USamyela Wokuthoma 17:1-58
17 AmaFilista+ ahlanganisa amabuthwawo bona aye epini. Ahlangana eSoko+ yakwaJuda begodu ahloma ikampawo hlangana neSoko ne-Azekha,+ e-Efesi-Damimi.+
2 USawula namadoda wakwa-Israyeli bahlangana, bahloma ikampabo emRhobeni we-Ela+ begodu bajama ngendlela ehlelekileko njengeenqhema zamasotja bona bayokulwa namaFilista.
3 AmaFilista bewasentabeni engakwelinye ihlangothi nama-Israyeli asentabeni engakwelinye ihlangothi, kunomrhoba phakathi kwabo.
4 Kwaphuma ikutani ekampeni yamaFilista; igama layo bekunguGoliyadi,+ weGathi,+ ubude bakhe bebungaba mamitha amathathu.*
5 Bekafake isikoporo sekhopha ehloko, ambethe nejasi yepi eyenziwe ngeempepha zesimbi ezilakanisiweko. Ubudisi bejasakhe yepi+ yekhopha bebumatjhekeli azii-5 000.*
6 Bekafake iimvikelo zekhopha emilenzeni begodu abhebhule umkhonto ophoswako+ emahlombakhe.
7 Isibambo somkhontwakhe besinjengesigodo sabaluki+ begodu ubudisi betlobo yawo yesimbi bebumatjhekeli ama-600;* usonkhandakhe bekakhamba phambi kwakhe.
8 Yeke wajama wathi emajonini wakwa-Israyeli:+ “Kubayini niphume bona nizokujama ngendlela ehlelekileko njengeenqhema zamasotja? AngisimFilista na begodu nina anisiziinsebenzi zakaSawula? Zikhetheleni indoda, niyivumele yehlele kimapha.
9 Nange ikghona ukulwa nami begodu ingibulale, sizokuba ziinsebenzi zenu. Kodwana nangingayihlula begodu ngiyibulale, nizokuba ziinsebenzi zethu, nisisebenzele.”
10 UmFilista wathi: “Ngubani ozizwako ebuthweni lama-Israyeli+ namhlanjesi? Akeze kimapha sibambane!”
11 USawula nama-Israyeli woke nabezwa amezwi womFilista lo, baba nevalo bangenwa mamanzi emadolweni.
12 Nje-ke uDavida bekayindodana yomEfrata+ weBhetlehema+ yakwaJuda uJese,+ obekanamadodana abunane+ begodu besele aluphele emihleni kaSawula.
13 Amadodana amathathu amadala kaJese alandela uSawula epini.+ Amagama wamadodanakhe amathathu aya epini bekungu-Eliyabu+ izibulo, yesibili kungu-Abinadaba,+ yesithathu kunguTjhama.+
14 UDavida bekangencani,+ begodu amathathu amadala alandela uSawula.
15 Ngesikhathi asebenzela uSawula, uDavida bekanande aya ekhabo eBhetlehema ayokulusa izimvu+ zakayise.
16 Ngesikhatheso, umFilista bekaphuma azokujama endawenakhe qobe ekuseni nantambama amalanga ama-40.
17 Yeke uJese wathi endodanenakhe uDavida: “Ngibawa uthathe nasi i-efa* yeenthoro ezikhanzingiweko noburotho obulitjhumi, ukhambe nazo msinyana uzise kubomnakwenu ekampeni.
18 Thatha namatjhizi alitjhumi la uwanikele induna yekulungwana; godu, uqale nokuthi abomnakwenu banjani begodu ubuye nobufakazi bokuthi basavukile na.”
19 Abomnakwabo bebanoSawula nawo woke amanye amadoda wakwa-Israyeli emRhobeni we-Ela,+ balwa namaFilista.+
20 Yeke uDavida wavuka ngamasa, watjhiya umuntu nezimvu; wathatha umthwalo wangena indlela njengombana uJese bekamyalile. Nakafika ekampeni, amajoni bewaphuma aya epini, akhalela ingoma yepi.
21 Ama-Israyeli namaFilista ajama ngendlela yokuthi ibutho linye liqalane nelinye.
22 Khonokho uDavida watjhiya umthwalwakhe kunogada wemithwalo wagijimela epini. Nakafika lapho, wathoma ukubuza ngabanakwabo.+
23 Njengombana bekasakhuluma nabo, kwaphuma ikutani igama layo bekunguGoliyadi,+ umFilista weGathi. Waphuma ebuthweni lamaFilista, wakhuluma amezwi awatjho ekuthomeni+ begodu uDavida wamuzwa.
24 Woke amadoda wakwa-Israyeli nakabona indoda le, athukwa khulu begodu abaleka.+
25 Amadoda wakwa-Israyeli bekathi: “Niyibonile na indoda ephuma lapha? Iphuma bona izokudelela ama-Israyeli.+ Ikosi izokunjingisa indoda ezoyibulala, izoyipha nendodakazayo+ begodu izokutjhaphulula indlu kayise kinanyana ngisiphi isibopho esilindelwe yikosi yakwa-Israyeli.”
26 UDavida wabuza amadoda ebewaseqadi kwakhe wathi: “Uzokwenzelwani umuntu ozokubulala umFilista loya bekasuse nehlazo kuma-Israyeli? Ngombana ungubani umFilista ongakasoki lo bona angadelela ibutho lakaZimu ophilako?”+
27 Yeke abantu bamtjela lokho abakutjho phambilini, bathi: “Nakhu okuzokwenzelwa indoda ezombulala.”
28 Lokha umnakwabo omdala u-Eliyabu+ nakamuzwa akhuluma namadoda, wakwatela uDavida bewathi: “Kubayini wehlele lapha? Begodu uzitjhiye nobani izimvu ezimbalweza emmangweni?+ Ngiyakwazi bona ugagamela kangangani begodu ngiyazazi neenhloso ezimbi zehliziywakho; wehlele bona uzokubukela ipi.”
29 UDavida wathi: “Madekhethu sengenzeni-ke nje? Bengizibuzela nje kwaphela!”
30 Yeke wamfulathela waya komunye umuntu wabuza into efanako,+ begodu abantu bamphendula njengombana bebamphendulile ngaphambilini.+
31 Kunabanye abezwa lokho okwatjhiwo nguDavida begodu bakubikela uSawula. Yeke uSawula wambiza.
32 UDavida wathi kuSawula: “Ungavumeli namunye asabe ngebanga lomuntu lo. Isisebenzi sakho sizokukhamba siyokulwa nomFilista lo.”+
33 Kodwana uSawula wathi kuDavida: “Angeze wakghona ukuyokulwa nomFilista lo ngombana umsanyana nje kwaphela begodu yena bekalisotja* kusukela ebutjheni bakhe.”
34 UDavida wathi kuSawula: “Isisebenzi sakho saba ngumalusi wezimvu zakayise begodu kweza ibhubezi+ lazithathela imvu emhlanjini, ngelinye ilanga kweza ibhere nalo lazithathela imvu emhlanjini.
35 Ngazilandela begodu ngazidula phasi, ngasindisa izimvu emlonyenazo. Lokha nazijikela ngakimi, ngazibamba ngoboya,* ngazidula phasi bengazibulala.
36 Isisebenzi sakho sadula phasi ibhubezi nebhere begodu umFilista ongakasoki lo uzokufana nenye yazo, ngombana udelele ibutho lakaZimu ophilako.”+
37 UDavida wangezelela wathi: “UJehova, owangisindisa emaziphweni webhubezi newebhere, nguye ozongisindisa esandleni somFilista lo.”+ Kilokho uSawula wathi kuDavida: “Khamba, kwanga uJehova angaba nawe.”
38 Nje-ke uSawula wambathisa uDavida izambatho zakhe zepi. Wamfaka isikoporo sekhopha ehlokwakhe, ngemva kwalokho wambathisa ijasi yepi.
39 Yeke uDavida wabophela isabulakhe phezu kwezambatho zepi azinikelwe nguSawula walinga ukukhamba kodwana akhenge akghone, ngombana bekangakazijayeli. UDavida wathi kuSawula: “Angikghoni ukukhamba ngezintwezi, ngombana angikazijayeli.” Ngalokho uDavida wazihlubula.
40 Wathatha intongakhe, wakhetha amatje amahlanu abutjhelelezi emrhobeni, wawafaka ngesikhwameni sakhe sokwalusa begodu bekaphethe isarwayi+ esandleni sakhe. Wathoma ukutjhidela kumFilista.
41 UmFilista watjhidela eduze kwakaDavida begodu usonkhandakhe bekakhamba phambi kwakhe.
42 UmFilista nakabona uDavida wahlekisa ngaye bewamdelela ngebanga lokuthi bekabomvana begodu amsanyana onejamo.+
43 Yeke umFilista wathi kuDavida: “Ngiyinja na,+ bona ungeza kimi uphethe iingojwana?” Ngalokho umFilista wathuka uDavida ngabozimu bakhe.
44 UmFilista wathi kuDavida: “Yiza kimapha, ngizokuthatha inyamakho ngiyinikele iinyoni zezulu neembandana.”
45 UDavida wamphendula wathi: “Wena uza kimi ngesabula, nangemikhonto emibili,+ kodwana mina ngiza kuwe ngegama lakaJehova wamabutho,+ uZimu webutho lakwa-Israyeli, lo omthukileko.+
46 UJehova uzokunikela esandleni sami+ namhlanjesi begodu ngizokubulala bengiqunte nehlokwakho; godu namhlanjesi ngizokunikela iinyoni zezulu neembandana iindumbu zekampa yamaFilista; abantu bephasi loke bazokwazi bona kunoZimu kwa-Israyeli.+
47 Boke abahlangene lapha bazokwazi bona uJehova akasindisi ngesabula namkha ngomkhonto+ ngombana ipi ngeyakaJehova,+ begodu uzoninikela noke esandleni sethu.”+
48 Yeke umFilista watjhidela kancanikancani bona ayokulwa noDavida kodwana uDavida wagijima ngebelo watjhinga etatawini lepi bona ayokulwa nomFilista.
49 UDavida wafaka isandla ngesikhwameni sakhe wakhupha ilitje waliphosa ngesarwayi. Wabetha umFilista epandla bese ilitjelo langena latjhingela epandlenakhe bewawela phasi ngobuso.+
50 Yeke uDavida wahlula umFilista ngesarwayi nelitje; wadula phasi umFilista bewambulala, ngitjho nanyana bekunganasabula esandleni sakaDavida.+
51 UDavida waraga nokugijima begodu wajama phezu kwakhe. Wathatha isabula yomFilista+ wayikhupha ngemgodlenayo bewaqinisekisa bona ufile ngokuqunta ihlokwakhe ngayo. AmaFilista nawabona ukuthi ikutanawo ifile, abaleka.+
52 Yeke amadoda wakwa-Israyeli newakwaJuda arhuwelela agijimisa amaFilista kusukela emrhobeni+ ukuyokufika emasangweni we-Ekroni,+ amaFilista arhayiliweko bewarabhalele endleleni kusukela eTjharayimi,+ kufikela eGathi ne-Ekroni.
53 Ngemva kokuthi ama-Israyeli abuyile ekugijimiseni amaFilista, athatha ipahla eenkampeni zamaFilista.
54 Yeke uDavida wathatha ihloko yomFilista wakhamba nayo eJerusalema kodwana iinkhali zomFilista wazibeka etendenakhe.+
55 Ngesikhathi uSawula abona uDavida ayokulwa nomFilista, wabuza u-Abineri,+ induna yebutho wathi: “Abineri, umsana lo uyindodana+ kabani?” U-Abineri wathi: “Ngifunga ngokuphila kwakho kosi, angazi!”
56 Ikosi yathi: “Funisisa ukuthi isokaneli liyindodana kabani.”
57 Yeke kuthe msinyana uDavida nakabuya ukuyokubulala umFilista, u-Abineri wamthatha wamusa kuSawula aphethe ihloko yomFilista+ esandleni sakhe.
58 Nje-ke uSawula wathi kuye: “Uyindodana kabani msanami?” UDavida wathi: “Ngiyindodana yesisebenzi sakho uJese+ weBhetlehema.”+
Imitlolo Ephasi
^ NgesiHebheru, “bebumakhubhithi asithandathu nesipani.” Qala Isith. B14.
^ Angaba makhilogremu ama-57. Qala Isith. B14.
^ Angaba makhilogremu ayi-6.84. Qala Isith. B14.
^ Ingaba malitha ama-22. Qala Isith. B14.
^ Namkha “bekayindoda yepi.”
^ Namkha “ngomhlathi.”
