, nyana wam!”
5. Wasuka uJowabhi, waya endlwini kakumkani, wafika wathi kukumkani: “Namhlanje uwaphoxile amadoda omkhosi wakho, nditsho amadoda asindise ubomi bakho, ubomi boonyana neentombi zakho, nabafazi bakho namaqadi akho.
6. Abo bakuthiyileyo uyabathanda, uze abo bakuthandayo ubathiye. Kucace gca ukuba izinxiba-mxhaka zakho kwakunye namadoda omkhosi akuzikhathalele. Ndiyabona ukuba namhlanje ngewuvuya ukuba ebengafanga uAbhasalom, kufe thina endaweni yakhe.
7. Hamba ke ngoku, uye kuthetha nawo uwancome la madoda, kuba ngomso kusasa kobe kungekho nanye kuwo ehamba nawe, xa ungayenzanga loo nto. Ndifunga *uNdikhoyo! Loo nto ke yoba lelona shwangusha wakha wanalo ebomini bakho ukususela ebutsheni bakho ukuza kuthi ga ngoku.”
8. Usukile ukumkani, waya kuhlala ngasesangweni lesixeko. Axelelwa onke amadoda kwathiwa: “Ukumkani uhleli ngasesangweni.” Abuthelana ngakukumkani ke amadoda omkhosi wakhe.Ngeli xesha ayeselebalekile onke amaSirayeli, indoda nganye iye kowayo.
9. Afika axabana odwa kuwo wonke loo mmandla. Kwakukho athi: “UDavide wawasindisa kwiintshaba zawo amaSirayeli, wawahlangula esandleni samaFilistiya. Ngoku ubaleke uAbhasalom, walishiya lodwa ilizwe.
10. UAbhasalom esamthambisa waba ngukumkani wethu, ngoku ufele edabini. Ke kutheni kuthe cwaka nje malunga nokuphuthunywa kukakumkani uDavide?”
11. Ukumkani uDavide wathumela kooZadoki noAbhiyatare ababingeleli, wathi: “Thethani namadoda amakhulu akwaJuda nithi: ‘Kutheni nina nibe ngabokugqibela ukubuyisela ukumkani kwibhotwe lakhe? Kaloku okuthethwayo ngamaSirayeli onke kufikile kukumkani endlwini yakhe.
12. Kanti nina niyazalana naye, niligazi lakhe.’
13. Yithini kuAmasa mna naye siyazalana, yaye uThixo uya kuba nento andenzayo, nditsho nokuba iqatha kangakanani, ukuba andimenzi injengele yomkhosi wam yonke imihla yobomi bam esikhundleni sikaJowabhi.”
14. Loo mlomo kaDavide wazitsalela kuye iintliziyo zamadoda onke akwaJuda, aba mxhelo-mnye, aza athumela kukumkani athi: “Buyela ekhaya, wena kunye nabo bonke abantu abanawe.”
15. Wabuya ukumkani, waya kufika kumlambo iJordan, wahlangatyezwa ngamadoda akwaJuda, awayeze kumkhawulela eGiligali amkhaphe ukuwela loo mlambo.
16. Kwangelo xesha uShimeyi unyana kaGera wakwaBhenjamin eBhawurim, waphuthuma ukuya kuhlangabeza ukumkani uDavide eJordan.
17. Wayehamba newaka lamadoda esizwe sakwaBhenjamin. UZibha, isicaka sakwakumkani uSawule, naye wayeze noonyana bakhe bolishumi linantlanu kunye namashumi amabini ezicaka, bakhawuleza bafika eJordan apho engekafiki ukumkani.