2 Samuel 20
1 There was a man there [at Gilgal] named Sheba. He was a man who always caused trouble. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was the son of Bichri. He blew a trumpet and called out, “We have nothing to do with [DOU] David, that son of Jesse! So, men of Israel, let’s go to our homes!”
Ngalesosikhathi kwenzakala ukuthi umxabanisi owayethiwa nguShebha indodana kaBhikhiri umBhenjamini abekhona. Wakhalisa icilongo waklabalala esithi, “Kasilasabelo kuDavida, kasilangxenye endodaneni kaJese! Umuntu wonke ethenteni lakhe, Oh Israyeli!”
2 So all the men from the other Israeli tribes deserted David and went with Sheba, but the men of Judah stayed with David. They wanted him to be their king, and went with him from near the Jordan [River] up to Jerusalem.
Ngakho bonke abantu bako-Israyeli bahlubuka kuDavida balandela uShebha indodana kaBhikhiri. Kodwa abantu bakoJuda babambelela enkosini yabo umango wonke kusukela eJodani kusiya eJerusalema.
3 When David arrived at the palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten slave wives whom he had left there to take care of the palace and put them in another house. He put a guard at that house, and he provided for them what they needed, but he never had sexual relations [EUP] with them again. So they remained shut up in their house until they died. It was as though they were widows.
UDavida esebuyele esigodlweni sakhe eJerusalema, wathatha abafazi bakhe beceleni abalitshumi ayebatshiye begcine isigodlo wababeka endlini elindwayo. Wabanika ababekuswela, kodwa kembathanga labo. Babehlala bevalelwe kuze kube lusuku lokufa kwabo, baphila njengabafelokazi.
4 [One day] the king said to Amasa, “Summon the soldiers of Judah to come here within three days, and you be here also.”
Inkosi yasisithi ku-Amasa, “Biza abantu bakoJuda beze kimi phakathi kwensuku ezintathu, lawe ube lapha wena ngokwakho.”
5 So Amasa went to summon them, but he did not return within the time that David told him to.
Kodwa u-Amasa eseyebiza uJuda, wathatha isikhathi eside kulaleso inkosi eyayimisele sona.
6 So David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba will harm us more than Absalom did. So you take my soldiers and pursue him. If you do not do that, he and his soldiers may occupy/capture some of the (fortified towns/towns that have walls around them), and escape from us. [IDM]”
UDavida wasesithi ku-Abhishayi, “Khathesi uShebha indodana kaBhikhiri uzasenzela umonakalo odlula owenziwa ngu-Abhisalomu. Thatha abantu benkosi yakho umlandele, hlezi athole amadolobho avikelweyo aphunyuke kithi.”
7 So Abishai [and Joab] and the king’s bodyguards and the other soldiers left Jerusalem, to pursue Sheba.
Ngakho abantu bakaJowabi lamaKherethi lamaPhelethi kanye lamaqhawe wonke alamandla baphuma belawulwa ngu-Abhishayi. Bahamba besuka eJerusalema belandela uShebha indodana kaBhikhiri.
8 When they arrived at the huge rock in [the] Gibeah [region], Amasa met them. Joab was wearing a soldier’s uniform. He had a dagger/long knife fastened to his belt. When he came close [to Amasa, he allowed] the dagger [to] fall on the ground.
Kwathi besesedwaleni elikhulu eGibhiyoni, u-Amasa wayabahlangabeza. UJowabi wayegqoke ibhatshi lakhe lempi, phezu kwalo, ekhalweni lwakhe, kubophe ibhanti lilomhedla esikhwameni sawo. Esahamba esiya phambili, umhedla wawela ngaphandle kwesikhwama sawo.
9 Joab said to Amasa, “Are things going well with you, my friend?” Then Joab grabbed Amasa’s beard with his right hand, in order to kiss him.
UJowabi wasesithi ku-Amasa, “Unjani, mfowethu?” UJowabi wasebamba u-Amasa ngendevu ngesandla sakhe sokudla wasemanga.
10 But Amasa did not see that Joab was holding [another] dagger in his [other] hand. And Joab stabbed it into Amasa’s belly, and his insides spilled out onto the ground. Amasa died [immediately]; Joab did not need to stab him again. Then Joab and his brother Abishai continued to pursue Sheba.
U-Amasa kawunanzelelanga umhedla owawuphethwe nguJowabi, uJowabi wasemgwaza esiswini sakhe, amathumbu akhe ahutshukela phandle emhlabathini. Lanxa engasagwazwanga futhi, u-Amasa wafa. Emva kwalokho uJowabi lomfowabo u-Abhishayi baxotshana loShebha indodana kaBhikhiri.
11 One of Joab’s soldiers stood alongside Amasa’s body and called out, “Everyone who wants Joab [to be our commander] and who wants David [to be our king], go with Joab!”
Omunye wabantu bakaJowabi wema phansi kuka-Amasa wathi, “Lowo othanda uJowabi, lalowo ongokaDavida, kalandele uJowabi!”
12 Amasa’s body was lying on the road. It was covered with blood. The soldier of Joab [who had called out] saw that many others of Joab’s soldiers were stopping [to see it], so he dragged Amasa’s body off the road into a field, and threw a cloth/blanket over the body.
U-Amasa walala ezibhixeka egazini lakhe phakathi komgwaqo, umuntu lowo wabona ukuthi amabutho wonke afika ame khonapho. Kwathi esenanzelele ukuthi umuntu wonke owafika ku-Amasa wema, wamhudula emsusa emgwaqweni wamusa egangeni, waphosela isembatho phezu kwakhe.
13 After the body had been taken off the road, all the soldiers went with Joab to pursue Sheba.
Emva kokuba u-Amasa esesusiwe emgwaqweni, abantu bonke bedlula loJowabi ukuyaxotshana loShebha indodana kaBhikhiri.
14 Sheba went through all the tribes of Israel, and arrived at Abel-Beth-Maacah [town in the northern part of Israel]. There, all the members of [his father] Bichri’s clan gathered, and went with Sheba into the town.
UShebha wadabula phakathi kwazo zonke izizwana zako-Israyeli kusiya e-Abheli-Bhethi-Mahakha laphakathi kwesabelo sonke samaBikiri, aqoqanayo amlandela.
15 The soldiers who were with Joab [found out that Sheba had gone there, so they] went there and surrounded the town. They built a dirt ramp up against the town wall. They also pounded against the wall [with heavy poles], to cause it to collapse.
Wonke amabutho ayeloJowabi afika amvimbezela uShebha e-Abheli-Bhethi-Mahakha. Bakha idundulu lokuvimbezela elalifika edolobheni njalo laleyame izinqaba zangaphandle. Besagqula umduli ukuba bawudilize,
16 Then a wise woman who was in that town [stood on the top of the wall and] shouted down, “Listen to me! Tell Joab to come here, because I want to talk to him!”
owesifazane ohlakaniphileyo wamemeza esedolobheni wathi, “Lalelani! Lalelani! Tshelani uJowabi eze lapha ukuze ngikhulume laye.”
17 So [after they told Joab], he came there, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He replied, “Yes, I am.” She said to him, “Listen to what I say.” He replied, “I am listening.”
Wahamba esiya kuye, wasembuza esithi, “UnguJowabi na?” Yena waphendula wathi, “Nginguye.” Wasesithi, “Lalela okuzatshiwo yincekukazi yakho.” Wathi, “Ngilalele.”
18 She said, “Long ago people used to say, ‘Go to Abel [town] to get good advice about your problems.’ And that is what people did.
Owesifazane waqhubeka wathi, “Kudala babejwayele ukuthi, ‘Funani impendulo e-Abheli-Bhethi-Mahakha,’ lokho kwakuyiqeda indaba.
19 We are peaceful and loyal Israelis. Our people here are important and respected [IDM]. So (why are you trying to destroy a town that belongs to Yahweh?/you should not be trying to destroy a town that belongs to Yahweh.)” [RHQ]
Thina singabathuleyo labathembekileyo ko-Israyeli. Wena uzama ukudiliza idolobho elingunina ko-Israyeli. Kungani ufuna ukuginya ilifa likaThixo na?”
20 Job replied, “I would certainly never want to ruin or destroy your town!
UJowabi waphendula wathi, “Akusikho lokho! Akusikho lokho ukuginya loba ukudiliza!
21 That is not what we want to do. But Bichri’s son Sheba, a man from the hilly area in the tribe of Ephraim, is rebelling against King David. Put this man into our hands, and then we will (go away from/not attack) this town.” The woman replied to Joab, “Okay, what we will do is, we will [cut off] his head [and] throw it over the wall to you.”
Akunjalo. Umuntu othiwa nguShebha indodana kaBhikhiri, owaselizweni lezintaba lako-Efrayimi, uphakamisele inkosi isandla sakhe emelana layo, emelana loDavida. Mletheni umuntu lowo, ngisuke edolobheni.” Owesifazane wathi kuJowabi “Ikhanda lakhe lizaphoswa kuwe lisuka emdulini.”
22 Then this wise woman went to the elders of the town and told them what she had said to Joab. So they cut off Sheba’s head and threw it over the wall to Joab. Then Joab blew his trumpet [to signal that the battle was ended], and all his soldiers left the town and returned to their homes. And Joab returned to Jerusalem and told the king [what had happened].
Emva kwalokho owesifazane lowo waya ebantwini bonke leseluleko sakhe esikhaliphileyo, baquma ikhanda likaShebha indodana kaBhikhiri baliphosela kuJowabi. Ngakho wakhalisa icilongo, abantu bakhe bachitheka besuka edolobheni, lowo lalowo ebuyela emzini wakhe. UJowabi wabuyela enkosini eJerusalema.
23 Joab was the commander of the entire Israeli army. Jehoiada’s son Benaiah was the commander of David’s bodyguards;
UJowabi wayephethe lonke ibutho lako-Israyeli; uBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada ephethe amaKherethi lamaPhelethi;
24 Adoram supervised the men who were forced to work [for the king]; Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was the man who reported [to the people everything that David decided];
u-Adoniramu wayephethe izibhalwa; uJehoshafathi indodana ka-Ahiludi wayengumbhali;
25 Sheva was the official secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were the priests;
uSheva engumabhalane; uZadokhi lo-Abhiyathari bengabaphristi;
26 and Ira from Jair [town] was also one of David’s priests.
u-Ira umJayiri engumphristi kaDavida.
