1 USamuyeli 13
1 USawuli waba yinkosi eleminyaka engamatshumi amathathu ubudala bakhe, njalo wabusa u-Israyeli iminyaka engamatshumi amane lambili.
Saul was ruling for less than a year, when he ruled during year two over Israel,
2 USawuli wakhetha abantu abazinkulungwane ezintathu ko-Israyeli; abazinkulungwane ezimbili babelaye eMikhimashi laselizweni lezintaba eleBhetheli, njalo abayinkulungwane babeloJonathani eGibhiya koBhenjamini. Bonke abasalayo wababuyisela emakhaya abo.
that Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the people he sent away, each to his own home.
3 UJonathani wahlasela inkamba yamabutho amaFilistiya eGebha, njalo amaFilistiya akuzwa lokho. Lapho-ke uSawuli wathi kakukhaliswe icilongo kulolonke ilizwe wathi, “AmaHebheru kawezwe!”
Now Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was at Gibeah, and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear."
4 Ngakho u-Israyeli wonke wayizwa indaba yokuthi: “USawuli usehlasele inkamba yamabutho amaFilistiya, njalo u-Israyeli khathesi useyisinengiso kumaFilistiya.” Njalo abantu babizwa ukuba bayehlanganyela loSawuli eGiligali.
All Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become repulsive to the Philistines. So the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.
5 AmaFilistiya abuthana ukuthi alwe lo-Israyeli ngezinqola zempi eziyizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amathathu, labatshayeli bazo abazinkulungwane eziyisithupha kanye lamabutho ayemanengi njengetshebetshebe ekhunjini lolwandle. Ahamba ayamisa eMikhimashi, empumalanga kweBhethi-Aveni.
The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, and brought up against Israel three thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude: and they came up, and camped in Michmash, eastward of Beth Aven.
6 Kwathi abantu bako-Israyeli bebona ukuthi umumo wabo wawusumubi lokuthi ibutho labo lalincindezelwe kanzima, bacatsha ezimbalwini lasemajukujukwini, laphakathi kwamadwala, emilindini lasemigodini.
When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were in a difficult situation), then the people hid themselves in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns.
7 Amanye amaHebheru aze achaphela elizweni lakoGadi kanye leGiliyadi. USawuli wasala eGiligali, njalo wonke amabutho ayelaye ayeqhuqha ngenxa yokwesaba.
Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
8 Walinda insuku eziyisikhombisa, isikhathi esasimiswe nguSamuyeli; kodwa uSamuyeli kezanga eGiligali; yikho abantu bakaSawuli baqalisa ukuchitheka.
And he stayed seven days, according to the time that Samuel had said. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people began to abandon him.
9 Ngakho wathi, “Ngilethelani umnikelo wokutshiswa leminikelo yobuzalwane.” USawuli wanikela umnikelo wokutshiswa.
Saul said, "Bring here the burnt offering to me, and the peace offerings." He offered the burnt offering.
10 Kwathi khonokho nje eqeda ukunikela umnikelo wokutshiswa, uSamuyeli wafika, uSawuli waphuma wayambingelela.
It came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, look, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.
11 USamuyeli wabuza wathi, “Kuyini osukwenzile na?” USawuli waphendula wathi, “Kuthe ngibona abantu sebechitheka, lokuthi kawufikanga ngesikhathi esimisiweyo, kanye lokuthi amaFilistiya abebuthana eMikhimashi,
Samuel said, "What have you done?" Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash;
12 ngacabanga ngathi, ‘Khathesi amaFilistiya azakuzangihlasela eGiligali, njalo kangicelanga umusa kuThixo.’ Ngakho ngizwe ngincindezeleka ukuba nginikele umnikelo wokutshiswa.”
therefore I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven't entreated the favor of the LORD.' I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering."
13 USamuyeli wathi, “Wenze ubuthutha. Kawuwugcinanga umlayo uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho akupha wona; aluba ubukwenzile lokho, ubezamisa umbuso wakho phezu kuka-Israyeli kokuphela.
Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you; for now the LORD would have established your kingdom on Israel forever.
14 Kodwa umbuso wakho kawuyikuqhubeka; uThixo usedinge indoda emthandayo ngenhliziyo yakhe wambeka ukuba ngumbusi wabantu bakhe, ngoba wena kawuwugcinanga umlayo kaThixo.”
But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the LORD has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which the LORD commanded you."
15 Emva kwalokho uSamuyeli wasuka eGiligali waya eGibhiya koBhenjamini, uSawuli wasebala abantu ababelaye. Babengaba ngamakhulu ayisithupha.
And Samuel arose and departed from Gilgal, and the rest of the people went up after Saul to meet him after the men of war, when they had come up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.
16 USawuli lendodana yakhe uJonathani kanye labantu ayelabo babehlala eGibhiya koBhenjamini, amaFilistiya emise izihonqo eMikhimashi.
Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines camped in Michmash.
17 Amaqembu abahlaseli aphuma ezihonqweni zamaFilistiya ngezigaba ezintathu. Elinye laqonda e-Ofira eduze leShuwali,
The spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual;
18 elinye laqonda eBhethi-Horoni, kwathi elesithathu laqonda endaweni esemngceleni ngaphezu kweSigodi saseZebhoyimi malungana lenkangala.
and another company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned toward the border that overlooks the valley of Zeboim.
19 Akulamkhandi wensimbi owayengatholakala kulolonke elako-Israyeli, ngoba amaFilistiya ayethe, “Mhlawumbe amaHebheru azakwenza izinkemba kumbe imikhonto.”
Now there was no blacksmith found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines had said, "Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears."
20 Ngakho u-Israyeli wonke waya kumaFilistiya ukuyalola amakhuba akhe, lamamatoki, lamahloka kanye amasikela.
But all Israel would go down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, mattock, axe, and sickle;
21 Imbadalo yokulolisa amakhuba lamamatoki yayingokubili kokuthathu kweshekeli, njalo ingokukodwa kokuthathu kweshekeli ukulola amafologwe lamahloka kanye lokucijisa izijujo.
and the charge was one payim for the plowshares and for the mattocks, and three shekels for picks and axes and to set the goads.
22 Ngakho ngosuku lwempi akulabutho elaliloSawuli loJonathani elalilenkemba kumbe umkhonto esandleni salo; uSawuli loJonathani kuphela yibo ababelakho.
So on the day of the battle of Michmash there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
23 Ngalesisikhathi amaFilistiya ayesephume aya emkhandlwini waseMikhimashi.
The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.
