Incwadzi Yekucala YaSamuweli
31 EmaFilisti bekalwa nema-Israyeli.+ Emabutfo ema-Israyeli awabalekela emaFilisti, futsi emasotja lamanyenti aka-Israyeli afela eNtsabeni iGilbowa.+ 2 EmaFilisti abemhleli etitsendzeni Sawula nemadvodzana akhe, futsi abulala boJonathani,+ Abinadabi kanye naMalkhi-shuwa labebangemadvodzana aSawula.+ 3 Imphi yamshubela Sawula, futsi emasotja ladubula ngebutjoki amkhandza, amlimata kakhulu.+ 4 Ngemuva kwaloko Sawula watsi kulelisotja lelimphatsela tikhali: “Hoshula inkemba yakho ungicedzele, kuze lamadvodza langakasoki+ angangihlahleli futsi angibulale ngesibhuku.” Kodvwa lelisotja lebelimphatsela tikhali belingakatimiseli kukwenta loko, ngobe belesaba kakhulu. Ngako Sawula watsatsa lenkemba watijika etikwayo.+ 5 Latsi lelisotja lelimphatsela tikhali nalibona kutsi Sawula sewufile,+ nalo latijika etikwenkemba yalo futsi lafa naSawula. 6 Ngako Sawula, emadvodzana akhe lamatsatfu, nalelisotja lebelimphatsela tikhali kanye nato tonkhe tinceku takhe bafa ngalelolanga.+ 7 Ngesikhatsi bantfu baka-Israyeli labebasesihosheni* nalabo labebasesigodzini saseJordane babona kutsi emabutfo aka-Israyeli sekabalekile nekutsi Sawula nemadvodzana akhe bafile, babaleka kulamadolobha;+ emaFilisti abese ayeta ahlala kuwo.
8 Ngakusasa, ngesikhatsi emaFilisti eta kutewutsatsa tintfo talabantfu lebebafile, akhandza Sawula nemadvodzana akhe lamatsatfu bafele eNtsabeni iGilbowa.+ 9 Ngako amjuba inhloko, amkhumula netembatfo takhe temphi* ase atfumela livi kulo lonkhe live+ lemaFilisti kutsi kusakatwe letindzaba emathempelini* etithico tabo+ nakubantfu. 10 Ngemuva kwaloko abeka letembatfo takhe temphi endlini yetithico ta-Ashtarothe, ase afasela sidvumbu sakhe elubondzeni laseBhethi-shani.+ 11 Ngesikhatsi bantfu baseJabeshi-gileyadi+ beva loko lokwentiwe ngemaFilisti kuSawula, 12 onkhe emasotja alapho esuka ahamba busuku bonkhe afike etfula sidvumbu saSawula netidvumbu temadvodzana akhe kulolubondza lwaseBhethi-shani. Ajika nato abuyela eJabeshi afike atishisela khona. 13 Atsatsa ematsambo abo+ awangcwaba ngephansi kwesihlahla sethamariske eJabeshi,+ futsi azila kudla emalanga langu-7.