1 USAMYELA 11

₁UNarhatjhi umAmoni wenyuka wayokusahlela iJabetjhi-Giliyadi. Boke abantu beJabetjhi bathi kuye: “Yenza isivumelwano nathi, sizakuba ziinceku zakho.” ₂Kodwana uNarhatjhi umAmoni waphendula wathi: “Isivumelwano nani ngingasenza kwaphela nange nivuma bonyana ngithi komunye nomunye wenu ngigobhodlhe ilihlo langesidleni. Ngaleyondlela ngizabe ngirhubutjha u-Israyeli woke.” ₃Abaphathi beJabetjhi bathi kuye: “Sinikela amalanga alikhomba ukuze sithumele isithunywa enarheni yoke yakwa-Israyeli; nayibe akakho osisindisako, yeke sizazinikela kuwe.”

₄Lokha iinthunywa nazifika eGibeya edorobheni lakaSawula, zabika umbiko njengombana unjalo. Abantu boke bakhihla isililokazi. ₅Khonokho uSawula gade abuya esimini, atjhayela iinkabi ezibotjhelweko; wabuza wathi: “Abantwaba bangenwe yini na? Barhahlawulelani kangaka?” Bamtjela umbiko oze nabantu beJabetjhi. ₆Lokha uSawula nezwa amezwabo la, uMoya kaZimu wehlela phezu kwakhe ngamandla, wabhoka ngobukhali. ₇Wathatha iinkabi ezimbili wazihlahlela iinquqwana, wathumela iinquqwanezo ngeenthunywa kilo loke lakwa-Israyeli wathi: “Kuzakwenziwa nje eenkabini zomuntu omunye nomunye ongalandeli uSawula noSamyela.” Abantu bangenwa kukwesaba, ngokwazi bonyana lokhu kuvela kuSomnini. Baphuma njengomuntu munye ukuyokulwa.

₈USawula wabahlela eBhezeki wababala: Bakwa-Israyeli baba ziinkulungwana ezimakhulu amathathu, bakwaJuda baba ziinkulungwana ezimatjhumi amathathu. ₉Batjela iinthunywa ebegade zifike eJabetjhi bathi: “Yithini ebantwini beJabetjhi-Giliyadi, ‘Lokha ilanga nalitjhisa khulu kusasa nizakusindiswa.’ ” Kuthe lokha iinthunywa nazifika zibika indaba le ebantwini beJabetjhi, bathaba. ₁₀Abantu beJabetjhi bathi kebakwa-Amoni: “Kusasa sizazinikela kini, nizenzele umathanda ngathi.”

₁₁Ekuseni ngovivi elangeni elilandelako uSawula wavelela ama-Amoni ngemahlangothini amathathu. Wawamadlha bekwaba semini. Abaphunyurhako baphadlhalajwa kangangoba azange kube nabakhamba ngababili.

₁₂Abantu bathi kuSamyela: “Bobani abathe, ‘Naye uSawula angabusa phezu kwethu na?’ Lethani abantwabo kithapha sibabulale.” ₁₃Kodwana uSawula wathi: “Akunamuntu ozakubulawa namhlanjesi ngombana kulilanga uSomnini asindise ngalo u-Israyeli.” ₁₄Nje-ke uSamyela wathi ebantwini: “Nambani siyeni eGiligali siyokuqinisa ubukhosi ngobutjha.”

₁₅Abantu boke banqomba eGiligali. Khonapho e-aldarini babeka uSawula kobana abe yikosi. Banikela ngemihlabelo yetjhebiswano phambi kwakaSomnini. USawula no-Israyeli woke benza imbedla yomnyanya wethabo.