Eyokuqala EkaSamuyeli
24 USawuli wathi esevela kulwa lamaFilisti bamtshela bathi: “UDavida usenkangala yase-Eni-gedi!”+
2 Ngakho uSawuli wathatha amadoda angu-3 000 akhethwe kulo lonke elako-Israyeli wasehamba lawo esiyadinga uDavida labantu bakhe emadwaleni ahlala amagogo.* 3 Wathi efika ezibayeni ezakhiwe ngamatshe ezaziseceleni komgwaqo, wabona ubhalu khonapho wasengena esithi kahle azincede, kanti uDavida lamadoda ayelaye bahlezi emuva phakathi kobhalu.+ 4 Amadoda ayeloDavida athi kuye: “Lamuhla uJehova uthi kuwe, ‘Nansi isitha sakho, ngisinikela esandleni sakho.+ Yenza loba yini oyibona iqondile.’” Ngakho uDavida wasukuma wanyenya wayasika umphetho wejazi likaSawuli elingelamikhono. 5 Kodwa esekwenzile lokho inhliziyo yakhe yamhlupha* kakhulu+ ngoba wayesike umphetho wejazi likaSawuli elingelamikhono. 6 UDavida watshela amadoda ayelawo wathi: “Angisoze ngenze into enjalo enkosini yami ngoba ingogcotshiweyo kaJehova. UJehova ngeke athokoze ngitsho nxa ngingahlasela ogcotshiweyo kaJehova.”+ 7 Ngakho uDavida wawakhuza amadoda ayelawo ngamazwi la futhi kazange awavumele ukuthi ahlasele uSawuli. USawuli waphuma ebhalwini wahamba.
8 UDavida laye waphuma ebhalwini wasememeza uSawuli wathi: “Nkosi yami!”+ USawuli wathi ethalaza, uDavida waguqa wathi mbo phansi ngobuso. 9 UDavida wasesithi kuSawuli: “Kungani ubalalela abantu abathi, ‘UDavida ufuna ukukulimaza’?+ 10 Lamuhla uzibonele ngawakho ukuthi uJehova ubekunikele ezandleni zami ngesikhathi usebhalwini. Kodwa omunye uthe esithi ngikubulale+ ngakuzwela kakhulu ngathi, ‘Angisoze ngiphakamise isandla sami ngilimaze inkosi yami ngoba ingogcotshiweyo kaJehova.’+ 11 Khangela baba, nanku umphetho wejazi lakho elingelamikhono ngiwuthwele. Ngisike umphetho wejazi lakho kodwa angizange ngikubulale. Usuzibonele lawe futhi usukwazi ukuthi angikuhlamukeli lokuthi angifuni kukulimaza. Angikonelanga lutho+ kodwa wena uyangizingela ufuna ukungibulala.+ 12 UJehova kahlulele phakathi kwami lawe+ njalo uJehova kangiphindiselele ngenxa yalokho ongenze khona.+ Kodwa mina angisoze ngilwe lawe.+ 13 Angithi lesaga sakudala sithi, ‘Kwababi yikho okuvela khona izinto ezimbi,’ yikho mina angisoze ngilwe lawe. 14 Kambe inkosi yako-Israyeli isingaze ixotshanisane lami? Kanti mina ngiyini? Ngizifananela lenja efileyo lokuyisibungu okuncane+ nje. 15 UJehova kabe ngumahluleli, ahlulele phakathi kwami lawe. Uzayihlola indaba yami angilwele+ njalo uzangahlulela angikhulule esandleni sakho.”
16 UDavida wathi eqeda ukumtshela amazwi la, uSawuli wathi: “Lilizwi lakho leli yini ndodana yami Davida?”+ USawuli wasiqhinqa isililo. 17 Wasesithi kuDavida: “Ulungile kulami ngoba ungiphathe kuhle kodwa mina ngikubuyisela ngokubi.+ 18 Lamuhla usungitshele okuhle okwenzileyo ngokungangibulali lanxa uJehova ubenginikele esandleni sakho.+ 19 Ngubani kambe othi angabona isitha sakhe asiyekele sizihambele engasilimazanga? UJehova uzakwenzela okuhle+ ngenxa yalokho ongenzele khona lamuhla. 20 Khathesi sengikwazi ukuthi uzakuba yinkosi loba sekutheni+ lokuthi umbuso wako-Israyeli uzaqhubeka usesandleni sakho kokuphela. 21 Yikho funga kimi ngoJehova+ ukuthi awusoze utshabalalise izizukulwane zami lokuthi awusoze wesule ibizo lami endlini kababa.”+ 22 UDavida wasefunga kuSawuli. Ngemva kwalokho uSawuli wabuyela emzini wakhe,+ kodwa uDavida labantu bakhe baya endaweni evikelekileyo.+