2 USamuyeli 10
1 Kwasekusithi emva kwalokho inkosi yabantwana bakoAmoni yafa, uHanuni indodana yayo wasesiba yinkosi esikhundleni sayo.
Some time later, the king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son Hanun.
2 UDavida wasesithi: Ngizamenzela umusa uHanuni indodana kaNahashi njengoba uyise wangenzela umusa. UDavida wasethuma ngesandla senceku zakhe ukuyamduduza ngoyise. Zafika-ke izinceku zikaDavida elizweni labantwana bakoAmoni.
And David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent some of his servants to console Hanun concerning his father. But when they arrived in the land of the Ammonites,
3 Iziphathamandla zabantwana bakoAmoni zasezisithi kuHanuni inkosi yazo: Kambe uDavida uyamhlonipha uyihlo emehlweni akho ngoba ethume abaduduzi kuwe? UDavida kazithumanga yini inceku zakhe kuwe ukuze ziphenye umuzi, ziwuhlole, ziwuchithe?
the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Has not David instead sent his servants to explore the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?”
4 UHanuni wasebamba izinceku zikaDavida, wagela ingxenye yendevu zazo, waquma izembatho zazo phakathi kuze kube sezibunu zazo, waziyekela zahamba.
So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.
5 Sebembikele uDavida wathumela ukuzihlangabeza ngoba amadoda ayelenhloni kakhulu; inkosi yasisithi: Hlalani eJeriko zize zihlume indevu zenu, beselibuya.
When this was reported to David, he sent messengers to meet the men, since they had been thoroughly humiliated. The king told them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.”
6 Lapho abantwana bakoAmoni sebebonile ukuthi baba levumba kuDavida, abantwana bakoAmoni bathumela baqhatsha kumaSiriya eBeti-Rehobi lakumaSiriya eZoba, amadoda ahamba ngenyawo azinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili, lenkosini yeMahaka, amadoda ayinkulungwane, lebantwini beTobi, amadoda azinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili.
When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zoba, as well as a thousand men from the king of Maacah and twelve thousand men from Tob.
7 Kwathi uDavida esekuzwile wathuma uJowabi lebutho lonke lamaqhawe.
On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army of mighty men.
8 Abantwana bakoAmoni basebephuma bahlela impi emnyango wesango; lamaSiriya eZoba leRehobi, labantu beTobi leMahaka babebodwa egangeni.
The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.
9 Lapho uJowabi ebona ukuthi impi ikhangele kuye ngaphambili langemuva, wakhetha kubo bonke abakhethiweyo koIsrayeli, wabahlela ukuthi bamelane lamaSiriya.
When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him, he selected some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans.
10 Abaseleyo babantu wasebanikela esandleni sikaAbishayi umfowabo, owabahlela ukuthi bamelane labantwana bakoAmoni.
And he placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them against the Ammonites.
11 Wasesithi: Uba amaSiriya elamandla kakhulu kulami, khona uzakuba lusizo kimi; kodwa uba abantwana bakoAmoni belamandla kakhulu kulawe, khona ngizakuza ukukusiza.
“If the Arameans are too strong for me,” said Joab, “then you will come to my rescue. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue.
12 Qina, asiziqinise ngenxa yabantu bakithi, langenxa yemizi kaNkulunkulu wethu; iNkosi kayenze okuhle emehlweni ayo.
Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight.”
13 UJowabi wasesondela, labantu ababelaye, empini lamaSiriya; asebaleka phambi kwakhe.
So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, who fled before him.
14 Lapho abantwana bakoAmoni bebona ukuthi amaSiriya ayabaleka, labo babaleka phambi kukaAbishayi, bangena emzini. UJowabi wasebuyela esuka ebantwaneni bakoAmoni, weza eJerusalema.
When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai, and they entered the city. So Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.
15 AmaSiriya esebonile ukuthi atshayiwe phambi kukaIsrayeli, abuthana ndawonye.
When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped.
16 UHadadezeri wasethumela, wakhupha amaSiriya ayengaphetsheya komfula, afika eHelamu, loShobaki induna yebutho likaHadadezeri phambi kwawo.
Hadadezer sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, and they came to Helam with Shobach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.
17 Lapho kubikelwa uDavida, wabuthanisa uIsrayeli wonke, wachapha iJordani, wafika eHelamu. AmaSiriya asezihlelela ukumelana loDavida, alwa laye.
When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and went to Helam. Then the Arameans arrayed themselves against David and fought against him.
18 AmaSiriya asebaleka phambi kukaIsrayeli; uDavida wasetshaya kumaSiriya izinqola ezingamakhulu ayisikhombisa, labagadi bamabhiza abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amane, watshaya uShobaki induna yebutho, owafela lapho.
But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobach the commander of their army, who died there.
19 Lapho wonke amakhosi, izinceku zikaHadadezeri, ebona ukuthi atshaywa phambi kukaIsrayeli, enza ukuthula loIsrayeli, abakhonza. Ngakho amaSiriya esaba ukusiza abantwana bakoAmoni futhi.
When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.
