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 kubi.

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 kanye laye. 6 Ngakho uSawuli lamadodana akhe amathathu lomphathi wezikhali zakhe kanye labantu bakhe bonke bafa ndawonye ngalo lolosuku.

7 Kwathi abako-Israyeli ababesekele isigodi lalabo ababengaphetsheya kweJodani bebona ukuthi ibutho lako-Israyeli 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 amathathu befile eNtabeni yase Gilibhowa. 9 Amquma ikhanda lakhe athatha lezikhali zakhe, basebethuma izithunywa kulolonke ilizwe lamaFilistiya ukuthi zimemezele lindaba ethempelini lezithombe zawo lasebantwini bakibo. 10 Abeka izikhali zakhe ethempelini lama-Ashithorethi. Kwathi isidumbu sakhe asibethela emdulini weBhethi-Shani.

11 Kwathi abantu baseJabheshi Giliyadi sebezwile ngokwakwenziwe ngamaFilistiya kuSawuli, 12 wonke amaqhawe abo alezibindi ahamba ubusuku bonke esiya eBhethi-Shani. Ethula isidumbu sikaSawuli lezamadodana akhe emdulini weBhethi-Shani aya eJabheshi, lapho azitshisela khona. 13 Athatha amathambo abo awembela ngaphansi kwesihlahla somthamarisiki eJabheshi, asezila insuku eziyisikhombisa.

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