Izibulo lekosi uSawula, uJonathani bekalisotja elinesibindi. UDavida wathi uJonathani umsinya khulu ukudlula ikhozi, watjho nokuthi unamandla ukudlula ibhubezi. Ngelinye ilanga, uJonathani wabona amasotja wamaFilista ama-20 aphezu kombundu. Wathi kelinye isotja ebekakhamba nalo: ‘Sizobasahlela kwaphela uJehova nakangasinikela itshwayo. Nange amaFilista athi kithi khuphukani, sizokuya siwahlasele.’ AmaFilista arhuwelela athi: ‘Khuphukani sizokulwa!’ Amadoda amabili la akhuphukela embundwini amadlha amasotja lawo, awahlula.

Ngombana bekalizibulo lakaSawula, uJonathani bekufuze abe yikosi elandelako kwa-Israyeli. Kodwana uJonathani bekazi ukuthi uJehova ukhethe uDavida bona abe yikosi yakwa-Israyeli elandelako begodu bekanganamona ngalokho. UJonathani noDavida baba bangani abatjhideleneko. Bathembisana ukuthi bazokuvikelana bebatlhogomelane. UJonathani wanikela uDavida ijasakhe, isabula, umsubela nebhandelakhe, kwabalitshwayo lokuthi mbala babangani.

Ngesikhathi uSawula afuna ukubulala uDavida, uJonathani waya kuye wathi: ‘Qina ubenesibindi. UJehova ukhethe wena bona ube yikosi. Ngitjho nobaba uyakwazi lokho.’ Ungakuthabela na ukuba nomngani onjengoJonathani?

UJonathani wabeka ukuphila kwakhe engozini bona asize umnganakhe begodu lokho azange akwenze kanye kwaphela. Bekazi ukuthi ikosi uSawula ifuna ukubulala uDavida, yeke wathi kiyo: ‘Kuzokuba liqala ukubulala uDavida, akakenzi litho elimbi.’ USawula wamkwatela khulu uJonathani. Ngemva kweminyaka ethileko, uSawula noJonathani bafa bobabili epini.

Ngemva kokuhlongakala kwakaJonathani, uDavida wafuna indodana kaJonathani uMefi-Bhotjhethi. Kuthe angayifumana, wathi kiyo: ‘Ngombana uyihlo bakamngani olungileko kimi, ngizokutlhogomela ipilwakho yoke. Uzokuhlala esigodlweni sami begodu udle etafulenami.’ UDavida khenge amkhohlwe umnganakhe uJonathani.

USawula nakahlongakalako, uDavida waba yikosi. Bekaneminyaka ema-30. Njengombana ayikosi, kwadlula iminyaka ethileko. Ngelinye ilanga ebusuku uDavida wabona umfazi omuhle tle, njengombana aphezulu ephahleni lesigodlo sakhe. UDavida wathola ukuthi ibizo lakhe nguBhathi-Tjheba, wathola nokuthi utjhade isotja ibizo lalo elingu-Uriya. UDavida wabizela uBhathi-Tjheba ngesigodlweni sakhe. Bahlanganyela amabhayi, uBhathi-Tjheba waba sidisi. UDavida walinga ukufihla akwenzileko. Watjela induna yebutho ukuthi ibeke u-Uriya ngaphambili nakuliwako, ngemva kwalokho bona bahlehlele emva. Ngemva kobana u-Uriya abulewe, uDavida watjhada no-Bhathi-Tjheba.

Kodwana uJehova wabubona boke ubumbi obenzekileko. Bekazokwenzani? UJehova wathumela umphorofidi uNathani kuDavida. UNathani wafika wamenzela umfanekiso, wathi: ‘Indoda enjingileko beyinezimvu ezinengi, bese indoda ebeyidobha phasi yona beyinemvana yinye begodu beyiyithanda imvanayo leyo. Kuthe kunjalo, indoda enjingileko le yathatha imvana yendoda leyo.’ UDavida wakwata wabila wabe wathi: ‘Indoda enjingileko le ifanelwe kukufa!’ UNathani wathi kuDavida: ‘Nguwe indoda enjingileko le!’ Ihliziyo kaDavida yaba buhlungu khulu, wavuma kuNathani wathi: ‘Ngonile kuJehova.’ Isonwesi senza uDavida nomndenakhe baba nemiraro eminengi. UJehova wajezisa uDavida, kodwana wamlisa waphila ngombana bekathembekile begodu athobekile.

UDavida bekafuna ukwakhela uJehova ithempeli kodwana uJehova wakhetha indodana kaDavida uSolomoni bona kube ngiyo emakhela ithempeli. UDavida wathoma wenza amalungiselelo wabuthelela ebekuzokutlhogwa nguSolomoni begodu wathi: ‘Ithempeli lakaJehova kufuze libe lihle tle. USolomoni usesemncani, kodwana ngizomsiza ngimtholele koke azokutlhoga.’ UDavida wanikela ngemali enengi bona kwenziwe umsebenzi wokwakha lo. Wafumana iinsebenzi ezinamakghono. Wabuthelela igolide nesiliva begodu bekanomsedari ovela eTirosi neTsidoni. Nasele azokufa, uDavida wanikela uSolomoni iinqophiso zokwakha ithempeli. Wathi kuye: ‘UJehova uthe ngikutlolele iinqophiswezi phasi. UJehova uzokusiza. Ungesabi. Yiba namandla, uthome umsebenzi.’