1 uSamuweli 14:1-15

Kwathi ngosuku oluthile uJonathani indodana kaSawule wathi odibini oluphethe izikhali zakhe: “Woza siwele, siye ekhandeni lamaFilisti elingaphesheya.” Kepha akamtshelanga uyise. USawule wahlala emaphethelweni aseGibeya phansi kompomegranati* oseMigroni; abantu ababe naye babe ngamakhulu ayisithupha; u-Ahiya indodana ka-Ahithubi, umfowabo ka-Ikabodi indodana kaFinehasi ka-Eli, umpristi kaJehova eShilo, wayembethe ingubo yamahlombe. Abantu babengazi ukuthi uJonathani uhambile. Phakathi kwezintuba uJonathani afuna ukuwela ngazo ukuya ekhandeni lamaFilisti kwakukhona ugedla lwesiwa ngalapha nogedla lwesiwa ngalapha; igama lolunye laliyiBosesi, negama lolunye laliyiSene. Olunye ugedla lwaluphakeme ngasenyakatho phambi kweMikimashi, nolunye ngaseningizimu phambi kweGeba. UJonathani wathi odibini lwakhe oluphethe izikhali zakhe: “Woza siwele, siye ekhandeni lalabo abangasokile; ingabe uJehova uyakusisebenzela, ngokuba akukho okumthiyayo uJehova ukuba asindise ngabaningi noma ngabayingcosana.” Ophethe izikhali zakhe wathi kuye: “Yenza konke okusenhliziyweni yakho: hamba, bheka, nginawe njengenhliziyo yakho.” Wayesethi uJonathani kuye: “Bheka, siyakuwela, siye kulabo bantu, sizibonakalise kubo. Uma bethi kithi: ‘Hlalani size sifike kini,’ khona siyakuma endaweni yethu, singenyukeli kubo. Kepha uma bethi: ‘Yenyukelani kithi,’ siyakwenyuka, ngokuba uJehova ubanikele esandleni sethu; lokhu kuyakuba yisibonakaliso kithi.” Bobabili bazibonakalisa kulo ikhanda lamaFilisti; amaFilisti ayesethi: “Bhekani, amaHeberu aphuma emigodini acashe kuyo.” Abantu basekhandeni bamphendula uJonathani nodibi lwakhe, bathi: “Khuphukelani kithi, siyakunifundisa indaba.” UJonathani wayesethi odibini oluphethe izikhali zakhe: “Khuphuka emva kwami, ngokuba uJehova ubanikele esandleni sakwa-Israyeli.” UJonathani wakhuphuka ngezandla zakhe nangezinyawo zakhe, nodibi lwakhe emva kwakhe; bawa phambi kukaJonathani, nodibi lwezikhali zakhe lwababulala emva kwakhe. Lokho kuceka kokuqala abakwenzayo uJonathani nodibi lwezikhali zakhe kwakungabantu kungathi amashumi amabili ebangeni elingathi inxenye ye-eka* lensimu. Kwaba khona ukuthuthumela ekamu,* nasendle, naphakathi kwabantu bonke; ikhanda nabaphangi bathuthumela nabo, nomhlaba wazamazama, kwaze kwaba ngukuthuthumela okukhulu.