Eyokuqala EkaSamuyeli 22:1-23
22 UDavida wasuka lapho+ wabaleka wayacatsha ebhalwini lwase-Adulamu.+ Abafowabo labo bonke abemuli kayise bathi bekuzwa lokho baya kuye.
2 Bonke ababelezinhlupho lababelezikwelede lezikhalazo babuthana kuye wasesiba yinduna yabo. Kwakulamadoda angaba ngu-400.
3 Ngemva kwesikhathi uDavida wasuka lapho waya eMizipha koMowabi, wafika wathi enkosini yakoMowabi:+ “Ngicela ubaba lomama bahlale lawe ngize ngazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzangenzelani.”
4 Ngakho wabatshiya enkosini yakoMowabi bahlala layo okwesikhathi sonke uDavida ecatshile endaweni evikelekileyo.+
5 Ngemva kwesikhathi umphrofethi uGadi+ wathi kuDavida: “Ungahlali endaweni evikelekileyo. Suka uye elizweni lakoJuda.”+ Ngakho uDavida wasuka waya eguswini leHerethi.
6 USawuli wezwa ukuthi uDavida lamadoda ayelawo babonakele. Ngalesosikhathi uSawuli wayehlezi ngaphansi kwesihlahla somthamariski esasisendaweni ephakemeyo eGibheya,+ ephethe umkhonto esandleni sakhe. Zonke izinceku zakhe zazimgombolozele.
7 USawuli wakhuluma lezinceku zakhe ezazimgombolozele wathi: “Ngicela lilalele lina madoda akoBhenjamini! Libona angani indodana kaJese+ layo ingalinika yini lonke indawo lamasimu amagilebisi? Kambe ingalibeka ukuthi libe zinduna zezinkulungwane lezinduna zamakhulu?+
8 Lonke liyangihlamukela! Kakho owabuya wazongitshela ukuthi indodana yami yenze isivumelwano lendodana kaJese!+ Akula loyedwa ongizwelayo owabuya wazongitshela ukuthi indodana yami itshotshozela inceku yami ukuthi ingicathamele ukuze ingihlasele, njengoba nje kunjalo khathesi.”
9 UDowegi+ um-Edomi owayekhangela izinceku zikaSawuli ezazilapho waphendula wathi:+ “Ngabona indodana kaJese ifika eNobhi ku-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi.+
10 Wambuzela kuJehova wamnika lokudla, waze wamnika lenkemba kaGoliyathi umFilisti.”+
11 Inkosi yathi isizwa lokhu yahle yathi akuyebizwa u-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi umphristi labo bonke abaphristi bemuli kayise ababeseNobhi. Yikho bonke babuya enkosini.
12 USawuli wasesithi: “Ngicela ulalele wena ndodana ka-Ahithubi!” U-Ahimeleki waphendula wathi: “Ngilalele nkosi yami.”
13 USawuli wathi kuye: “Kungani wena lendodana kaJese libumbe icebo lokuthi lingihlamukele? Uyiphe isinkwa lenkemba futhi wayibuzela kuNkulunkulu. Indodana kaJese iphikisana lami futhi iyangicathamela ukuze ingihlasele, njengoba nje kunjalo khathesi.”
14 U-Ahimeleki waphendula inkosi wathi: “Phakathi kwezinceku zakho, ngubani othembeke njengoDavida?+ Ungumkhwenyana wenkosi+ futhi uyinduna yabalindi bakho, lasendlini yakho uyahlonitshwa.+
15 Kanti ngangiqala yini ukumbuzela kuNkulunkulu?+ Mina angisoze ngikuhlamukele loba sekutheni! Inkosi kayingayibeki icala inceku yayo kanye labo bonke abemuli kababa, ngoba inceku yakho ibingazi lutho ngaloludaba.”+
16 Kodwa inkosi yathi: “Loba sekutheni uzakufa+ Ahimeleki labo bonke abemuli kayihlo.”+
17 Ngakho inkosi yatshela abalindi ababeseduzane layo yathi: “Tshibilikani libulale abaphristi bakaJehova ngoba basekela uDavida! Bebekwazi ukuthi uyabaleka kodwa abangitshelanga!” Kodwa izinceku zenkosi zazingafuni ukuhlasela abaphristi bakaJehova zibabulale.
18 Inkosi yasisithi kuDowegi:+ “Tshibilika ubulale abaphristi!” UDowegi um-Edomi+ wahle wasuka wayahlasela abaphristi. Ngalelolanga wabulala amadoda angu-85 agqoka i-efodi yelineni.+
19 Wahamba wayahlasela leNobhi+ idolobho labaphristi. Wabulala amadoda labesifazana ngenkemba, labantwana lezinsane, lenkomo labobabhemi kanye lezimvu. Konke wakuqeda ngenkemba.
20 Kodwa enye indodana ka-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi, okwakuthiwa ngu-Abhiyatha+ yabaleka yalandela uDavida.
21 U-Abhiyatha wafika watshela uDavida wathi: “USawuli usebulele abaphristi bakaJehova.”
22 UDavida wathi esizwa lokhu wathi ku-Abhiyatha: “Ngaleliyana ilanga+ ngathi ngibona uDowegi um-Edomi ekhona ngahle ngakwazi ukuthi uzamtshela uSawuli loba sekutheni. Yimi engibangele ukuthi bonke abemuli kayihlo babulawe.
23 Ngakho wena hlala lami njalo ungesabi ngoba loba ngubani ofuna ukubulala wena ufuna ukubulala lami. Mina ngizakuvikela.”+
