USamyela Wesibili
21 Kwaba nendlala+ emihleni kaDavida iminyaka emithathu ilandelana, yeke uDavida wabuza uJehova, uJehova wathi: “USawula nendlwakhe banomlandu weengazi ngombana wabulala amaGibiyoni.”+ 2 Ngalokho ikosi yabiza amaGibiyoni+ yakhuluma nawo. (Ekhabolakhona, amaGibiyoni bewangasi ma-Israyeli kodwana bewama-Amori+ asalako, lawo ama-Israyeli afunga ukuthi angeze awabulale+ kodwana uSawula wafuna ukuwarhayila ngebanga lokuthi bekazimisele khulu ukusiza abantu bakwa-Israyeli nabakwaJuda.) 3 UDavida wakhuluma namaGibiyoni wathi: “Alo kufuze nginenzeleni, ngingahlawula njani bona nibusise ilifa lakaJehova?” 4 AmaGibiyoni athi kuye: “Indaba kaSawula nomuzakhe, akusiyindaba yesiliva namkha yegolide+ kithi godu asinalungelo lokubulala umuntu kwa-Israyeli.” Yeke wathi: “Nanyana yini eniyitjhoko, ngizonenzela yona.” 5 Athi ekosini: “Umuntu loya wasirhayila begodu waluka amano wokusithanyela bona singahlali endaweni yakwa-Israyeli,+ 6 yeke sibawa ukunikelwa amadodanakhe alikhomba. Sizokuphanyeka iindumbu zawo*+ phambi kwakaJehova eGibeya+ kaSawula, okhethiweko kaJehova.”+ Ikosi yathi: “Ngizoninikela wona.”
7 Nanyana kunjalo, ikosi yarhawukela uMefi-Bhotjheti,+ indodana kaJonathani indodana kaSawula, ngebanga lesifungo esenziwa nguDavida noJonathani+ indodana kaSawula phambi kwakaJehova. 8 Yeke ikosi yathatha u-Aramoni noMefi-Bhotjheti, amadodana amabili uRitsipa+ indodakazi ka-Aya awabelethela uSawula namadodana amahlanu kaMikali*+ indodakazi kaSawula awabelethela u-Adriyeli+ indodana kaBharzilayi weMerhola.* 9 Wawanikela amaGibiyoni, aphanyeka iindumbu zawo entabeni phambi kwakaJehova.+ Wolikhomba ahlongakala ndawonye; abulawa ngamalanga wokuthoma wokuvuna, ekuthomeni kokuvunwa kwebhali. 10 URitsipa+ indodakazi ka-Aya wathatha umgodla wawundlala edwaleni kusukela ekuthomeni kokuvuna bekwaba kulapho kuna izulu lanetha iindumbu; azange avumele iinyoni zomkayi zihlale phezu kwazo emini namkha iimbandana zitjhidele kizo ebusuku.
11 UDavida watjelwa ngalokho okwenziwe likhohlo lakaSawula uRitsipa indodakazi ka-Aya. 12 Yeke uDavida wakhamba wayokuthatha amathambo kaSawula namathambo wendodanakhe uJonathani ebarholini beJabetjhi-Giliyadi,*+ abaweba etatawini lomphakathi eBhethe-Tjhana, lapho amaFilista ebewabaphanyeke khona ngelanga amaFilista arhayila ngalo uSawula eGilibowa.+ 13 Wakhuphuka namathambo kaSawula namathambo kaJonathani indodanakhe kusuka lapho begodu babuthelela namathambo wamadoda aphanyekiweko.+ 14 Ngemva kwalokho, babulunga amathambo kaSawula newakaJonathani indodanakhe enarheni yakwaBhenjamini eTsela+ ethuneni lakaKhitjhi+ uyise. Ngemva kokuthi benze koke okuyalwe yikosi, uZimu wabalalela nabancengela inarha.+
15 Kwabuye kwaba nepi phakathi kwamaFilista no-Israyeli.+ Yeke uDavida neensebenzi zakhe behla bayokulwa namaFilista kodwana uDavida wadinwa. 16 Isizukulwana samaRafa+ esithileko igama laso ekuthiwa nguYitjhibhi-Benobhi, umkhontwaso ebewubudisi obumatjhekeli+ ama-300* begodu ebesihlome ngesabula etja, safuna ukubulala uDavida. 17 Khonokho u-Abitjhayi+ indodana kaTseruya wamsiza+ warhayila umFilista loyo wambulala. Ngesikhatheso abantu bakaDavida bafunga kuye bathi: “Ungasathoma uye epini nathi!+ Akukafuzi ucime isibani sakwa-Israyeli!”+
18 Ngemva kwalokho, kwaba nenye ipi namaFilista+ eGobo. Ngesikhatheso uSibekayi+ weRhutjha wabulala uSafi obekasizukulwana samaRafa.+
19 Kwaba nepi godu namaFilista+ eGobo, u-Elirhanana indodana kaJare-Oregimi umBhetlehema wabulala uGoliyadi umGathi, loyo umkhontwakhe ebewunomphini onjengesigodo sabaluki.+
20 Kwaba nenye ipi godu eGathi, lapho bekunendoda ekulu ngendlela erarako, beyinemino esithandathu esandleni ngasinye namazwani asithandathu enyaweni ngalinye, sekukoke bekuma-24 nayo beyisizukulwana samaRafa.+ 21 Beyisolo inyefula ama-Israyeli.+ Nje-ke uJonathani indodana kaTjhimeyi,+ umfowabo kaDavida, wayibulala.
22 Abantwaba bobane bebaziinzukulwana zamaRafa eGathi begodu babulawa nguDavida neensebenzi zakhe.+