1 Samuweli 15:1-23

USamuweli wathi kuSawule: “UJehova ungithumile ukuba ngikugcobe ube yinkosi phezu kwabantu bakhe u-Israyeli; manje lalela izwi lamazwi kaJehova. Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uthi: “Ngikhumbula lokho u-Amaleki akwenza ku-Israyeli, ukuthi wamlinda endleleni ekukhuphukeni kwakhe eGibithe. Manje hamba ushaye u-Amaleki, uchithe konke anakho, ungawayekeli; kodwa nihlabe iduna nensikazi, nezinsana, nezinsana, nezinkabi, nezimvu, namakamela, nezimbongolo. USawule wabiza abantu, wababala eThelayimi, izinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amabili zemigundatshani nezinkulungwane eziyishumi zakwaJuda. USawule wafika emzini ka-Amaleki, walala phansi esigodini. USawuli wasesithi kumaKheni: Hambani lisuke, lehlele phakathi kwamaAmaleki, ukuze ngingalibhubhi kanye lawo; ngoba wabonisa umusa kubo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ekukhuphukeni kwabo bephuma eGibhithe. Ngakho amaKheni asuka phakathi kwama-Amaleki. USawule wawachitha ama-Amaleki kusukela eHavila kuze kufike eShuri elingaphambi kwaseGibhithe. Wabamba u-Agagi inkosi yama-Amaleki ephila, wababulala bonke abantu ngosiko lwenkemba ngesiqalekiso. Kepha uSawule nabantu bamyeka u-Agagi, nehle kunakho konke kwezimvu, nezinkomo, nokukhuluphalisiwe, namawundlu, nakho konke okuhle, abathandanga ukuwashaya ngesiqalekiso, kepha konke okubi nokubi nokubi. Ukugeza imfucuza, ababhubhisa ngokuphelele. Izwi likaJehova lafika kuSamuweli, lathi: Ngiyazisola ngokuthi ngibeke uSawule njengenkosi, ngokuba wachezuka kimi, akagcinanga imiyalo yami. Lokhu kwamphatha kabi uSamuweli; wakhuleka kuJehova ubusuku bonke. USamuweli wavuka ekuseni ukuhlangabeza uSawule ekuseni, watshelwa uSamuweli ukuthi: “USawule wafika eKarmeli, bheka, wamlungisela indawo; Lapho uSamuweli efika kuSawule, uSawule wathi kuye: “Mawubusiswe wena nguJehova! Ngenza umyalo kaJehova. Wayesethi uSamuweli: “Kuyini lokhu kukhala kwezimvu ezindlebeni zami nokuhleka kwezinkomo engikuzwayo na? USawule wayesethi: “Bazikhipha kuma-Amaleki, ngokuba abantu basindise izimvu ezinhle kakhulu nezinkomo ukuze bahlabele uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho; futhi okusele sikushaya ngesiqalekiso sokuxoshwa. USamuweli wasesithi kuSawuli: Hlala, mina-ke ngizakutshela lokho i Nkosi ekutsho kimi ngalobubusuku. Wathi kuye: “Khuluma nje.” Wayesethi uSamuweli: “Umncane emehlweni akho, awubekwanga waba yinhloko yezizwe zakwa-Israyeli, uJehova wakugcoba ukuba ube yinkosi kwa-Israyeli na? UJehova wakuthuma endleleni, wathi: ‘Hamba ulethe izoni, ama-Amaleki, ngesiqalekiso, ulwe nawo aze aphele. Pho, kungani ungalilalelanga izwi likaJehova, kodwa waphaphatheka empangweni, wenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova? USawuli wasesithi kuSamuweli: Yebo, ngalilalela ilizwi le Nkosi, ngahamba ngendlela iNkosi eyayingithume ngayo, ngamletha u-Agagi inkosi yamaAmaleki, ngatshaya amaAmaleki ngesiqalekiso. Kepha abantu bathatha empangweni yezimvu nezinkomo, okubaluleke kakhulu ezintweni eziqalekisiweyo, ukuze bahlabele uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho eGiligali. USamuweli wasesithi: I Nkosi iyayithokozela yini iminikelo yokutshiswa lemihlatshelo ukwedlula ukulalela ilizwi le Nkosi? Bheka, ukulalela kungcono kunomhlatshelo, nokulalela kungcono kunamanoni ezinqama. Ngokuba ukuhlubuka kufana nesono sokuthakatha, nenkani ingububi nokukhonza izithombe. Ngokuba ulilahlile izwi likaJehova, naye ukulahlile wena ukuba ungabi yinkosi.