Eyokuqala KaSamuweli 22:1-23
22 Ngoko uDavide wemka apho,+ wabalekela kumqolomba waseAdulam.+ Bathe bakuva abantakwabo nayo yonke indlu katata wakhe, behla baya kuye.
2 Onke amadoda awayesezinkathazweni, onke awayenamatyala nawo onke awayenezikhalazo,* aya kuye. Waba yinkokheli yawo. Ayengamadoda amalunga ne-400.
3 Ethubeni uDavide wemka apho, waya eMizpe kwaMowabhi, wathi kukumkani wakwaMowabhi:+ “Khawuncede uvumele utata nomama bahlale nani ndide ndiyazi into aza kundenzela yona uThixo.”
4 Ngoko wabashiya nokumkani wakwaMowabhi, baza bahlala naye lonke elo xesha uDavide wayekwindawo ekhuselekileyo.+
5 Ekuhambeni kwexesha uGadi+ umprofeti wathi kuDavide: “Sukuhlala kule ndawo ikhuselekileyo. Hamba uye kwilizwe lakwaYuda.”+ Ngoko uDavide wemka waya kwihlathi laseHereti.
6 USawule weva ukuba uDavide namadoda awayekunye naye babhaqiwe. USawule wayehleli eGibheya+ phantsi komthi wetamariske kwindawo ephakamileyo nomkhonto wakhe usesandleni sakhe, nezicaka zakhe zonke zimi ngakuye.
7 Wathi kuzo: “Khanimamele, nina maBhenjamin. Ngaba unyana kaYese+ uza kuninika nonke amasimi namasimi eediliya? Ngaba nonke uza kunenza abaphathi bamawaka nabaphathi bamakhulu?+
8 Nonke nindenzele iyelenqe, akukho namnye owandixelelayo xa unyana wam wenza isivumelwano nonyana kaYese.+ Kungekho nokuba abe mnye kuni oye wavelana nam waza wandazisa ukuba unyana wam uhlohle isicaka sam ukuba sindilalele, njengokuba kunjalo ngoku.”
9 UDowegi+ umEdom, owayebekwe wangumphathi wezicaka zikaSawule wathi:+ “Ndambona unyana kaYese efika eNobhi, eze kuAhimeleki unyana ka-Ahitubhi.+
10 Yena uAhimeleki wambuzela kuYehova, wamnika nomphako. Wade wamnika nekrele likaGoliyati umFilisti.”+
11 Ukumkani zange abe salibazisa, wathumela ukuba kubizwe uAhimeleki unyana ka-Ahitubhi umbingeleli nabo bonke ababingeleli bendlu katata wakhe ababeseNobhi. Ngoko bonke beza kukumkani.
12 USawule wathi: “Mamela apha wena nyana ka-Ahitubhi!” Yena ke wathi: “Ndim lo nkosi yam.”
13 USawule wathi kuye: “Kutheni nindenzele iyelenqe nje, wena nonyana kaYese, ngokuthi umnike isonka nekrele, uze umbuzele kuThixo? Unyana kaYese ulwa nam yaye undilalele njengokuba sithetha.”
14 UAhimeleki wamphendula ukumkani wathi: “Ngubani phakathi kwazo zonke izicaka zakho othembeke njengoDavide?+ Ungumkhwenyana kakumkani+ nomphathi woonogada bakho, indoda ebekekileyo endlini yakho.+
15 Bendiqala na ukumbuzela kuThixo?+ Andiyicingi nokuyicinga eyokumenzela iyelenqe ukumkani! Ukumkani makangasibeki tyala isicaka sakhe nayo yonke indlu katata, kuba bendingazi nowathwethwa ngale nto.”+
16 Kodwa ukumkani wathi: “Nakanjani na uza kufa+ Ahimeleki, nayo yonke indlu katata wakho.”+
17 Emva koko ukumkani wathi koonogada ababemi* ngakuye: “Hambani niyokubulala ababingeleli bakaYehova, ngenxa yokuba baxhasa uDavide! Bebesazi ukuba uqhweshe kum kodwa bathula!” Kodwa izicaka zikakumkani zala ukuhlasela ababingeleli bakaYehova.
18 Ekugqibeleni ukumkani wathi kuDowegi:+ “Hamba uyokuhlasela ababingeleli!” UDowegi umEdom+ zange alibazise, waya waza wabahlasela ngokwakhe ababingeleli. Ngaloo mini wabulala amadoda ayi-85 anxiba iefodi yelinen.+
19 Wayixabela neNobhi+ isixeko sababingeleli, wabulala ngekrele indoda, umfazi, umntwana, imveku, inkunzi yenkomo, idonki nkqu nemvu. Kwanto wayifaka ikrele!
20 Noko ke unyana ka-Ahimeleki unyana ka-Ahitubhi, ogama linguAbhiyatare,+ wabhungca waza wabaleka walandela uDavide.
21 UAbhiyatare wathi kuDavide: “USawule ubabulele ababingeleli bakaYehova.”
22 Wathi ke uDavide kuAbhiyatare: “Ndayiqonda kwangala mini+ wayephaya uDowegi umEdom, ukuba akasoze angamxeleli uSawule. Ndim obulalise abantu bendlu* katata wakho.
23 Hlala nam. Sukoyika, kuba nabani na ofuna ubomi bakho,* ufuna nobam.* Ndiza kukukhusela.”+
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Okanye “awayekrakra emphefumlweni.”
^ Ngokoqobo, “kwiimbaleki ezazimi.”
^ Okanye “imiphefumlo yendlu.”
^ Okanye “umphefumlo wakho.”
^ Okanye “nowam umphefumlo.”
