Jehova watsi kuSamuweli: ‘Hamba uye endlini yaJese, ngobe lenye yemadvodzana akhe itawuba yinkhosi lelandzelako ka-Israyeli.’ Ngako-ke, Samuweli wahamba waya kuJese. Nakabona indvodzana yaJese lendzala wacabanga: ‘Lona kufanele kube nguye lotawuba yinkhosi.’ Kodvwa Jehova watjela Samuweli kutsi bekungasuye lona. Jehova watsi: ‘Mine ngibuka lokusenhlitiyweni yemuntfu, hhayi nje indlela labukeka ngayo ngaphandle.’

Jese wase uletsa lamanye emadvodzana akhe langu-6 kuSamuweli. Kodvwa Samuweli watsi: ‘Jehova akakakhetsi ngisho nayinye kuwo. Sekaphelele yini emadvodzana akho?’ Jese watsi: “Lencane kunawo onkhe ayikho, yeluse timvu.” Watsi nakabuya Davide, Jehova watsi kuSamuweli: ‘Ngiyo lena.’ Samuweli watsela emafutsa enhloko yaDavide wamgcoba kutsi abe yiNkhosi lebeyitawulandzela ka-Israyeli.

Ngalelinye lilanga, ema-Israyeli abeyokulwa nemaFilisti lebekanelisotja lelisidlakela. Lelisotja lebeliwalwela lebekutsiwa nguGoliyathi. Goliyathi abehlekisa ngema-Israyeli ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi. Wamemeta watsi: ‘Letsani indvodza lapha kimi kuze ngilwe nayo. Nayitangibulala, sitawuba tinceku tenu. Kodvwa nangitayincoba, nine nitawuba tinceku tetfu.’

Davide wafika lapho bekunemasotja aka-Israyeli khona aphatsele bobhuti bakhe labangemasotja kudla. Wamuva Goliyathi nakakhuluma wase utsi: ‘Ngitawuhamba ngiyokulwa naye.’ Inkhosi Sawula yatsi: ‘Wena usengumfana.’ Davide waphendvula watsi: ‘Jehova utangisindzisa.’

Sawula wetama kuniketa Davide tembatfo takhe temphi, kodvwa Davide watsi: ‘Angikhoni kulwa ngigcoke letintfo.’ Davide watsatsa silingi sakhe wehlela entasi emfuleni. Wafike wakhetsa ematje langu-5 wawafaka esikhwameni sakhe. Wase uyagijima ucondza kuGoliyathi. Lesidlakela samemeta satsi: “Ase ubuye lapha, futsi sidvumbu sakho ngitasinika tinyoni telizulu kanye netilwane tesiganga.” Davide bekangesabi. Wamemeta watsi: ‘Wena utokulwa nami uphetse inkemba netikhali letimbili, kodvwa mine ngita kuwe ngeligama laJehova. Awulwi natsi, kodvwa ulwa naNkulunkulu. Bonkhe labantfu lababutsene lapha batawukwati kutsi Jehova akadzingi tinkemba nobe tikhali. Jehova utakunikela esandleni sami.’

Davide wafaka litje kulesilingi sakhe wase udubulela ngalo. Ngekusitwa nguJehova lelitje ladubulela lashaya Goliyathi enhloko. Lesidlakela savele sawela phasi safa. Emasotja emaFilisti abaleka. Uyametsemba yini Jehova njengobe kwenta Davide?

Ngemva kwekutsi Davide abulale Goliyathi, iNkhosi Sawula yamenta indvuna yelibutfo layo. Davide wancoba timphi letinyenti futsi bekatiwa bantfu. Njalo Davide nakabuya emphini, bafati lebebahalalisa bebahlabela batsi: “Sawula ubulele bantfu labatinkhulungwane, Davide yena wabulala labangemashumi etinkhulungwane.” Sawula waba nemona futsi wafuna kubulala Davide.

Davide abekwati kudlala lihabhu. Ngalelinye lilanga, Davide abedlalela iNkhosi Sawula lihabhu, yavele yamjikijela ngesikhali. Davide wasivika lesikhali sase sigwaza lubondza. Ngemva kwaloko, Sawula wachubeka etama kubulala Davide, ngako wabaleka wayohlala ehlane.

Sawula wahamba nemadvodza langu-3 000 bayofuna Davide. Wangena emhumeni lapho Davide nemadvodza labekanye nawo bebabhace khona. Lamadvodza ahlebela Davide atsi: ‘Ungenta nobe yini loyifunako kuSawula.’ Davide wanyenya wajuba umphetfo welijazi laSawula lelite imikhono. Sawula akazange ambone. Ngemva kwesikhatsi Davide weva buhlungu kutsi akazange amhloniphe logcotjiwe waJehova. Wala kutsi lamadvodza labenawo abulale Sawula. Waze watjela Sawula kutsi kube bekafuna kumbulala ngabe umbulele. Sawula wayishintja yini indlela labekacabanga ngayo?

Cha. Sawula wachubeka afuna kubulala Davide. Ngalelinye lilanga ebusuku, Davide na-Abhishayi banyenya bangena lapho bekunaSawula khona. Ngisho na-Abneri lobekagadza Sawula abelele. Abhishayi watsi: ‘Ngivumele kutsi ngimgwaze ngalesikhali kanye nje siphumele emhlabatsini.’ Davide watsi: ‘NguJehova lotambulala. Ngicela sitsatse lesikhali nalelijeke lakhe lemanti sihambe.’

Davide wakhuphuka intsaba lebeyisedvute nalapho bekuhlala khona Sawula. Wamemeta watsi: ‘Abneri, awukayigadzi ngani inkhosi yakho? Siphi sikhali senkhosi nelijeke lemanti?’ Sawula waliva livi laDavide wase utsi: ‘Ngabe ungibulele, kodvwa awukangibulali. Ngiyati kutsi utawuba yiNkhosi lelandzelako yaka-Israyeli.’ Sawula wabuyela emuva esigodlweni sakhe. Lamanye emalunga emndeni wakhe abemtsandza Davide.