Incwadzi Yekucala YaSamuweli

17 Emabutfo emaFilisti+ abutsana ndzawonye kuze alungele imphi. Ahlangana eSokho+ lokuyindzawo yakaJuda futsi amisa emathende emkhatsini weSokho ne-Azekha,+ e-Efesi-damimu.+ 2 Sawula kanye nemadvodza aka-Israyeli babutsana futsi bamisa emathende eSihosheni* sase-Ela,+ base bayatihlela baba libutfo kuze balwe nemaFilisti. 3 EmaFilisti aba kulolunye luhlangotsi lwentsaba, kantsi ema-Israyeli aba kulololunye luhlangotsi lwalentsaba, behlukaniswa ngulesihosha.

4 Kwachamuka lichawe enkambu yemaFilisti, libito lalo kunguGoliyathi+ futsi livela kaGathi.+ Belicishe libe ngemamitha lamatsatfu* budze. 5 Enhloko belifake sigcoko selitfusi sekutivikela, futsi lembetse lijazi lensimbi lelinemazengezenge. Sisindvo salelijazi lelitfusi+ besingemakhilogremu lacishe abe ngu-57.* 6 Emilenteni belifake kwekutivikela lokulitfusi futsi limeme sikhali+ lesifishane selitfusi emkhatsini wemahlombe alo. 7 Sibambo sesigodvo sesikhali salo lesidze besilingana nelugodvo lwembongolo yekweluka,+ futsi sisindvo senhloko yaso leyakhiwe ngensimbi besingemakhilogremu lacishe abe ngu-7.* Inceku leliphatsela lihawu beyihamba embikwalo. 8 Goliyathi wabese uyema futsi wamemeta kulelibutfo lemphi laka-Israyeli+ watsi: “Niteleni lapha nitewuma nibe libutfo? Angisiye umFilisti yini mine, futsi nine anisito yini tinceku taSawula? Khetsani indvodza, bese ita lapha kimi. 9 Nayitawukhona kulwa nami futsi ingibulale, sitawuba tinceku tenu. Kodvwa nangitayincoba futsi ngiyibulale, nine nitawuba tinceku tetfu niphindze nisisebentele.” 10 LomFilisti wase utsi: “Lamuhla ngitawahlazisa* emabutfo aka-Israyeli.+ Letsani indvodza lapha kimi kuze ngilwe nayo.”

11 Ngesikhatsi Sawula nawo onkhe ema-Israyeli beva loko lobekushiwo ngulomFilisti, betfuka futsi besaba kakhulu.

12 Davide bekayindvodzana yaJese um-Efratha+ waseBhetlehema+ yakaJuda. Jese+ bekanemadvodzana langu-8+ futsi besekakhulile ngesikhatsi sekubusa kwaSawula. 13 Emadvodzana lamatsatfu lamadzala aJese bekahambe naSawula aya emphini.+ Emabito awo bekubo-Eliyabe+ lobekayindvodzana yekucala, na-Abinadabi+ lobekayindvodzana yesibili kanye naShama lobekayindvodzana yesitsatfu.+ 14 Davide abengulomncane wawo,+ futsi bomnakabo labatsatfu labadzala bebahambe naSawula.

15 Davide bekahamba aye ekhaya ayowelusa timvu+ tababe wakhe eBhetlehema aphindze abuyele kuSawula. 16 LomFilisti beketa njalo ekuseni nantsambama futsi afike eme embikwema-Israyeli, kwaze kwaphela emalanga langu-40.

17 Jese wabese utsi kuDavide indvodzana yakhe: “Ngicela utsatse naku lokutinhlavu lokugayingiwe lokungemalitha langaba ngu-22* naletinkhwa letingu-10, futsi uphutfume uye nako kubomnakenu lena enkambu. 18 Phindze utsatse nati tigadla letingu-10 tashizi* utimikise kumholi wemasotja layinkhulungwane. Ubohlola nekutsi banjani bomnakenu futsi ubuye nesicinisekiso sekutsi bayaphila yini.” 19 BebanaSawula kanye nawo onkhe emadvodza aka-Israyeli eSihosheni* sase-Ela,+ bayokulwa nemaFilisti.+

20 Ngako Davide wavuka ekuseni kakhulu washiya umuntfu kutsi amelusele timvu, wase uyapakisha futsi wahamba njengobe nje Jese abeshito. Watsi nakefika enkambu, watfola lelibutfo seliphuma liyokulwa, futsi belimemeta. 21 Ema-Israyeli nemaFilisti ema ngemabutfo awo, lelinye labukana nalelinye. 22 Ngekushesha Davide washiya umtfwalo wakhe kumuntfu bekagadze imitfwalo, wagijima waya lapho bekuliwa khona. Nakefika, wabuta bomnakabo kutsi banjani.+

23 Ngesikhatsi asakhuluma nabo, kwachamuka lelichawe lokutsiwa nguGoliyathi,+ lelingumFilisti waseGathi. Laphuma ebutfweni lemaFilisti futsi lasho lamavi lebeliwashito ekucaleni,+ naDavide waliva nalikhuluma. 24 Ngesikhatsi onkhe emadvodza aka-Israyeli abona lelichawe, alibalekela etfukile.+ 25 Emadvodza aka-Israyeli bekatsi: “Nike nayibona yini lendvodza lechamukako? Ite kutewuhlazisa* ema-Israyeli.+ Inkhosi itamnika umcebo lomnyenti umuntfu lotayibulala, imendzisele nendvodzakati yayo,+ futsi indlu yababe wakhe itawukhululeka etintfweni lokufanele tentelwe inkhosi ka-Israyeli.”

26 Davide wase utsi kulamadvodza labekeme eceleni kwakhe: “Utawutfolani umuntfu lotawubulala loya mFilisti aphindze asuse lihlazo ka-Israyeli? Ungubani nje lomFilisti longakasokwa kutsi angahlazisa* libutfo laNkulunkulu lophilako?”+ 27 Ngako labantfu baphindze basho loko lebebake bamtjela kona batsi: “Nguloko-ke lokutawutfolwa ngumuntfu lotawubulala lomFilisti.” 28 Ngesikhatsi Eliyabe+ umnakabo lomdzala eva Davide akhuluma nalamadvodza, wamtfukutselela futsi watsi: “Uteleni lapha? Utishiye nabani letimvu letimbalwa lehlane?+ Ngikwati kahle kutsi uyatsandza kwenta tintfo letingakakufaneli futsi unetinhloso letimbi enhlitiyweni yakho. Utele nje kutobona lemphi.” 29 Davide wamphendvula watsi: “Sengenteni mine? Bengimane nje ngitibutela!” 30 Ngako wamshiya wayobuta lomunye umuntfu umbuto lofanako,+ futsi bamphendvula njengasekucaleni.+

31 Emavi labekhulunywe nguDavide eviwa nangulabanye bantfu futsi abikelwa Sawula. Ngako Sawula watsi akabitwe. 32 Davide watsi kuSawula: “Akubete lowesabako* ngenca yalomFilisti. Inceku yakho itawuhamba iyokulwa naye.”+ 33 Kodvwa Sawula watsi kuDavide: “Angeke ukhone kuyokulwa nalomFilisti ngobe wena usengumfana+ futsi yena bekasolo alisotja* kusukela asemncane.” 34 Davide wase utsi kuSawula: “Ngesikhatsi inceku yakho yeluse timvu tababe wayo, kwachamuka libhubesi+ latibambela imvu kulomhlambi futsi ngalesinye sikhatsi kwachamuka libhele nalo latibambela imvu. 35 Ngesuka ngatigijimisa futsi ngatishaya ngatilahla phansi, ngasindzisa letimvu emilonyeni yato. Tatsi natingihlasela, ngatibamba ngeboya* futsi ngatishaya ngase ngiyatibulala. 36 Inceku yakho yabulala lelibhubesi nalelibhele, futsi nalomFilisti longakasoki utawufanana nato ngobe wedzelele* libutfo laNkulunkulu lophilako.”+ 37 Ngako Davide wachubeka watsi: “Jehova lokunguye lowangisindzisa etidladleni telibhubesi netelibhele, utangisindzisa nakulomFilisti.”+ Sawula wase utsi kuDavide: “Hamba, shengatsi Jehova angaba nawe.”

38 Sawula wabese ugcokisa Davide timphahla takhe. Enhloko wamfaka sigcoko sekutivikela lesentiwe ngelitfusi, ngemuva kwaloko wamgcokisa lijazi lensimbi lelinemazengezenge. 39 Davide wabese ufaka inkemba yakhe kuletimphahla lebekatigcokile futsi wetama kuhamba, kepha akazange akhone ngobe abengakatejwayeli. Davide watsi kuSawula: “Angikhoni kuhamba ngigcoke letintfo ngobe angikatijwayeli.” Ngako watikhumula. 40 Wabese utsatsa indvuku yakhe, wakhetsa ematje lasihlanu lashelelako emfuleni wawafaka ekhikhini lesikhwama labekalusa ngaso, futsi abephetse sidubulelo+ esandleni sakhe. Ngemuva kwaloko wacondza kulomFilisti.

41 LomFilisti bekachubeka asondzela kuDavide futsi inceku yalomFilisti lemphatsela lihawu beyihamba embikwakhe. 42 Ngesikhatsi lomFilisti abona Davide, wambuka ngekumedzelela ngobe abengumfana lobovana ngelibala futsi alikhwa.+ 43 LomFilisti watsi kuDavide: “Ngiyinja yini mine+ kutsi ungeta utewulwa nami uphetse tindvuku?” Ngako wamcalekisa ngabonkulunkulu bakhe. 44 Wase utsi kuDavide: “Ase ubuye lapha, futsi sidvumbu sakho ngitasinika tinyoni telizulu kanye netilwane tesiganga.”

45 Davide waphendvula lomFilisti watsi: “Wena utokulwa nami uphetse inkemba netikhali letimbili,+ kodvwa mine ngita kuwe ngelibito laJehova wemabutfo,+ longuNkulunkulu welibutfo lema-Israyeli, loyo lomedzelele.*+ 46 Lamuhla, Jehova utakunikela esandleni sami,+ ngikubulale ngiphindze ngijube inhloko yakho, futsi khona lamuhla tidvumbu temaFilisti lakulenkambu ngitawutinikela etinyonini telizulu kanye nasetilwaneni tesiganga futsi bantfu emhlabeni wonkhe batakwati kutsi kunaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.+ 47 Nabo bonkhe labantfu lababutsene lapha* batawukwati kutsi Jehova akadzingi tinkemba nobe tikhali kuze asisindzise,+ ngobe lemphi yaJehova+ futsi nonkhe utaninikela esandleni setfu.”+

48 LomFilisti wabese usondzela kancane kancane kuze alwe naDavide, kodvwa Davide wagijima waya kulelibutfo kuze alwe nalomFilisti. 49 Davide wafaka sandla esikhwameni sakhe wakhipha litje futsi wadubulela ngalo. Washaya lomFilisti ebunti, futsi lelitje langena ebuntini lakhe wase uwa phansi ngebuso.+ 50 Ngako Davide wancoba lomFilisti ngesidubulelo nangelitje, wamlahla phansi futsi wambulala ngisho nobe Davide bekangakaphatsi inkemba.+ 51 Davide wachubeka agijima futsi wafike wema etikwakhe. Wabese ubamba inkemba yalomFilisti,+ wayihoshula esikhwameni sayo futsi wamjuba ngayo inhloko kuze aciniseke kutsi ufile. EmaFilisti atsi nakabona kutsi lichawe lawo selifile, abaleka.+

52 Ngenca yaloku emadvodza aka-Israyeli newakaJuda acala kumemeta futsi agijimisa emaFilisti kusukela kulesihosha+ kuya emagedeni ase-Ekroni.+ EmaFilisti labulawa lapho bekasakateke eceleni kwemgwaco kusukela eSharayimu+ kuze kuyofika eGathi nase-Ekroni. 53 Ema-Israyeli atsi nakabuya kuyogijimisa emaFilisti, atsatsa tintfo lebetisenkambu yawo.

54 Ngemuva kwaloko Davide watsatsa lenhloko yalomFilisti waya nayo eJerusalema, kodvwa tikhali talomFilisti watibeka ethendeni lakhe.+

55 Ngesikhatsi Sawula abona Davide ayokulwa nalomFilisti, watsi ku-Abneri+ lobekayindvuna yelibutfo: “Ye-Abneri, lomfana uyindvodzana yabani?”+ Abneri wamphendvula watsi: “Ngifunga kuphila kwakho nkhosi, angati!” 56 Inkhosi yatsi: “Ngicela ungitfolele kutsi lomfana uyindvodzana yabani.” 57 Ngako ngekushesha nje Davide nakabuya kuyobulala lomFilisti, Abneri wamtsatsa waya naye kuSawula futsi Davide abephetse lenhloko yalomFilisti+ esandleni sakhe. 58 Sawula wase utsi kuDavide: “Uyindvodzana yabani mfana wami?” Yena wamphendvula watsi: “Ngiyindvodzana yaJese+ inceku yakho yaseBhetlehema.”+