Incwadzi Yekucala YaSamuweli
22 Ngako Davide wesuka lapho+ wabalekela emhumeni wase-Adulamu.+ Ngesikhatsi bomnakabo kanye nayo yonkhe indlu yababe wakhe beva ngaloku, behla baya kuye. 2 Bonkhe bantfu lebebanetinkinga, lebebanetikweleti nalabo lebebanetikhalo babutsana baya kuye, futsi waba yindvuna yabo. Emadvodza labekanye naye abengaba ngu-400.
3 Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi Davide wesuka lapho waya eMispa kaMowabi+ wafike watsi enkhosini yakaMowabi: “Ngicela uvumele babe namake kutsi bahlale lapha ngize ngati kutsi Nkulunkulu utangentelani.” 4 Ngako wabashiya enkhosini yakaMowabi, futsi bahlala nayo sonkhe lesikhatsi Davide lasicitsa abhacile.+
5 Ngemuva kwesikhatsi umphrofethi Gadi+ watsi kuDavide: “Ungabhaci kulendzawo. Suka lapho uye eveni lakaJuda.”+ Ngako Davide wahamba waya ehlatsini laseHarethi.
6 Sawula weva kutsi Davide kanye nemadvodza labehamba nawo sebatfolakele. Ngaleso sikhatsi, Sawula abehleti eGibeya+ ngephansi kwesihlahla sethamariske lebesisendzaweni lephakeme, futsi abephetse sikhali sakhe. Tonkhe tinceku takhe betimtungeletile. 7 Sawula wabese utsi kuto: “Ngicela nilalele nine bantfu bakaBhenjamini. Nicabanga kutsi lendvodzana yaJese+ itaninika umhlaba nemasimu emagilebisi yini? Nicabanga kutsi itanibeka nonkhe kutsi nibe tindvuna tetinkhulungwane netindvuna temakhulu yini?+ 8 Nonkhe nente licebo lekumelana nami! Kute ngisho namunye kini longitjelile ngesikhatsi indvodzana yami yenta sivumelwane nendvodzana yaJese!+ Kute ngisho namunye longivela buhlungu nalongatisile kutsi indvodzana yami ikhutsate inceku yami kutsi ingilalele endleleni, njengobe nje yenta nyalo.”
9 Ngemuva kwaloko, Dowegi+ um-Edomu lobekayindvuna yetinceku taSawula waphendvula watsi:+ “Ngiyibonile lendvodzana yaJese ifika eNobi iya ku-Ahimeleki indvodzana ya-Ahitubi.+ 10 Ahimeleki uyibutele kuJehova, futsi wayinika nemphako. Uze wayinika nenkemba yaGoliyathi umFilisti.”+ 11 Ngaleso sikhatsi, inkhosi yatsi akulandvwe Ahimeleki indvodzana ya-Ahitubi umphristi kanye nabo bonkhe baphristi bendlu yababe wakhe lebebaseNobi. Ngako bonkhe beta enkhosini.
12 Sawula wase utsi: “Ngicela ulalele ndvodzana ya-Ahitubi!” Yona yamphendvula yatsi: “Yebo ngikulalele nkhosi.” 13 Sawula watsi: “Ulakhe leni lisu lekumelana nami, wena kanye nendvodzana yaJese, ngekutsi uyinikete sinkhwa kanye nenkemba uphindze uyibutele kuNkulunkulu? Imelene nami futsi ingilalela endleleni, njengobe nje yenta nyalo.” 14 Nakeva loku Ahimeleki waphendvula inkhosi watsi: “Ngubani emkhatsini wato tonkhe tinceku takho lowetsembeke njengaDavide?+ Ungumkhwenyane wenkhosi+ futsi uyindvuna yabogadzi bakho kantsi uyahlonishwa nasendlini yakho.+ 15 Bengicala yini kumbutela kuNkulunkulu?+ Loko lokushoko angikucabangi nekukucabanga! Inkhosi ayingayitfukutseleli inceku yayo kanye nayo yonkhe indlu yababe ngobe inceku yakho beyingati lutfo ngaloku.”+
16 Kodvwa inkhosi yatsi: “Nakanjani utawufa+ wena Ahimeleki, kanye nayo yonkhe indlu yababe wakho.”+ 17 Inkhosi yase itsi kulabogadzi* lebebayitungeletile: “Bulalani labaphristi baJehova ngobe basekele Davide! Bebati kutsi uyangibalekela kodvwa bangangitjeli!” Nobe kunjalo bogadzi benkhosi bebangafuni kubulala baphristi baJehova. 18 Inkhosi yase itsi kuDowegi:+ “Bulala labaphristi!” Ngekushesha Dowegi um-Edomu+ wababulala labaphristi. Ngalelolanga wabulala emadvodza langu-85 labegcoke tidziya telineni.+ 19 Wase uhlasela neNobi+ ngenkemba, lokulidolobha lebaphristi. Wafike wabulala emadvodza nebafati, bantfwana netinswane, tinkhomo, timbongolo kanye netimvu ngenkemba.
20 Kodvwa lenye indvodzana ya-Ahimeleki loyindvodzana ya-Ahitubi, libito layo lokungu-Abiyatha,+ yaphunyula futsi yabaleka yalandzela Davide. 21 Abiyatha watjela Davide watsi: “Sawula ubulele baphristi baJehova.” 22 Davide wase utsi ku-Abiyatha: “Ngavele ngabona ngalelalanga+ Dowegi um-Edomu alena kutsi utawutjela Sawula. Ngimi lokufanele asolwe ngekubulawa kwabo bonkhe bantfu endlini yababe wakho. 23 Hlala nami. Ungesabi, ngobe nobe ngubani lofuna kukubulala ufuna kubulala nami, mine ngitakuvikela.”+