1 USAMYELA 22

₁UDavida wasuka eGathi wayokubhaca erholweni le-Adulamu. Kwathi bona abomnakwabo nebekhabo bezwe ngalokho, behlela kuye khonapho. ₂Boke ebegade basemtlhagweni, eenkolodweni neenghonghoyilweni bakghubelelana kuye, waba mrholabo. Bekungaba babantu abamakhulu amane. ₃Kusukela lapho uDavida waya eMitsiphe kwaMowabi, wafese wathi ekosini yakhona: “Bewungeze wavumela ubaba nomma bona bagugubale nawe lapha, bengizwisise bona uZimu ufuna ukungenzelani na?” ₄Nje-ke wabatjhiya nekosi yakwaMowabi, bahlala nayo isikhathi soke yena agade asabhace ngaso eentabeni. ₅Kodwana umphorofidi uGadi wathi kuDavida: “Ungahlali eentabenapha. Khamba uye enarheni yakwaJuda.” Wasuka-ke uDavida waya ehlathini leRhereti.

₆USawula wezwa bona kuyaziwa bonyana uDavida nabantu bakhe bakuphi. USawula wahlala ngaphasi komuthi womtamariski aphethe umkhontwakhe entatjaneni yeGibeya, zoke iinkhulu zakhe zazijamile zimzombile. ₇USawula wathi kizo: “Lalelani, madoda wakwaBhenjamini! Nicabanga bona umsa kaJese uzaninikela noke nje amasimu neemvande zediribe? Uzanenza noke nje bona nibe ziinduna zeenkulungwana neenduna zamakhulu na? ₈Kungebangelo noke nenze isibopho sokujamelana nami na? Akakho noyedwa ongitjelako lokha indodanami yenza isivumelwano nomsa kaJese. Akakho noyedwa kinapha otjhejako ngami nanyana angitjele bona indodanami itjitjizele incekwami bona ingilalele endleleni njengombana yenza namhlanje.” ₉Nje-ke uDowegi umEdomu ogade ajame neenkhulu zakaSawula wathi: “Ngiyibonile indodana kaJese ifika ku-Arhimeleki umsa ka-Arhithubi eNobi. ₁₀U-Arhimeleki wayibuzela kuSomnini bona ifanele yenze njani. Wayipha nomphako nesabula kaGoliyadi umFilista.”

₁₁Ikosi uSawula yathumela bona kubizwe umphristi u-Arhimeleki umsa ka-Arhithubi nendlu kayise yoke, ebekubaphristi beNobi. Boke beza ekosini uSawula. ₁₂USawula wathi: “Nje-ke lalela wena msa ka-Arhithubi.” Yena wathi: “Iye kosami, ngilalele.” ₁₃USawula wathi kuye: “Kubayini wenze isibopho ngami ninomsa kaJese? Umuphe izikwa nesabula, bewambuzela kuZimu ukuze angihlubuke, abe ngongilalela endleleni njengombana enzile namhlanjesi?” ₁₄U-Arhimeleki waphendula wathi: “Awu kosami, ngubani eencekwini zoke zekosi othembeke njengoDavida umkhwenyana wekosi, induna yamabutho agada ikosi, nohlonipheke kangaka esigodlweni soke sekosi? ₁₅Nokho bebekungathomi mhlokha bona ngimbuzele kuZimu. Iye awa, bengingathomi! Ikosi ayingabeki incekwayo nanyana indlu kayise umlandu ngombana inceku yekosi ayazi litho ngendaba le.” ₁₆Kodwana uSawula wathi: “Ngiqinisile uzokufa Arhimeleki, wena nendlu kayihlo yoke!” ₁₇USawula walayela abogadi ebebajame hlanu kwakhe wathi: “Bulalani abaphristi bakaSomninaba ngombana nabo bahlangene noDavida! Bebazi bonyana uyabaleka, kodwana akhange bangitjele.” Kodwana iinkhulu ezinye zakaSawula akhange zithande ukuphakamisa isandla phezu kwabaphristi bakaSomnini. ₁₈Yeke uSawula walayela uDowegi wathi: “Rhayila abaphristaba!” UDowegi umEdomu waphendukela kibo wabarhayila. Mhlokho wabulala amadoda amatjhumi abunane nahlanu embatha iphuraphura yobuphristi. ₁₉Waragela phambili wasahlela neNobi umuzi wabaphristi. Amadoda nabafazi, abantwana namasana, iinkomo, abodumbana nezimvu kwabulawa ngesabula.

₂₀Kodwana u-Abiyatari, umsa ka-Arhimeleki omsa ka-Arhithubi, wasinda bewabaleka bona ayokuhlangana noDavida. ₂₁Wafese watjela uDavida bona uSawula ubulele abaphristi bakaSomnini. ₂₂Nje-ke uDavida wathi ku-Abiyatari: Mhlokha, mhlana uDowegi umEdomu asethempelini, ngazile bona uzokwenza ngakho koke bona atjele uSawula. Ngimi onomlandu wokufa kwayo yoke indlu kayihlo. ₂₃Hlala nami, ungesabi. Umuntu ofuna ubuphilo bakho ufuna mina. Uphephile nawunami.