Verse 1: Kwathi emva kwalokho u-Abisalomu wazilungiselela inqola, namahhashi, nabantu abangamashumi ayisihlanu ukuba bagijime phambi kwakhe.
Verse 2: U-Abisalomu wavuka ekuseni, wema ngaseceleni kwendlela yesango; kwakuthi wonke umuntu onecala eliya enkosini ukuba lithethwe, u-Abisalomu wambiza wathi: “Ungowamuphi umuzi na?” athi: “Inceku yakho ingowesinye sezizwe zakwa-Israyeli.”
Verse 3: Wathi u-Abisalomu kuye: “Bheka, izindaba zakho zinhle, zilungile, kepha akukho muntu obekwe yinkosi ukuba akuzwe.”
Verse 4: U-Abisalomu wathi futhi: “Sengathi ngingenziwa umahluleli ezweni, kuze kimi wonke umuntu onecala nendaba, ngimenzele ukulunga.”
Verse 5: Kwathi lapho kusondela umuntu ukuba akhuleke kuye, waselula isandla sakhe, wambamba, wamanga.
Verse 6: Wenze njalo u-Abisalomu kubo bonke abakwa-Israyeli abeza enkosini ngamacala; u-Abisalomu weba izinhliziyo zabantu bakwa-Israyeli.
Verse 7: Kwathi ngasekupheleni kweminyaka engamashumi amane u-Abisalomu wathi enkosini: “Mangihambe ukugcwalisa isithembiso sami engasethembisa kuJehova eHebroni.
Verse 8: Ngokuba inceku yakho yenza isithembiso ngisahlezi eGeshuri lase-Aramu sokuthi: ‘Uma uJehova engibuyisela impela eJerusalema, ngiyakumkhonza uJehova.’ ”
Verse 9: Inkosi yathi kuye: “Hamba ngokuthula.” Wayesesuka, waya eHebroni.
Verse 10: Kepha u-Abisalomu wathuma izinhloli ezizweni zonke zakwa-Israyeli ngokuthi: “Lapho nizwa ukukhala kwecilongo, anothi: ‘U-Abisalomu uyinkosi eHebroni.’ ”
Verse 11: Kwahamba no-Abisalomu abantu abangamakhulu amabili, bebiziwe bephuma eJerusalema; bahamba bemsulwa, bengazi lutho nakanci.
Verse 12: U-Abisalomu wathuma walanda u-Ahithofeli umGiloni, umluleki kaDavide, emzini wakubo waseGilo, esanikela ngemihlatshelo. Uzungu lwaqina, abantu banda njalo ku-Abisalomu.
Verse 13: Kwafika umbiki kuDavide, wathi: “Izinhliziyo zabantu bakwa-Israyeli zilandela u-Abisalomu.”
Verse 14: UDavide wayesethi ezincekwini zakhe zonke ezazinaye eJerusalema: “Sukani, sibaleke, ngokuba, uma singenzi njalo, akuyikuphunyuka muntu kithi phambi kuka-Abisalomu; sheshani, nimuke, funa asifice masinyane, asehlisele okubi, awuchithe umuzi ngosiko lwenkemba.”
Verse 15: Izinceku zenkosi zathi enkosini: “Noma yintoni engayikhetha inkosi yethu, inkosi bheka, nazi izinceku zakho.”
Verse 16: Yayisiphuma inkosi, bonke abendlu bayo beyilandela. Inkosi yashiya abesifazane abayishumi abayizancinza ukuba balinde indlu.
Verse 17: Yaphuma-ke inkosi, bonke abantu beyilandela; bahlala eBeti Hamerhaki.
Verse 18: Zonke izinceku zadlula eceleni kwakhe kanye nawo onke amaKhereti nawo onke amaPheleti; nawo onke amaGiti, abantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha, ayeyilandela esuka eGati, adlula phambi kwenkosi.
Verse 19: Inkosi yayisithi ku-Ithayi umGiti: “Nawe uhambelani nathi na? Buya uhlale nenkosi, ngokuba ungumfokazi nomxoshwa endaweni yakho.
Verse 20: Ufikile izolo nje; ngikuzulazulise nathi yini namuhla, ngisahamba lapho ngiya khona, na? Buya wena, ubuyise nabafowenu; umusa neqiniso makube nawe.”
Verse 21: U-Ithayi wayiphendula inkosi, wathi: “Kuphila kukaJehova nokuphila kwenkosi yami, inkosi, impela kuleyo ndawo eyakuba kuyo inkosi yami, inkosi, noma kusekufeni noma kusekuphileni, lapho iyakuba khona nenceku yakho.”
Verse 22: UDavide wathi ku-Ithayi: “Hamba, uwele.” U-Ithayi umGiti wawela kanye nabo bonke abantu bakhe nazo zonke izingane ezazinaye.
Verse 23: Izwe lonke lakhala ngezwi elikhulu, nabantu bonke bawela; nenkosi futhi yawela umfudlana iKidroni, nabantu bonke bawela ngasendleleni yasehlane.
Verse 24: Bheka, kwafika noSadoki nawo onke amaLevi enaye, ethwele umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu; abeka phansi umphongolo kaNkulunkulu, u-Abiyathara wenyuka, baze baphuma bonke abantu emzini.
Verse 25: Inkosi yathi kuSadoki: “Buyisela emzini umphongolo kaNkulunkulu; uma ngiyakufumana umusa emehlweni kaJehova, uyakungibuyisa, angibonise wona nendlu yawo;
Verse 26: kepha uma esho kanje, ethi: ‘Angithokozi ngawe,’ bheka, ngilapha, makenze kimi okuhle emehlweni akhe.”
Verse 27: Yathi inkosi kuSadoki umpristi: “Ungumboni; buyela emzini ngokuthula, namadodana enu amabili enani, o-Ahimahasi indodana yakho noJonathani indodana ka-Abiyathara.
Verse 28: Bheka, mina ngiyakulibala ngasemazibukweni asehlane, kuze kufike izwi elivela kini lokungibikela.”
Verse 29: Ngalokho oSadoki no-Abiyathara bawubuyisela umphongolo kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema, bahlala khona.
Verse 30: UDavide wenyuka ngommango weNtaba Yeminqumo, enyuka ekhala, egubuzele ikhanda, engenazicathulo; bonke abantu ababenaye bagubuzela, kwabayilowo nalowo ikhanda lakhe, benyuka, benyuka bekhala.
Verse 31: Kwabikwa kuDavide ukuthi: “U-Ahithofeli uphakathi kwabozungu luka-Abisalomu.” Wayesethi uDavide: “Jehova, mawuntumazelise amasu ka-Ahithofeli.”
Verse 32: Kwathi ukuba uDavide adundubale esiqongweni, lapho kukhulekwa khona kuNkulunkulu, bheka, kwamhlangabeza uHushayi umArki, ibhantshi lakhe liklebhukile, enomhlabathi ekhanda lakhe.
Verse 33: UDavide wathi kuye: “Uma uhamba nami, uyakuba ngumthwalo kimi;
Verse 34: kepha uma ubuyela emzini, uthi ku-Abisalomu: ‘Ngiyakuba yinceku yakho, nkosi; kade ngiyinceku kayihlo, manje ngiyakuba yinceku yakho,’ khona uyakungishafisela amasu ka-Ahithofeli.
Verse 35: Abakho lapho nawe oSadoki no-Abiyathara abapristi na? Kuyakuthi konke okuzwayo endlini yenkosi ukutshele oSadoki no-Abiyathara abapristi.
Verse 36: Bheka, kukhona lapho nabo amadodana abo amabili, o-Ahimahasi indodana kaSadoki noJonathani indodana ka-Abiyathara; niyakuthuma kimi ngesandla sabo konke eniyakukuzwa.”
Verse 37: UHushayi, umngane kaDavide, wayesengena emzini; u-Abisalomu wangena eJerusalema.