Eyokuqala KaSamuweli
16 Ekugcineni uJehova wathi kuSamuweli: “Kuyoze kube nini ulilela uSawule + njengoba sengimalile ukuba angabe esabusa njengenkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli? + Gcwalisa uphondo lwakho ngamafutha + uhambe. Ngizokuthuma kuJese + waseBhetlehema, ngoba ngizikhethele inkosi emadodaneni akhe.” + 2 Kodwa uSamuweli wathi: “Ngingaya kanjani? Lapho uSawule ezwa ngakho uzongibulala.” + UJehova wathi: “Thatha isithole uhambe naso, ufike uthi, ‘Ngizokwenzela uJehova umhlatshelo.’ 3 Mema uJese ukuba eze emhlatshelweni; ngiyobe sengikutshela okufanele ukwenze. Kumele ungigcobele lowo engizokubonisa yena.” +
4 USamuweli wakwenza lokho uJehova ayekushilo. Lapho efika eBhetlehema + amadoda amadala edolobha athuthumela lapho embona, athi kuye: “Ingabe uze ngesihle?” 5 Wathi: “Yebo ngize ngesihle. Ngizokwenzela uJehova umhlatshelo. Zingcweliseni, bese niza siye emhlatshelweni.” Wangcwelisa uJese namadodana akhe, ngemva kwalokho wababizela emhlatshelweni. 6 Lapho bengena futhi ebona u-Eliyabe, + wathi: “Nakanjani uJehova ukhethe lo.”* 7 Kodwa uJehova wathi kuSamuweli: “Musa ukubheka indlela abukeka ngayo nobude bakhe, + ngoba angimkhethanga. Ngoba indlela umuntu abona ngayo akuyona indlela uNkulunkulu abona ngayo, ngoba umuntu ubona okubonakala emehlweni, kodwa uJehova ubona okusenhliziyweni.” + 8 UJese wabiza u-Abhinadaba + wamletha phambi kukaSamuweli, kodwa wathi: “UJehova akamkhethanga nalona.” 9 Ngemva kwalokho uJese waletha uShamumaha, + kodwa uSamuweli wathi: “UJehova akamkhethanga nalona.” 10 Ngakho uJese waletha amadodana akhe ayisikhombisa phambi kukaSamuweli, kodwa uSamuweli wathi kuJese: “Ayikho uJehova ayikhethile kulawa.”
11 Ekugcineni uSamuweli wathi kuJese: “Ingabe sebephelele abafana bakho?” Wathi: “Sekusele omncane kunabo bonke; + weluse izimvu.” + USamuweli wabe esethi kuJese: “Thumela bamlande, ngoba ngeke sihlale phansi sidle engakafiki.” 12 Ngakho wathumela bamlanda, wayesemngenisa. Wayebomvana, enamehlo amahle futhi emuhle. + UJehova wathi: “Sukuma umgcobe, ngoba nguye lo!” + 13 Ngakho uSamuweli wathatha uphondo lwamafutha + wamgcoba phambi kwabafowabo. Kusukela ngalolo suku kuqhubeke umoya kaJehova wanika uDavide amandla. + Kamuva uSamuweli wahamba waya eRama. +
14 Umoya kaJehova wawususukile kuSawule, + uJehova wavumela umoya omubi ukuba umesabise kakhulu. + 15 Izinceku zikaSawule zathi kuye: “Uyabona ukuthi umoya omubi ovela kuNkulunkulu uyakwesabisa. 16 Siyacela nkosi, yala izinceku zakho eziphambi kwakho ukuba zifune umuntu onekhono lokudlala ihabhu. + Kuyothi lapho umoya omubi ovela kuNkulunkulu wehlela phezu kwakho alidlale, bese uba ngcono.” 17 Ngakho uSawule wathi ezincekwini zakhe: “Ngicela ningitholele umuntu odlala kahle ihabhu, nimlethe kimi.”
18 Esinye sezikhonzi saphendula sathi: “Ngiyibonile indlela indodana kaJese waseBhetlehema enekhono ngayo ekudlaleni ihabhu, iyinsizwa enesibindi neyiqhawe. + Iyigagu ekukhulumeni, yinhle + futhi uJehova unayo.” + 19 USawule wayesethumela izithunywa kuJese wathi: “Ngithumelele uDavide indodana yakho, oweluse izimvu.” + 20 Ngakho uJese wathatha imbongolo walayisha isinkwa, isigubhu sesikhumba esinewayini nembuzi esencane wakuthumela kuSawule kanye noDavide indodana yakhe. 21 Kanjalo uDavide wafika kuSawule waba yisikhonzi sakhe. + USawule wamthanda kakhulu, waba isikhonzi esiphatha izikhali zakhe. 22 USawule wathumela umyalezo kuJese, wathi: “Ngicela uDavide aqhubeke engikhonza, ngoba uthole umusa emehlweni ami.” 23 Kwakuthi lapho uSawule ehlelwa umoya omubi ovela kuNkulunkulu, uDavide athathe ihabhu alidlale, uSawule wayethola impumuzo abe ngcono, umoya omubi usuke kuye. +