AMAFILISTI azókulwa no-Israyeli futhi. Abafowabo bakaDavide abathathu abadala basemabuthweni kaSawule. Ngelinye ilanga uJese uthi kuDavide: ‘Thatha lezi zinkwa uziyise kubafowenu. Uzwe nokuthi baphila kanjani.’

Uma uDavide efika ekamu lamabutho, ugijimela ezinhlwini zamabutho afune abafowabo. Umdondoshiya ongumFilisti uGoliyati uyaphuma ukuze ahlekise ngama-Israyeli. Ubelokhu enza lokhu njalo ekuseni nantambama izinsuku ezingu-40. Ngokwedelela uthi: ‘Khethani oyedwa azolwa nami. Uma engihlula angibulale, siyokuba yizigqila zenu. Uma ngimehlula ngimbulale, niyokuba yizigqila zethu. Khethani omunye azokulwa nami.’

UDavide ubuza abanye emabuthweni: ‘Uyotholani umuntu obulala umFilisti akhulule ama-Israyeli ehlazweni?’

Isosha lithi: ‘USawule uyomnikeza ingcebo eningi. Futhi uyomganisela ngendodakazi yakhe.’

Kodwa wonke ama-Israyeli ayamesaba uGoliyati ngoba mkhulu. Mude ngokwesabekayo, unelinye isosha elimphathele ihawu lakhe.

Amanye amasosha ayotshela iNkosi uSawule ukuthi uDavide ufuna ukulwa noGoliyati. Kodwa uSawule uthi kuDavide: ‘Awunakulwa nalo mFilisti. Usengumfana, kanti yena ubelokhu eyisosha konke ukuphila kwakhe.’ UDavide uyaphendula: ‘Ngabulala ibhere nengonyama okwakuthatha izimvu zikababa. Nalo mFilisti uzoba njengokunye kwako. UJehova uzongisiza.’ Ngakho uSawule uthi: ‘Hamba, sengathi uJehova angaba nawe.’

UDavide wehlela emfuleni athathe amatshe ayisihlanu, awafake esikhwameni sakhe. Abe esethatha indwayimana yakhe ayohlangabezana nomdondoshiya. Uma uGoliyati embona, akakholelwa. Ucabanga ukuthi kuzoba lula ukubulala uDavide.

UGoliyati uthi: ‘Woza kimi nginikeze isidumbu sakho izinyoni nezilwane zidle.’ Kodwa uDavide uthi: ‘Uza kimi uphethe inkemba, umkhonto nengcula, kodwa mina ngiza kuwe negama likaJehova. UJehova uzokunikela kimi namuhla ngikuwise phansi.’

UDavide abe esegijimela kuGoliyati. Ukhipha itshe esikhwameni sakhe, alifake endwayimaneni yakhe aliphonse ngawo wonke amandla akhe. Itshe liqonde ngqo ekhanda likaGoliyati, awe phansi afe! Uma amaFilisti ebona ukuthi iqhawe lawo lifile, wonke ayaphenduka abaleke. Ama-Israyeli ayawasukela ayinqobe impi.