Eyokuqala KaSamuweli

11 UNahashi umAmoni + wakhuphuka wamisa amatende ukuze ayolwa neJabeshi + eGileyadi. Wonke amadoda aseJabeshi athi kuNahashi: “Yenza isivumelwano nathi, sizokukhonza.” 2 UNahashi umAmoni wathi kuwo: “Ngizosenza ngalo mbandela: kumele kukopolotwe wonke amehlo enu angakwesokudla. Lokho ngizokwenza ukuze ngihlazise wonke u-Israyeli.” 3 Amadoda amadala aseJabeshi athi kuye: “Sinike izinsuku eziyisikhombisa ukuze sithumele izithunywa kuyo yonke indawo yakwa-Israyeli. Uma singamtholi ozosisindisa, siyobe sesenza lokho okushoyo.” 4 Ngemva kwesikhathi izithunywa zafika eGibheya + lapho kwakuhlala khona uSawule* zasho la mazwi kubantu, bonke abantu bakhala kakhulu.

5 Kodwa kwaqhamuka uSawule eqhuba umhlambi evela emadlelweni, wathi: “Kwenzenjani kubantu? Bakhalelani?” Ngakho bamlandisa okwakushiwo amadoda aseJabeshi. 6 Umoya kaNkulunkulu wanika uSawule + amandla lapho ezwa la mazwi, wathukuthela kakhulu. 7 Ngakho wathatha izinkunzi ezimbili wazihlahlela, wazithumela kuzo zonke izindawo zakwa-Israyeli ngezithunywa, ezathi: “Noma ubani ongamlandeli uSawule noSamuweli, kuzokwenziwa ngale ndlela ezinkomeni zakhe!” Abantu bamesaba uJehova kangangokuthi baphuma ngobunye.* 8 USawule wayesebabala eBhezeki, ama-Israyeli ayengu-300 000, amadoda akwaJuda engu-30 000. 9 Manje bathi ezithunyweni ezazifikile: “Yilokhu okufanele nikusho emadodeni aseJabeshi eGileyadi, ‘Kusasa emini sizonisindisa.’ ” Izithunywa zabuya zabikela amadoda aseJabeshi, ajabula kakhulu. 10 Ngakho amadoda aseJabeshi athi kuma-Amoni: “Kusasa sizozinikela kini bese nenza noma yini eniyibona ilungile.” +

11 Ngosuku olulandelayo, uSawule wahlukanisa abantu baba amaviyo amathathu, bahamba baya ekamu phakathi nomlindo wasekuseni* bawabulala ama-Amoni + kwaze kwaba semini. Abasinda bahlakazeka yilowo nalowo wabaleka yedwa. 12 Abantu base bethi kuSamuweli: “Ngubani obethi, ‘Ingabe uSawule uzoba yinkosi yethu?’ + Baletheni lapha labo bantu, sibabulale.” 13 Nokho, uSawule wathi: “Akukho muntu ozobulawa namuhla, + ngoba uJehova umsindisile u-Israyeli.”

14 Kamuva uSamuweli wathi kubantu: “Wozani siye eGiligali + ukuze siphinde simise uSawule njengenkosi.” + 15 Ngakho bonke abantu baya eGiligali, bafike bamisa uSawule waba yinkosi phambi kukaJehova. Banikela imihlatshelo ehlanganyelwayo phambi kukaJehova, + uSawule nabo bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli bajabula kakhulu. +