INkosi uSawuli yenza uDavida waba ngumkhokheli wamasotsha ngemva kokuthi esebulale uGoliyathi. UDavida wanqoba izimpi ezinengi futhi lokhu kwathokozisa abantu abanengi. Kwakusithi nxa uDavida ebuyela ekhaya evela empini, abesifazana babemhlangabeza begida futhi behlabela besithi: ‘USawuli ubulele izinkulungwane, kodwa uDavida ubulele amatshumi ezinkulungwane.’ USawuli waba lomhawu ngoDavida njalo wasefuna ukumbulala.

UDavida wayesenelisa ukutshaya kuhle ichacho. Ngelinye ilanga wathi elitshaya, uSawuli wamjikijela ngomkhonto. UDavida wavika, umkhonto wayahlaba umduli. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi uSawuli wazama kanengi ukubulala uDavida. UDavida wacina esiyacatsha egangeni.

USawuli lamasotsha angu-3 000 bahamba bayadinga uDavida. USawuli  wafika wangena ebhalwini lapho uDavida lamasotsha akhe ababecatshe khona. Amasotsha kaDavida amnyenyezela athi: ‘Awusoze uthole ithuba elihle njengaleli lokuthi ubulale uSawuli.’ UDavida wanyenya wayasika isambatho sikaSawuli. USawuli kazange ananzelele ukuthi isambatho sakhe sasisikiwe. UDavida wazisola ngoba wayedelele inkosi eyayibekwe nguJehova. Kazange avume ukuthi amadoda ayelawo abulale uSawuli. USawuli wathi esephumile ebhalwini uDavida wammemeza emtshela ukuthi wayethole ithuba lokuthi ambulale kodwa kazange. USawuli wayezayekela yini ukudinga uDavida ukuze ambulale?

Hatshi. USawuli waqhubeka emdinga uDavida. Ngobunye ubusuku uDavida lomntakadadewabo u-Abhishayi bahamba baya lapho okwakuloSawuli lamasotsha akhe khona. Bathola bonke belele. Lesotsha okuthiwa ngu-Abhineri elalilinda uSawuli lalilele. U-Abhishayi wathi kuDavida: ‘Wothi ngihle ngimbulale uSawuli.’ UDavida wathi: ‘UJehova uzamjezisa uSawuli. Asithathe umkhonto wakhe lesigubhu sakhe samanzi sihambe.’

UDavida wakhwela entabeni eyayiseduzane wamemeza wathi: ‘Abhineri, yindaba ungayivikelanga inkosi? Singaphi isigubhu sikaSawuli lomkhonto wakhe?’ USawuli wezwa ukuthi nguDavida owayememeza wasesithi: ‘Ubungangibulala ngabe ubufuna kodwa awungibulalanga. Ngiyakwazi ukuthi nguwe ozakuba yinkosi elandelayo yako-Israyeli.’ USawuli wabuyela endlini yakhe. Kodwa bakhona abanye emulini kaSawuli ababemthanda uDavida.