1 Ke kaloku wabuya wavutha umsindo kaYehova kumaSirayeli, wamxhokonxela uDavide kuwo, esithi, Yiya, uwabale amaSirayeli namaYuda.
2 Wathi ke ukumkani kuYowabhi, umthetheli-mpi obenaye, Khawutyhutyhe ezizweni zonke zakwaSirayeli, uthabathela kwaDan use eBher-shebha, nibabale abantu, ndilazi inani labantu.
3 Wathi uYowabhi kukumkani, Makongeze ke uYehova uThixo wakho ebantwini izihlandlo ezilikhulu, bengangoko bangako, abone namehlo enkosi yam ukumkani; ke yini na ukuba inkosi yam ukumkani iyifune le nto?
4 Laqina ilizwi lokumkani kuYowabhi nakubathetheli-mpi. Waphuma ke uYowabhi nabathetheli-mpi phambi kokumkani, baya kubabala abantu bakwaSirayeli.
5 Bawela eYordan, bamisa eArohere, ngasekunene komzi ophakathi kwesihlambo sakwaGadi naseYazere;
6 baya eGiliyadi nasezweni laseTatim-hodeshe, baya nakwaDan-yahan, bajikelezela kowakwaTsidon;
7 baya nasenqabeni yaseTire, nasemizini yonke yamaHivi neyamaKanan; baya baphuma kwelisezantsi lakwaYuda eBher-shebha.
8 Balityhutyha ke lonke ilizwe, beza eYerusalem ekupheleni kweenyanga ezisithoba ezineentsuku ezimashumi mabini.
9 UYowabhi wamnika ke ukumkani inani lokubalwa kwabantu: aza amaSirayeli aba ngamakhulu asibhozo amawaka amadoda anobukroti, arhola ikrele; amadoda akwaYuda aba ngamakhulu amahlanu amawaka amadoda.
10 Yakhathazeka intliziyo kaDavide emveni kokuba ebabalile abantu. Wathi uDavide kuYehova, Ndonile kunene ngale nto ndiyenzileyo; kaloku khawubukhwelelise, Yehova, ubugwenxa bomkhonzi wakho; ngokuba ndenze ngobudenge obukhulu.
11 Wavuka kusasa uDavide; ilizwi likaYehova lafika kuGadi umprofeti, imboni kaDavide, lisithi,
12 Yiya uthethe kuDavide, uthi, Utsho uYehova ukuthi, Ndikumisela izinto ezintathu; zinyulele ibe nye kuzo, ndiyenze kuwe.
13 Waya ke uGadi kuDavide, wamxelela, wathi kuye, Uzelwe sisixhenxe seminyaka yendlala ezweni lakho na? Usabe phambi kweentshaba zakho iinyanga zibe ntathu, zikusukela, kusini na? Kubekho indyikitya yokufa iimini ezintathu ezweni lakho, kusini na? Yazi ngoku, ulenze ilizwi endombuyisela lona ondithumileyo.
14 Wathi uDavide kuGadi, Ndididekile kunene. Masesisiwa esandleni sikaYehova; ngokuba ininzi imfesane yakhe; mandingaweli esandleni somntu.
15 UYehova wathoba ke indyikitya yokufa kwaSirayeli, yathabathela ekuseni yesa kwixa lentlanganiso; kwafa ebantwini, bethabathela kwaDan bese eBher-shebha, amashumi asixhenxe amawaka amadoda.
16 Saza isithunywa sesa isandla saso kwiYerusalem, ukuba siyitshabalalise; wazohlwaya uYehova ngenxa yobubi obo, wathi kwisithunywa eso sitshabalalisa abantu, Kwanele; sithobe kaloku isandla sakho. Ke kaloku isithunywa sikaYehova besisesandeni sika-Aravena umYebhusi.
17 Wathetha uDavide kuYehova akusibona isithunywa eso sibetha ebantwini, wathi, Uyabona, ndonile mna, ndenze ngobugwenxa mna; umhlambi lo wona wenze ntoni na? Isandla sakho masibe phezu kwam nendlu kabawo.
18 Waya ke uGadi kuDavide ngaloo mini, wathi kuye, Nyuka, uye ummisele uYehova isibingelelo esandeni sika-Aravena umYebhusi.
19 Wenyuka uDavide ngokwelizwi likaGadi, njengoko uYehova abemwisele umthetho ngako.
20 Walunguza uAravena, wambona ukumkani nabakhonzi bakhe besiza kuye. Waphuma uAravena, waqubuda kukumkani ngobuso emhlabeni.
21 Wathi uAravena, Izelani na inkosi yam ukumkani kumkhonzi wayo? Wathi uDavide, Ndiza kuthenga isanda kuwe, ukuba ndakhele uYehova isibingelelo, sithintelwe isibetho ebantwini.
22 Wathi uAravena kuDavide, Mayithabathe inkosi yam ukumkani, inyuse okulungileyo emehlweni ayo. Nanzi iinkomo zedini elinyukayo, neempahla zokubhula needyokhwe zeenkomo zokuba ziinkuni.
23 Zonke ezi zinto, kumkani, uAravena uzinika ukumkani. Wathi uAravena kukumkani, UYehova uThixo wakho makakholiswe nguwe.
24 Wathi ukumkani kuAravena, Hayi, ndiya kusithenga ngexabiso kuwe; andiyi kunyusa ndise kuYehova uThixo wam amadini anyukayo endiwazuze ngelize. Wasithenga ke uDavide isanda neenkomo ezo ngeeshekele zesilivere ezimashumi mahlanu.
25 Wakhela apho ke uDavide isibingelelo kuYehova, wanyusa amadini anyukayo nemibingelelo yoxolo. Wathandazeka ke uYehova ngenxa yelizwe; sathintelwa isibetho kumaSirayeli.