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 became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.
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.
Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the people to their own tents.
3 UJonathani wahlasela inkamba yamabutho amaFilistiya eGebha, njalo amaFilistiya akuzwa lokho. Lapho-ke uSawuli wathi kakukhaliswe icilongo kulolonke ilizwe wathi, “AmaHebheru kawezwe!”
Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, 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 was considered an abomination to the Philistines. 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.
The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped 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 distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in tombs, 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 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.
He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel; but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.
9 Ngakho wathi, “Ngilethelani umnikelo wokutshiswa leminikelo yobuzalwane.” USawuli wanikela umnikelo wokutshiswa.
Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering to me here, 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 finished offering the burnt offering, behold, 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 didn’t 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 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.
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 will 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.
Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted 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 encamped in Michmash.
17 Amaqembu abahlaseli aphuma ezihonqweni zamaFilistiya ngezigaba ezintathu. Elinye laqonda e-Ofira eduze leShuwali,
The raiders 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.
another company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim towards the wilderness.
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 said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves 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, each man to sharpen his own ploughshare, mattock, axe, and sickle.
21 Imbadalo yokulolisa amakhuba lamamatoki yayingokubili kokuthathu kweshekeli, njalo ingokukodwa kokuthathu kweshekeli ukulola amafologwe lamahloka kanye lokucijisa izijujo.
The price was one payim each to sharpen mattocks, ploughshares, pitchforks, axes, and 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 neither sword nor spear was found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son had them.
23 Ngalesisikhathi amaFilistiya ayesephume aya emkhandlwini waseMikhimashi.
The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.
