Eyokuqala EkaSamuyeli
28 Ngalezonsuku amaFilisti aqoqa amabutho awo ukuze alwe labako-Israyeli.+ Ngakho u-Akhishi wathi kuDavida: “Angithi uyakwazi ukuthi wena lamadoda olawo lizahamba lami empini?”+ 2 UDavida waphendula wathi: “Ukwazi mhlophe okuzakwenziwa yinceku yakho.” U-Akhishi wasesithi kuye: “Yikho ngizakubeka ukuthi ube ngumlindi wami kokuphela.”+
3 Ngalesosikhathi uSamuyeli wayesefile futhi abako-Israyeli babemlilele bamngcwaba edolobheni lakibo eRama.+ USawuli wayesuse elizweni zonke izangoma labalomoya wokutshela abantu ngekusasa.+
4 AmaFilisti abuthana ayamisa inkamba yawo eShunemi.+ Ngakho uSawuli waqoqa wonke amabutho ako-Israyeli bayamisa inkamba yabo eGilibhowa.+ 5 Wathi ebona inkamba yamaFilisti watshaywa luvalo wesaba kakhulu.+ 6 USawuli wayebuza kuJehova+ kodwa uJehova wayengamphenduli. Kazange amphendule ngamaphupho loba nge-Urimi+ kumbe ngabaphrofethi. 7 USawuli wacina esithi ezincekwini zakhe: “Ake lingidingele owesifazana oyisangoma+ ngihambe ngiyebuza kuye.” Izinceku zakhe zamphendula zathi: “Kulowesifazana oyisangoma e-Eni-dori.”+
8 Ngakho uSawuli wazifihla wagqoka ezinye izembatho waya kowesifazana lo ebusuku elamadoda amabili. Wafika wathi kuye: “Ngicela uhlahlule ubuze emadlozini,+ ungivusele lowo engizakutshela ukuthi umvuse.” 9 Kodwa owesifazana wathi: “Ngithemba uyakwazi lokho okwenziwa nguSawuli. Wasusa izangoma labalomoya wokutshela abantu ngekusasa.+ Manje kungani ufuna ukungithiya ungibulalise?”+ 10 USawuli wafunga kuye ngoJehova wathi: “Ngifunga ngoJehova uNkulunkulu ophilayo, wena awusoze ube lecala!” 11 Owesifazana wasesithi: “Ufuna ngikuvusele bani?” USawuli wathi: “Ngicela ungivusele uSamuyeli.” 12 Owesifazana wathi ebona “uSamuyeli”*+ wahlaba umkhosi wathi kuSawuli: “Kungani ungiqilile? UnguSawuli wena!” 13 USawuli wasesithi kuye: “Ungesabi, uboneni?” Owesifazana waphendula wathi: “Ngibona umuntu ongathi ngunkulunkulu ephuma emhlabathini.” 14 USawuli waphinda wambuza wathi: “Unjani umuntu wakhona?” Owesifazana wasesithi: “Kuphuma ixhegu eligqoke ijazi elingelamikhono.”+ Ngakho uSawuli wananzelela ukuthi “kwakunguSamuyeli,” waseguqa walala ubuso bakhe bukhangele phansi.
15 “USamuyeli” wathi kuSawuli: “Kanti ungikhathazelani ungivusa?” USawuli waphendula wathi: “Ngisebunzimeni obukhulu. AmaFilisti alwa lami, loNkulunkulu usengitshiyile futhi kasangiphenduli ngabaphrofethi loba ngamaphupho.+ Yikho ngikuvusa ukuze ungitshele okumele ngikwenze.”+
16 “USamuyeli” waphendula wathi: “Manje mina ungibuzelani nxa uJehova esekutshiyile+ futhi eseyisitha sakho? 17 UJehova uzakwenza lokho akukhuluma esebenzisa mina. UJehova uzakuthathela umbuso awuphe omunye wabantu bakini, uDavida.+ 18 UJehova wenza lokhu kuwe lamuhla ngenxa yokuthi awulilalelanga ilizwi likaJehova futhi awuzange uwatshabalalise ama-Amaleki+ ayewathukuthelele. 19 UJehova uzakunikela wena kanye labako-Israyeli esandleni samaFilisti+ futhi kusasa wena+ lamadodana akho+ lizabe lilami. UJehova uzanikela ibutho lako-Israyeli esandleni samaFilisti.”+
20 USawuli wathi esizwa amazwi “kaSamuyeli” wawa wathi daca phansi njalo wesaba kakhulu. Wayengaselamandla ngoba wayengadlanga ilanga lonke lobusuku bonke. 21 Owesifazana weza kuSawuli njalo wathi ebona ukuthi wethuke kakhulu wathi kuye: “Inceku yakho ikulalele yafaka ukuphila kwayo engozini+ njalo ikwenzile lokho obuyitshele khona. 22 Ngakho khathesi ngicela uyilalele inceku yakho. Ngivumela ngikunike isinkwa, udle ube lamandla ubusuzihambela.” 23 Kodwa uSawuli wala wathi: “Angisoze ngidle.” Izinceku zakhe lowesifazana baqhubeka bemncenga. Ekucineni wabalalela wasukuma wayahlala embhedeni. 24 Owesifazana lo wayelethole elinonileyo. Yikho wahle walithatha walihlaba, wasethatha ifulawa wayivuba wapheka isinkwa esingelamvubelo. 25 Wanika uSawuli lezinceku zakhe badla. Ngemva kwalokho basuka bahamba kusesebusuku.+