1 USamuweli 17:1-11

AmaFilisti ahlanganisa amabutho awo ukuba ayokulwa; abuthana eSoko kwaJuda, akanisa phakathi kweSoko ne-Azekha, e-Efesi Damimi. USawule no-Israyeli babuthana, bakanisa esigodini i-Ela, impi bayihlela ngezigaba zayo ukuze ibhekane neyamaFilisti. AmaFilisti ayemi kwenye intaba, no-Israyeli emi kwenye, kukhona isigodi phakathi kwabo. Kwaphuma enkanjini yamaFilisti iqhawe elikhulu, igama lalo kunguGoliyathi waseGathi. Ubude bakhe babungamakhubhithi ayisithupha nesandla. Wayefake isigqokosivikeli sethusi ekhanda, egqoke ibhantshi lensimbi. Isisindo sebhantshi sasingamashekeli ethusi ayizi-5 000. Wayenezivikelo zethusi emilenzeni, nengcula yethusi phakathi kwamahlombe. Uthi lomkhonto wakhe lwalunjengogongolo lomaluki; isihloko somkhonto sasingamashekeli ensimbi angama-600. Phambi kwakhe kwakuhamba ophethe isihlangu. Wema, wamemeza ezinhleni zakwa-Israyeli, wathi: “Niphumeleni na? Niphumele ukuhlela impi? Mina ngingumFilisti nina niyizinceku zikaSawule. Ziqokeleni umuntu, ehle eze kimi. Uma enamandla okulwa nami, angibulale, siyakuba yizigqila zenu, kodwa uma ngimehlula, ngimbulale, niyakuba yizigqila zethu, nisikhonze.” UmFilisti wathi: “Ngiyazedelela namuhla izinhla zakwa-Israyeli; nginikeni umuntu, silwe naye.” Lapho uSawule naye wonke u-Israyeli bezwa lawo mazwi omFilisti, bashaywa luvalo, besaba kakhulu.