1 Samuel 11
1 Then Nahash the Ammonite went and laid seige to Jabesh Gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”
UNahashi umʼAmoni wasuka wayivimbezela iJabheshi Giliyadi. Bonke abantu baseJabheshi bathi kuye, “Yenza isivumelwano lathi, thina sizakuba ngaphansi kwakho.”
2 Nahash the Ammonite replied, “On this condition will I make a treaty with you, that I gouge out all of your right eyes, and in this way bring disgrace on all Israel.”
Kodwa uNahashi umʼAmoni waphendula wathi, “Ngizakwenza isivumelwano lani kuphela nxa kuyikuthi ngizakhupha ilihlo lesandla sokunene emuntwini wonke wakini ukuze u-Israyeli wonke ngimlethele ihlazo.”
3 Then the elders of Jabesh replied to him, “Leave us alone for seven days, so that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you.”
Abadala baseJabheshi bathi kuye, “Sinike insuku eziyisikhombisa ukuze sithume izithunywa kulolonke elako-Israyeli; nxa engekho ozasihlenga sizazinikela kuwe.”
4 The messengers came to Gibeah, where Saul lived, and told the people what had happened. All the people wept loudly.
Kwathi izithunywa sezifike eGibhiya kaSawuli njalo zabika izimiso lezi ebantwini bonke bakhala kakhulu.
5 Now Saul was following the oxen out of the field. Saul said, “What is wrong with the people that they are weeping?” They told Saul what the men of Jabesh had said.
Ngalesosikhathi uSawuli wayevela emasimini, engemuva kwenkabi zakhe, wasebuza esithi, “Kuyini okonakeleyo ebantwini? Kungani bekhala?” Bamlandisela okwakutshiwo ngabantu baseJabheshi.
6 When Saul heard what they said, the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he was very angry.
Kwathi uSawuli esezwe amazwi abo, uMoya kaNkulunkulu wehlela phezu kwakhe ngamandla, wathukuthela kakhulu.
7 He took a yoke of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel with the messengers. He said, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, this is what will be done to his oxen.” Then the terror of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out together as one man.
Wathatha inkabi ezimbili, waziquma zaba yiziqayiqa, wathumela iziqa lezithunywa kulolonke elako-Israyeli, zimemezela zisithi, “Lokhu yikho okuzakwenziwa enkabini zikabani lobani ongalandeli uSawuli loSamuyeli.” Ukwesabeka kukaThixo kwehlela ebantwini, baphuma sebenjengomuntu munye.
8 When he mustered them at Bezek, the people of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
Kwathi uSawuli esebaqoqile eBhezekhi, abantu bako-Israyeli babezinkulungwane ezintathu, abakoJuda bezinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amathathu.
9 They said to the messengers that came, “You will tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be rescued.'” So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.
Batshela izithunywa ezazifikile bathi, “Tshelani abantu baseJabheshi Giliyadi ukuthi, ‘Kuzakuthi ilanga selitshisa kusasa, lina lizakuba selihlengiwe.’” Kwathi izithunywa sezihambe zayabika lokhu ebantwini baseJabheshi, bathokoza.
10 Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do to us whatever seems good to you.”
Basebesithi kuma-Amoni, “Kusasa sizazinikela kini, njalo lingenza kithi loba kuyini okukhanya kukuhle kini.”
11 The next day Saul put the people in three groups. They came into the middle of the camp during the morning watch, and they attacked and defeated the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
Ngelanga elalandelayo uSawuli wehlukanisa abantu bakhe baba ngamaviyo amathathu; kwathi ngomlindo wokucina ebusuku bafohlela ezihonqweni zama-Amoni bawabulala ilanga laze latshisa. Lawo aphephayo ahlakazeka, akwaze kwaba lamabili awo asala endawonye.
12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who was it who said, 'Will Saul reign over us?' Bring the men, so we can put them to death.”
Abantu basebesithi kuSamuyeli, “Ngubani owabuza wathi, ‘USawuli uzasibusa na?’ Balethe kithi labobantu sibabulale.”
13 But Saul said, “No one must be put to death this day, because today Yahweh has rescued Israel.”
Kodwa uSawuli wathi, “Kakho ozabulawa lamhla, ngoba ngalolusuku uThixo umhlengile u-Israyeli.”
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the monarchy there.”
USamuyeli wasesithi ebantwini, “Wozani, kasiyeni eGiligali siyeqinisa ubukhosi khona.”
15 So all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings before Yahweh, and Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
Ngakho abantu bonke baya eGiligali bambeka uSawuli ukuba yinkosi phambi kukaThixo. Bahlaba khona imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula, njalo uSawuli labantu bonke bako-Israyeli baba lomkhosi omkhulu wokuthokoza.
