1 Samuweli 23:1-14

Base bebikela uDavide, bathi: “Bheka, amaFilisti alwa neKehila, aphanga izibuya; Ngalokho uDavide wabuza kuJehova, wathi: “Ngihambe ngiwabulale lawa maFilisti na? UJehova wathi kuDavide: “Hamba, uwabulale amaFilisti, usindise iKehila.” Abantu bakaDavide bathi kuye: “Bheka, siyesaba lapha kwaJuda; kakhulu kangakanani, uma sifika eKehila ukulwa nezimpi zamaFilisti? UDavida wasephinda wabuza kuJehova. UJehova wamphendula, wathi: “Suka wehlele eKehila; ngokuba ngiyakuwanikela amaFilisti esandleni sakho. UDavide nabantu bakhe baya eKehila, balwa namaFilisti, bathumba izinkomo zawo, bawabulala ngokuceka okukhulu. Kanjalo uDavide wabasindisa abakhileyo eKehila. Lapho u-Abiyathara indodana ka-Ahimeleki ebaleka ngemva kukaDavide eKehila, wehla ephethe indwangu ehlombe esandleni sakhe. Kwabikwa kuSawule ukuthi uDavide ufikile eKehila. USawule wayesethi: “UNkulunkulu umnikele esandleni sami; ngoba uvalelwe ngokungena emzini onamasango nemigoqo. USawule wabiza bonke abantu ukuba balwe, behlele eKehila, bavimbezele uDavide nabantu bakhe. UDavide wazi ukuthi uSawule umenze okubi ngasese; wathi ku-Abiyathara umpristi: “Letha ingubo yamahlombe.” UDavide wathi: “Jehova Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, inceku yakho izwile nokuzwile ukuthi uSawule ufuna ukuza eKehila ukuba achithe umuzi ngenxa yami. Amadoda aseKehila anganginikela yini esandleni sakhe? Ingabe uSawule uzokwehla njengoba inceku yakho izwile? Jehova Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, yitshele inceku yakho. Wathi uJehova: Uyokwehla. UDavida wasesithi: Abantu beKehila bazanginikela mina labantu bami esandleni sikaSawuli yini? Wathi uJehova: Bazakunikela esandleni sakho. Ngemva kwalokho uDavide namadoda ayekanye naye, kungathi abangamakhulu ayisithupha, basuka basuka eKehila, bahamba nomaphi lapho babengaya khona. USawule watshelwa ukuthi uDavide ubalekile eKehila; wehluleka ukuphuma. UDavide wahlala ehlane ezinqabeni, wahlala entabeni ehlane laseZifi. USawule wamfuna zonke izinsuku, kepha uNkulunkulu akamnikelanga esandleni sakhe.