32 – Ukumkani uSawule

₁Ke kaloku uthe uSamweli akwaluphala wamisela oonyana bakhe baba ziinkokheli zamaSirayeli. ₂Unyana omkhulu wayenguJoweli, omncinci inguAbhiya. Babeziinkokheli eBheshebha. ₃Kambe ke bona babengamfuzanga uyise; bona babesemva kwenzuzo ngobuqhetseba, bengamathanda-kunyotywa, belamla ngesheyi.

₄Amadoda amakhulu ke akwaSirayeli aqokelelana, aya kutsho eRama kuSamweli, ₅afika athi kuye: “Sewaluphele wena ngoku, yaye noonyana bakho abakufuzanga mpela. Ngoko ke sityumbele ukumkani, khon' ukuze nathi sifane nezinye izizwe, sibe nokumkani osilawulayo.”

₆Samngena kakubi uSamweli isicelo sabo sokufuna ukumkani. Wabhenela *kuNdikhoyo, ₇waza wathi kuye uNdikhoyo: “Bek' iindlebe uyiphulaphule into abayithethayo aba bantu. Ababukuli wena; ndim lo bangamfuniyo ukuba abalawule. ₈Okoko ndaphuma nabo eJiputa, kude kube namhlanje, basoloko bendifulathela bekhonza thixo bambi; nangoku basayenza loo nto! ₉Siphulaphule isicelo sabo, kodwa uze ubaqononondise ibacacele impatho abaya kuyifumana kwabo kumkani babafunayo.”

₁₀USamweli wawaxelela ke amaSirayeli awayefuna ukumkani konke okwathethwa nguNdikhoyo, ₁₁wathi: “Ukumkani oya kunilawula uya kwenjenje: Woseka umkhosi ngoonyana benu. Abanye wobenza umkhosi weenqwelo, abanye babe ngumkhosi okhwela amahashe, abanye bagijime ngaphambi kwenqwelo yakhe. ₁₂Abanye boba ngabaphathi-mabutho, abanye babe ngabaphathi-maqela, abanye balime amasimi akhe, bavune nokuvuna, kubekho nabo baxhonkxa izikhali zokulwa kunye nezixhobo zeenqwelo zakhe. ₁₃Iintombi zenu wozenza zibe ngabaqholi nabapheki nababhaki bakhe. ₁₄Awona mahle amasimi enu, izidiliya, namabhoma eminquma, ukumkani wowahlutha awanike amaphakathi akhe. ₁₅Wobiza isahlulo sesishumi sengqolowa nediliya yenu, ayinike amagosa akhe. ₁₆Izicaka nezicakakazi zenu, neenkabi zenu, ezona zintle, kwakunye needonki zenu, wozithimba zisebenzele yena. ₁₇Isishumi semihlambi yenu wofuna siye kuye; lilonke niya kuba zizicaka zakhe. ₁₈Nakuba nimfumene kwanina niya kumkhalazela loo kumkani nimtyumbileyo. Ke yena uNdikhoyo akayi kuba saniphulaphula.”

₁₉AmaSirayeli akazange amphulaphule uSamweli, suka athi: “Hayi, sifuna ukulawulwa ngukumkani thina. ₂₀Xa kunjalo sofana nazo zonke ezinye iintlanga, sibe nokumkani osikhokelayo nasemfazweni.”

₂₁Wayiphulaphula yonke loo ntetho yabo uSamweli, waza waya kuyithetha ezindlebeni zikaNdikhoyo. ₂₂UNdikhoyo waphendula wenjenje: “Kulungile ke, banike ukumkani.”

USamweli ke uthe kumaSirayeli: “Makhe nigoduke, madoda.”

₁Ke kaloku kwakukho indwalutho yakwaBhenjamin eyayinguKishe igama, unyana ka-Abhiyeli, kaZerore, kaBhekorati, ka-Afiya. ₂UKishe wayenonyana ogama linguSawule, igatyana lenzwana yomfana. Lo mfana wayesukile egadeni evela kuwo onke amaSirayeli.

₃Ke kaloku kwalahleka iidonki zikaKishe uyise kaSawule. UKishe wabiza uSawule, wathi kuye: “Hamba kunye nesinye isicaka, uye kufuna iidonki zam, mfo wam.” ₄Banduluka ke abafana, bacanda kwaEfrayim kweleenduli, bawutyhutyha nommandla waseShalisha, abazifumana noko. Bajika baya kucanda nakummandla waseShalim, nalapho abazibona. Babuya bawutyhutyha ummandla wakwaBhenjamin, kodwa nalapho azabikho.

₅Bathe bakufika kummandla waseZufi, uSawule wathi kwisicaka awayehamba naso: “Mfondini, ndithi mna masigoduke ngoku. Ngahle ubawo akasacingi ngazidonki ngoku, selenexhala ngathi.”

₆Sithe isicaka: “Khawume! Apha kule dolophu kukho umfo wakwaThixo ohlonitshwe kakhulu nothi akuzithetha izinto zibe njengoko atshiloyo. Makhe siye kuye; mhlawumbi ke nathi angasibeka emkhondweni.”

₇USawule uthe: “Mfondini, uthi siya kumnika ntoni? Asisenamphako nasezingxoweni; asinanto sinayo konke esingamnikayo umfo wakwaThixo lo. Ngaba sinento esinayo na?”

₈Sithe isicaka ukuphendula: “Ndinabumalana apha kum endingamnika bona ukuze asibeke emkhondweni.”

_9-11Uthe uSamweli: “Ngxatsho ke! Utsho endodeni; masiye!” Baya ke kuloo dolophu kwakuhlala kuyo lo mfo wakwaThixo. Bathi besanyuka induli bejonge edolophini, bahlangana negqiza leentombi ezaziya kukha amanzi. Babuza kuzo bathi: “Ngaba imboni ikho na edolophini?” (Kaloku ngaloo maxesha *abashumayeli kwakusithiwa ziimboni.)

₁₂Zathi ezo ntombi: “Ewe, ikhona. Yandulela nina. Khawulezani. Isandul' ukufika namhlanje apha edolophini. Ize kulaa msebenzi wokwenza idini phaya endulini. ₁₃Ukuba niyasukela, noyifumana ingekanyuki phaya kulaa nduli ukuya kutya. Akusayi kutya bani ingekafiki yona. Kaloku kufuneka idini lisikelelwe yiyo kuqala, bandule abamenyiweyo ukutya. Sukelani ke, ningaphozisi maseko; noyifumana.”

₁₄Basukela ooSamweli nesicaka ukusinga edolophini. Bathe bakungena baqubisana noSamweli esendleleni eya endulini.

₁₅Kwangomhla ongaphambi kwalowo *uNdikhoyo wayeseletyhilele uSamweli esithi: ₁₆“Malunga neli xesha kanye ngomso ndiza kuthumela kuwe umfana ovela kwelakwaBhenjamin. Uze umthambise abe ngumlawuli wabantu bam amaSirayeli. Iza kuba nguye oya kubakhulula kumaFilistiya. Ndiyibonile inkxwaleko yabantu bam, ndasiva nesikhalo sabo.”

₁₇Wathi uSamweli akumthi ntla uSawule, uNdikhoyo wathi kuye: “Nguloo mfana ke lowo bendithetha ngaye. Nguye oza kulawula abantu bam.”

₁₈Wasuka uSawule waya kuSamweli owayesesangweni, wafika wathi: “Khawutsho, bawo, singayifumana phi imboni apha?”

₁₉Uphendule ngelithi uSamweli: “Ndim loo mboni. Hambani apha phambi kwam, siye phaya kulaa ndawo kunqulelwa kuyo, nidle kunye nam namhlanje. Loo nto nize ngayo ndoyichaza ngomso, ndinikhulule ke, nihambe. ₂₀Musani kuba sazikhathaza ngeedonki eziyâ bezilahlekile izolo elinye; sezifunyenwe. Ngubani na oza kuzuza elona wonga kwaSirayeli? Asinguwe na nomzi kayihlo uphela?”

₂₁USawule uthe ukuphendula: “Mna ndingowakwaBhenjamin, esona sizwe sincinane kwaSirayeli, yaye nabesiduko sakowethu ngowona mzi uphantsi kweso sizwe. Kungani na ukuba uthethe nam ngolu hlobo?”

₂₂USamweli wabangenisa ooSawule nesicaka sakhe egumbini elikhulu, wabahlalisa ezihlalweni zabona bahloniphekileyo phambi kwezinye iindwendwe ezimenyiweyo ezazimalunga namashumi amathathu. ₂₃Wabhekisa kumpheki uSamweli, wathi: “Yiza nalaa nyama bendikunike yona ndathi yibeke bucala.”

₂₄Waza ke umpheki weza nomlenze nokuhamba nawo, wawubeka phambi koSawule. Uthe ke uSamweli: “Nantso ke inyama obuyibekelwe. Yitye. Bendiyigcinele wena, ukuze uyitye kwesi sidlo kunye nabo bamenyiweyo.”

USawule ke waba lundwendwe lukaSamweli ngaloo mini. ₂₅Bathe ukubuya kulaa ndawo yokunqula, uSamweli wancokola noSawule endaweni eyakhiweyo phezu kwendlu. Walala apho ngobo busuku.

₂₆Kuthe ekuseni uSamweli waya kuvusa uSawule kulaa ndawo wayelele kuyo, wathi: “Vuka ngoku, ndikukhulule uhambe.” Wavuka uSawule. Baphuma kunye noSamweli.

₂₇Bathe xa bengasekuphumeni kwedolophu, wathi uSamweli kuSawule: “Yithi kwesi sicaka sakho masikhe sibe sihamba phambili.” Sahamba ke isicaka, waza ke uSamweli waqhuba wathi: “Khawuthi xha nje kancinci khe ndikuxelele udaba oluvela kuThixo.”

₁Ke kaloku uSamweli urhole iqhaga elalinamafutha omnquma, wawagalela entloko kaSawule, wamanga, wathi: “Uyakuthambisa *uNdikhoyo ukuze ulawule abantu bakhe. ₂Ukwahlukana kwethu namhlanje uya kuhlangana namadoda amabini phaya ngakwingcwaba likaRakeli eZeleza kumda wakwaBhenjamin. Aya kuthi kuwe: ‘Eziya donki ubuye kuzikhangela zifumanekile, yaye noyihlo akasazidubi ngazo ngoku, seleziduba ngawe. Selesithi: “Yaz'ba ndiza kuyithini na into yokungabuyi konyana wam?” ’

₃“Ùya kudlula apho, uye kutsho eTabhore kumthi wom-oki, apho wohlangana khona namadoda amathathu esendleleni eya eBhetele ukuya kukhonza uThixo. Enye indoda yoba ithwele amatakane ebhokhwe amathathu, enye iphethe izonka ezithathu, enye ixwaye imvaba yewayini. ₄Loo madoda aya kukubulisa, akunike izonka ezibini, oya kuthi wena uzithathe. ₅Emva koko uya kufika kulaa nduli kaThixo iseGibheya, apho amaFilistiya anekampu yamajoni. Ekungeneni kwakho edolophini apho wohlangana nomgcelele *wabashumayeli, bevela endulini apho, behamba bebetha iihapu, amagubu, iimpempe, neekatala, beshumayela besemoyeni. ₆Nawe ke uya kungenwa nguMoya kaNdikhoyo ngamandla, utsho ungenelele kuloo ntshumayelo nakuloo ntsholo yabo, ube mntu wumbi. ₇Yakuba le miqondiso izalisekile uze wenze oko kusemandleni akho, kuba uThixo unawe. ₈Uya kundandulela ukuya eGiligali. Nakanjani ndiya kufika, senzele khona uNdikhoyo amadini atshiswayo nawobudlelane. Uze undilinde apho iintsuku ezisixhenxe, ndide ndifike, ndikuyalele into omawuyenze.”

₉Uthe uSawule xa ejika enika uSamweli umva, uThixo wamnika mo yimbi uSawule. Yaye yonke loo miqondiso yayithethwe nguSamweli yazalisekiswa kwangaloo mini. ₁₀Ukufika kukaSawule nesicaka eGibheya wahlangatyezwa ngumgcelele wabashumayeli. UMoya kaThixo wamngena ngamandla, waza naye wangenelela washumayela. ₁₁Bathi bakumbona esenza loo nto abantu ababekade bemazi, babuzana besithi: “Yeha ke! Nithi ungenwe yini na unyana kaKishe? Nithi noSawule selewaba ngomnye *wabashumayeli na?”

₁₂“Bangoonyana bakabani bona aba?” wavakala esitsho omnye wabemi balapho.

Savela loo mini ke isaci esithi: “NoSawule lo kanti selewaba ngomnye wabashumayeli na?” ₁₃Wathi akuyeka ukushumayela uSawule, wenyuka waya endulini.

₁₄Uyisekazi akumbona yena nesicaka sakhe, wathi: “Khawutsho; nivela phi?”

“Besikhangela iidonki,” uphendule watsho uSawule. “Sithe ke sakungaziboni saya kuSamweli.”

₁₅“Waza wathini ke uSamweli kuni?” kubuza uyisekazi.

₁₆“Usixelele ukuba iidonki zifunyenwe.” NguSawule ke otshoyo; phofu akachaza nto kuyisekazi ngentetho kaSamweli ngombandela wokuba ngukumkani.

₁₇Ke kaloku uSamweli wabiza abantu bakwaSirayeli ukuya *kwaNdikhoyo eMizpa. ₁₈Wabhekisa kubo wathi: “Utsho uNdikhoyo, uThixo kaSirayeli, ukuthi: ‘Ndim owakhupha amaSirayeli eJiputa, ndawahlangula kwingcinezelo yamaJiputa nezinye iikumkani.’ ₁₉Kodwa ngoku nimfulathele uThixo wenu onihlangulayo kuzo zonke iinkxwaleko neenzingo, naza nathi: ‘Simisele ikumkani isilawule.’ Ngoko ke, dwelani apha phambi koNdikhoyo ngokwezizwe zenu neziduko zenu.”

₂₀Akuba uSamweli ezisondezile zonke izizwe zakwaSirayeli uNdikhoyo watyumba isizwe sakwaBhenjamin. ₂₁Waza uSamweli wasondeza isizwe sakwaBhenjamin ngokweziduko zaso, kwaza kwatyunjwa indlu kaMatri, kuyo kwatyunjwa uSawule unyana kaKishe. Bamkhangela kodwa ababi nakumfumana. ₂₂Baza babuza kuNdikhoyo bathi: “Ngaba selefikile na?”

UNdikhoyo wathi: “Ewe, nankuya ezimele phaya emva kwemithwalo.”

₂₃Akhawuleza aya kumrhola apho amadoda, amzisa ebantwini. Kwathi xa emi phakathi kwabo wavela ngentloko kubo bonke. ₂₄Wenjenje ke uSamweli ukubhekisa ebantwini: “Nanku ke umntu otyunjwe nguNdikhoyo. Niyabona nani ukuba akukho namnye onjengaye phakathi kwethu.”

Baduma bonke abantu, bathi: “Huntshu-u-u, ad' akhokhob' ukumkani!”

₂₅Ke uSamweli wabachazela ngemigaqo yobukumkani, wayibhala encwadini, waza wayibeka phambi kukaNdikhoyo. Wabandulula ke bonke, bagoduka. ₂₆Naye uSawule waya kowabo eGibheya. Kwabakho magorha antliziyo zichukunyiswe nguThixo, ahamba naye. ₂₇Babakho kambe noongantweni ababesithi: “Yintoni engenziwa ngulaa mfo ukusihlangula?” Bamdela, abamenzela zinwe; phofu wathi cwaka yena uSawule.