18Joab sent to David a full account of the battle 19and instructed the messenger, "When you have finished giving the king all the details of the battle, 20if the king's anger flares, he may ask you, 'Why did you get so close to the city to fight?
18UJowabi wasethuma wambikela uDavida zonke indaba zempi; 19wasilaya isithunywa esithi: Lapho usuqedile ukuyibikela inkosi zonke izindaba zempi, 20kuzakuthi-ke uba ulaka lwenkosi luvuka, isithi kuwe: Belisondelelani kangaka emzini ukulwa?