Kuncotjwa kwema-Amoni nguSawula
1Nahashi, um-Amoni, wakhuphuka wayawuvimbetela iJabeshi Gileyadi. Onkhe emadvodza aseJabeshi amncenga atsi: “Yenta sivumelwane natsi, sitawuba tinceku takho.” 2Kodvwa Nahashi, um-Amoni, watsi: “Ngitasenta sivumelwane nani kuphela naningangivumela kutsi ngikupulute liso langasekudla kini nonkhe, kuze ngitsele lihlazo kuso sonkhe sive sema-Israyeli.”
3Baholi baseJabeshi batsi kuye: “Sinike emalanga lasikhombisa, kuze sitfumele emancusa kulo lonkhe leli laka-Israyeli; nakute lotasephula, sitatinikela kuwe.”
4Tatsi letigijimi natifika eGibeya kaSawula tibika ngaletincomo esiveni, sonkhe sive sakhala kakhulu, samemeta. 5Ngaleso sikhatsi Sawula abebuya emasimini, achuba tinkhabi takhe, wabuta watsi: “Kwente njani esiveni? Sive sikhalelani?” Base bamlandzisa ngako konkhe lokwakushiwo ngemadvodza aseJabeshi.
6Watsi Sawula nakakuva loko, Moya waSimakadze wehlela etikwakhe ngemandla lamakhulu, watfukutsela wabila. 7Watsatsa tinkhabi letimbili, watijuba ticucu, watfumela ngetigijimi licatsa ngalinye kulo lonkhe laka-Israyeli, timemetela titsi: “Nguloku-ke lokutakwentiwa etinkhabini tayo yonkhe indvodza lengalandzeli boSawula naSamuweli.” Kwesabeka kwaSimakaze kwehlela kubo bonkhe bantfu, bagucuka bonkhe baba njengemuntfu munye. 8Kwatsi Sawula nakababutsela eBhezeki, emadvodza aka-Israyeli aba ti-300 000, kwatsi bakaJuda baba ti-30 000.
9Batjela letigijimi letatifikile batsi: “Tjelani lamadvodza aseJabeshi Gileyadi nitsi: ‘Kusasa lilanga litawutsi licala kufutfumala, nine nitabe senikhululekile.’ ” Tatsi letigijimi natifika tikubika loko kulamadvodza aseJabeshi, ajabula kakhulu. 10Akhuluma kulama-Amoni atsi: “Kusasa sitatinikela kini, nitakwenta kitsi loko lokubonakala kukuhle kini.”
11Ngakusasa Sawula wahlela imphi yakhe, wayehlukanisa ticheme letintsatfu; kwatsi ekuseni nakudzabuka kusa batseleka enkambu yema-Amoni, bawagwaza bawabulala, laze lafutfumala lilanga. Kwatsi labo labaphunyula bahlakaka, kwabate namunye lobaleka nalomunye.
Kufakazeleka kwaSawula kutsi uyinkhosi
12Bantfu bakhuluma kuSamuweli, batsi: “Ngubani-ke lona bekabuta atsi: ‘Sawula angabusa yini etikwetfu?’ Wabuyiseni lapha lawo madvodza, sitewabulala.”
13Kodvwa Sawula watsi: “Kute namunye lotawubulawa lamuhla, ngobe lamuhla Simakadze uwephulile ema-Israyeli.”
14Samuweli wase ukhuluma kubantfu, watsi: “Wotani sihambe siye eGilgali siyewucinisa khona bukhosi.” 15Ngako sonkhe sive saya eGilgali, sayawucinisa khona kubekwa kwaSawula kutsi abe yinkhosi embikwaSimakadze. Ngulapho-ke lapho bafike benta imihlatjelo yekuthula embikwaSimakadze. Sawula naso sonkhe sive sema-Israyeli sajabula kakhulu ngalelo langa.
