Eyokuqala KaSamuweli
9 Kwakukhona umuntu wakwaBhenjamini owayecebe kakhulu, igama lakhe kunguKishi, + indodana ka-Abhiyeli, indodana kaZerori, indodana kaBhekhorati, indodana ka-Afiya, umBhenjamini. + 2 Wayenendodana egama layo linguSawule, + yayisencane iyinhle—akukho nsizwa kwa-Israyeli eyayiyidlula ngobuhle—yayiyinde kunabo bonke abantu.
3 Lapho kulahleka izimbongolo* zikaKishi uyise kaSawule, uKishi wathi kuSawule indodana yakhe: “Ngicela uthathe esinye sezikhonzi nihambe niyofuna izimbongolo.” 4 Bahamba banqamula ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi badlulela ezweni laseShalisha, kodwa abazitholanga. Banqamula ezweni laseShahalimi, kodwa izimbongolo zazingekho lapho. Balihamba lonke elakwaBhenjamini, kodwa abazitholanga.
5 Bafika ezweni laseZufi, uSawule wathi esikhonzini esasihamba naye: “Masibuyele emuva, ukuze ubaba angagcini esekhathazeka ngathi esikhundleni sokukhathazeka ngezimbongolo.” + 6 Kodwa isikhonzi sathi kuye: “Kunomuntu kaNkulunkulu kuleli dolobha, indoda ehlonishwayo. Konke akushoyo kuyenzeka. + Masiye kuye manje. Mhlawumbe angasitshela ukuthi kufanele sithathe yiphi indlela.” 7 USawule wathi esikhonzini sakhe: “Uma siya, sizomphathelani lowo muntu? Akusekho sinkwa ezikhwameni zethu; akukho sipho esingamphathela sona lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso. Sinani nje?” 8 Ngakho isikhonzi saphinde samphendula uSawule sathi: “Ngiphethe ikota yeshekeli* lesiliva. Ngizoyinika umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, bese esitshela ukuthi kufanele sithathe yiphi indlela.” 9 (Ezikhathini zangaphambili kwa-Israyeli, yilokhu umuntu ayekusho lapho eyofuna isiqondiso kuNkulunkulu: “Wozani, masiye kumuntu obona imibono.” + Ngoba lo okuthiwa umprofethi namuhla, endulo wayebizwa ngokuthi umuntu obona imibono.) 10 Ngemva kwalokho uSawule wathi esikhonzini sakhe: “Kuhle lokho. Masihambe.” Ngakho bahamba baya kulelo dolobha umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso ayehlala kulo.
11 Lapho benyuka emqanseni oya kulelo dolobha, bahlangana namantombazane eyokha amanzi. Ngakho bathi kuwo: “Ingabe ukhona umuntu obona imibono + kule ndawo?” 12 Aphendula athi: “Yebo ukhona. Nisezithendeni zakhe nje. Phuthumani, ukuleli dolobha namuhla, ngoba abantu benza umhlatshelo + namuhla endaweni ephakeme. + 13 Lapho nje ningena edolobheni, nizomthola ngaphambi kokuba akhuphukele endaweni ephakeme ukuyodla. Abantu ngeke badle engakafiki, ngoba nguye obusisa umhlatshelo. Ngemva kwalokho, abamenyiwe bangadla. Hambani khona manje, nizomthola.” 14 Ngakho baya edolobheni. Njengoba babengena edolobheni, kwaqhamuka uSamuweli ezobahlangabeza ukuze akhuphukele nabo endaweni ephakeme.
15 Ngosuku olungaphambi kokufika kukaSawule, uJehova wayethe kuSamuweli:* 16 “Kusasa ngalesi sikhathi ngizothumela kuwe umuntu ovela kwaBhenjamini. + Kumele umgcobe abe umholi wabantu bami u-Israyeli, + uzosindisa abantu bami esandleni samaFilisti. Ngoba ngikubonile ukuhlupheka kwabantu bami, nesililo sabo sifikile kimi.” + 17 Lapho uSamuweli ebona uSawule, uJehova wathi kuye: “Nangu lo muntu engikutshele ngaye ngathi, ‘Nguye ozobusa abantu bami.’ ” *+
18 USawule waya kuSamuweli esangweni wathi: “Ngicela ungitshele, ukuphi umuzi womuntu obona imibono?” 19 USamuweli wamphendula uSawule wathi: “Yimi umuntu obona imibono. Hamba phambi kwami sikhuphukele endaweni ephakeme, nizodla nami namuhla. + Uzohamba kusasa ekuseni, ngizokutshela konke ofuna ukukwazi.* 20 Ungabe usakhathazeka ngezimbongolo ezilahleke ezinsukwini ezintathu ezidlule, + ngoba zitholakele. Ngaphandle kwalokho, wonke umcebo wakwa-Israyeli ungowakho nomndeni kayihlo.” + 21 USawule waphendula wathi: “NgingumBhenjamini wesizwe esincane kunazo zonke kwa-Israyeli, + nomndeni wakithi awulutho kunayo yonke imindeni yesizwe sakwaBhenjamini. Pho kungani ukhuluma nami kanje?”
22 USamuweli wathatha uSawule nesikhonzi sakhe wabayisa ehholo lokudlela wabanika indawo ekhethekile kuneyabanye ababemenyiwe; babengamadoda angaba ngu-30. 23 USamuweli wathi kumpheki: “Letha leya nyama engikunike yona, engithe, ‘Yibeke eceleni.’ ” 24 Umpheki wakhipha umlenze, wawubeka phambi kukaSawule. USamuweli wathi: “Nakhu obubekelwe kona. Yidla, ngoba bakugcinele kona kulo mcimbi.” Ngoba ngibatshelile ngathi, ‘Nginezivakashi.’ ” Ngakho uSawule wadla noSamuweli ngalolo suku. 25 Ngemva kwalokho behla endaweni ephakeme + bangena edolobheni, uSamuweli waqhubeka ekhuluma noSawule behlezi phezu kwendlu. 26 Bavuka ekuseni, kwathi ekuntweleni kokusa uSamuweli wabiza uSawule owayelele phezu kwendlu, wathi: “Lunga, uzohamba.” Ngakho uSawule walungela indlela base bephumela ngaphandle bobabili, yena noSamuweli. 27 Lapho behla belibangise ngasemaphethelweni edolobha, uSamuweli wathi kuSawule: “Tshela isikhonzi + ukuba sithi ukusishiya, sihambe phambili. Kodwa wena, yima khona la, ukuze ngikutshele izwi elivela kuNkulunkulu.” Ngakho isikhonzi sabashiya sahamba phambili.