1 uSamuweli 17:1-21

AmaFilisti abutha izimpi zawo ukuba alwe; abuthana eSoko lakwaJuda, amisa phakathi kweSoko ne-Azeka e-Efesi Damimi. USawule nabantu bakwa-Israyeli babuthana, bamisa esigodini sase-Ela, bahlela impi ukuhlangabezana namaFilisti. AmaFilisti ayemi entabeni ngalapha, u-Israyeli wayemi entabeni ngalapha; kwakukhona isigodi phakathi kwabo. Kwaphuma iqhawe elikhulu ekamu* lamaFilisti, igama lalo linguGoliyati waseGati, obude bakhe buyizingalo eziyisithupha nesandla. Wayenesigqoko sethusi ekhanda, egqoke ibhantshi lensimbi; isisindo sebhantshi sasingamashekeli* ayizinkulungwane eziyisihlanu ethusi. Wayenezivikelo zethusi emilenzeni, nengcula yethusi phakathi kwamahlombe. Uthi lomkhonto wakhe lwalunjengogongolo lomaluki; isihloko somkhonto sasingamashekeli* angamakhulu ayisithupha ensimbi; ophethe isihlangu wahamba phambi kwakhe. Wema, wamemeza ezinhleni zakwa-Israyeli, wathi kuzo: “Niphumelani ukuhlela impi na? Angisiye umFilisti, nina niyizinceku zikaSawule, na? Zikhetheleni umuntu, ehle eze kimi. Uma enamandla okulwa nami, angibulale, siyakuba yizigqila zenu; kepha uma ngimahlula, ngimbulale, niyakuba yizigqila zethu, nisikhonze.” UmFilisti wathi: “Ngiyazeyisa namuhla izinhla zakwa-Israyeli; nginikeni umuntu, silwe naye.” Lapho uSawule naye wonke u-Israyeli bezwa lawo mazwi omFilisti, bashaywa luvalo, besaba kakhulu. UDavide wayeyindodana yalowo mEfrati waseBetlehema Juda ogama lakhe lalinguJese; wayenamadodana ayisishiyagalombili; lowo muntu wayemdala ezinsukwini zikaSawule phakathi kwabantu. Amadodana amathathu amakhulu kaJese ayemlandele uSawule ukuya empini; amagama amadodana akhe amathathu ayeyile empini ayengu-Eliyabe izibulo, emelamayo ngu-Abinadaba, neyesithathu nguShama. UDavide nguye owayengomncinyane; amathathu amakhulu amlandela uSawule. UDavide wahamba wabuya ukuyakwalusa izimvu zikayise eBetlehema. UmFilisti wasondela ekuseni nakusihlwa, wema khona izinsuku ezingamashumi amane. UJese wathi kuDavide indodana yakhe: “Ake uthathele abafowenu i-efa* lalolu tshwele nalezi zinkwa eziyishumi, usheshe uye ekamu* labafowenu, uphathele induna yenkulungwane lawa makhekheba kashizi,* ubheke impilo yabafowenu, uthathe isibambiso kubo.” USawule nabo bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli base besesigodini sase-Ela, belwa namaFilisti. UDavide wavuka ekuseni kakhulu, washiya izimvu kumlindi, wathatha, wahamba, njengalokho uJese amyale ngakho; wafika enqabeni yezinqola, impi isaphuma ukuyakuhlelwa, yahlaba umkhosi. U-Israyeli namaFilisti bahlela impi, babhekana.