1 Chronicles 19
1 Kwathi emveni kwalokho uNahashi, inkosi yakwa-Amoni, wakhothama, indodana yakhe yabusa esikhundleni sakhe.
2 UDavide wathi: “Ngiyakumenzela umusa uHanuni, indodana kaNahashi, ngokuba uyise wangenzela umusa.” UDavide wayesethumela izithunywa ukuba ziyomduduza ngokulahlekelwa nguyise. Izinceku zikaDavide zafika kwa-Amoni kuHanuni, zamduduza.
3 Kepha izikhulu zakwa-Amoni zathi kuHanuni: “Ngabe ucabanga ukuthi uDavide uthumele abazokududuza, ngokuba ehlonipha uyihlo na? Akazithumelanga yini izinceku zakhe ukuba zizohlola izwe nokuba ziwuqumbe phansi umbuso wakho na?”
4 UHanuni wayesezibamba izinceku zikaDavide, waziphuca amakhanda nezilevu, wasika izingubo zazo kwaze kwaba sezinqeni, wayesezikhomba indlela.
5 Bahamba bamazisa uDavide ngalawo madoda. Wayesethumela ukuba ahlangatshezwe, ngokuba ayenamahloni kakhulu. Yathi inkosi: “Hlalani eJerikho zize zihlume izilevu zenu, bese niyabuya-ke.”
6 Abantu bakwa-Amoni babona ukuthi bazithele ngesigcwagcwa kuDavide. UHanuni nabakwa-Amoni bathumela amathalenta esiliva ayinkulungwane ukuba baqashe izinqola nabamahhashi e-Aramu Naharayimi, e-Aramu Mahakha, naseZobha.
7 Baqasha izinqola eziyizi-32 000, nenkosi yaseMahakha nabantu bayo beza bakanisa phambi kweMedebha. Abakwa-Amoni babuthana bephuma emizini yabo; beza ukuzokulwa.
8 UDavide wezwa ngalokho, wathumela uJowabe nayo yonke impi namabutho angamaqhawe.
9 Abakwa-Amoni baphuma bayihlela impi yabo belungela ukulwa ngasesangweni lomuzi, kepha amakhosi ayefikile ayewodwa endle.
10 UJowabe esebona ukuthi impi ingaphambili nangasemva kwakhe, wakhetha amadoda kwabakhethekileyo bonke bakwa-Israyeli, wawahlela ukuze alwe nama-Aramu.
11 Abantu abaseleyo wabashiya esandleni sika-Abhishayi, umfowabo, bazihlela ukuba balwe nabakwa-Amoni.
12 Wathi: “Uma ama-Aramu eba namandla kunami, uyakuza ungihlenge, kodwa uma abakwa-Amoni beba namandla kunawe, ngizoza ngikophule.
13 Qinani, masibe nesibindi ngenxa yabantu bakithi nangenxa yemizi kaNkulunkulu wethu; uSimakade makenze okuhle akubona kufanele.”
14 UJowabe namabutho ayenaye basondela kuma-Aramu ukuba balwe nawo, kodwa wona acela empunzini.
15 Abakwa-Amoni babona ukuthi ama-Aramu acele empunzini, nabo babaleka phambi kuka-Abhishayi, umfowabo waya emzini. UJowabe waya eJerusalema.
16 Ama-Aramu esebonile ukuthi anqotshiwe ngu-Israyeli, athuma izithunywa, akhipha ama-Aramu ayengaphesheya komfula noShofakhi, umkhuzi wempi kaHadadezeri, phambi kwawo.
17 UDavide wabikelwa ngalokho, wayeseqoqa wonke u-Israyeli, bawela iJordani, bafika kuwo; wase eyihlela impi, walwa nawo.
18 Ama-Aramu abaleka phambi kuka-Israyeli. UDavide wabulala ama-Aramu ayizi-7 000 ayegibele ezinqoleni, nemigundatshani eyizi-40 000, wabulala noShofaki, umkhuzi wempi.
19 Izinceku zikaHadadezeri zabona ukuthi zehluliwe ngu-Israyeli, zenza ukuthula noDavide, zamkhonza. Ama-Aramu awaphindanga afuna ukusiza abakwa-Amoni.