USheba Uvukela Ukumkani

UShebha uvuthela isigodlo, zaza izizwe zasentla zemka. UYowabhi ubulala uAmasa ngekrele elifihliweyo endleleni, waza wayingqinga iAbheli. Umfazi osisilumko udanduluka ngaphesheya kodonga, ebuza ukuba kutheni efuna ukuliginya ilifa likaBawo wethu, waza wathethathethana ngentloko enye endaweni yomzi.

Isahluko 20.

Kwakukho khona indoda eyilitshijolo, egama linguShebha unyana kaBhikri, umBhenjamin. Wavuthela isigodlo, wamemeza wathi: “Asinasabelo kuDavide, asinalifa kunyana kaYese! Elowo makabuyele ententeni yakhe, Sirayeli!”

Enyuka ke onke amadoda akwaSirayeli, emshiya uDavide, elandela uShebha unyana kaBhikri; kodwa amadoda akwaYuda anamathela kukumkani wawo, ethabathela eYordan, esa eYerusalem.

Wafika uDavide endlwini yakhe eYerusalem; ukumkani wawathabatha amashweshwe alishumi awayewashiyile ukuze ayigcine indlu, wawafaka elugcinweni. Wawanika ukudla, kodwa akangena kuwo. Ahlala evalelwe ade afa, edla ubomi bobuhlolokazi.

Wathi ukumkani kuAmasa: “Bizela kum amadoda akwaYuda ngaphakathi kweentsuku ezintathu, nawe ube lapha.”

Waya ke uAmasa ukubiza uYuda; kodwa wazilazila ngaphezu kwexesha awayelimisele ukumkani. Wathi uDavide kuAbhishayi: “UShebha unyana kaBhikri uya kusenzela ububi ngoku ngaphezu koAbhisalom. Thabatha abakhonzi benkosi yakho, umsukele, hleze afike emizini enqatyisiweyo, asinde kuthi.”

Baphuma ke emva kwakhe amadoda kaYowabhi, nabancinithi, nezigidimi, namagorha onke anobukroti, besuka eYerusalem, besiya kumsukela uShebha unyana kaBhikri. Bakufika elityeni elikhulu eliseGibheyon, weza uAmasa wabahlangabeza. UYowabhi wayambethe ingubo yakhe yokulwa, embhinqe ikrele elisesingxotsheni salo esinqeni sakhe; wathi esondela, lawa. Wathi uYowabhi kuAmasa: “Uphilile na, mnakwethu?” UYowabhi wazibamba ngesandla sakhe sokunene iindevu zikaAmasa ukuze amange. Ke uAmasa akaliqaphela ikrele elalisesandleni sikaYowabhi. UYowabhi wamtsho esiswini, waphalaza izibilini zakhe emhlabeni; akaphinda wambetha, wafa. UYowabhi noAbhishayi umninawa wakhe bamsukela ke uShebha unyana kaBhikri. Kwema omnye kumadodana kaYowabhi ecaleni likaAmasa, wathi: “Osukuba engakuYowabhi, osukuba engokaDavide, makalandele uYowabhi!” UAmasa wayelele ezibhijabhija egazini lakhe phakathi endleleni. Yakubona loo ndoda ukuba bonke abantu bemi khona, yamrhuqa uAmasa, yamsusa endleleni, yamsa entsimini, yamgubungela ngengubo; ngokuba wonke umntu obefika kuye wayesima. Akuba esusiwe endleleni, onke amadoda alandela uYowabhi, esiya kumsukela uShebha unyana kaBhikri. Wacanda uShebha kuzo zonke izizwe zakwaSirayeli, waya eAbhele yaseBhete-mahaka; bahlangana bonke abakwaBhikri, bamlandela nabo. Beza bamngqinga eAbhele yaseBhete-mahaka. Bafumba induli yokungqinga umzi, yema malunga nenqaba yangaphandle; bonke abantu ababenoYowabhi babewubetha udonga, besithi bawuwise.

Wamemeza umfazi osisilumko esemzini, wathi: “Phulaphulani! Phulaphulani! Yithini kuYowabhi: ‘Yiza apha, ndithethe nawe.’” Akusondela, wabuza umfazi lowo wathi: “UnguYowabhi na wena?” Waphendula wathi: “Ndinguye.” Wathi yena: “Phulaphula amazwi omkhonzazana wakho.” Wathi: “Ndiyaphulaphula.”

Wathi: “Ngemihla yamandulo babesithi: ‘Buza nje icebo eAbhele,’ waza ngokunjalo waphela umcimbi. Ndingabanye babantu abanoxolo nabathembekileyo kwaSirayeli. Wena ufuna ukutshabalalisa umzi, unina kwaSirayeli. Yini na ukuba uliginye ilifa likaBawo wethu?” ^a

UYowabhi waphendula, wathi: “Hayi, makube lee kum! Makube lee kum ukuba ndide ndiginye okanye nditshabalalise! Akunjalo. Kodwa uShebha unyana kaBhikri, waseentabeni zakwaEfrayim, usiphakamise isandla kukumkani, kuDavide. Khupha lo mntu yedwa, ndize ndisuke kulo mzi.” Wathi umfazi kuYowabhi: “Intloko yakhe iya kuphoswa kuwe ngaphaya kodonga.”

Waya umfazi ebantwini bonke enecebo lakhe elihlakaniphileyo. Bayinqumla intloko kaShebha unyana kaBhikri, bayiphosa kuYowabhi. Wavuthela isigodlo, basuka bachithakala emzini, elowo waya ekhaya lakhe. UYowabhi wabuyela kukumkani eYerusalem.

UYowabhi wayephethe wonke umkhosi wakwaSirayeli; uBhenaya unyana kaYehoyada ubephethe abancinithi nezigidimi; uAdoram wayephethe abafakwa uviko; uYehoshafati unyana ka-Ahiludi wayengumkhumbuzi wezinto zakomkhulu; uSheva wayengumbhali; ooTsadoki noAbhiyatare bengababingeleli; noIra umYahire wayengumbingeleli kaDavide naye.