1 uSamuweli 14:24-46

Abantu bakwa-Israyeli babecindezelwa ngalolo suku, kepha uSawule wafungisa abantu, wathi: “Makaqalekiswe umuntu odla ukudla kungakahlwi, ngingakaziphindiseli ezitheni zami.” Akwabakho muntu owezwa ukudla. Abantu bonke beza ehlathini; kwakukhona izinyosi phansi. Abantu sebengenile ehlathini, bheka, izinyosi zaconsa, kepha akwabakho muntu obeka isandla emlonyeni, ngokuba abantu besaba isifungo. Kepha uJonathani akezwanga lapho uyise efungisa abantu; ngalokho welula isihloko senduku esesandleni sakhe, wasicwilisa ezinyosini, wabeka isandla emlonyeni; ayeseqabuka amehlo akhe. Kwase kuthatha omunye wabantu, wathi: “Uyihlo wabafungisa nokubafungisa abantu, ethi: ‘Makaqalekiswe umuntu odla ukudla namuhla.’ Abantu babephelile amandla.” Wayesethi uJonathani: “Ubaba uhluphile izwe; ake nibone ukuthi amehlo ami aseqabukile, ngokuba ngizwe ingcosana yalezi zinyosi. Kakhulu kangakanani, uma abantu bebedlile impela impango yezitha zabo abayifumanayo, ngokuba nga engabulawanga kakhulu amaFilisti na?” Babulala amaFilisti ngalolo suku kusukela eMikimashi kuze kube se-Ajaloni; abantu baphela amandla kakhulu. Abantu batheleka empangweni, bathatha izimvu, nezinkabi, namankonyane, bakubulalela phansi; abantu bakudla kanye negazi. Base bemtshela uSawule, bethi: “Bheka, abantu bayona kuJehova ngokudla okunegazi.” Wathi: “Nenze kabi; gingqelani kimi itshe elikhulu namuhla.” Wathi uSawule: “Hlakazekelani phakathi kwabantu, nithi kubo: ‘Lethani kimi, kube yilowo nalowo inkabi yakhe, nalowo imvu yakhe, nizihlabe lapha, nidle, ningoni kuJehova ngokudla okunegazi.’ ” Bonke abantu baletha, kwaba yilowo nalowo inkabi yakhe ngalobo busuku ngesandla sakhe, bazihlaba khona. USawule wamakhela uJehova i-altare; kwakuyi-altare lokuqala amakhela lona uJehova. USawule wathi: “Masehle, silandele amaFilisti ebusuku, siwaphange kuze kuse, singashiyi noyedwa kuwo.” Bathi: “Yenza konke okuhle emehlweni akho.” Umpristi wayesethi: “Masisondele lapha kuNkulunkulu.” USawule wabuza kuNkulunkulu wathi: “Ngehle ngilandele amaFilisti na? Uyakuwanikela esandleni sakwa-Israyeli na?” Kepha akamphendulanga ngalolo suku. USawule wathi: “Sondelani lapha nina nonke zinhloko zabantu, nazi, nibone ukuthi bekuyisiphi lesi sono sanamuhla. Ngokuba, kuphila kukaJehova osindisa u-Israyeli, nokuba sikuJonathani indodana yami, uyakufa nokufa.” Kepha akwabakho noyedwa owamphendulayo. Wayesethi ku-Israyeli wonke: “Buyelani nganhlanye nina, mina noJonathani indodana yami siyakubuyela nganhlanye.” Abantu bathi kuSawule: “Yenza okuhle emehlweni akho.” Ngalokho uSawule wathi kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: “Malivele iqiniso.” OJonathani noSawule badliwa yinkatho, kepha abantu baphunyuka. USawule wathi: “Yenzani inkatho phakathi kwami noJonathani indodana yami.” Wadliwa uJonathani. USawule wayesethi kuJonathani: “Ngitshele okwenzileyo.” UJonathani wamtshela wathi: “Impela ngezwa ingcosana yezinyosi ngesihloko senduku eyayisesandleni sami; bheka, sengizakufa.” USawule wathi: “Makenze njalo uNkulunkulu, enezele futhi, ngokuba uyakufa nokufa, Jonathani!” Abantu bathi kuSawule: “Uyakufa yini uJonathani okwenzile lokho kusindisa okukhulu kwa-Israyeli na? Makube kude; kuphila kukaJehova, akuyikuwela phansi nolulodwa unwele lwekhanda lakhe, ngokuba usebenzile noNkulunkulu namuhla.” Abantu bamhlenga ukuba angafi. USawule wayesenyuka ebuya ekulandeleni amaFilisti; aya endaweni yawo.