17. Kweza naye abantu abayinkulungwane bakwaBenjamini, noSiba inceku yendlu kaSawule, namadodana akhe ayishumi nanhlanu, nezinceku zakhe ezingamashumi amabili zinaye; bawela iJordani phambi kwenkosi.
18. Kwawela isikebhe sokuwelisa abendlu yenkosi nokwenza okwakukuhle emehlweni ayo. UShimeyi indodana kaGera wawela phansi phambi kwenkosi isiyakuliwela iJordani.
19. Wathi enkosini: “Inkosi yami mayingangibaleli icala, futhi ungakhumbuli okubi okwenziwa yinceku yakho mhla inkosi yami, inkosi, iphuma eJerusalema, ukuba inkosi ikubeke enhliziyweni yayo.
20. Ngokuba inceku yakho iyazi ukuthi yonile; bheka, ngifikile namuhla ngingowokuqala wendlu yonke kaJosefa, ngehle ukuhlangabeza inkosi yami, inkosi.”
21. Kepha u-Abishayi indodana kaSeruya waphendula wathi: “UShimeyi akayikubulawa yini ngalokho, njengokuba wathuka ogcotshiweyo kaJehova, na?”
22. UDavide wathi: “Nginamsebenzi muni nani madodana kaSeruya ukuba nimelane nami namuhla na? Kuzakubulawa umuntu namuhla kwa-Israyeli na? Angazi yini mina ukuthi namuhla ngiyinkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli na?”
23. Inkosi yayisithi kuShimeyi: “Awuyikufa.” Inkosi yafunga kuye.
24. Naye uMefibosheti indodana kaSawule wehla ukuhlangabeza inkosi; wayengalungisanga izinyawo zakhe, engalungisanga nesilevu sakhe, engahlanzanga futhi izingubo zakhe, kwasukela osukwini inkosi eyamuka ngalo kwaze kwaba lusuku owabuya ngalo ngokuthula.