1 USamuweli 31:1-13

AmaFilisti alwa no-Israyeli. Abantu bakwa-Israyeli babaleka phambi kwamaFilisti, abanye babo bawa, basala enkundleni, entabeni iGilibhowa. AmaFilisti amhubha uSawule namadodana akhe. AmaFilisti abulala uJonathani, u-Abhinadaba, noMalikhi Shuwa, amadodana kaSawule. Impi yaba nzima kakhulu kuSawule; abacibayo bamfica esebuhlungwini obukhulu ngenxa yokugwazwa ngumcibisholo. USawule wathi odibini lwakhe: “Hosha inkemba yakho, ungigwaze ngayo, funa abangasokile bafike bangigwaze, bangijivaze.” Kepha udibi lwakhe lwenqaba, ngoba lwesaba kakhulu. USawule wayesethatha inkemba yakhe, waziphonsa phezu kwayo. Kwathi lungabona udibi lwakhe ukuthi uSawule usefile, nalo lwaziphonsa phezu kwenkemba yalo, lwafa kanye naye. USawule wafa namadodana akhe omathathu, nodibi lwakhe, nabo bonke abantu bakhe ngalolo lusuku. Kwathi ukuba abantu bakwa-Israyeli ababephesheya kwesigodi nalabo ababengaphesheya kweJordani, babone ukuthi abantu bakwa-Israyeli bayabaleka, nokuthi uSawule namadodana akhe bafile, bashiya imizi yabo, babaleka. AmaFilisti afika, ahlala kuyo. Kwathi ngakusasa, amaFilisti abuya ukuyophanga ababebulewe, afumana uSawule namadodana akhe omathathu befele entabeni iGilibhowa. Amnquma ikhanda, athatha izikhali zakhe, athumela ezweni lamaFilisti ukumemezela yonke indawo endlini yezithombe zawo nakubantu. Abeka izikhali zikaSawule endlini ka-Ashitharothi, isidumbu sakhe asibethela ogangeni eBhethi Shani. Kwathi ukuba izakhamuzi zaseJabheshi Gileyadi zizwe ngokwenziwe ngamaFilisti kuSawule, kwasuka wonke amadoda anamandla, ahamba ubusuku bonke, asithatha isidumbu sikaSawule nezidumbu zamadodana akhe ogangeni eBhethi Shani, ahamba nazo, afika eJabeshi azishisela khona. Athatha amathambo abo awambela phansi komthamariske, eJabeshi. Azila ukudla izinsuku eziyisikhombisa.