USamyela Wokuthoma
16 Ekugcineni uJehova wathi kuSamyela: “Uzomlilela bekube nini uSawula+ njengombana ngimalile bona abe yikosi yakwa-Israyeli?+ Zalisa iphondo lakho ngamafutha,+ ukhambe. Ngizokuthumela kuJese+ umBhetlehema, ngombana ngizikhethele ikosi hlangana namadodanakhe.”+ 2 Kodwana uSamyela wathi: “Ngingakhamba njani? USawula nakezwa ngakho uzongibulala.”+ UJehova wamphendula wathi: “Thatha ithole ukhambe nalo begodu uthi, ‘Ngizele ukuzokwenza umhlatjelo kuJehova.’ 3 Memela uJese emhlatjelweni; ngemva kwalokho ngizokutjela bona wenzeni. Kufuze ungizesele loyo engizokutjengisa yena.”+
4 USamyela wenza ngokwamezwi kaJehova. Nakafika eBhetlehema,+ abadala bedorobho bahlengezela nabahlangana naye, bathi kuye: “Uze ngokuthula namkha njani?” 5 Kilokhu wathi: “Ngize ngokuthula. Ngizokwenza umhlatjelo kuJehova. Zicwengiseni begodu nikhambe nami emhlatjelweni.” Yeke wacwengisa uJese namadodanakhe, ngemva kwalokho wababizela emhlatjelweni. 6 Nabangenako, wabona u-Eliyabu+ wathi: “Nanyana kungathiwani, lo ngozesiweko kaJehova.” 7 Kodwana uJehova wathi kuSamyela: “Unganaki indlela aqaleka ngayo nokuthi mude kangangani+ ngombana ngimalile. Indlela umuntu abona ngayo akusingiyo indlela uZimu abona ngayo ngombana umuntu ubona lokho okubonwa mamehlo kodwana uJehova ubona okusehliziyweni.”+ 8 Ngemva kwalokho, uJese wabiza u-Abinadaba+ bona adlule phambi kwakaSamyela kodwana uSamyela wathi: “UJehova akakamkhethi nalo.” 9 Ngokulandelako uJese wethula uTjhama,+ kodwana uSamyela wathi: “UJehova akakamkhethi nalo.” 10 Yeke kwadlula amadodana kaJese alikhomba phambi kwakaSamyela kodwana uSamyela wathi kuJese: “UJehova akakakhethi namunye kilaba.”
11 Ekugcineni uSamyela wathi kuJese: “Baphelele abesana bakho la?” Kilokho uJese wathi: “Omncani+ simtjhiyile bekube nje; ulusa izimvu.”+ USamyela wathi kuJese: “Thumela bona ayokubizwa ngombana angeze sihlale phasi sidle angakafiki.” 12 Yeke uJese wathumela bona bayombiza. Bekabomvana, anamehlo amahle begodu anejamo.+ UJehova wathi kuSamyela: “Sikima, mzese ngombana nguye lo!”+ 13 USamyela wathatha iphondo lamafutha+ wamzesa phambi kwabafowabo. Ummoya kaJehova wathoma ukupha uDavida amandla kusukela mhlokho ukuya phambili.+ Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uSamyela wasikima watjhinga eRama.+
14 Nje-ke ummoya kaJehova bewumtjhiyile uSawula,+ begodu ummoya omumbi ovela kuJehova bewumtlhorisa.+ 15 Iinsebenzi zakaSawula zathi kuye: “Uyabona bona ummoya omumbi ovela kuZimu uyakutlhorisa. 16 Sibawa ikosethu itjele iinsebenzi zayo eziphambi kwayo bona zifune umuntu onekghono lokudlala iharibha.+ Nanyana kunini ummoya omumbi ovela kuZimu uza phezu kwayo, uzoyidlala begodu izozizwa ngcono.” 17 Yeke uSawula wathi eensebenzini zakhe: “Ngibawa ningifunele umuntu oyidlala kuhle, nimlethe kimi.”
18 Omunye wabasizi bakhe wathi: “Qala! Ngiyibonile indlela indodana kaJese umBhetlehema enekghono lokudlala iharibha ngayo, inesibindi begodu iyingorho.+ Ikhuluma kuhle, inejamo+ begodu uJehova unayo.”+ 19 Yeke uSawula wathumela iinthunywa kuJese wathi: “Ngithumelela indodanakho uDavida esekweluseni.”+ 20 UJese walayitjha uburotho, iwayini lingebhodlelweni lesikhumba nembuzana phezu kwakadumbana bewazithumela kuSawula zikhamba nendodanakhe uDavida. 21 Yeke uDavida weza kuSawula begodu wathoma ukumsebenzela.+ USawula wamthanda khulu uDavida, bewamenza umphathinkhalakhe. 22 USawula wathumela umlayezo kuJese wathi: “Ngibawa uvumele uDavida angisebenzele ngombana ufumene umusa emehlwenami.” 23 Nanyana kunini ummoya omumbi ovela kuZimu uza phezu kwakaSawula, uDavida bekathatha iharibha ayidlale, uSawula bekafumana ukuphumula, azizwe angcono begodu nommoya omumbi bewumtjhiya.+