Eyesibili EkaSamuyeli 21:1-22
21 Ngensuku zikaDavida kwaba lendlala+ iminyaka emithathu ilandelana. Ngakho uDavida wabuza uJehova, uJehova wamphendula wathi: “USawuli labendlu yakhe balecala lokuchitha igazi ngoba babulala abantu baseGibhiyoni.”+
2 Inkosi yabiza abantu baseGibhiyoni+ yakhuluma labo. (AbaseGibhiyoni babengayisiwo ma-Israyeli kodwa babengama-Amori+ asala elizweni. Abako-Israyeli babefunge ukuthi abasoze babatshabalalise+ kodwa uSawuli wayezimisele ukubaqeda etshisekela isizwe sako-Israyeli labantu bakoJuda.)
3 UDavida wathi kwabaseGibhiyoni: “Manje lifuna ngilenzeleni? Ngibhadale ngani ukuze libusise ilifa likaJehova?”
4 Abantu baseGibhiyoni bamphendula bathi: “Lokho uSawuli labendlu yakhe abakwenza kithi ngeke kubhadalwe ngesiliva langegolide+ futhi thina asilalungelo lokubulala umuntu ko-Israyeli.” UDavida wasesithi: “Loba yini elizayitsho ngizayenza.”
5 Bona baphendula inkosi bathi: “Kulomuntu owasihlaselayo njalo owayefuna ukusitshabalalisa kulo lonke ilizwe lako-Israyeli.+
6 Sipheni amadodana akhe ayisikhombisa. Sizalengisa izidumbu zawo+ phambi kukaJehova eGibheya+ kaSawuli, lowo owayekhethwe nguJehova.”+ Inkosi yaphendula yathi: “Kulungile ngizalinika wona.”
7 Kodwa inkosi yamzwela uMefibhoshethi+ indodana kaJonathani indodana kaSawuli, ngoba yayenze isifungo loJonathani+ indodana kaSawuli phambi kukaJehova.
8 Yikho inkosi yathatha u-Amoni loMefibhoshethi amadodana amabili kaRizipha+ indodakazi ka-Ayiya, ayewazalele uSawuli. Yathatha lamadodana amahlanu kaMikhali*+ indodakazi kaSawuli, ayewazalele u-Adriyeli+ indodana kaBhazilayi waseMehola.
9 Inkosi yabanikela ebantwini baseGibhiyoni, bona balengisa izidumbu zabo entabeni phambi kukaJehova.+ Bonke beyisikhombisa bafa ngasikhathi sinye. Babulawa ngensuku zokuqala zokuvuna, ngesikhathi abantu beqalisa ukuvuna ibhali.
10 Kodwa uRizipha+ indodakazi ka-Ayiya wathatha isaka walendlala edwaleni. Wahlala lapho kusukela ekuqaliseni kokuvuna, izulu laze lana izidumbu zanethwa. Kavumelanga inyoni ukuthi zihlale phezu kwazo emini kumbe ukuthi inyamazana zeganga zisondele kuzo ebusuku.
11 UDavida watshelwa okwakwenziwe nguRizipha indodakazi ka-Ayiya, owayengomunye wabafazi bakaSawuli.
12 Ngakho uDavida wahamba wayathatha amathambo kaSawuli lawendodana yakhe uJonathani kubakhokheli beJabheshi-giliyadi.*+ Abakhokheli laba bona babehambe bayathatha izidumbu zabo egcekeni ledolobho leBhethi-shani, lapho amaFilisti ayezilengise khona ngelanga abulala ngalo uSawuli eGilibhowa.+
13 UDavida wabuya lamathambo kaSawuli lawendodana yakhe uJonathani njalo babutha lamathambo amadoda ayebulewe.+
14 Ngemva kwalokho bangcwaba amathambo kaSawuli lawendodana yakhe uJonathani engcwabeni likayise uKhishi,+ elizweni lakoBhenjamini eZela.+ Bathi sebekwenzile konke inkosi eyayikutshilo, uNkulunkulu wayizwa imithandazo yabo walibusisa ilizwe.+
15 Kwaphinda kwaba lempi phakathi kwamaFilisti labako-Israyeli.+ UDavida lezinceku zakhe bahamba bayakulwa lamaFilisti kodwa uDavida wacina edinwa.
16 Kwakulendoda okwakuthiwa ngu-Ishibhi-bhenobhi eyayingeyesizukulwane samaRefayimi.+ Yayilomkhonto owawulesisindo esingamashekheli+ angu-300* futhi yayihlome ngenkemba entsha, ifuna ukubulala uDavida.
17 U-Abhishayi+ indodana kaZeruya wahle wayasiza+ uDavida, wagwaza umFilisti lo wambulala. Ngalesosikhathi amadoda ayeyizinceku zikaDavida afunga kuye athi: “Awusoze uphinde uhambe lathi empini+ ukuze isibane sako-Israyeli singacitshwa!”+
18 Kwaphinda kwavuka enye impi lamaFilisti+ eGobhi. Empini leyo uSibhekhayi+ umHusha wabulala uSafi owayeyisizukulwane samaRefayimi.+
19 Kwaphinda kwaba lenye impi lamaFilisti+ eGobhi. U-Elihanani indodana kaJaware-oregimi waseBhethilehema wabulala uGoliyathi umGithi, owayelomkhonto owawuloluthi olwalungani yisigodo somaluki.+
20 Kwavuka enye impi eGathi. Kwakulendoda eyayinkulu kakhulu eyayileminwe eyisithupha esandleni ngasinye, lamazwane ayisithupha enyaweni ngalunye. Sekukonke kwakungu-24. Layo yayiyisizukulwane samaRefayimi.+
21 Yayilokhu ichothoza abako-Israyeli.+ Yikho uJonathani indodana kaShimeyi+ umfowabo kaDavida wayibulala.
22 Amadoda la amane ayeyizizukulwane zamaRefayimi aseGathi njalo abulawa nguDavida lezinceku zakhe.+
Amabala angaphansi
^ Ezinye inguqulo zithi, “kaMerabi.”
^ Ezinye inguqulo zithi, “kuzakhamizi zaseJabheshi-giliyadi.”
^ Umkhonto lo wawungaba ngamakhilogremu angu-3,42. Khangela iSengezo ku-B14.
