1 Ngalezonsuku amaFilistiya aqoqa amabutho awo ukuba alwe lo-Israyeli. U-Akhishi wathi kuDavida, “Kumele uzwisise ukuthi wena labantu bakho lizahamba lami empini.”

2 UDavida wathi, “Lapho-ke uzazibonela okungenziwa yinceku yakho.”

U-Akhishi wathi, “Kulungile, ngizakwenza ube ngumlindi wami impilo yakho yonke.”

3 Ngalesosikhathi uSamuyeli wayesewafa, njalo u-Israyeli wonke wayemlilele wamgcwaba emzini wakibo eRama. USawuli wayesewaxotsha zonke izanuse labemimoya elizweni.

4 AmaFilistiya abuthana eza amisa izihonqo zawo eShunemi, lapho uSawuli wabutha ama-Israyeli wonke wamisa izihonqo eGilibhowa. 5 USawuli ebona ibutho lamaFilistiya wesaba, inhliziyo yakhe yaba lokuthuthumela. 6 Wabuza uThixo, kodwa uThixo kamphendulanga ngamaphupho loba nge-Urimi kumbe ngabaphrofethi. 7 USawuli wasesithi encekwini zakhe, “Ngidingelani owesifazane oyisanuse ukuze ngiyebuza kuye.”

Bona bathi, “Kulomunye e-Endo.”

8 Ngakho uSawuli waziguqula, wafaka ezinye izigqoko, kwathi ebusuku yena labantu ababili baya kulowomfazi. Wathi kuye, “Ngibuzela umoya, njalo ungilethele lowo engizamutsho.”

9 Kodwa owesifazane wathi kuye, “Impela uyakwazi ukuthi uSawuli wenzeni. Useziqedile izanuse labemimoya elizweni. Kungani uthiya impilo yami ngomjibila ukuba ngibulawe na?”

10 USawuli wafunga kuye ngoThixo wathi, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ekhona, kawuyikujeziselwa lokhu.”

11 Owesifazane lowo wasesithi, “Ngikuvusele bani na?”

Yena wathi, “Ngilethela uSamuyeli.”

12 Kwathi owesifazane lowo ebona uSamuyeli, wakhala ngelizwi eliphezulu wasesithi kuSawuli, “Kungani ungikhohlisile na? Wena unguSawuli.”

13 Inkosi yasisithi, “Ungesabi. Kuyini okubonayo?”

Owesifazane wathi, “Ngibona umoya ophuma phansi.”

14 USawuli wathi, “Ukhangeleka njani?”

Owesifazane wathi, “Kuphuma ixhegu eligqoke ingubo.”

Lapho-ke uSawuli wakwazi ukuthi kwakunguSamuyeli, wakhothama wasesithi mbo phansi ngobuso.

15 USamuyeli wasesithi kuSawuli, “Ungikhathazelani ngokungivusa na?”

USawuli wathi, “Mina ngiphakathi kohlupho olukhulu. AmaFilistiya alwa lami, njalo uNkulunkulu usengifulathele. Kasangiphenduli, ngabaphrofethi loba ngamaphupho. Ngakho ngibize wena ukuba ungitshele ukuthi ngenzeni.”

16 USamuyeli wathi, “Ungibizelani, njengoba uThixo esekufulathele njalo esebe yisitha sakho na? 17 Uthixo usekwenzile lokhu akutsho ngaphambili ngami. Uthixo usewuhluthunile umbuso ezandleni zakho wawunika omunye wabomakhelwane bakho, uDavida. 18 Ngenxa yokuthi uThixo kawumlalelanga kumbe wafeza ulaka lwakhe olwesabekayo kuma-Amaleki, uThixo wenze lokhu kuwe lamhla. 19 Uthixo uzanikela u-Israyeli kanye lawe kumaFilistiya, njalo kusasa wena lamadodana akho lizakuba lami. Uthixo uzanikela lebutho lako-Israyeli kumaFilistiya.”

20 Khonokho nje uSawuli wawela phansi wathi daca emhlabathini, esegcwele ukwesaba ngenxa yamazwi kaSamuyeli. Wayengaselamandla, ngoba wayengadlanga lutho ilanga lonke mhlalokho lobusuku bonke.

21 Kwathi owesifazane esesondele kuSawuli wabona ukuthi wayethuthumele kakhulu, wathi kuye, “Khangela, incekukazi yakho ikulalele. Ngibeke ukuphila kwami engozini ngenza lokho othe ngikwenze. 22 Khathesi-ke ake ulalele incekukazi yakho uvume ukuba ngikuphe ukudla ukuze udle ube lamandla uzihambele.”

23 Yena wala wathi, “Kangiyikudla.”

Kodwa abantu bakhe baphathisana lowesifazane ukumncenga, waze wabalalela. Wavuka phansi wahlala esihlalweni.

24 Owesifazane wayelethole elinonisiweyo endlini, alihlaba khonokho nje. Wathatha impuphu yengqoloyi, wayivuba wenza isinkwa esingelamvubelo. 25 Wasibeka phambi kukaSawuli labantu bakhe, badla. Ngalobobusuku bavuka bahamba.

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