UJehova wathi kuSamyela: ‘Khamba uye emzini kaJese. Omunye wamadodanakhe uzokuba yikosi elandelako yakwa-Israyeli.’ Ngalokho uSamyela waya emzini kaJese. Kuthe nakabona izibulo wazitjela wathi: ‘Kufuze kube nguye-ke lo.’ Kodwana uJehova wathi kuSamyela akusuye loyo. UJehova wathi: ‘Ngibona okungaphakathi kwehliziyo yomuntu, ingasi ukuqaleka kwangaphandle kwaphela.’

UJese waletha amanye amadodanakhe asithandathu kuSamyela. Kodwana uSamyela wathi: ‘UJehova akakakhethi namunye kilaba. Wambuza ukuthi unawo na amanye amadodana?’ UJese wathi: ‘Ukhona umaswaphela, umsanyanami, uDavida. Usemmangweni weluse izimvu.’ Kwathi uDavida nangenako, uJehova wathi kuSamyela: ‘Nguye-ke lo!’ USamyela wathela uDavida ngamafutha ehloko, wamzesa bona abeyikosi yakusasa yakwa-Israyeli.

Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ama-Israyeli bekasepini alwa namaFilista, ebekanekakaramba ede ewalwelako, ibizo layo kunguGoliyadi. Ilanga nelanga, uGoliyadi bekahlekisa ngama-Israyeli. Bekawarhuwelela athi: ‘Thumelani indoda ezokulwa nami. Nayingangihlula, sizokuba makhoboka wenu. Kodwana mina nangingayihlula, nina nizakuba makhoboka wethu.’

UDavida wangena ngekampeni yamajoni wakwa-Israyeli alethele abafowabo ukudla, nabo ebebamajoni. Wathi nakezwa lokho okutjhiwo nguGoliyadi, wathi kuye: ‘Mina  ngizokulwa nawe!’ Ikosi uSawula yathi: ‘Kodwana usesemsanyana.’ UDavida wathi: ‘UJehova uzongisiza.’’

USawula wanikela uDavida izambatho zakhe zepi, kodwana uDavida wathi: ‘Angikwazi ukulwa ngezambathwezi mina.’ UDavida wathatha isirwayi sakhe watjhinga eforweni. Wakhetha amatje abutjhelelezi amahlanu wawafaka ngesikhwanyeni sakhe sekweluseni. Wagijimela kuGoliyadi. Ikakaramba leyo yamdelela yathi: ‘Yizapha ngiphe amadlanga nabophagana inyamakho.’ UDavida azange kumthuse lokho. Naye wamtjela wathi: ‘Wena uzakimi ngesabula nangomkhonto, mina ngiza kuwe ngebizo lakaJehova. Awulwi nathi kodwana ulwa noZimethu. Woke umuntu okhona la uzokubona ukuthi uJehova unamandla adlula womkhonto nesabula. Uzokwenza bona noke nje nibe sezandleni zethu.’

UDavida wafaka ilitje esirwayini wasidrayisa ngamandlakhe woke. Ilitje laphuma likhamba ngamandla kaJehova, latjhinga poro kuGoliyadi lambetha belangena epandla. Ikakaramba le yaduleka phasi yafa. AmaFilista adla phasi, abalekela ukufa nokuphila. Uyamthemba na uJehova, njengombana uDavida bekamthemba?