Abantu bakwa-Israyeli babecindezelekile ngalolo lusuku, ngokuba uSawule wayebafungisile abantu, wathi: “Makaqalekiswe umuntu oyodla ukudla kungakahlwi, ngingakaziphindiseli ezitheni zami.”
Akukho muntu owadla ukudla.
Bonke abantu bangena ehlathini; kwakukhona uju phansi. Beselapho ehlathini, bheka, kwakuconsa uju, kodwa akubanga bikho noyedwa owaludla, ngokuba bonke babesaba isifungo. UJonathani wayengasizwanga isifungo uyise asenzisa abantu. Wayeselula isihloko senduku yakhe ayeyiphethe, wayicwilisa ojwini, walukhotha; ayeseqabuka amehlo akhe. Omunye kubantu wathi: “Uyihlo ubafungisile nokubafungisa abantu, wathi: ‘Makaqalekiswe umuntu ozokudla ukudla namuhla.’ Abantu base bephelelwe ngamandla.”
UJonathani wayesethi: “Ubaba ulihluphile izwe. Ake nibheke ukuthi amehlo ami aseqabuke kanjani ngenxa yokukhotha nje leli consana loju. Kakhulu kangakanani-ke ukuba abantu bebeyidlile impango yezitha abayitholile, ngabe ababulalanga yini amaFilisti amaningi kakhulu na?”
Ngalo lolo suku babulala amaFilisti kusukela eMikhimashi kuze kube se-Ajaloni. Abantu baphelelwa ngamandla ngokwedlulele. Bayithelekela impango: bathatha izimvu, izinkabi namankonyane, bakuhlaba, bakudla kusenegazi. Abanye base bembikela uSawule, bathi: “Uyabona-ke, abantu sebonile kuSimakade badla okunegazi.”
Wathi uSawule: “Nenze kabi, ngakho-ke namuhla gingqelani kimi itshe elikhulu.”
USawule wathi: “Hlakazekani phakathi kwabantu, nibatshele bonke, nithi: ‘Akube yilowo nalowo alethe kimi inkabi yakhe, omunye imvu yakhe, nikuhlabe lapha kule ndawo, nikudle, ningabe nisona kuSimakade ngokudla okunegazi.’ ”
Abantu baletha, kwaba yilowo nalowo inkabi yakhe, bakuhlaba bona mathupha lapho. USawule wamakhela uSimakade i-althare; lelo kwaba yi-althare lokuqala alakhela uSimakade.
USawule wathi: “Masehle, silandele amaFilisti ebusuku, siwaphange kuze kuse, singashiyi noyedwa kuwo.”
Bathi: “Yenza konke okuhle okubona kufanele.”
Umphristi wayesethi: “Masisondele lapha kuNkulunkulu.”
USawule wabuza kuNkulunkulu wathi: “Ngehle yini ngilandele amaFilisti, na? Uyakuwanikela yini esandleni sabakwa-Israyeli na?”
Kepha akamphendulanga ngalolo lusuku.
USawule wathi: “Sondelani lapha nina nonke zinhloko zabantu, nina enaziyo nenibonile ukuthi senzeke kanjani lesi sono sanamuhla. Kuphila kukaSimakade osindisa u-Israyeli, ngisho noma ngabe senziwe nguJonathani indodana yami, uyakufa nokufa.”
Kepha akekho noyedwa owamphendula.
Wayesethi ku-Israyeli wonke: “Buyelani nganhlanye nina, mina noJonathani, indodana yami, siyakuya ngakolunye uhlangothi.”
Abantu bathi kuSawule: “Yenza okuhle okubona kufanele.”
USawule wayesethi kuSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: “Malivele iqiniso.”
UJonathani noSawule badliwa wunkatho; abantu basinda. USawule wathi: “Yenzani unkatho phakathi kwami noJonathani, indodana yami.”
UJonathani wadliwa wunkatho.
USawule wayesethi kuJonathani: “Ngitshele okwenzileyo.”
UJonathani wamtshela wathi: “Impela nginambithe iconsana loju ngesihloko senduku ebisesandleni sami. Sengizakufa.”
USawule wathi: “Makenze kanjalo uNkulunkulu, enezele futhi, ngokuba uyakufa nokufa, Jonathani!”
Abantu bathi kuSawule: “Uyakufa yini uJonathani osilethele lokhu kusindiswa okukhulu kwa-Israyeli na? Siyafunga siyagomela phambi kukaSimakade, makungenzeki lokho; akuyukuwela phansi nolulodwa unwele lwekhanda lakhe, ngokuba usebenze noNkulunkulu namuhla.”
Abantu bamhlenga uJonathani, akabulawanga.
USawule wayesebuya, wakhuphuka, akabe esawalandela amaFilisti; wona aya endaweni yawo.
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