1 UDavida wasuka eGathi wabalekela ebhalwini lwase-Adulami. Kwathi abafowabo labendlu kayise sebekuzwile, baya kuye khonale. 2 Bonke labo ababelosizi loba ababelemilandu kumbe ababelensolo babuthana kuye, wasesiba ngumkhokheli wabo. Abantu ababelaye babengaba zinkulungwane ezine.

3 Esuka lapho uDavida waya eMizipha kwelaseMowabi wathi enkosini ye-Mowabi, “Ungabavumela yini ubaba lomama ukuba bazehlala lawe ngize ngazi uNkulunkulu azangenzela khona na?” 4 Ngakho wabatshiya enkosini yaseMowabi njalo bahlala layo sonke isikhathi uDavida esenqabeni.

5 Kodwa umphrofethi uGadi wathi kuDavida, “Ungahlali enqabeni. Yana elizweni lakoJuda.” Ngakho uDavida wasuka waya ehlathini laseHerethi.

6 Ngalesosikhathi uSawuli wezwa ukuthi uDavida labantu bakhe babebonakele. Njalo uSawuli, ephethe umkhonto ngesandla, wayehlezi ngaphansi kwesihlahla somthamarisiki phezu koqaqa eGibhiya, lazozonke izikhulu zakhe zimi zimhanqile. 7 USawuli wathi kuzo, “Lalelani bantu bakoBhenjamini! Kambe indodana kaJese izalipha lonke amasimu lezivini na? Kambe lonke izalenza libe ngabalawuli bezinkulungwane labalawuli bamakhulu na? 8 Kungenxa yalokho lonke selicebe okubi ngami na? Kakho ongitshelayo nxa indodana yami isenza isivumelwano lendodana kaJese. Kakho owenu okhathazekayo ngami loba angitshele ukuthi indodana yami itshotshozela izinceku zami ukuba zingicathamele, njengalokhu ekwenzayo lamhla.”

9 Kodwa uDoyegi, umʼEdomi, owayemi lezikhulu zikaSawuli wathi, “Mina ngibone indodana kaJese isiya ku-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi eNobhi. 10 U-Ahimeleki umbuzele kuThixo; waphinda wamnika ukudla lenkemba kaGoliyathi umFilistiya.”

11 Lapho-ke inkosi yathumela ilizwi lokubiza umphristi u-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi labo bonke abendlu kayise, ababengabaphristi eNobhi, yikho bonke baya enkosini. 12 USawuli wasesithi, “Khathesi-ke lalela, ndodana ka-Ahithubi.”

Waphendula wathi, “Yebo, nkosi yami.”

13 USawuli wasesithi kuye, “Kungani licebe okubi ngami, wena lendodana kaJese, wayinika isinkwa lenkemba njalo wayibuzela kuNkulunkulu, okwenze yangihlamukela njalo yangicathamela, njengalokhu ekwenzayo lamhla na?”

14 U-Ahimeleki waphendula wathi, “Ngubani kuzozonke izinceku zakho othembeke njengoDavida, umkhwenyana wenkosi, induna yabakulindayo njalo lohlonitshwa kakhulu endlini yakho na? 15 Ngalelolanga ngangiqala ukumbuzela kuNkulunkulu na? Hatshi impela! Inkosi kayingethesi inceku yakho icala loba omunye wabendlu kayise, ngoba inceku yakho kayazi lutho lakancane ngodaba lonke lolu.”

16 Kodwa inkosi yathi, “Ngeqiniso uzakufa, Ahimeleki, wena labo bonke abendlu kayihlo.”

17 Inkosi yasilaya abalindi ababephansi kwayo yathi, “Phendukani libulale abaphristi bakaThixo ngoba labo basekele uDavida. Babekwazi ukuthi uyabaleka, kodwa kabangitshelanga.”

Kodwa izikhulu zenkosi zazingafuni ukuphakamisa izandla ukuba zigalele abaphristi bakaThixo.

18 Ngakho inkosi yalaya uDoyegi yathi, “Phenduka ugalele abaphristi!” UDoyegi umʼEdomi waphenduka wabagongoda. Mhlalokho wabulala abantu abangamakhulu ayisificaminwembili lanhlanu ababegqoka izembatho zemahlombe ezelineni. 19 Wabuye wahlasela iNobhi ngenkemba, umuzi wabaphristi, lamadoda ayo kanye labesifazane, abantwana bayo lensane, lenkomo zayo, obabhemi kanye lezimvu.

20 Kodwa u-Abhiyathari, indodana ka-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi, waphunyuka wabaleka wayamanyana loDavida. 21 Watshela uDavida ukuthi uSawuli wayebulele abaphristi bakaThixo. 22 UDavida wasesithi ku-Abhiyathari, “Ngaloluyana usuku, lapho uDoyegi umʼEdomi wayekhona, ngakwazi ukuthi uzamtshela ngempela uSawuli. Ngilecala lokufa kwabendlu kayihlo bonke. 23 Hlala lami; ungesabi; umuntu ofuna ukukubulala lami futhi ufuna ukungibulala. Uvikelekile nxa ulami.”

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