Eyokuqala EkaSamuyeli
11 UNahashi um-Amoni+ wabuya wazomisa inkamba yakhe efuna ukulwa leJabheshi+ yaseGiliyadi. Wonke amadoda eJabheshi akhuluma loNahashi athi: “Yenza isivumelwano lathi sibe zinceku zakho.” 2 UNahashi um-Amoni wabaphendula wathi: “Ngizakwenza isivumelwano lani nxa lingavuma ukuthi lonke ngilikhuphe amehlo akwesokudla. Lokho ngiyabe ngikwenzela ukuyangisa wonke u-Israyeli.” 3 Abadala beJabheshi bamphendula bathi: “Siphe amalanga ayisikhombisa ukuze sithume izithunywa kulo lonke ilizwe lako-Israyeli. Nxa engekho ongasilamulela sizazinikela kuwe.” 4 Ngemva kwesikhathi izithunywa zafika eGibheya+ kaSawuli zatshela abantu konke lokhu. Abantu bonke basiqhinqa isililo.
5 USawuli wayevela kwelusa emadlelweni eqhuba umhlambi wenkomo. Wafika wathi: “Kanti kwenzenjani? Abantu bakhalelani?” Yikho bamtshela umbiko owawuze lamadoda eJabheshi. 6 USawuli wathi esizwa umbiko lo umoya kaNkulunkulu wehlela phezu kwakhe wamnika amandla.+ USawuli wazonda wabila 7 wasethatha inkunzi ezimbili waziqumaquma wazithumela ngezithunywa kulo lonke ilizwe lako-Israyeli. Izithunywa zazihamba zisithi: “Lokhu yikho okuzakwenziwa inkomo zomuntu ongasoze alandele uSawuli loSamuyeli!” Abantu bamesaba uJehova baphuma baya empini belenhloso eyodwa. 8 USawuli wababala eBhezekhi, kwatholakala ukuthi kwakulamadoda ako-Israyeli angu-300 000 lamadoda akoJuda angu-30 000. 9 Batshela izithunywa ezazivela eJabheshi bathi: “Hambani liyetshela amadoda eJabheshi yaseGiliyadi ukuthi sizawalamulela kusasa ilanga selikhwelile.” Yikho izithunywa zahamba zayabikela amadoda eJabheshi futhi athokoza kakhulu. 10 Amadoda eJabheshi asetshela uNahashi athi: “Kusasa sizazinikela kuwe usenze loba yini oyibona ilungile.”+
11 Ngelanga elilandelayo uSawuli wehlukanisa amadoda aba ngamaqembu amathathu. Bahamba bayangena enkambeni yama-Amoni ngomlindo wekuseni,* bafika babulala ama-Amoni+ ilanga laze latshisa. Ama-Amoni asalayo asabalala yonke indawo njalo ngamunye wabaleka eyedwa. 12 Ngemva kwalokho abantu bathi kuSamuyeli: “Bangaphi abantu ababesithi, ‘Kambe uSawuli angaba yinkosi yethu?’+ Baletheni lapha sibabulale.” 13 Kodwa uSawuli wathi: “Akulamuntu okumele abulawe lamuhla+ ngoba uJehova ukhulule abantu bako-Israyeli.”
14 Ngemva kwesikhathi uSamuyeli watshela abantu wathi: “Asihambeni eGiligali+ siyeqinisa ubukhosi bukaSawuli.”+ 15 Ngakho bonke abantu baya eGiligali bafika babeka uSawuli ukuba yinkosi phambi kukaJehova. Ngemva kwalokho banikela imihlatshelo yobudlelwano phambi kukaJehova+ futhi uSawuli labo bonke abantu bako-Israyeli bathokoza kakhulu.+