1 uSamuweli 16:1-23

UJehova wathi kuSamuweli: “Uyakumkhalela kuze kube nini na? Ngokuba ngimlahlile ukuba angabe esaba yinkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli. Gcwalisa uphondo lwakho ngamafutha, uhambe; ngiyakukuthuma kuJese waseBetlehema, ngokuba ngizibonele inkosi phakathi kwamadodana akhe.” Wathi uSamuweli: “Ngingahamba kanjani? Uma uSawule ekuzwa, uyakungibulala.” UJehova wathi: “Hamba nesithokazi, uthi: ‘Ngize ukuhlabela uJehova.’ Mbize uJese ekuhlabeni; ngiyakukwazisa ukuthi uyakwenzani: uyakungigcobela lowo engiyakumusho kuwe.” USamuweli wenza lokho akushoyo uJehova, waya eBetlehema. Amalunga omuzi amhlangabeza ethuthumela, athi: “Ukufika kwakho kunokuthula na?” Wathi: “Yebo, kunokuthula; ngize ukuhlabela uJehova; zingcweliseni, nize nami ekuhlabeni.” Wabangcwelisa uJese namadodana akhe, wababiza ukuba beze ekuhlabeni. Kwathi sebefikile, wabheka u-Eliyabe, wathi: “Impela ogcotshiweyo kaJehova uphambi kwakhe.” Kepha uJehova wathi kuSamuweli: “Ungabheki isimo sakhe nobude bomzimba wakhe, ngokuba ngimalile, lokhu uJehova engabukisi okomuntu; umuntu ubheka okusemehlweni, kepha uJehova ubheka okusenhliziyweni.” UJese wayesebiza u-Abinadaba, wamdlulisa phambi kukaSamuweli. Wathi: “Nalona uJehova akamkhethanga.” UJese wayesedlulisa uShama. Wathi: “Nalona uJehova akamkhethanga.” UJese wadlulisa ayisikhombisa kumadodana akhe phambi kukaSamuweli. USamuweli wathi kuJese: “UJehova akawakhethanga nalawa.” USamuweli wathi kuJese: “Sebephelile abafana na?” Wathi: “Kusasele omncane; bheka, uyalusa izimvu.” USamuweli wathi kuJese: “Thumela umlande, ngokuba asiyikubuya, engakafiki lapha.” Wathumela, wamngenisa. Wayebomvana enamehlo amahle, emuhle ngokubukwa. UJehova wathi: “Suka umgcobe, ngokuba lona nguye.” USamuweli wayesethatha uphondo lwamafutha, wamgcoba phakathi kwabafowabo; uMoya kaJehova wehlela phezu kukaDavide ngamandla, kusukela kulolo suku kuya phambili. Wayesesuka uSamuweli, waya eRama. UMoya kaJehova wamuka kuSawule, nomoya omubi owavela kuJehova wamzuma. Izinceku zikaSawule zathi kuye: “Bheka-ke, umoya omubi ovela kuNkulunkulu ukuzumile. Mayisho inkosi yethu ukuba izinceku eziphambi kwakho zifune umuntu owazi ukubetha ihabhu;* kuyakuthi lapho ufikelwa ngumoya omubi ovela kuNkulunkulu, abethe ngesandla sakhe, kube kuhle kuwe.” USawule wayesethi kuzo izinceku zakhe: “Ngiboneleni umuntu owazi ukubetha kahle, nimlethe kimi.” Kwaphendula enye insizwa, yathi: “Bheka, ngibonile indodana kaJese waseBetlehema eyazi ukubetha, eyiqhawe elinamandla, eyindoda yempi nehlakaniphile ekukhulumeni, ebukeka, emuhle futhi; uJehova unayo.” Ngalokho uSawule wathuma izithunywa kuJese, wathi: “Thuma kimi uDavide indodana yakho osezimvini.” UJese wathatha imbongolo ithwele isinkwa, nemvaba yewayini, nezinyane lembuzi, wakuthuma kuSawule ngesandla sikaDavide indodana yakhe. UDavide wafika kuSawule, wema phambi kwakhe; wamthanda kakhulu, waba ludibi lwezikhali zakhe. USawule wathumela kuJese, wathi: “Akeme phambi kwami uDavide, ngokuba ufumene umusa emehlweni ami.” Kwathi nxa umoya owavela kuNkulunkulu emehlela uSawule, uDavide wathatha ihabhu,* walibetha ngesandla sakhe; wayesekhululeka uSawule, waba ngcono, umoya omubi wamuka kuye.