1 Samuweli 14:24-52

Abantu bakwa-Israyeli bacindezelwa ngalolo suku, ngokuba uSawule wabayala abantu, wathi: “Makaqalekiswe umuntu odla noma yini kuze kuhlwe, ukuze ngiziphindiselele ezitheni zami. Ngakho kakho ebantwini owanambitha ukudla. Izwe lonke lafika ehlathini; kwakukhona uluju emhlabathini. Lapho amadoda efika ehlathini, uju lwaconsa; kepha akubangakho obeka isandla sakhe emlonyeni wakhe, ngokuba abantu basesaba isifungo. Kepha uJonathani akalalelanga lapho uyise eyala abantu; ngakho welula isihloko sodondolo olusesandleni sakhe, walucwilisa ekhekhebeni lezinyosi, wasibeka isandla sakhe emlonyeni wakhe; lamehlo akhe akhanya. Yaphendula enye yamadoda, yathi: “Uyihlo ubaxwayisile kakhulu abantu, wathi: ‘Uqalekisiwe umuntu odla utho namuhla. Abantu baphela amandla. UJonathani wasesithi: Ubaba walinyakazisa ilizwe; bhekani, amehlo ami aqabukile, ngokuba nginambithe ingcosana yaloluju. Kakhulu kangakanani uma abantu namuhla besidla ngokukhululeka empangweni yezitha zabo abayitholile? Ngokuba kwakungekho ukubulalana okukhulu kakhulu manje phakathi kwamaFilisti na? Bawachitha amaFilisti ngalolo suku kusukela eMigimashi kuze kube se-Ajaloni, futhi abantu badinwa kakhulu. Abantu bandiza phezu kwempango, bathatha izimvu, nezinkomo, namathole, bakushaya phansi, abantu bakudla kanye negazi. Base bemtshela uSawule lokho, bathi: “Bheka, abantu bayona kuJehova ngokudla igazi.” Wathi: “Nenile; gingqela itshe elikhulu kimi namuhla. USawuli wasesithi: Zihlakazeleni phakathi kwabantu, lithi kubo: Lethani kimi, ngulowo lalowo inkomo yakhe, ngulowo lalowo umhlambi wakhe, lizihlabe lapha, lidle; futhi ningoni kuJehova ngokudla igazi. Bonke abantu ngalobo busuku baletha, kwaba yilowo nalowo izinkomo zakhe, bazihlaba khona. USawule wamakhela uJehova i-altare; laliyi-altare lokuqala elakhela uJehova. USawule wathi: “Masiwalandele amaFilisti ebusuku, siwaphange kuze kuse, singashiyi noyedwa wawo. Futhi bathi: Yenza noma yini enhle emehlweni akho. Wayesethi umpristi: “Masisondele kuNkulunkulu. USawuli wasebuza kuNkulunkulu wathi: Ngilandele amaFilisti yini? uyakuwanikela esandleni sika-Israyeli na? Kodwa akazange amphendule ngalolo suku. USawuli wasesithi: Sondelani lapha, zonke iziphathamandla zabantu, lazi, libone ukuthi siyini lesi sono lamuhla. Ngokuba kuphila kukaJehova ohlenga u-Israyeli, noma sikuJonathani indodana yami, uyakufa nokufa. Kodwa kwakungekho muntu phakathi kwabo bonke owamphendula. Wayesethi ku-Israyeli wonke: “Yibani nganxanye, mina noJonathani indodana yami siyakuba ngalapha.” Abantu bathi kuSawule: “Yenza okuhle emehlweni akho. USawuli wasesithi eNkosini uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Yenza inkatho epheleleyo. OSawule noJonathani baboshwa, kepha amadoda abaleka. USawuli wasesithi: Yenzani inkatho phakathi kwami loJonathani indodana yami. UJonathani wabanjwa. USawuli wasesithi kuJonathani: Ngitshele ukuthi wenzeni. UJonathani wamtshela wathi: “Nginambithe uluju oluncane ngesihloko sodondolo olusesandleni sami; bheka, ngiyakufa. USawule wathi: “UNkulunkulu makenze lokhu, enezele, ngokuba uyakufa nokufa, Jonathani. Abantu base bethi kuSawule: “Uyakufa uJonathani yini owenze lokhu kusindiswa okukhulu kwa-Israyeli na? makube kude lokho; kuphila kukaJehova, akuyikuwela phansi nonwele lwekhanda lakhe; ngoba usebenze noNkulunkulu namuhla. Abantu bamsindisa uJonathani, ukuze angafi. USawule wakhuphuka wawalandela amaFilisti, amaFilisti aya endaweni yawo. USawule wathatha ubukhosi kwa-Israyeli, walwa nazo zonke izitha zakhe nxazonke, noMowabi, nabantwana bakwa-Amoni, no-Edomi, namakhosi aseSoba, namaFilisti; futhi nomaphi lapho ephendukela khona, wayebahlupha. Wabutha impi, wanqoba ama-Amaleki, wakhulula u-Israyeli esandleni sabaphangi. Amadodana kaSawule ayengoJonathani, noJeshivi, noMelkishuwa; amagama amadodakazi akhe amabili yilawa; igama lezibulo lalinguMerabi, igama lencinyane lalinguMikhali; Igama lomkaSawule lalingu-Ahinohama indodakazi ka-Ahimahazi; igama lenduna yempi lalingu-Abineri indodana kaNeri uyisekazi kaSawule. UKishi wazala uSawule; uNeri, uyise ka-Abineri, wayeyindodana ka-Abiyeli. Kwakukhona impi enzima namaFilisti zonke izinsuku zikaSawule; lapho uSawule ebona indoda enamandla noma iqhawe, wamyisa kuye.