USamyela Wokuthoma
22 Yeke uDavida wasuka lapho,+ wabalekela erholweni le-Adulamu.+ Kwathi abomnakwabo nendlu kayise yoke nabezwa ngakho, behlela kuye lapho. 2 Boke abantu ebebasemrarweni, baseenkolodweni nabatshwenyekileko baya kuye, waba yindunabo. Abantu ebebanaye bebangaba ma-400.
3 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, uDavida wasuka lapho waya eMitsiphe kwaMowabi bewathi ekosini yakwaMowabi:+ “Ngibawa uvumele ubaba nomma bahlale nawe bekube kulapho ngazi ukuthi uZimu uzongenzelani.” 4 Yeke wabatjhiya nekosi yakwaMowabi begodu bahlala nayo soke isikhathi uDavida asendaweni efihlekileko.+
5 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, umphorofidi uGadi+ wathi kuDavida: “Ungahlali endaweni efihlekileko. Suka lapho uye enarheni yakwaJuda.”+ Yeke uDavida wakhamba wangena ehlathini leRhereti.
6 USawula wezwa ukuthi uDavida nabantu ebebanaye bafunyenwe. Ngesikhatheso uSawula bekahlezi eGibeya+ ngaphasi komuthi womtamariski endaweni ephakemeko aphethe umkhontwakhe begodu zoke iinsebenzi zakhe bezimbhodile. 7 Yeke uSawula wathi eensebenzini zakhe ezimbhodileko: “Ngibawa nilalele nina bakwaBhenjamini. Kghani indodana kaJese+ nayo izoninikela noke amasimu namasimu wamadiribe? Kghani izonibeka noke bona nibe ziinduna zeenkulungwana neenduna zamakhulu?+ 8 Noke ningilukele amano! Akekho namunye ongitjelileko indodanami nayenza isivumelwano nendodana kaJese!+ Akekho namunye kini ongirhawukelako begodu angazise ukuthi indodanami yenze isisebenzi sami bona singikhukhuthele endleleni besingisahlele njengombana kwenzeka nje.”
9 Yeke uDowegi+ umEdomu, obekabekwe phezu kweensebenzi zakaSawula waphendula wathi:+ “Mina ngiyibonile indodana kaJese ifika eNobi ku-Arhimeleki indodana ka-Arhithubi.+ 10 U-Arhimeleki wayibuzela kuJehova begodu wayipha ukudla. Wabe wayinikela nesabula kaGoliyadi umFilista.”+ 11 Khonokho ikosi yathi akuyokubizwa u-Arhimeleki indodana ka-Arhithubi umphristi nabo boke abaphristi bendlu kayise ebebaseNobi. Yeke boke beza ekosini.
12 Nje-ke uSawula wathi: “Ngibawa ulalele wena ndodana ka-Arhithubi!” U-Arhimeleki wathi: “Ngilalele kosami.” 13 USawula wathi kuye: “Kubayini ningilukele amano ninendodana kaJese, ngokuyinikela uburotho nesabula nangokuyibuzela kuZimu? Iphikisana nami begodu ingikhukhuthele bona ingisahlele njengombana kwenzeka nje.” 14 U-Arhimeleki waphendula ikosi wathi: “Ngubani othembeke njengoDavida hlangana neensebenzi zakho zoke?+ Umkhwenyana wekosi,+ uyinduna yabonogada bakho begodu uyahlonitjhwa endlinakho. 15 Kghani bengithoma namhlanjesi ukumbuzela kuZimu?+ Angeze ngakulukela amano! Ikosi ayingacabangi okumbi ngesisebenzi sayo nangendlu kababa yoke ngombana isisebenzi sakho besingazi litho ngalokhu.”+
16 Kodwana ikosi yathi: “Ngokuqinisekileko uzokufa+ Arhimeleki, nabo boke bendlu kayihlo.”+ 17 Yeke ikosi yathi kibonogada ebebayibhodile: “Phendukani nibulale abaphristi bakaJehova ngombana bangehlangothini lakaDavida! Bebazi ukuthi uyabaleka begodu akhenge bangazise!” Kodwana iinsebenzi zekosi akhenge zifune ukuphakamisa izandla zazo bona zisahlele abaphristi bakaJehova. 18 Nje-ke ikosi yathi kuDowegi:+ “Phenduka usahlele abaphristi!” Khonokho uDowegi umEdomu+ wasahlela abaphristi ngokwakhe. Mhlokho wabulala amadoda ama-85 ambatha i-efodi yelineni.+ 19 Godu warhayila abantu beNobi,+ idorobho labaphristi ngesabula; indoda nomfazi, umntwana nesana, ikunzi, udumbana nemvu, koke wakurhayila ngesabula.
20 Nokho, indodana yinye ka-Arhimeleki indodana ka-Arhithubi,+ igama layo bekungu-Abhiyathari, yaphunyurha yabaleka yalandela uDavida. 21 U-Abhiyathari wabikela uDavida wathi: “USawula ubulele abaphristi bakaJehova.” 22 Nakezwa lokho uDavida wathi ku-Abhiyathari: “Ngavele ngabona mhlokha+ uDowegi umEdomu nakalapha, ukuthi uzomtjela uSawula nakanjani. Ngimlandu ngokuhlongakala kwabantu boke bendlu kayihlo. 23 Hlala nami. Ungasabi, ngombana umuntu ofuna ukuphila kwakho ufuna ukuphila kwami; ngizokuvikela.”+