1Indodana kaSawule isizwile ukuthi u-Abhineri ufile eHebhroni, yadangala kakhulu, no-Israyeli wonkana wakhathazeka.
2Indodana kaSawule yayinezinduna ezimbili zabahlaseli: enye kwakunguBhahana enye kunguRekhabhi. Babengamadodana kaRimoni waseBherothi, wozalo lukaBhenjamini ngokuba iBherothi indawo eyanikwa uBhenjamini.
3Abantu baseBherothi babalekela eGithayimi, bagogobala khona kuze kube namuhla.
4UJonathani, indodana kaSawule, yayinendodana elunyonga. Yayineminyaka emihlanu lapho kuzwakala izindaba ngoSawule noJonathani zivela eJizreyeli, ngakho-ke umzanyana wayo wayithatha, wabaleka nayo. Ngesikhathi ephuthuma ebaleka, yawa, yaba lunyonga. Igama layo kwakunguMefibhoshethi.
5Amadodana kaRimoni waseBherothi, uRekhabhi noBhahana ahamba, afika endlini ka-Ishi Bhoshethi emini sekushisa ilanga; wayecambalele embhedeni wakhe emini.
6Bangena endlini kungathi bazolanda ukolo, base bemgwaza esiswini; uRekhabhi noBhahana, babaleka.
7Babengene endlini ka-Ishi Bhoshethi esazilalele embhedeni ekamelweni lakhe, bamgwaza, bambulala, bamnquma ikhanda, balithatha bahamba nalo ubusuku bonke ngendlela ese-Araba.
8Ikhanda lika-Ishi Bhoshethi baliyisa kuDavide eHebhroni, bathi enkosini: “Nanti ikhanda lesitha sakho u-Ishi Bhoshethi, indodana kaSawule, owayefuna ukuphila kwakho, kodwa uSimakade ukuphindiselele namuhla nkosi yami, nkosi, kuSawule nakulo uzalo lwakhe.”
9UDavide wabaphendula oRekhabhi noBhahana, umfowabo, amadodana kaRimoni waseBherothi, wathi kubo: “Ngifunga ngiyagomela phambi kukaSimakade owuhlengile umphefumulo wami kulo lonke usizi.
10Umuntu owangitshela ukuthi: ‘Bheka, uSawule ufile,’ ecabanga ukuthi ungilethele izindaba ezinhle, ngambamba, ngambulala eZikilagi, ecabanga ukuthi ngizomnika umvuzo ngezindaba ayezilethile.
11Kakhulu kangakanani lapho abantu ababi bebulele umuntu olungileyo, ezilalele embhedeni wakhe, endlini yakhe; igazi lakhe angiyukulibiza yini kini, nginishabalalise emhlabeni na?”
12UDavide wayeseyala izinsizwa zakhe, zababulala, zabanquma izandla nezinyawo, zabaphanyeka eceleni kwechibi eHebhroni. Kepha balithatha ikhanda lika-Ishi Bhoshethi, balimbela ethuneni lika-Abhineri eHebhroni.