1 USamuweli 14:1-23

Langa limbe uJonathani, indodana kaSawule, wathi odibini lwakhe: “Woza siwele, siye ebuthweni lamaFilisti elingaphesheya.” Kepha akamazisanga uyise ngalokho. USawule wahlala emaphethelweni eGibheya, phansi kwesihlahla samahananadi eMigroni. Wayenabantu abangama-600 ababenaye lapho. U-Ahiya, indodana ka-Ahithubi, umfowabo ka-Ikhabhodi kaFinehasi ka-Eli, umphristi kaSimakade eShilo, wayembethe ingubo yamahlombe. Abantu babengazi ukuthi uJonathani uhambile. Phakathi kwezikhala uJonathani ayefuna ukucusha kuzo aye ngaphesheya, agasele ibutho lamaFilisti, kwakunogedla lwesiwa ngapha nangapha. Igama lesinye kwakuthiwa yiBhozezi, esinye kuthiwa yiSene. Olunye ugedla lwesiwa lwalugebele ngasenyakatho, phambi kweMikhimashi, olunye ngaseningizimu, phambi kweGebha. UJonathani wathi odibini lwakhe: “Woza siwelele ngaphesheya, siye ebuthweni labangasokile, mhlawumbe uSimakade uzosisiza, ngokuba akukho okungamthiya ukuba asindise, kungaba ngabaningi noma ngabayingcosana.” Udibi lwathi kuye: “Yenza konke okusenhliziyweni yakho: hamba; nginawe ngenhliziyo epheleleyo.” UJonathani wayesethi kuye: “Uyabona-ke, siyakuwela, siye kulabo bantu, siziveze kubo. Uma bethi kithi: ‘Hlalani size sifike kini,’ siyakuma endaweni yethu, singenyukeli kubo. Kepha uma bethi: ‘Yenyukelani kithi,’ siyakwenyuka, ngokuba uSimakade uyakubanikela esandleni sethu; lokho kuyakuba yisibonakaliso kithi.” Baziveza bobabili kulo ibutho lamaFilisti. AmaFilisti ayesethi: “Bhekani, amaHebheru ayaphuma emigodini acashe kuyo.” Abantu ababesebuthweni lamaFilisti babamemeza uJonathani nodibi lwakhe, bathi: “Khuphukelani lapha kithi, sizonitshela okuthile.” UJonathani wayesethi odibini lwakhe: “Khuphuka ungilandele, ngokuba uSimakade ubanikele esandleni sakwa-Israyeli.” UJonathani wakhuphuka ekhasa ngezandla nezinyawo, nodibi lwakhe lumlandela. Abantu bawa phambi kukaJonathani, udibi lwakhe olwalumlandela lwabacoboshisa. Kuleso sehlakalo sokuqala sokubulawa kwabantu uJonathani nodibi lwakhe babulala abantu abangama-20 ebangeni elingathi liyingxenye ye-ekha lensimu. Kwaba khona ukuthuthumela enkanjini, endle, nakubo bonke abantu. Ibutho nabaphangi bathuthumela, umhlaba wazamazama, kwaba ngukuthuthumela okukhulu. Abaqaphi bakaSawule eGibheya kwaBhenjamini babona isixuku sihlakazeka, siya ngapha nangalaphaya. USawule wayesethi kubantu ababenaye: “Balani manje, nibone ukuthi ngubani ongekho phakathi kwethu.” Babala; bheka, uJonathani nodibi lwakhe babengekho. USawule wathi ku-Ahiya: “Letha umphongolo kaNkulunkulu.” Ngokuba umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ngaleso sikhathi wawukwabakwa-Israyeli. Kwathi uSawule esakhuluma kumphristi, umsindo owawusenkanjini yamaFilisti waqhubeka, wanda kakhulu. USawule wathi kumphristi: “Susa isandla sakho.” USawule wabiza bonke abantu ababenaye, bahamba baya ukuyolwa. Kwaba yilowo nalowo wasingena ngenkemba isitha, yatholana phezulu kwashunqa uthuli. Nalawo maHebheru ayekade eseqembukele kumaFilisti nawo akhuphukela enkanjini ayizungeza nxazonke, ayeseba nabakwa-Israyeli ababenoSawule noJonathani. Bonke abakwa-Israyeli ababecashe kwelezintaba kwa-Efrayimi bezwa ukuthi amaFilisti abalekile, nabo bawaxosha ngempi. USimakade wamsindisa u-Israyeli ngalolo lusuku. Impi yalwa yaze yedlulela eBhethi Aveni.