Verse 1: Kwathi emva kwalokho inkosi yabantwana bakwa-Amoni yafa, uHanuni indodana yakhe waba yinkosi esikhundleni sayo.
Verse 2: UDavide wathi: “Ngiyakumenzela umusa uHanuni indodana kaNahashi, njengalokho uyise angenzela umusa.” UDavide wayesethuma ngesandla sezinceku zakhe ukumduduza ngoyise. Zafika-ke izinceku zikaDavide ezweni labantwana bakwa-Amoni.
Verse 3: Kepha izikhulu zabantwana bakwa-Amoni zathi kuHanuni inkosi yazo: “Imbala ngokubona kwakho uDavide uthume abaduduzi kuwe ukuba atuse uyihlo na? UDavide akazithumanga yini izinceku zakhe kuwe ukuba ziphenye umuzi, ziwuhlole, ziwuchithe, na?”
Verse 4: UHanuni wayesebamba izinceku zikaDavide, waphucula inxenye yezilevu zazo, wahina izingubo zazo phakathi kwaze kwaba sezinqeni zazo, wazimukisa.
Verse 5: Lapho sebemtshela uDavide lokho, wathumela ukuzihlangabeza, ngokuba ayenamahloni kakhulu lawo madoda. Yathi inkosi: “Hlalani eJeriko, zize zihlume izilevu zenu, bese nibuya.”
Verse 6: Abantwana bakwa-Amoni sebebone ukuthi banengekile kuDavide, abakwa-Amoni bathuma baqasha ama-Aramu aseBeti Rehobe nama-Aramu aseSoba, imigundatshani eyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili, nenkosi yaseMahakha inabantu abayinkulungwane, nabantu baseThobi beyizinkulungwane eziyishumi nambili.
Verse 7: UDavide esezwile lokho wamthuma uJowabe nempi yonke yamaqhawe.
Verse 8: Abantwana bakwa-Amoni baphuma, bahlela impi ngasesikhaleni sesango; ama-Aramu aseSoba naseRehobe, nabantu baseThobi, nabaseMahakha babebodwa endle.
Verse 9: Kepha uJowabe esebona ukuthi izimpondo zempi zimhaqile ngaphambili nangasemuva wakhetha kwabakhethekileyo bakwa-Israyeli, wabahlela ukuba balwe nama-Aramu;
Verse 10: abantu abaseleyo wababeka esandleni sika-Abishayi umfowabo, wabahlela ukuba balwe nabantwana bakwa-Amoni.
Verse 11: Wathi: “Uma ama-Aramu engahlula, uyakungisiza; kepha uma abantwana bakwa-Amoni bekwahlula, ngiyakufika ngikusize.
Verse 12: Qinani, masiziqinise ngenxa yabantu bakithi nangenxa yemizi kaNkulunkulu wethu; uJehova makenze okuhle emehlweni akhe.”
Verse 13: UJowabe nabantu ababe naye base besondela ukuba balwe nama-Aramu; kepha abaleka phambi kwakhe.
Verse 14: Lapho abantwana bakwa-Amoni bebona ukuthi ama-Aramu abalekile, babaleka nabo phambi kuka-Abishayi, bangena emzini. UJowabe wayesebuya kubantwana bakwa-Amoni, weza eJerusalema.
Verse 15: Ama-Aramu esebonile ukuthi anqotshiwe phambi kuka-Israyeli, abuthana ndawonye.
Verse 16: UHadadezeri wathuma wakhipha ama-Aramu ayephesheya koMfula; afika eHelamu, uShobaki induna yempi kaHadadezeri ephambi kwawo.
Verse 17: UDavide watshelwa, wabutha wonke u-Israyeli, wawela iJordani, wafika eHelamu. Ama-Aramu azihlela ukuhlangabezana noDavide, alwa naye.
Verse 18: Ama-Aramu abaleka phambi kuka-Israyeli; uDavide wabulala kuma-Aramu izinqola ezingamakhulu ayisikhombisa nabamahhashi abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amane, wamshaya uShobaki induna yempi yabo, wafela khona lapho.
Verse 19: Lapho onke amakhosi ayeyizinceku zikaHadadezeri ebonile ukuthi anqotshiwe phambi kuka-Israyeli, enza ukuthula no-Israyeli, abakhonza. Ama-Aramu ayesesaba ukusiza abantwana bakwa-Amoni futhi.