1 uSamuweli 17:12-33

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. UDavide washiya impahla yakhe esandleni somlindi wempahla, wagijimela empini, wabingelela abafowabo. Kepha esakhuluma nabo, bheka, kwenyuka iqhawe elikhulu, umFilisti waseGati, nguGoliyati igama lalo, ephuma ezinhleni zamaFilisti, wakhuluma wona lawo mazwi; uDavide wawezwa. Bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli sebebonile lo muntu bambalekela, besaba kakhulu. Abantu bakwa-Israyeli bathi: “Nimbonile lowo muntu owenyukile na? Ngokuba wenyukile ukuyakweyisa u-Israyeli; kuyakuthi umuntu ombulalayo, inkosi imcebise ngengcebo enkulu, imnike indodakazi yayo, iyenze indlu kayise ibe ngekhululekile kwa-Israyeli.” UDavide wakhuluma kubantu ababemi naye, wathi: “Kuyakwenziwa ntoni kumuntu obulala lowo mFilisti, asuse ihlazo kwa-Israyeli, na? Ngokuba ngubani lowo mFilisti ongasokile ukuba ayeyise impi kaNkulunkulu ophilayo na?” Abantu bamphendula ngalona lelo zwi; bathi-ke: “Kuyakwenziwa kanjalo kumuntu ombulalayo.” U-Eliyabe umfowabo omkhulu wezwa lapho ekhuluma kubantu; intukuthelo ka-Eliyabe yamvuthela uDavide, wathi: “Wehleleni na? Uzishiye kubani leziya zimvu ezingengakanani ehlane na? Mina ngiyakwazi ukuziphakamisa kwakho nobubi benhliziyo yakho, ngokuba wehlile ukuba ubuke impi.” Kepha uDavide wathi: “Ngenzeni na? Bekungumbuzo nje.” Wamfulathela, wabheka komunye, wakhuluma lona lelo zwi; abantu bamphendula njengakuqala. Esezwakele amazwi abewakhulumile uDavide alandwa phambi kukaSawule; wambiza. UDavide wayesethi kuSawule: “Makungaqedwa nhliziyo yamuntu ngalowo; inceku yakho iyakuhamba ilwe nalowo mFilisti.” USawule wathi kuDavide: “Awunamandla okuya kulowo mFilisti, ulwe naye, ngokuba ungumfana nje, yena eyindoda yempi kwasebusheni bakhe.”