1 AmaKhosi.
20.
UBheni-Hadadi inkosi yama-Aramu waqoqa ibutho lakhe lonke. Wayephelekezelwa ngamakhosi angamatshumi amathathu lamabili ngezinqola zawo zempi lamabhiza, wasuka wayahanqa iSamariya wayihlasela. 
Wathuma izithunywa edolobheni ku-Ahabi inkosi yako-Israyeli, esithi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguBheni-Hadadi: 
Isiliva legolide lakho ngokwami, abafazi benu abahle kakhulu labantwana ngabami.” 
Inkosi yako-Israyeli yaphendula yathi, “Kunjalo nkosi mbusi wami. Mina lakho konke engilakho ngokwakho.” 
Izithunywa zaphenduka njalo zisithi, “UBheni-Hadadi uthi: ‘Ngathumela ngathi ngifuna isiliva legolide lakho, abafazi labantwabakho. 
Kodwa ngasolesi isikhathi kusasa ngizathumela izikhulu zami ukuzakhuthuza isigodlo sakho lezindlu zezikhulu zakho. Zizabutha yonke into eligugu kuwe zikuthathele.’ ” 
Inkosi yako-Israyeli yasibiza bonke abadala belizwe yathi kubo, “Ake libone lindoda edinga uhlupho! Ithe isithi ifuna abafazi bami labantwabami, isiliva legolide lami, angizange ngale.” 
Abadala kanye labantu bonke bathi, “Ungalaleli njalo ungamniki lokho akufunayo.” 
Yasitshela izithunywa zikaBheni-Hadadi ukuthi, “Tshelani inkosi umbusi wami ukuthi, ‘Inceku yakho izagcwalisa isicelo sakuqala kodwa lesi hayi ayenelisi.’ ” Zasuka izithunywa zabuyisela impendulo kuBheni-Hadadi. 
Ngakho uBheni-Hadadi wakhupha ilizwi njalo lisiya ku-Ahabi, wathi: “Kabangihlanekele onkulunkulu, loba kungaba lobunzima obunganani, nxa kuzasala ubhuqu olulingana ukufunjathwa ngamadoda wonke aseSamariya.” 
Inkosi yako-Israyeli yaphendula yathi, “Mtsheleni lithi: ‘Lowo ohloma ngezempi angabokloloda njengongahlomanga.’ ” 
UBheni-Hadadi wemukela lelilizwi ezinathela lamanye amakhosi emathenteni awo, wahle walawula amabutho akhe esithi: “Hlomelani ukuhlasela.” Basebelungisela ukuhlasela idolobho. 
Kusenjalo kweza umphrofethi ku-Ahabi inkosi yako-Israyeli owafika wabika esithi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Uyalibona na ibutho elikhulu kangaka? Ngizalinikela ezandleni zakho lamuhla nje, ukuze wazi ukuba nginguThixo.’ ” 
U-Ahabi wabuza wathi, “Kodwa ngubani ozakwenza lokhu?” Umphrofethi waphendula wathi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Lokhu kuzakwenziwa ngabalawuli bamabutho ezabelweni abayintanga yabatsha.’ ” Yena wabuza njalo ukuthi, “Pho ngubani ozayiqalisa impi?” Umphrofethi wamphendula wathi, “Nguwe.” 
Ngakho u-Ahabi wamema abalawuli bamabutho abentanga yabatsha ezabelweni, abangamakhulu amabili lamatshumi amathathu lambili (232). Waseqoqa labo bonke abanye abako-Israyeli abazinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa (7,000) ndawonye. 
Basuka emini enkulu ngesikhathi uBheni-Hadadi lamakhosi angamatshumi amathathu lambili (32) ayezomhlomulela belokhu besazinathela bedakwa emathenteni abo. 
Abalawuli bezabelweni bentanga yabatsha basuka kuqala. UBheni-Hadadi wayethumele inhloli, ezabika ukuthi, “Kulamadoda ezayo evela eSamariya.” 
Yena wathi, “Nxa esiza ngokuthula, athumbeni ephila; nxa ezohlasela, athumbeni ephila.” 
Abalawuli bamabutho ezabelweni abentanga yabatsha baphuma edolobheni belandelwa libutho 
njalo ngamunye wabo wabulala lowo ayeqondene laye. Ebona lokhu, ama-Aramu abaleka, ama-Israyeli axotshana lawo. Kodwa uBheni-Hadadi inkosi yama-Aramu wabaleka ngebhiza lamanye amabutho ayesilwa ngamabhiza. 
Inkosi yako-Israyeli yaqhubeka yakhulela abamabhiza kanye labezinqola zempi yatshaya yabhuqa ama-Aramu amanengi kakhulu. 
Ngemva kwalokho, umphrofethi waya enkosini yako-Israyeli wafika wathi, “Hloma uphelele ubone ukuthi ungenzani, ngoba entwasa inkosi yama-Aramu iyeza izokuhlasela futhi.” 
Kusenjalo, izikhulu zenkosi yase-Aramu zayicebisa zathi, “Onkulunkulu babo ngonkulunkulu bezintabeni. Yikho besikhulele. Kodwa singalwela emagcekeni, ngempela sizabakhulela. 
Wena yenza kanje: Susa wonke amakhosi ekulawuleni kwawo ufake abanye abalawuli esikhundleni sawo. 
Njalo kumele uqoqe amanye amabutho anjengala anqotshwayo, kulingane amabhiza kanye lezinqola zempi ukuze silwele emagcekeni labako-Israyeli. Ngalokho akulakuthandabuza ukuthi sizabe silamandla kulabo.” Wavumelana labo wenza njengokutsho kwabo. 
Ngesikhathi sentwasa uBheni-Hadadi waqoqa ama-Aramu wasesiya e-Afekhi ukuze alwe labako-Israyeli. 
Ama-Israyeli ayeseqoqene, anikwa lemiphako, asuka ayawahlangabeza. Ama-Israyeli amisa maqondana lawo kungathi yimihlanjana yembuzi emibili, kanti ama-Aramu ayegcwele indawana yonke. 
Umphrofethi kaNkulunkulu wasesiya enkosini yako-Israyeli wafika wathi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Njengoba ama-Aramu esithi uThixo ngunkulunkulu wezintaba hatshi uNkulunkulu wezigodi, ngizanikela wonke amabutho awo amanengi kangaka ezandleni zakho, ukuze wazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo.’ ” 
Bajamelana okwensuku eziyisikhombisa, kwathi ngosuku lwesikhombisa bahlaselana. Ama-Israyeli abulala abazinkulungwane ezilikhulu phakathi kwamabutho ama-Aramu ahamba ngezinyawo ngosuku olulodwa. 
Amanye amabutho abalekela edolobheni lase-Afekhi, lapho adilikelwa khona ngumduli owabulala izinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa. Kwathi uBheni-Hadadi wabalekela edolobheni lapho afika wacatsha endlini ephakathi. 
Izikhulu zakhe zathi kuye, “Khangela, sesizwile ukuthi amakhosi ako-Israyeli ngamakhosi alomusa. Asihambeni enkosini yako-Israyeli sembethe amasaka okhalweni njalo sibophe amakhanda ngentambo. Mhlawumbe izakuxolela ingakubulali.” 
Basuka bethandele amasaka ezinkalweni zabo, bebophe amakhanda ngentambo, baya enkosini yako-Israyeli bafika bathi, “Inceku yakho uBheni-Hadadi ithi, ‘Ngicela ungiyekele ngiphile.’ ” Inkosi yathi, “Ulokhu esaphila? Ngumfowethu lowo.” 
Amadoda lawo abona lokhu kukhomba ubuhle alithathela phezulu lelilizwi athi, “Ye, umfowenu uBheni-Hadadi!” Inkosi yathi, “Hambani liyemthatha.” Lakanye uBheni-Hadadi uthe efika, u-Ahabi wathi kakhwele enqoleni yakhe yempi. 
UBheni-Hadadi wazibika esithi, “Ngizabuyisela wonke amadolobho athunjwa ngubaba kuyihlo. Ungazilungisela izindawo zokuthengiselana eDamaseko, njengoba ubaba laye wayelazo eSamariya.” U-Ahabi wathi, “Ngesivumelwano ngizakukhulula.” Wasesenza isivumelwano laye wamkhulula. 
Ngelizwi likaThixo omunye wamadodana abaphrofethi wathi komunye, “Ake ungitshaye ngesikhali sakho,” kodwa wala. 
Ngakho umphrofethi wasesithi, “Njengoba ungalalelanga ilizwi likaThixo, uzakuthi usuka kimi ubulawe yisilwane.” Ngemva kokusuka kwakhe, wafunyanwa yisilwane sambulala. 
Umphrofethi wafumana enye njalo indoda wathi kuyo, “Ake ungigwaze.” Yamgwaza leyondoda yamlimaza. 
Umphrofethi wasuka wayamelela inkosi endleleni. Wazifihla ubuso bakhe ngeqhiye. 
Kuthe inkosi isedlula khonapho, umphrofethi wayimemeza esithi, “Inceku yakho ibe iphakathi kwempi etshisayo, kwathi omunye weza kimi lothunjiweyo wathi, ‘Linda lumuntu. Nxa engabaleka, uzamfela wena, loba uhlawule ngethalenta lesiliva.’ 
Kuthe inceku yakho isaphathekile lapha lalaphaya, umuntu lowo wanyamalala.” Inkosi yako-Israyeli yathi, “Leso yiso isigwebo sakho. Usuvele wasiqamba wena ngokwakho.” 
Umphrofethi waphanga wembula ubuso bakhe, inkosi yako-Israyeli yabona ukuthi ngomunye wabaphrofethi. 
Wathi enkosini, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Usukhulule umuntu ebengithe kumele afe. Kutsho ukuthi usuzamfela wena, labantu bakho bazafela abantu bakhe.’ ” 
Ngokuhlulukelwa langokuzonda, inkosi yako-Israyeli yasuka yabuyela esigodlweni sayo eSamariya. 
