1 AmaFilistiya alwa lo-Israyeli; abako-Israyeli babaleka, njalo abanengi bafela eNtabeni yase Gilibhowa. 2 AmaFilistiya axotshana kanzima loSawuli kanye lamadodana akhe, abulala amadodana akhe uJonathani, lo-Abhinadabi kanye loMalikhi-Shuwa. 3 Impi yatshisa macele wonke kuSawuli, njalo kwathi abatshoki bemitshoko sebemxhumile, bamlimaza.

4 USawuli wathi kumthwali wezikhali zakhe, “Hwatsha inkemba yakho ungigwaze, hlezi abantu laba abangasokanga bafike bangigwaze bangenze ihlazo.”

Kodwa umphathi wezikhali zakhe wesaba, akaze akwenza lokho, ngakho uSawuli wathatha inkemba yakhe waziwisela phezu kwayo. 5 Kwathi umphathi wezikhali ebona ukuthi uSawuli wayesefile, laye waziwisela phezu kwenkemba yakhe, wafa. 6 Ngakho uSawuli lamadodana akhe amathathu bafa, labo bonke abendlu yakhe bafa ndawonye.

7 Kwathi bonke abako-Israyeli ababesesigodini bebona ukuthi ibutho lalibalekile lokuthi uSawuli kanye lamadodana akhe basebefile, batshiya imizi yabo babaleka. AmaFilistiya afika ahlala kuyo.

8 Ngelanga elalandelayo, amaFilistiya esefikile ukuba akhuthuze abafileyo, afica uSawuli lamadodana akhe befile eNtabeni yase Gilibhowa. 9 Bamkhuthuza baze bamquma ikhanda lakhe balithatha kanye lezikhali zakhe, basebethuma izithunywa kulolonke ilizwe lamaFilistiya ukuthi zimemezele lindaba ezithombeni zabo lebantwini bakibo. 10 Abeka izikhali zakhe ethempelini labonkulunkulu babo kwathi ikhanda lakhe balibeka ethempelini likaDagoni.

11 Abantu bonke baseJabheshi Giliyadi sebezwile ngokwakwenziwe ngamaFilistiya kuSawuli, 12 wonke amaqhawe alezibindi ahamba ayathatha isidumbu sikaSawuli lezamadodana akhe aya lazo eJabheshi. Basebengcwaba amathambo abo ngaphansi kwesihlahla esikhulu eJabheshi, bazila insuku eziyisikhombisa.

13 USawuli wafa ngoba wayengathembekanga kuThixo; kaligcinanga ilizwi likaThixo wakhe waze wayadinga ukuqondiswa yizangoma, 14 esikhundleni sokukhuleka kuThixo. Ngakho uThixo wamenza wafa wathatha ubukhosi wabunika uDavida indodana kaJese.

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