1Emalangeni lawo, amaFilista ahlanganisa ibutho lawo bona alwe no-Israyeli. Yeke u-Akhitjhi wathi kuDavida: “Yazi bona wena nabantu bakho nizakukhamba nami siyokulwa ipi.” 2UDavida wathi: “Khona-ke uzazibonela ngokwakho bona incekwakho yenzani.” U-Akhitjhi waphendula wathi: “Kulunge khulu nakunjalo, ngizakwenza ube mtjhejami nakusaliwako.”
USawula ufuna isizo esangomeni
3USamyela gade sele ahlongakele, no-Israyeli woke sele ambeka emzinakhe eRama bewamlilela. Ngesikhatheso uSawula naye gade aqothe zoke izangoma neenyanga enarheni yakwa-Israyeli. 4AmaFilista ahlangana enza ikampawo eTjhunemi; uSawula naye wahlanganisa woke ama-Israyeli wenza ikampa eGilibowa. 5Kwathi lokha uSawula nabona ipi yamaFilista, wesaba khulu bewathuthumela. 6Wabuza kuSomnini, kodwana uSomnini akhange amphendule ngitjho ngamabhudango nanyana nge-urimi nangabaphorofidi. 7Yeke wathi uSawula eencekwini zakhe: “Ngifunelani isangoma somfazi ukuze ngiye ngiyokuphengula kiso.” Iinceku zathi kuye: “Sikhona esinye e-Eni-Dori.”
8Nje-ke uSawula wazitjhatjhanisa, wembatha izambatho ezijayelekileko, wakhukhutha ebusuku akhamba namadoda amabili baya emfazini loyo. Wafese wathi kuye: “Ngibawela ebezimini bona ngikhulume naloyo engizakumutjho ngebizo.” 9Kodwana isangoma sathi: “Afeke! Angithi uyazi bona uSawula wenzeni: Uqothe zoke iinyanga nezangoma enarheni. Alo, ungibekelelani isifu bona ngibulawe na?” 10USawula wafunga ngoSomnini wathi: “NgoZimu ngiqinisile ngithi, awukazukubethwa ngesibanga sentwele.” 11Nje-ke isangoma sathi: “Ngikubawele bani?” USawula wathi: “Ngibawela uSamyela.”
12Kuthe bona isangoma sibone kuvela uSamyela, sarhuwelela khulu sathi kuSawula: “Alo, ungirhwaleleni? Angithi wena unguSawula!” 13USawula wathi kuye: “Ungesabi! Ubonani?” Isangoma sathi: “Ngibona isithunzi sikhuphuka sivela kabaphasi.” 14Wasibuza wathi: “Sinjani?” Sona sathi: “Liqhegu elilupheleko, lembethe iphuraphura liyakhuphuka.” Yeke uSawula wazi bona nguSamyela, waguqa bewahloma ihloko phasi.
15USamyela wathi kuSawula: “Ungiphazamiseleni ngokungenyusa na?” USawula wathi: “Ngitshwenyeke khulu. AmaFilista alwa nami noZimu ungihlanukele. Akasangiphenduli ngitjho ngabaphorofidi namkha ngamabhudango. Nje-ke ngibize wena bona ungitjele bonyana ngifanele ngenzeni?” 16USamyela wathi: “Alo, uzelani kimi nakube uSomnini ukuhlanukele waba sisitha sakho? 17USomnini wenze akukhuluma kimi ngawe ngaphambili: USomnini uwususile umbuso esandleni sakho, wawunikela uDavida, umakhelwanakho, ongcono kunawe. 18USomnini wenze lokhu kuwe namhlanjesi ngebanga lokobana ungakhange umlalele. Bekasilingekele ama-Amalekhi, nje-ke bewufanele uwarhayile nya. 19USomnini uzokunikela kanye no-Israyeli esandleni samaFilista. Kusasa wena nabesabakho nizobe nikimapha. Begodu ibutho laka-Israyeli uSomnini uzolinikela emaFilisteni.”
20Khonokho uSawula wadusuka phasi azele ukwesaba ngebanga lamezwi kaSamyela. Gade aphelelwe mamandla ngombana loke ilangelo nobusukobo, ubengakhange agome ilitho. 21Kuthe lokha isangomeso nasifika kuSawula simbona bonyana uyarutharutha, sathi: “Kosami, nginikele ukuphila kwami ngakulalela, ngenza koke othe ngikwenze. 22Nje-ke ngiyakubawa, lalela incekukazakho. Yithi ngikunikele ukudla ugome ukuze ube namandla wokukhamba indlela.” 23USawula wala wathi: “Angifuni ukudla.” Kodwana amadoda agade akhamba naye asiza isangoma, amncenga wawalalela. Wavuka, wahlala emkghadini. 24Isangoma besinethole elinonisiweko ekhaya, salihlaba masinyana. Sathatha iflowuru sayibhica, sabhaga isikwa esinganangumelo. 25Sase sibeka phambi kwakaSawula neenceku zakhe, bagoma. Khona ngobusukobo basikima bagoduka.
