Incwadzi Yekucala YaSamuweli 14:1-52
14 Ngalelinye lilanga, Jonathani+ indvodzana yaSawula watsi encekwini lebeyimphatsele tikhali: “Wota sihambe sewelele enkambu yemaFilisti lengale ngesheya.” Kodvwa Jonathani akamtjelanga babe wakhe.
2 Sawula abehlala emacentselweni eGibeya,+ ngephansi kwesihlahla semahananandza* lebesiseMigroni futsi bekakanye nemadvodza langaba ngu-600.+
3 (Ahiya indvodzana ya-Ahitubi,+ longumnakabo Ikhabodi,+ indvodzana yaFinehasi,+ loyindvodzana ya-Eli+ lobekangumphristi waJehova eShilo,+ abegcoke sidziya sebaphristi.)+ Bantfu bebangati kutsi Jonathani uhambile.
4 Emkhatsini wemisele Jonathani labetama kwewela kuyo kuze efike enkambu yemaFilisti, bekunelidvwala lelimise kwelitinyo kulolunye luhlangotsi futsi kunalelinye lidvwala lelimise kwelitinyo kulololunye luhlangotsi. Lelinye lalamadvwala bekutsiwa yiBhosesi kantsi lelelinye bekutsiwa yiSene.
5 Linye lalamadvwala belinjengensika futsi belisenyakatfo libuke iMikmashi, kantsi lelelinye beliseningizimu libuke iGeba.+
6 Ngako Jonathani watsi kulenceku lebeyimphatsele tikhali: “Wota siwelele ngesheya enkambu yalamadvodza langakasoki.+ Mhlawumbe Jehova utasisita ngobe kute lokungavimba Jehova kutsi asisindzise asebentisa bantfu labanyenti nobe labambalwa.”+
7 Nayiva loku, lenceku yatsi kuye: “Yenta nobe yini inhlitiyo yakho letsi kwente. Hamba uye nobe ngukuphi lapho ufuna kuya khona, futsi mine ngitakulandzela nobe ngukuphi lapho inhlitiyo yakho itsi yani khona.”
8 Ngemuva kwaloko Jonathani watsi: “Sitakwewela siye kulamadvodza khona atasibona.
9 Nangabe atsi kitsi: ‘Manini khona lapho size site kini!’ sitakuma lapho futsi ngeke siye kuwo.
10 Kodvwa nangabe atsi: ‘Wotani nitekulwa natsi!’ sitawukhuphuka ngobe Jehova utawanikela esandleni setfu. Lolu kutawuba luphawu kitsi.”+
11 Ngako bobabili bativeta enkambu yemaFilisti. EmaFilisti atsi: “Asenibuke! EmaHebheru asayaphuma kulemigodzi labekabhace kuyo.”+
12 Lamadvodza labekasenkambu atsi kuJonathani nakulenceku lebeyimphatsele tikhali: “Khuphukelani ngalapha kuze sinifundzise sifundvo!”+ Ngaso leso sikhatsi Jonathani watsi kulenceku yakhe: “Ngilandzele ngobe Jehova utawanikela esandleni sema-Israyeli.”+
13 Jonathani wenyuka acanca ngetandla nangetinyawo, kantsi inceku yakhe beyisemvakwakhe. Wahlasela emaFilisti futsi lenceku beyiwabulala ngemuva kwakhe.
14 Ngesikhatsi Jonathani nenceku yakhe bahlasela kwekucala, babulala emadvodza langaba ngu-20 endzaweni lelibanga lelincane.*
15 Ngemuva kwaloko bantfu labanyenti kulenkambu nawo onkhe lamasotja lebekalapho befikelwa kwesaba lokukhulu, futsi nemasotja lahlaselako+ etfuka. Umhlaba wacala kutamatama futsi kwaba nekwesaba lokuvela kuNkulunkulu.
16 Bogadzi baSawula lebebaseGibeya+ yakaBhenjamini babona kutsi lesiphitsiphitsi besesigcwele yonkhe indzawo.+
17 Sawula watsi kulamasotja labekanaye: “Ngicela nibale labantfu, nibone kutsi ngubani longekho.” Atsi nakabala atfola kutsi Jonathani nenceku yakhe lemphatsela tikhali bebangekho.
18 Sawula wase utsi ku-Ahiya:+ “Sondzeta Libhokisi laNkulunkulu weliciniso!” (Libhokisi laNkulunkulu weliciniso belikuma-Israyeli ngaleso sikhatsi.*)
19 Ngesikhatsi Sawula asakhuluma nemphristi, lesiphitsiphitsi lebesisenkambu yemaFilisti besichubeka sandza. Ngako Sawula watsi kulomphristi: “Yekela loku lokwentako.”*
20 Sawula kanye nawo onkhe lamasotja labenaye bahlangana futsi bahamba baya emphini, befike batfola kutsi emaFilisti besekabulalana odvwana ngetinkemba nekutsi lesiphitsiphitsi besesandze kakhulu.
21 EmaHebheru labekake atihlanganisa nemaFilisti futsi labehambe nawo aya enkambu yawo, abese aya kuma-Israyeli ngephansi kwaSawula naJonathani aba seluhlangotsini lwawo.
22 Onkhe emadvodza aka-Israyeli labebhace+ esifundzeni lesinetintsaba saka-Efrayimu eva kutsi emaFilisti abalekile, ngako nawo ahlanganyela kulemphi awacosha.
23 Jehova wawasindzisa ema-Israyeli ngalelolanga,+ futsi lemphi yachubeka yaze yayofika eBhethi-aveni.+
24 Kodvwa emadvodza aka-Israyeli abedziniwe ngalelolanga ngobe Sawula abebophe bantfu ngesifungo lesitsi: “Ucalekisiwe umuntfu lodla nome ngabe ngukuphi kudla* kusengakabi nguntsambama futsi nami ngisengakatiphindziseleli etitseni tami!” Ngako kute kulamasotja lowadla nome ngukuphi kudla.+
25 Onkhe lamasotja* angena ehlatsini futsi kwakuneluju lapho phansi.
26 Ngesikhatsi lamasotja angena kulelihlatsi, abona loluju luntfontsela phansi kepha kute ngisho nalinye lelafaka sandla salo emlonyeni, ngobe abesaba lesifungo.
27 Kodvwa Jonathani abengakamuva babe wakhe nakabopha lamasotja ngalesifungo,+ ngako waphakamisa sihloko sendvuku lebeyisesandleni sakhe futsi wasenya emakhekheni eluju. Watsi nje nakafaka sandla emlonyeni, emehlo akhe avuleka.
28 Linye kulamasotja latsi kuye: “Babe wakho ubophe labantfu ngesifungo lesimatima watsi: ‘Ucalekisiwe umuntfu lotakudla lamuhla!’+ Kungako nje labantfu badzinwe kangaka.”
29 Kodvwa Jonathani watsi: “Babe uletse inhlekelele lenkhulu* kulelive. Asewubuke nje indlela emehlo ami lahlambuluke ngayo ngesikhatsi nginambitsa loluju loluncane.
30 Bekutawuba ncono kangakanani-ke kube labantfu batidle ngekukhululeka+ tintfo labatitsetse etitseni tabo! Nyalo ngabe manyenti kakhulu emaFilisti labulewe.”
31 Ngalelolanga bachubeka nekubulala emaFilisti kusuka eMikmashi kuze kuyewufika e-Ayaloni+ futsi lamasotja adzinwa kakhulu.
32 Ngako acala kubhudvutela atsatsa tintfo temaFilisti ngebugovu, atitsatsela timvu, tinkhomo nematfole futsi akuhlabela khona lapho, adla lenyama kanye nengati yayo.+
33 Sawula watfola umbiko lotsi: “Asewubuke! Labantfu bayona kuJehova ngekudla inyama kanye nengati yayo.”+ Nakeva loko watsi: “Loku lenikwentile kukhombise kutsi nite kukholwa. Sheshisani nigicite litje lelikhulu lite lapha kimi.”
34 Sawula wabese utsi: “Hambani niye kubo bonkhe labantfu nitsi kubo: ‘Ngamunye wenu akaletse inkunzi yakhe kanye nemvu futsi nikuhlabele lapha bese niyakudla. Ningoni kuJehova ngekutsi nidle inyama kanye nengati yayo.’”+ Ngako ngamunye kubo waletsa inkunzi yakhe kulobo busuku futsi wayihlabela lapho.
35 Sawula wakhela Jehova li-al’thare+ kuleyondzawo. Leli bekuli-al’thare lekucala lalakhela Jehova.
36 Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi Sawula watsi: “Asehleleni kumaFilisti ebusuku futsi sititsatsele tintfo tawo kuze kuse. Angeke sishiye ngisho namunye kuwo aphila.” Nakeva loko, lamasotja atsi: “Yenta nobe yini loyibona iyinhle emehlweni akho.” Ngemuva kwaloko umphristi watsi: “Asibuteni Nkulunkulu weliciniso kulendzawo.”+
37 Sawula wabese ubuta Nkulunkulu watsi: “Ngehle yini ngiyokulwa nemaFilisti?+ Utawanikela yini esandleni sema-Israyeli?” Kodvwa Nkulunkulu akazange amphendvule ngalelolanga.
38 Ngako Sawula watsi: “Wotani lapha nonkhe nine lenitindvuna talabantfu kuze nitfole kutsi ngusiphi sono lesentiwe lamuhla.
39 Ngifunga Jehova Nkulunkulu lophilako losindzise ema-Israyeli, kutsi ngisho nobe kungaba nguJonathani indvodzana yami lowente loku, kufanele afe.” Kodvwa kute ngisho namunye kulabantfu lowamphendvula.
40 Ngemuva kwaloko watsi kuwo onkhe ema-Israyeli: “Nine nitawuba seluhlangotsini lunye, futsi mine naJonathani indvodzana yami sitawuba kulolunye luhlangotsi.” Nakasho njalo labantfu batsi kuye: “Yenta nobe yini loyibona iyinhle emehlweni akho.”
41 Sawula wabese utsi kuJehova: “Awu Nkulunkulu wema-Israyeli, siphendvule ngeThumimu!”+ Ngemuva kwaloko boJonathani naSawula bakhetfwa futsi labantfu bakhululeka.
42 Sawula watsi: “Yentani inkatho+ kute kubonakale kutsi ngubani lowente loku emkhatsini wami naJonathani indvodzana yami.” Inkatho yadla Jonathani.
43 Sawula wabese utsi kuJonathani: “Ngitjele kutsi wenteni.” Ngako Jonathani watsi kuye: “Ngimane nje nganambitsa luju loluncane lobelusesihlokweni sendvuku lebengiyiphetse.+ Nyalo ngilapha embikwakho! Sengikulungele kufa!”
44 Nakeva loko, Sawula watsi: “Shengatsi Nkulunkulu angangiletsela sijeziso ngemuva kwalesinye nangabe ungeke ufe wena Jonathani.”+
45 Kodvwa labantfu batsi kuSawula: “Kufanele yini vele Jonathani afe, lolowente ema-Israyeli ancoba*+ kakhulu kangaka? Angeke kwenteke loko! Sifunga Jehova Nkulunkulu lophilako kutsi kute ngisho nalunye lunwele lolusenhloko yakhe lolutawuwela phansi, ngobe usitwe nguNkulunkulu kuloku lakwentile lamuhla.”+ Ngaleyo ndlela labantfu bamsindzisa* Jonathani futsi akazange afe.
46 Ngako Sawula wayekela kuhlasela emaFilisti futsi abuyela endzaweni yawo.
47 Sawula wacinisa bukhosi bakhe ka-Israyeli waphindze walwa nato tonkhe titsa takhe lebetikuto tonkhe tinhlangotsi, walwa nebakaMowabi,+ baka-Amoni,+ baka-Edomu,+ emakhosi aseSobha+ kanye nemaFilisti.+ Abencoba nobe ngukuphi lapho bekaya khona.
48 Walwa ngesibindzi futsi wancoba ema-Amaleki+ waphindze wasindzisa ema-Israyeli esandleni salabo lebebafuna kuwemuka tintfo tawo.
49 Emadvodzana aSawula bekunguJonathani, Jishvi, kanye naMalkhi-shuwa.+ Sawula abephindze abe nemadvodzakati lamabili; lendzala bekutsiwa nguMerabi+ kantsi lencane bekunguMikhali.+
50 Libito lemfati wakhe bekungu-Ahinowami indvodzakati ya-Ahimasi. Libito lendvuna yelibutfo laSawula bekungu-Abneri+ indvodzana yaNeri, umnakabobabe waSawula.
51 Khishi+ abengubabe waSawula, futsi Neri+ babe wa-Abneri abeyindvodzana ya-Abiyeli.
52 Kuko konkhe kubusa kwakhe, Sawula+ abelwa timphi letimatima nemaFilisti. Nakwenteka abona indvodza lenemandla nobe lenesibindzi, abeyitsatsa ayifake ebutfweni lakhe.+
Imibhalo lengentansi
^ Nobe “semaphomegranathi.”
^ NgesiHebheru kutsi, “leyihhafu yensimu lengalinywa tinkunzi letimbili ngelilanga.”
^ NgesiHebheru kutsi, “ngalelolanga.”
^ NgesiHebheru kutsi, “Susa sandla sakho.”
^ NgesiHebheru kutsi, “sinkhwa.”
^ NgesiHebheru kutsi, “Lonkhe lelive.”
^ Nobe “usente sangemukeleki.”
^ Nobe “asindza.”
^ NgesiHebheru kutsi, “bamhlenga.”
