Eyokuqala EkaSamuyeli
21 UDavida wafika eNobhi+ ku-Ahimeleki umphristi. U-Ahimeleki wamhlangabeza eqhuqha, wathi kuye: “Kungani uwedwa, kungelamuntu ohamba laye?”+ 2 UDavida waphendula u-Ahimeleki umphristi wathi: “Kulento inkosi engithume ukuthi ngiyenze, kodwa ithe ngingatsheli muntu ngalokho engithume ukuthi ngiyekwenza langemilayo engiphe yona. Ngikhulume lamajaha engizahamba lawo ngawatshela ukuthi sihlangane kwenye indawo. 3 Nxa ulezinkwa ezinhlanu ngicela unginike zona kumbe ungiphe loba yini olayo.” 4 Kodwa umphristi wamphendula wathi: “Isinkwa esijayelekileyo asikho kodwa kulesinkwa esingcwele.+ Ungasithatha nxa kuyikuthi amajaha ohamba lawo awazange alale labesifazana.”+ 5 UDavida wasesithi kumphristi: “Akula phakathi kwethu oke walala lowesifazana, njengoba nje kungumkhuba nxa sisiya empini.+ Nxa amajaha egcina imizimba yawo ingcwele ngesikhathi esenza imisebenzi ejayelekileyo, angayekela yini ukuba ngcwele lamuhla sisiya emsebenzini oqakathekileyo?” 6 Ngakho umphristi wamnika isinkwa esingcwele+ ngoba kwakungela esinye isinkwa ngaphandle kwesinkwa sokubukiswa esasikhitshwe phambi kukaJehova ngalelolanga ukuze kufakwe esinye esisanda kuphekwa.
7 Ngalelolanga kwakulenye inceku kaSawuli okwakungamelanga isuke phambi kukaJehova. Kwakuthiwa nguDowegi+ um-Edomi+ futhi yayiyinduna yabelusi bakaSawuli.
8 UDavida wathi ku-Ahimeleki: “Akulamkhonto loba inkemba lapha yini? Kangizange ngithathe inkemba yami lezikhali zami ngoba lokho engikuthunywe yinkosi bekumele ngikwenze masinyane.” 9 Umphristi wasemphendula wathi: “Kulenkemba kaGoliyathi+ umFilisti owambulala esigodini se-Ela,+ ithandelwe ngelembu ngemva kwe-efodi.+ Nxa ufuna ukuyithatha ungayithatha ngoba yiyo yodwa ekhona.” UDavida wathi: “Akulankemba enjengayo. Ngicela ungiphe yona.”
10 Ngalelolanga uDavida wasuka lapho waqhubeka ebalekela+ uSawuli waze wayafika ku-Akhishi inkosi yeGathi.+ 11 Izinceku zika-Akhishi zathi kuye: “Kanti lo ayisuye uDavida inkosi yelizwe? Ayisuye yini ababehlabela ngaye begida besithi,
‘USawuli ubulele izinkulungwane,
‘UDavida wabulala amatshumi ezinkulungwane’?”+
12 UDavida wawafaka enhliziyweni amazwi la futhi wamesaba kakhulu+ u-Akhishi inkosi yeGathi. 13 Ngakho wazenza uhlanya+ phambi kwabo, kwaba angathi uphambene. Wayedwebadweba ezivalweni zamagedi futhi egxoza indenda zisehlela endevini. 14 U-Akhishi wacina esithi ezincekwini zakhe: “Liyazibonela ukuthi umuntu lo uyahlanya! Manje limletheleni kimi? 15 Kanti ngiswele inhlanya yini ukuthi selingaze lilethe umuntu lo ukuthi azohlanyela phambi kwami? Kambe umuntu onje angangena endlini yami?”