Eyokuqala EkaSamuyeli

27 Kodwa uDavida wathi enhliziyweni yakhe: “Ngelinye ilanga uSawuli uzangibulala. Kungcono ngibaleke+ ngiye elizweni lamaFilisti. Lapho-ke uSawuli uzadela ukungidinga elizweni lako-Israyeli+ njalo ngizasinda angangibulali.” 2 Ngakho uDavida wasuka lamadoda angu-600+ ayelaye baya ku-Akhishi+ indodana kaMawokhi, inkosi yeGathi. 3 UDavida lamadoda wonke ayelaye bahlala lo-Akhishi eGathi, ngamunye wabo elemuli yakhe. UDavida wayelamakhosikazi amabili, u-Ahinowami+ waseJeziriyeli lo-Abhigeli+ waseKhameli umfelokazi kaNabhali. 4 USawuli wathi etshelwa ukuthi uDavida usebalekele eGathi, wayekela ukumdinga.+

5 UDavida wathi ku-Akhishi: “Nxa ngithole umusa phambi kwakho, ngicela ungiphe indawo emaphandleni lapho engizahlala khona. Kambe inceku yakho isingaze ihlale lawe esigodlweni?” 6 U-Akhishi wanika uDavida iZikhilagi+ ngalelolanga. Yikho iZikhilagi ilokhu ilidolobho lamakhosi akoJuda kuze kube lamuhla.

7 UDavida wahlala elizweni lamaFilisti okomnyaka owodwa lenyanga ezine.+ 8 Wayehamba lamadoda ayelaye bayehlasela amaGeshuri+ lamaGerizi lama-Amaleki.+ Abantu laba babehlala endaweni esukela eThelami kuze kuyefika eShuri,+ kwehle kuyefika eGibhithe. 9 UDavida wayesithi nxa ehlasela abulale bonke abantu angatshiyi ndoda loba umfazi elizweni.+ Kodwa wayethatha izimvu, lenkomo, labobabhemi lamakamela lezigqoko, abesebuyela ku-Akhishi. 10 U-Akhishi wayembuza athi: “Beliyehlasela ngaphi lamuhla?” UDavida abesephendula athi: “Sihlasele eningizimu* yakoJuda”+ kumbe athi, “Sihlasele eningizimu yelizwe lamaJerameli”+ loba athi, “Sihlasele eningizimu yelizwe lamaKheni.”+ 11 UDavida wayengathumbi ndoda loba owesifazana abuye laye eGathi kodwa wayebulala bonke abantu, esithi: “Bangacina bebatshela ngathi bathi, ‘Nanku uDavida akwenzileyo.’” (Lokhu yikho ayekwenza isikhathi sonke ehlala elizweni lamaFilisti.) 12 U-Akhishi wayemkholwa uDavida, athi enhliziyweni yakhe: ‘Abantu bakibo ko-Israyeli sebemenyanya, yikho uzahlala eyinceku yami.’