< 1 USamuyeli 21 >
1 UDavida waya eNobhi ku-Ahimeleki umphristi. U-Ahimeleki wathuthumela ekuhlanganeni kwakhe laye, wasebuza esithi, “Kungani uwedwa na? Kungani kungekho olawe na?”
2 UDavida waphendula u-Ahimeleki umphristi wathi, “Inkosi ingiphathise udaba oluthize, wathi kimi, ‘Akungabikhona ozakwazi ngenjongo yakho langalokho okuthunyiweyo.’ Abantu bami ngibatshele ukuba bahlangane lami endaweni ethize.
3 Manje-ke, kuyini olakho? Ngipha izinkwa ezinhlanu, loba kuyini ongakuthola.”
4 Kodwa umphristi waphendula uDavida wathi, “Kangilasinkwa esejwayelekileyo; kodwa-ke kulesinkwa esingcwelisiweyo lapha kodwa kuya ngokuthi amadoda abezigcinile esifazaneni na.”
5 UDavida waphendula wathi, “Impela abesifazane babevinjelwe kithi, njengenjwayelo lapho ngiphuma. Imizimba yamadoda ingcwele lasemikhankasweni engengcwele. Pho ingaba njalo okungakanani lamhla!”
6 Ngakho umphristi wamnika isinkwa esingcwelisiweyo ngoba kwakungelasinkwa lapho ngaphandle kwesinkwa esiNgcwele sikaThixo esasisuswe phambi kukaThixo kwasekubekwa esitshisayo endaweni yaso ngosuku esasuswa ngalo.
7 Ngalolosuku omunye wezinceku zikaSawuli wayekhonapho, ekhonza phambi kukaThixo; wayenguDoyegi umʼEdomi, induna yabelusi bakaSawuli.
8 UDavida wabuza u-Ahimeleki wathi, “Kawulamkhonto kumbe inkemba lapha na? Kangizanga lenkemba yami loba nje esinye isikhali, ngoba umsebenzi wenkosi ubungophuthumayo.”
9 Umphristi waphendula wathi, “Inkemba kaGoliyathi umFilistiya owambulalayo eSigodini sase-Ela, ilapha; igoqelwe ngelembu ngemva kwesembatho semahlombe. Nxa uyifuna, ithathe; kakukho enye inkemba lapha ngaphandle kwaleyo.” UDavida wasesithi, “Kayikho enjengayo; ngipha yona.”
10 Ngalolosuku uDavida wabalekela uSawuli waya ku-Akhishi inkosi yaseGathi.
11 Kodwa izinceku zika-Akhishi zathi kuye, “Lo kasuDavida inkosi yelizwe na? Kasuye yini abahlabela ngaye emigidweni yabo besithi: ‘USawuli ubulele izinkulungwane zakhe, kodwa uDavida ubulele amatshumi ezinkulungwane zakhe’?”
12 UDavida wawagcina amazwi la enhliziyweni yakhe wamesaba kakhulu u-Akhishi inkosi yaseGathi.
13 Ngakho wazenza ophambeneyo kubo; njalo kwathi lapho ekubo wenza njengomuntu ohlanyayo, edwebadweba ezivalweni zesango njalo wayekela lendenda zehlela endevini zakhe.
14 U-Akhishi wasesithi ezincekwini zakhe, “Khangelani umuntu lo! Uphambene! Kungani limletha kimi na?
15 Lithi ngiziswele yini inhlanya lize lilethe umuntu lo lapha ukuba aqhubeke kanje phambi kwami na? Umuntu lo kumele angene endlini yami na?”
