Eyesibili KaSamuweli 21:1-22
21 Kwaba khona indlala + ezinsukwini zikaDavide iminyaka emithathu ilandelana, ngakho uDavide wabuza kuJehova, uJehova wathi: “Kunecala legazi kuSawule nasendlini yakhe, ngoba wabulala abaseGibheyoni.” +
2 Ngakho inkosi yabiza abaseGibheyoni + yakhuluma nabo. (AbaseGibheyoni babengewona ama-Israyeli, kodwa babengama-Amori + ayesele, ama-Israyeli ayefungile ukuthi ngeke ababulale, + kodwa uSawule wafuna ukubabulala lapho eshisekela abantu bakwa-Israyeli noJuda.)
3 UDavide wathi kwabaseGibheyoni: “Nginenzeleni, yini engingahlawula ngayo, ukuze nibusise ifa likaJehova?”
4 AbaseGibheyoni bathi kuye: “Ngokuphathelene noSawule nendlu yakhe, akuyona indaba yesiliva noma yegolide + kithi; asikwazi nokubulala muntu kwa-Israyeli.” Waphendula wathi: “Noma yini eniyishoyo ngizonenzela yona.”
5 Bona bathi enkosini: “Umuntu owasiqothula, waceba ukusibhuqa ukuze singahlali nomaphi endaweni yakwa-Israyeli +—
6 masinikwe amadodana akhe ayisikhombisa. Sizolengisa izidumbu zawo *+ phambi kukaJehova eGibheya + likaSawule, owakhethwa uJehova ukuba abe yinkosi.” + Inkosi yathi: “Ngizoninika wona.”
7 Nokho, inkosi yaba nozwela ngoMefibhosheti + indodana kaJonathani indodana kaSawule, ngenxa yesifungo uDavide noJonathani + indodana kaSawule ababesenze phambi kukaJehova.
8 Ngakho inkosi yathatha u-Arimoni noMefibhosheti, amadodana amabili kaRizpa, + indodakazi ka-Aya, awazalela uSawule, namadodana amahlanu kaMikhali *+ indodakazi kaSawule, awazalela u-Adriyeli + indodana kaBharizilayi waseMehola.
9 Wawanikela kwabaseGibheyoni, balengisa izidumbu zawo entabeni phambi kukaJehova. + Wonke lawa ayisikhombisa afa ndawonye; abulawa ngezinsuku zokuqala zokuvuna, ekuqaleni kokuvunwa kwebhali.
10 URizpa + indodakazi ka-Aya wabe esethatha indwangu yesaka wazendlalela yona phezu kwedwala kusukela ekuqaleni kokuvuna kwaze kwana imvula; akazivumelanga izinyoni zezulu ukuba zihlale phezu kwawo emini, nezilo zasendle ukuba zisondele ebusuku.
11 UDavide watshelwa ngalokho okwakwenziwe uRizpa indodakazi ka-Aya, isancinza sikaSawule.
12 Ngakho uDavide wahamba wathatha amathambo kaSawule namathambo kaJonathani indodana yakhe kubaholi* baseJabeshi-gileyadi, + ababewebe esigcawini saseBheti-shani, lapho amaFilisti ayebalengise khona ngosuku amaFilisti ambulala ngalo uSawule eGilibowa. +
13 Wawakhuphula lapho amathambo kaSawule namathambo kaJonathani indodana yakhe, babutha namathambo amadoda ayebulewe. *+
14 Bawangcwaba amathambo kaSawule nakaJonathani indodana yakhe ezweni lakwaBhenjamini eZela + ethuneni likaKishi + uyise. Ngemva kokuba benze konke inkosi eyayikuyalile, uNkulunkulu wakulalela ukunxusela kwabo izwe. +
15 Kwaphinde kwaba nempi phakathi kwamaFilisti nama-Israyeli. + Ngakho uDavide nezinceku zakhe behla bayolwa namaFilisti, kodwa uDavide wakhathala.
16 U-Ishibi-bhenobi, owayezalwa amaRefa, + owayenomkhonto wethusi onesisindo esingamashekeli angu-300, *+ futhi ehlome ngenkemba entsha, wayehlose ukubulala uDavide.
17 Ngaso leso sikhathi u-Abhishayi + indodana kaZeruya wamsiza + wamshaya lo mFilisti wambulala. Ngaleso sikhathi amadoda kaDavide afunga kuye, athi: “Akumelwe uphinde uphume kanye nathi uye empini! + Akumelwe usicime isibani sika-Israyeli!” +
18 Ngemva kwalokhu kwaphinde kwaba nempi kulwa ama-Israyeli namaFilisti + eGobi. Ngaleso sikhathi uSibhekayi + umHusha wabulala uSafi, owayezalwa amaRefa. +
19 Kwaphinde kwaba nenye impi namaFilisti + eGobi, u-Elihanani indodana kaJahare-oregimi waseBhetlehema wabulala uGoliyati umGiti, owayenomkhonto onomphini onjengogodo lohlaka lokweluka indwangu. +
20 Kwaphinde kwaba nenye impi eGati, lapho kwakunendoda ende ngendlela engavamile, eneminwe eyisithupha esandleni ngasinye nezinzwane eziyisithupha onyaweni ngalunye, sekukonke kungu-24; nayo futhi yayizalwa amaRefa. +
21 Yayilokhu ichukuluza u-Israyeli. + Ngenxa yalokho uJonathani indodana kaShimeyi, + umfowabo kaDavide, wayibulala.
22 Laba abane babezalwa amaRefa eGati, uDavide nezinceku zakhe bababulala. +
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ NgesiHebheru, “Sizowabeka obala,” okuwukuthi, esephulwe izingalo nemilenze.
^ Noma kungaba, “kaMerabi.”
^ Noma kungaba, “kubanikazi bendawo.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “ayebekwe obala.”
^ Cishe u-3,42 kg. Bheka iSithasiselo B14.
