1 USamuyeli 13
1 USawuli waba yinkosi eleminyaka engamatshumi amathathu ubudala bakhe, njalo wabusa u-Israyeli iminyaka engamatshumi amane lambili.
Saul was [thirty] years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years 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.
And Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mount of Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
3 UJonathani wahlasela inkamba yamabutho amaFilistiya eGebha, njalo amaFilistiya akuzwa lokho. Lapho-ke uSawuli wathi kakukhaliswe icilongo kulolonke ilizwe wathi, “AmaHebheru kawezwe!”
And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And 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.
And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were gathered together after Saul to 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.
And the Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched 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 a strait, (for the people were distressed, ) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in holds, and in pits.
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 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 tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had [appointed]: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
9 Ngakho wathi, “Ngilethelani umnikelo wokutshiswa leminikelo yobuzalwane.” USawuli wanikela umnikelo wokutshiswa.
And Saul said, Bring hither the burnt offering to me, and the peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.
10 Kwathi khonokho nje eqeda ukunikela umnikelo wokutshiswa, uSamuyeli wafika, uSawuli waphuma wayambingelela.
And it came to pass that, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
11 USamuyeli wabuza wathi, “Kuyini osukwenzile na?” USawuli waphendula wathi, “Kuthe ngibona abantu sebechitheka, lokuthi kawufikanga ngesikhathi esimisiweyo, kanye lokuthi amaFilistiya abebuthana eMikhimashi,
And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not 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 said I, Now will the Philistines come down upon me to Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favour 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.
And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
14 Kodwa umbuso wakho kawuyikuqhubeka; uThixo usedinge indoda emthandayo ngenhliziyo yakhe wambeka ukuba ngumbusi wabantu bakhe, ngoba wena kawuwugcinanga umlayo kaThixo.”
But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath appointed him to be prince over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
15 Emva kwalokho uSamuyeli wasuka eGiligali waya eGibhiya koBhenjamini, uSawuli wasebala abantu ababelaye. Babengaba ngamakhulu ayisithupha.
And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.
16 USawuli lendodana yakhe uJonathani kanye labantu ayelabo babehlala eGibhiya koBhenjamini, amaFilistiya emise izihonqo eMikhimashi.
And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
17 Amaqembu abahlaseli aphuma ezihonqweni zamaFilistiya ngezigaba ezintathu. Elinye laqonda e-Ofira eduze leShuwali,
And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto 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 the way of the border that looketh down upon the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19 Akulamkhandi wensimbi owayengatholakala kulolonke elako-Israyeli, ngoba amaFilistiya ayethe, “Mhlawumbe amaHebheru azakwenza izinkemba kumbe imikhonto.”
Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
20 Ngakho u-Israyeli wonke waya kumaFilistiya ukuyalola amakhuba akhe, lamamatoki, lamahloka kanye amasikela.
but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock;
21 Imbadalo yokulolisa amakhuba lamamatoki yayingokubili kokuthathu kweshekeli, njalo ingokukodwa kokuthathu kweshekeli ukulola amafologwe lamahloka kanye lokucijisa izijujo.
yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes; and to set the goads.
22 Ngakho ngosuku lwempi akulabutho elaliloSawuli loJonathani elalilenkemba kumbe umkhonto esandleni salo; uSawuli loJonathani kuphela yibo ababelakho.
So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.
23 Ngalesisikhathi amaFilistiya ayesephume aya emkhandlwini waseMikhimashi.
And the garrison of the Philistines went out unto the pass of Michmash.
