1 Samuweli

17 AmaFilisti+ aqoqa amakamu awo ukuze alwe. Lapho eseqoqene eSoko+ lakwaJuda, khona-ke akanisa phakathi kweSoko ne-Azeka,+ e-Efesi-damimi.+ 2 USawule namadoda akwa-Israyeli bona, baqoqana bakanisa ethafeni eliphansi lase-Elahi,+ bahleleka ukuze bahlangabezane namaFilisti. 3 AmaFilisti ayemi entabeni nganeno, nama-Israyeli ayemi entabeni ngaphesheya, isigodi siphakathi kwabo.

4 Kwaphuma ingqwele emakamu amaFilisti, igama layo kunguGoliyati,+ ingeyaseGati,+ ubude bayo buyizingalo eziyisithupha nobubanzi besandla.+ 5 Ekhanda yayifake isigqoko sokuzivikela sethusi, yembethe ijazi lensimbi, linezingcwecwe ezilakanyene, isisindo sejazi lensimbi+ sasingamashekeli ethusi ayizinkulungwane ezinhlanu. 6 Ngenhla kwezinyawo zayo yayifake izivikelo zikagalo zethusi kukhona nengcula+ yethusi phakathi kwamahlombe ayo. 7 Umphini wokhuni womkhonto wayo wawunjengenduku yabasebenzisa uhlaka lokweluka indwangu,+ ukudla komkhonto wayo kungamashekeli ensimbi angamakhulu ayisithupha; owayephethe isihlangu sayo esikhulu wayehamba phambi kwayo. 8 Khona-ke yama yayisimemeza izinhlu zempi zakwa-Israyeli+ yathi kuzo: “Niphumelani ukuzohlelekela impi? Angiyena yini mina umFilisti futhi anizona yini nina izinceku+ zikaSawule? Zikhetheleni indoda, yehle ize lapha kimi. 9 Uma ikwazi ukulwa nami bese ingibulala, khona-ke sizoba yizinceku zenu. Kodwa uma inguwethu futhi ngiyibulala, nizoba yizinceku zethu, nisikhonze.”+ 10 UmFilisti waqhubeka wathi: “Mina lo ngiyaziklolodela+ izinhlu zempi zakwa-Israyeli namuhla. Nginikeni indoda, silwe!”+

11 Lapho uSawule+ no-Israyeli wonke bezwa la mazwi omFilisti, khona-ke bethuka kakhulu futhi besaba kakhulu.+

12 Manje uDavide wayeyindodana yalo mEfratha+ waseBhetlehema lakwaJuda ogama lakhe lalinguJese. Wayenamadodana ayisishiyagalombili.+ Ezinsukwini zikaSawule lo muntu wayesemdala kakade phakathi kwamadoda. 13 Amadodana amathathu kaJese amadala ahamba. Alandela uSawule aya empini,+ amagama ala madodana akhe amathathu aya empini kwakungu-Eliyabe+ izibulo, indodana yakhe yesibili kungu-Abhinadaba+ eyesithathu kunguShamumaha.+ 14 UDavide wayengomncane kunabo bonke,+ abathathu abadala balandela uSawule.

15 UDavide wayehamba ayokwelusa izimvu+ zikayise eBhetlehema abuye abuyele kuSawule. 16 UmFilisti wayelokhu ephuma ekuseni kakhulu nakusihlwa eme endaweni yakhe izinsuku ezingamashumi amane.

17 Khona-ke uJese wathi kuDavide indodana yakhe: “Ngicela uthathele abafowenu leli efa lokusanhlamvu okugazingiwe+ nalezi zinkwa eziyishumi, ukuyise ngokushesha ekamu kubafowenu. 18 Lezi zingxenye eziyishumi zobisi kufanele uziyise enduneni yenkulungwane;+ futhi, ubheke inhlalakahle yabafowenu,+ uthole uphawu oluyisiqinisekiso kubo.” 19 Phakathi nalesi sikhathi, uSawule kanye nabo nawo wonke amanye amadoda akwa-Israyeli babesethafeni eliphansi lase-Elahi,+ belwa namaFilisti.+

20 Ngakho uDavide wavuka ekuseni kakhulu washiya izimvu zibhekwe umgcini wezimvu wathatha lezo zinto wahamba njengoba nje uJese ayemyalile.+ Lapho efika endaweni ebiyelwe yekamu,+ amabutho empi ayephuma eya ohlwini lwempi,+ akhamuluka ngokukhamuluka kwempi. 21 U-Israyeli namaFilisti bahlela uhlu lwempi ukuba luhlangabeze uhlu lwempi. 22 Ngokushesha uDavide washiya umthwalo+ owawukuye ukuba unakekelwe umgcini wemithwalo+ wagijimela ohlwini lwempi. Lapho efika, wabuza ngenhlalakahle yabafowabo.+

23 Esakhuluma nabo, bheka, ingqwele, egama layo kunguGoliyati+ umFilisti waseGati,+ yayikhuphuka isuka ezinhlwini zempi zamaFilisti, futhi yakhuluma amazwi afana nawakuqala,+ uDavide walalela. 24 Wonke amadoda akwa-Israyeli, lapho eyibona le ndoda abaleka ngenxa yayo futhi ayesaba kakhulu.+ 25 Amadoda akwa-Israyeli ayesethi: “Niyibonile le ndoda ekhuphukayo? Ikhuphukela ukuklolodela+ u-Israyeli. Umuntu ozoyibulala, inkosi izomcebisa ngengcebo enkulu, imnike indodakazi yayo,+ futhi indlu kayise izoyikhulula kwa-Israyeli.”+

26 UDavide wathi emadodeni ayemi eduze kwakhe: “Kuzokwenziwani kumuntu obulala lowaya mFilisti+ asuse isihlamba phezu kuka-Israyeli?+ Ngoba ungubani lo mFilisti ongasokile+ ukuba aklolodele+ izinhlu zempi kaNkulunkulu ophilayo?”+ 27 Khona-ke abantu basho amazwi afana nawokuqala, bathi: “Yile ndlela okuzokwenziwa ngayo kumuntu ombulalayo.” 28 U-Eliyabe+ umfowabo omdala wezwa njengoba ayekhuluma nalawo madoda, intukuthelo ka-Eliyabe yamvuthela uDavide,+ kangangokuba wathi: “Wehleleni? Uzishiye nobani lezo zimvu ezimbalwa ezisehlane?+ Ngikwazi kahle ukugabadela kwakho nobubi benhliziyo yakho,+ ngoba wehlele ukuzobona impi.”+ 29 UDavide wathi: “Ngenzeni manje? Bekungelona izwi nje?”+ 30 Ngakho waphenduka wasuka eceleni kwakhe waya komunye washo izwi elifana nelokuqala,+ nabantu bamnika impendulo efana neyangaphambili.+

31 Ngakho ezwakala amazwi uDavide ayewakhuluma, bawasho phambi kukaSawule. Ngakho wamlanda. 32 UDavide wathi kuSawule: “Ungavumeli nhliziyo yamuntu ife.+ Inceku yakho izohamba ilwe nalo mFilisti.”+ 33 Kodwa uSawule wathi kuDavide: “Awukwazi ukuyolwa nalo mFilisti,+ ngoba ungumfana+ nje, yena uyindoda yempi kusukela ebufaneni bakhe.” 34 UDavide wathi kuSawule: “Inceku yakho yaba umalusi kayise phakathi komhlambi, kwaqhamuka ingonyama,+ nebhere futhi, ngakunye kwathatha imvu emhlambini. 35 Ngakulandela ngakulahla phansi+ ngazophula emlonyeni wako. Lapho kungivukela ngakubamba ngesilevu ngakushaya ngakubulala. 36 Inceku yakho yabulala ingonyama kanye nebhere; lo mFilisti+ ongasokile uzoba njengokunye kwako, ngoba uye waklolodela+ izinhlu zempi+ zikaNkulunkulu ophilayo.”+ 37 Khona-ke uDavide wanezela: “UJehova, owangikhulula esidladleni sengonyama nasesidladleni sebhere, nguye ozongikhulula esandleni salo mFilisti.”+ USawule wathi kuDavide: “Hamba, kwangathi uJehova angaba nawe.”+

38 Manje uSawule wembathisa uDavide izingubo zakhe, wamfaka isigqoko sokuzivikela sethusi, okwathi ngemva kwalokho wamembathisa ijazi lensimbi. 39 Khona-ke uDavide wabhinca inkemba yakhe phezu kwezingubo zakhe wayesezama ukuhamba [kodwa akakwazanga], ngoba wayengakaze azilinge. Ekugcineni uDavide wathi kuSawule: “Angikwazi ukuhamba ngalezi zinto, ngoba angikaze ngizilinge.” Ngakho uDavide wazikhumula.+ 40 Wabe esethatha ubhoko lwakhe ngesandla wazikhethela amatshe amahlanu abushelelezi kunawo wonke esigodini sesifufula wawafaka esikhwameni sakhe sabelusi ayesisebenzisa njengento yokuphatha, esandleni sakhe kwakukhona indwayimane yakhe.+ Wayesesondela kumFilisti.

41 UmFilisti naye weza, elokhu esondela kuDavide, umuntu owayethwele isihlangu esikhulu wayengaphambi kwakhe. 42 Manje lapho umFilisti ebheka ebona uDavide, wamedelela+ ngoba wayengumfana+ ebomvana,+ eyigeza.+ 43 Ngakho umFilisti wathi kuDavide: “Ngiyinja yini+ ukuba uze kimi nezimboko?” Ngalokho umFilisti wamqalekisa uDavide ngonkulunkulu bakhe.+ 44 UmFilisti waqhubeka wathi kuDavide: “Sondela nje, inyama yakho ngizoyinika izinyoni zamazulu nezilwane zasendle.”+

45 UDavide yena wathi kumFilisti: “Wena uza kimi nenkemba nomkhonto nengcula,+ kodwa mina ngiza kuwe negama likaJehova wamabutho,+ uNkulunkulu wezinhlu zempi yakwa-Israyeli, oye wamklolodela.+ 46 Namuhla uJehova uzokunikela esandleni sami,+ futhi ngokuqinisekile ngizokubulala ngikunqume ikhanda; namuhla izidumbu zekamu lamaFilisti ngizozipha izinyoni zamazulu nezilo zasendle zomhlaba;+ futhi abantu bomhlaba wonke bazokwazi ukuthi ukhona uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.+ 47 Lonke leli bandla lizokwazi ukuthi uJehova akasindisi ngankemba nangamkhonto,+ ngoba impi ingekaJehova,+ futhi uzoninikela esandleni sethu nina madoda.”+

48 UmFilisti wasuka walokhu eza esondela ezohlangabeza uDavide, uDavide washesha futhi wagijimela ohlwini lwempi ukuze ahlangabeze umFilisti.+ 49 Khona-ke uDavide wafaka isandla esikhwameni sakhe wakhipha itshe lapho walijikijela ngendwayimane, wamshaya+ umFilisti ebunzini itshe langena lashona ebunzini lakhe, wawela emhlabathini ngobuso.+ 50 Ngakho uDavide, ngendwayimane netshe, waba namandla kunomFilisti wamlahla phansi umFilisti wambulala; kwakungekho nkemba esandleni sikaDavide.+ 51 UDavide wagijima wama phezu komFilisti. Khona-ke wathatha inkemba yomFilisti+ wayihosha emgodleni wayo wamjuqa lapho enquma ikhanda lakhe ngayo.+ AmaFilisti abona ukuthi umuntu wawo onamandla ufile, ayesebaleka.+

52 Khona-ke amadoda akwa-Israyeli nakwaJuda asukuma aqhumuka amemeza awasukela+ amaFilisti aze ayofika esigodini+ afika ngisho nasemasangweni ase-Ekroni,+ futhi ababelimele kabi kumaFilisti babelokhu bewa endleleni esuka eShaharayimi,+ kuze kufike eGati nase-Ekroni. 53 Ngemva kwalokho abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuya ekusukeleni amaFilisti bagcugca+ amakamu awo.

54 Khona-ke uDavide walithatha ikhanda+ lomFilisti waliletha eJerusalema, izikhali zakhe wazifaka etendeni lakhe.+

55 Manje lapho uSawule ebona uDavide ephuma ukuyohlangabeza umFilisti, wathi ku-Abhineri+ induna yebutho: “Uyindodana kabani+ lo mfana,+ Abhineri?” U-Abhineri wathi: “Kuphila komphefumulo wakho, nkosi, angazi!” 56 Ngakho inkosi yathi: “Buza ukuthi leli bhungu liyindodana kabani.” 57 Ngakho, ngokushesha nje lapho uDavide esebuyile ekubulaleni umFilisti, u-Abhineri wamthatha wamletha phambi kukaSawule ikhanda+ lomFilisti lisesandleni sakhe. 58 Manje uSawule wathi kuye: “Uyindodana kabani, mfana?” uDavide wathi: “Ngiyindodana yenceku yakho uJese+ waseBhetlehema.”+