Eyokuqala KaSamuweli
26 Ngemva kwesikhathi amadoda aseZifi + afika kuSawule eGibheya, + athi: “UDavide ucashe egqumeni laseHakhila, elibhekene neJeshimoni.” *+ 2 Ngakho uSawule wasuka wehlela ehlane laseZifi, ehamba namadoda ekhethelo angu-3 000 akwa-Israyeli, eyofuna uDavide ehlane laseZifi. + 3 USawule wamisa amatende egqumeni laseHakhila elibhekene neJeshimoni, eceleni komgwaqo. Ngaleso sikhathi uDavide wayehlala ehlane. Wezwa ukuthi uSawule wayemlandele weza ehlane. 4 Ngakho uDavide wathumela izinhloli ukuze aqiniseke ukuthi uSawule wayeze ngempela yini. 5 Kamuva uDavide wasuka waya endaweni uSawule ayekuyo, wafike wayibona indawo uSawule no-Abhineri + indodana kaNeri induna yebutho lakhe ababelele kuyo; uSawule wayezumekile ekamu, ibutho limise amatende nhlangothi zonke zakhe. 6 UDavide wathi ku-Ahimeleki umHeti + naku-Abhishayi + indodana kaZeruya, + umfowabo kaJowabe: “Ngubani ozohamba nami siye kuSawule ekamu?” U-Abhishayi wathi: “Ngizohamba nawe mina.” 7 Ngakho uDavide no-Abhishayi bahamba baya ekamu ebusuku, bafica uSawule ezumekile, umkhonto wakhe ugxunyekwe emhlabathini ngasekhanda lakhe; u-Abhineri kanye nebutho babelele nhlangothi zonke zakhe.
8 U-Abhishayi wayesethi kuDavide: “Namuhla uNkulunkulu unikele isitha sakho esandleni sakho. + Manje ngicela ungivumele ngimhlanganise nomhlabathi ngomkhonto kanye nje kuphela, ngeke kudingeke ngimphinde kabili.” 9 Nokho, uDavide wathi ku-Abhishayi: “Ungamlimazi, ngoba ngubani ongelulela isandla sakhe kogcotshiwe kaJehova + kodwa angabi nacala?” + 10 UDavide waqhubeka wathi: “Ngimfunge uJehova, uJehova ngokwakhe uzomshaya, + noma ngolunye usuku uzofa + njengawo wonke umuntu, noma uzoya empini afike afele khona. + 11 Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova ngiyamhlonipha, anginakulokotha ngelulele isandla sami kogcotshiwe kaJehova! + Ngakho manje asithathe umkhonto ongasekhanda lakhe nojeke wamanzi, sihambe.” 12 Ngakho uDavide wathatha umkhonto nojeke wamanzi owawungasekhanda likaSawule, base behamba. Akukho muntu owababona + noma owaphaphama ngoba bonke babezumekile, ngenxa yokuthi babehlelwe ubuthongo obukhulu obuvela kuJehova. 13 Ngemva kwalokho uDavide wawelela ngaphesheya wama esiqongweni sentaba kude nabo, kukhona ibanga elide phakathi kwabo.
14 UDavide wamemeza ibutho no-Abhineri + indodana kaNeri, wathi: “Abhineri, uyangizwa yini?” U-Abhineri waphendula wathi: “Ungubani wena obangela inkosi umsindo?” 15 UDavide wathi ku-Abhineri: “Buphi ubuqhawe bakho? Akekho ofana nawe kwa-Israyeli, pho kungani ungayigadanga inkosi yakho? Ngoba kunesosha elifikile lizobulala inkosi yakho. + 16 Wehlulekile ukwenza umsebenzi wakho. Ngimfunge uJehova, nina nifanelwe ukufa ngoba aniyigadanga inkosi yenu, ogcotshiwe kaJehova. + Ake nibheke ukuthi ukhona yini umkhonto wenkosi nojeke wamanzi + obungasekhanda layo.”
17 USawule wezwa ukuthi yizwi likaDavide, wathi: “Yizwi lakho yini lelo ndodana yami Davide?” + UDavide waphendula wathi: “Yizwi lami nkosi yami.” 18 Wayesethi: “Kungani inkosi yami izingela inceku yayo, + ngenzeni, liyini icala lami? + 19 Nkosi yami ngicela ulalele amazwi enceku yakho: Uma kunguJehova okubangele ukuba umelane nami, makamukele* umnikelo wami wokudla okusanhlamvu. Kodwa uma kungabantu abakushoshozelayo, + baqalekisiwe phambi kukaJehova, ngoba bangixoshile namuhla ukuze ngingabi yingxenye yefa likaJehova, + bethi, ‘Hamba uyokhonza abanye onkulunkulu!’ 20 Ungangivumeli ukuba ngilahlekelwe ukuphila kwami* ngikude noJehova, ngoba inkosi yakwa-Israyeli iphumele ukuyofuna izeze elilodwa, + njengokungathi izingela ithendele ezintabeni.”
21 USawule yena wathi: “Ngonile. + Buya ndodana yami Davide, ngoba ngeke ngisakulimaza, ngenxa yokuthi ukuphila kwami kube yigugu + kuwe namuhla. Ngenze ubuwula futhi ngiphaphalaze kakhulu.” 22 UDavide waphendula wathi: “Nawu umkhonto wenkosi. Makuze enye yezinsizwa iwulande. 23 NguJehova ozobuyisela yilowo nalowo ngokulunga kwakhe + nangokwethembeka kwakhe, ngenxa yokuthi namuhla uJehova ubekunikele esandleni sami, kodwa angithandanga ukwelulela isandla sami kogcotshiwe kaJehova. + 24 Njengoba nje ukuphila* kwakho kube yigugu kimi namuhla, kwangathi ukuphila* kwami kungaba yigugu emehlweni kaJehova, kwangathi angangikhulula kulo lonke usizi.” + 25 USawule wathi kuDavide: “Kwangathi ungabusiswa, ndodana yami Davide. Nakanjani uzokwenza izinto ezinkulu futhi nakanjani uzophumelela.” + Ngemva kwalokho uDavide wahamba, noSawule wabuyela ekhaya. +