2 USamuyeli 20

1 Kwasekusenzakala ukuthi kube khona lapho umuntu kaBheliyali, obizo lakhe linguShebha indodana kaBikiri umBhenjamini; wasevuthela uphondo wathi: Kasilasabelo kuDavida, kasilalifa endodaneni kaJese; wonke umuntu emathenteni akhe, Israyeli!

There happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bikri, a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet, and said, "We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel."

2 Ngakho wonke umuntu wakoIsrayeli wenyuka wasuka emva kukaDavida, elandela uShebha indodana kaBikiri; kodwa abantu bakoJuda banamathela enkosini yabo, kusukela eJordani kwaze kwaba seJerusalema.

So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bikri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

3 UDavida wasefika endlini yakhe eJerusalema; inkosi yathatha abafazi abalitshumi, abafazi abancane, eyayibatshiye ukuze balinde indlu, yababeka endlini elindiweyo, yabanika ukudla, kodwa kayingenanga kubo. Basebevalelwa kwaze kwaba lusuku lokufa kwabo, bephila ebufelokazini.

David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his secondary wives, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody, and provided them with sustenance, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

4 Inkosi yasisithi kuAmasa: Biza abantu bakoJuda babuthane kimi ngensuku ezintathu, lawe ube khona lapha.

Then the king said to Amasa, "Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present."

5 UAmasa wasehamba ukubuthanisa uJuda, kodwa waphuza phezu kwesikhathi esimisiweyo ayemmisele sona.

So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together; but he stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

6 UDavida wasesithi kuAbishayi: Khathesi uShebha indodana kaBikiri uzasenzela okubi okwedlula uAbisalomu; wena thatha inceku zenkosi yakho, uxotshane laye, hlezi azitholele imizi ebiyelwe ngemithangala, asiphunyuke.

David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Now then, take your lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight."

7 Kwasekuphuma emva kwakhe amadoda kaJowabi lamaKerethi lamaPelethi lamaqhawe wonke, basebephuma eJerusalema ukuxotshana loShebha indodana kaBikiri.

There went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bikri.

8 Sebeselitsheni elikhulu eliseGibeyoni, uAmasa weza phambi kwabo. UJowabi wayebhince isigqoko ayesigqokile, laphezu kwaso kulebhanti elilenkemba ebotshelwe ekhalweni lwakhe isesikhwameni sayo; esaqhubeka inkemba yawa.

When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.

9 UJowabi wasesithi kuAmasa: Uyaphila yini, mfowethu? UJowabi wasebamba uAmasa ngesilevu ngesandla sokunene ukuze amange.

Joab said to Amasa, "Is it well with you, my brother?" Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

10 Kodwa uAmasa wayengayinanzeleli inkemba eyayisesandleni sikaJowabi; wasemtshaya ngayo kubambo lwesihlanu, wathululela imibilini yakhe emhlabathini, kamphindanga, wafa. UJowabi loAbishayi umfowabo basebexotshana loShebha indodana kaBikiri.

But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand. So he struck him with it in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and did not strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bikri.

11 Omunye wamajaha kaJowabi wema phansi kwakhe, wathi: Omthandayo uJowabi, longokaDavida, landela uJowabi.

There stood by him one of Joab's young men, and said, "He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab."

12 UAmasa wasegiqika egazini phakathi komgwaqo omkhulu. Lapho lowomuntu ebona ukuthi bonke abantu bayema, wamsusa uAmasa emgwaqweni omkhulu wamusa egangeni, waphosela isembatho phezu kwakhe, lapho ebona ukuthi wonke ofika ngakuye wema.

Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.

13 Esesusiwe emgwaqweni omkhulu, bonke abantu badlula bamlandela uJowabi ukuze baxotshane loShebha indodana kaBikiri.

When he was taken out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bikri.

14 Wasedabula kuzo zonke izizwe zakoIsrayeli, waya eAbeli ngitsho iBeti-Mahaka, lawo wonke amaBeri; basebebuthana bamlandela labo.

He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth Maacah, and all the Bikrites; and they assembled and followed him.

15 Basebefika, bamgombolozela eAbeli-Beti-Mahaka; babuthelela idundulu maqondana lomuzi, lema emthangaleni; bonke abantu ababeloJowabi basebewona umduli ukuwuwisela phansi.

They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they built a siege ramp against the city, and it stood against the outer wall; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall, to bring it down.

16 Kwasekumemeza owesifazana ohlakaniphileyo phakathi komuzi wathi: Zwanini, zwanini! Ake lithi kuJowabi: Sondela lapha, ukuze ngikhulume lawe.

Then a wise woman cried out of the city, "Hear, hear. Please say to Joab, 'Come near here, that I may speak with you.'"

17 Esesondele kuye, owesifazana wathi: Nguwe uJowabi yini? Yena wathi: Nginguye. Wasesithi kuye: Zwana amazwi encekukazi yakho. Wasesithi: Ngiyezwa.

He came near to her; and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Hear the words of your handmaid." He answered, "I do hear."

18 Wasekhuluma esithi: Endulo babejwayele ukukhuluma besithi: Kababuze lokubuza eAbeli; basebeqeda ngokunjalo.

Then she spoke, saying, "They used to say a saying, 'Let them inquire in Abel and in Dan whether

19 Ngingowabokuthula, owabathembekileyo bakoIsrayeli; udinga ukuchitha umuzi lonina koIsrayeli. Uginyelani ilifa leNkosi?

that which the faithful of Israel established has been carried out.' You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?"

20 UJowabi wasephendula wathi: Kakube khatshana, kakube khatshana lami ukuthi ngiginye loba ngichithe.

Joab answered, "Far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy.

21 Udaba kalunjalo; kodwa umuntu wasentabeni yakoEfrayimi, nguShebha indodana kaBikiri ibizo lakhe, uphakamisile isandla sakhe emelene lenkosi, emelene loDavida; nikelani yena kuphela, ngizasuka emzini. Owesifazana wasesithi kuJowabi: Khangela, ikhanda lakhe lizaphoselwa kuwe ngaphezu komduli.

The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bikri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city." The woman said to Joab, "Look, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall."

22 Owesifazana wasesiya ngenhlakanipho yakhe ebantwini bonke. Basebequma ikhanda likaShebha indodana kaBikiri, baliphosela kuJowabi. Wasevuthela uphondo, bahlakazeka besuka kulowomuzi, ngulowo lalowo waya emathenteni akhe. UJowabi wasebuyela eJerusalema enkosini.

Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom, and they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bikri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

23 Njalo uJowabi wayephezu kwebutho lonke lakoIsrayeli; loBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada wayephezu kwamaKerethi laphezu kwamaPelethi;

Now Joab was over all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites;

24 loAdoniramu wayephezu kwezibhalwa; loJehoshafathi indodana kaAhiludi wayengumabhalane;

and Adoniram was over the men subject to forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

25 loSheva wayengumbhali; loZadoki loAbhiyatha babengabapristi;

and Shisha was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

26 loIra laye umJayiri wayengumpristi kaDavida.

and also Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.