1USamyela wathatha ikwana yamafutha we-oliva wawathela phezu kwehloko kaSawula, wamgona wathi: “USomnini uzese ubaba bona abe mbusi phezu kwelifa lakhe. 2Namhlanje nawusuka kimapha, uzokuhlangana namadoda amabili hlanu kwethuna lakaRarheli; eTselitsarha ngemaphelelweni wenarha yakwaBhenjamini. Azakuthi kuwe: ‘Abodumbana obugade ubafuna sebafunyenwe. Noyihlo selebe alisile nokucabanga ngabo, kodwana utshwenyeke khulu ngani. Ubalabala uthi, “Maye mina bo; ngendodanami!” ’ 3Nawusuka lapho uzakuragela phambili bewufike emthini omkhulu weThabori. Uzakuhlangana namadoda amathathu enyukela kuZimu eBhethe-Eli. Enye izabe itjathe iimbuzana ezintathu, enye iphethe amagedzu amathathu wezikwa ezindulungu, enye iphethe umjeka wewayini. 4Azakubuza amavuko abe akuphe amagedzu amabili wezikwa, uwamukele. 5Emva kwalokho uzakuya eGibeya lakaZimu lapha kunesiqhema samajoni wamaFilista khona. Kuzakuthi nawuvelela emzini, uhlangane nabafundi bomphorofidi behla babuya esidulini bancinza imihlobohlobo yamaharibha, balilisa abosotjherere neemfludu; basemmoyeni wabaphorofidi. 6UMoya kaSomnini uzakwehlela phezu kwakho, nawe ube semmoyeni wabaphorofidi bewutjhuguluke ube ngomunye umuntu. 7Nasele kuzaliseke amatshwayo lawa, yenza okusemandlenakho ngombana uZimu unawe. 8Khamba phambi kwami wehlele eGiligali. Ngiyaqinisa bonyana ngizokulandela ngizokwenza umhlabelo wokutjhiswa nomnikelo wetjhebiswano, kodwana ulinde amalanga alikhomba bengifike kuwe ukuze ngikutjele lokho ofanele ukwenze.”
9Kuthe lokha uSawula nafulathela uSamyela, uZimu watjhugulula ihliziywakhe; bekwathi woke amatshwayo azaliseka khona mhlokho. 10Nabafika eGibeya, wahlangana nabafundi bomphorofidi. UMoya kaZimu wehlela phezu kwakhe, naye wavukwa mumoya hlangana nabo. 11Boke agade bamazi ngaphambilini, lokha nabambona avukwe mumoya hlangana nabanye abaphorofidi babuzana bodwa bathi: “Yintobani engene kumsa kaKhitjhapha? Kanti noSawula sele ahlangana nabaphorofidi na?” 12Umuntu walapho waphendula wathi: “Njekhona ngubani umphathabo?” Yeke intwele yaphenduka isaga sabo sokuthi: “Kanti noSawula sele ahlangana nabaphorofidi na?”
13Emva kobana uSawula selaqaqulukile emmoyeni, wenyukela esidulini. 14Usonghwanakhe wabuza uSawula nencekwakhe wathi: “Beniyephi?”
USawula wathi: “Besiqalana nabodumbana, kodwana kuthe nasibona singababoni saya kuSamyela.”
15Usonghwanakhe kaSawula wathi: “Akhutjho-ke, uSamyela utheni kini?”
16USawula waphendula wathi: “Usiqinisekisile bonyana abodumbana bafunyenwe.” Kodwana akhange amtjele usonghwanakhe bona uSamyela utheni ngobukhosi.
USawula ubekwa bona abe yikosi
17USamyela wabiza abantu bakwa-Israyeli bona beze kuZimu eMitsipha. 18Wathi kibo: “Nakhu okwatjhiwo nguSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli, ‘Ngimi enganyula u-Israyeli eGibhide. Nganihlenga emandleni wamaGibhide nemandleni wayo yoke imibuso eyanigandelelako.’ 19Kodwana nina namhlanjesi nilahle uZimenu owanisindisa kizo zoke izehlakalo nemitlhagwenu, nathi, ‘Awa, thina sifuna ikosi ezosibusa.’ Yeke zihleleni phambi kwakaSomnini ukuya ngeenkoro zenu nangemindenenu.”
20Lokha uSamyela nabandameza iinhloko zeenkoro zakwa-Israyeli ngaphambili, ikoro yakwaBhenjamini yadliwa yifumbe. 21Wabese ubandameza ikoro yakwaBhenjamini ngaphambili ngemindenayo, umndeni wakaMatri wadliwa yifumbe. Ekugcineni uSawula umsa kaKhitjhi wadliwa yifumbe. Kodwana kwathi lokha nafunwako wangatholakala. 22Babuza godu kuSomnini bathi: “Umuntu loyo selafikile na?” USomnini wathi: “Iye, ubhace hlangana nemithwalo.” 23Bagijima, bamrhubhulula beza naye, wajanyiswa hlangana nabantu wabonakala avele ngehloko amude kunabo boke abanye. 24USamyela wathi kibo boke abantu: “Niyambona umuntu uSomnini amkhethileko na? Hlangana nabantu boke akakho ofana naye.” Abantu barhuwelela bathi: “Bayede kosi!”
25USamyela wahlathululela abantu ilungelo lobukhosi. Walitlola emsongweni, wawubeka phambi kwakaSomnini. USamyela wabese uphadlhalaja abantu; omunye nomunye waya kwakhe. 26USawula naye waya kwakhe eGibeya, aphekelelwa madoda anesibindi nathintwe nguZimu. 27Kodwana abanye abaphehli benturhu bathi: “Umrhali lo angasisindisa njani?” Bamnyaza bebamdima amalotjhiso. Kodwana uSawula wavala phetjheya.
