1 uSamuweli 14:1-23

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. Abalindi bakaSawule eGibeya lakwaBenjamini babona, bheka, isixuku sahlakazeka, saya ngalapha nangalapha. USawule wayesethi kubantu ababe naye: “Balani manje, nibone ukuthi ngubani omukile kithi.” Babala, bheka, uJonathani nodibi lwezikhali zakhe babengekho. USawule wathi ku-Ahiya: “Letha umphongolo kaNkulunkulu.” Ngokuba umphongolo kaNkulunkulu wawukhona ngaleso sikhathi kwabakwa-Israyeli. Kwathi uSawule esakhuluma kumpristi, umsindo owawusekamu* lamaFilisti waqhubeka, wanda; uSawule wathi kumpristi: “Susa isandla sakho.” USawule nabo bonke abantu ababe naye babuthana, baya ekulweni; bheka, yilowo nalowo washaya omunye ngenkemba, kwaba khona ukungquzuka okukhulu kakhulu. AmaHeberu ayenamaFilisti kuqala nawo akhuphukela ekamu* nxazonke, aphendukela kwabakwa-Israyeli ababe noSawule noJonathani. Abantu bonke bakwa-Israyeli ababecashile ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi sebezwile ukuthi amaFilisti abaleka, nabo bawaxosha ekulweni. UJehova wasindisa u-Israyeli ngalolo suku; ukulwa kwadlulela eBeti Aveni.