1 USamuyeli 22
1 UDavida wasuka eGathi wabalekela ebhalwini lwase-Adulami. Kwathi abafowabo labendlu kayise sebekuzwile, baya kuye khonale.
David escaped and went to the cave of Adullam. When they heard where he was his brothers and all the rest of his family went and joined him there.
2 Bonke labo ababelosizi loba ababelemilandu kumbe ababelensolo babuthana kuye, wasesiba ngumkhokheli wabo. Abantu ababelaye babengaba zinkulungwane ezine.
Everyone who was in trouble or in debt or resentful also came to him and he became their leader. He had around four hundred men with him.
3 Esuka lapho uDavida waya eMizipha kwelaseMowabi wathi enkosini ye-Mowabi, “Ungabavumela yini ubaba lomama ukuba bazehlala lawe ngize ngazi uNkulunkulu azangenzela khona na?”
Then David went to Mizpeh in the country of Moab. He asked the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come and stay with you until I find out what God is planning for me.”
4 Ngakho wabatshiya enkosini yaseMowabi njalo bahlala layo sonke isikhathi uDavida esenqabeni.
So he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with the king all the time David lived in the stronghold.
5 Kodwa umphrofethi uGadi wathi kuDavida, “Ungahlali enqabeni. Yana elizweni lakoJuda.” Ngakho uDavida wasuka waya ehlathini laseHerethi.
But then the prophet Gad told David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Go back to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
6 Ngalesosikhathi uSawuli wezwa ukuthi uDavida labantu bakhe babebonakele. Njalo uSawuli, ephethe umkhonto ngesandla, wayehlezi ngaphansi kwesihlahla somthamarisiki phezu koqaqa eGibhiya, lazozonke izikhulu zakhe zimi zimhanqile.
Saul found out that David had returned and where he was. Saul was sitting under the tamarisk tree on the hill in Gibeah. He had his spear in his hand, with all his officials surrounding him.
7 USawuli wathi kuzo, “Lalelani bantu bakoBhenjamini! Kambe indodana kaJese izalipha lonke amasimu lezivini na? Kambe lonke izalenza libe ngabalawuli bezinkulungwane labalawuli bamakhulu na?
Saul said to them, “Listen to me, you men of Benjamin! Is the son of Jesse going to give all of you fields and vineyards and make you commanders and officers in the army?
8 Kungenxa yalokho lonke selicebe okubi ngami na? Kakho ongitshelayo nxa indodana yami isenza isivumelwano lendodana kaJese. Kakho owenu okhathazekayo ngami loba angitshele ukuthi indodana yami itshotshozela izinceku zami ukuba zingicathamele, njengalokhu ekwenzayo lamhla.”
Is that why you've all plotted against me? Not a single one of you told me that my own son had made an agreement with Jesse's son. Not a single one of you has shown you cared about me, or explained to me that my son has encouraged him to try and kill me, which is what he's doing right now!”
9 Kodwa uDoyegi, umʼEdomi, owayemi lezikhulu zikaSawuli wathi, “Mina ngibone indodana kaJese isiya ku-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi eNobhi.
Doeg the Edomite, who was standing there with Saul's officers, spoke up, saying, “I saw the son of Jesse visit Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, at Nob.
10 U-Ahimeleki umbuzele kuThixo; waphinda wamnika ukudla lenkemba kaGoliyathi umFilistiya.”
Ahimelech asked advice from the Lord for him and gave him food. He gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine as well.”
11 Lapho-ke inkosi yathumela ilizwi lokubiza umphristi u-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi labo bonke abendlu kayise, ababengabaphristi eNobhi, yikho bonke baya enkosini.
The king sent a message to summon Ahimelech the priest, son of Ahitub, and all his family, who were priests at Nob. They all came to the king.
12 USawuli wasesithi, “Khathesi-ke lalela, ndodana ka-Ahithubi.” Waphendula wathi, “Yebo, nkosi yami.”
“Now you listen, son of Ahitub,” the king shouted. “What is it, my lord?” Ahimelech asked.
13 USawuli wasesithi kuye, “Kungani licebe okubi ngami, wena lendodana kaJese, wayinika isinkwa lenkemba njalo wayibuzela kuNkulunkulu, okwenze yangihlamukela njalo yangicathamela, njengalokhu ekwenzayo lamhla na?”
“Why have you and the son of Jesse plotted against me? You gave him bread and a sword, and asked advice from God for him so that he could rebel against me and try and kill me, which is what he's doing right now!”
14 U-Ahimeleki waphendula wathi, “Ngubani kuzozonke izinceku zakho othembeke njengoDavida, umkhwenyana wenkosi, induna yabakulindayo njalo lohlonitshwa kakhulu endlini yakho na?
“Who of all your officers is as trustworthy as David, the king's son-in-law? He is in charge of your bodyguard, and highly respected in your family!” Ahimelech responded.
15 Ngalelolanga ngangiqala ukumbuzela kuNkulunkulu na? Hatshi impela! Inkosi kayingethesi inceku yakho icala loba omunye wabendlu kayise, ngoba inceku yakho kayazi lutho lakancane ngodaba lonke lolu.”
“And was that day the first time he asked advice from God on his behalf? Of course not! The king should not accuse me your servant or any of my family, for I didn't know anything about any of this.”
16 Kodwa inkosi yathi, “Ngeqiniso uzakufa, Ahimeleki, wena labo bonke abendlu kayihlo.”
“You're going to die for this!” the king declared. “You and all your family!”
17 Inkosi yasilaya abalindi ababephansi kwayo yathi, “Phendukani libulale abaphristi bakaThixo ngoba labo basekele uDavida. Babekwazi ukuthi uyabaleka, kodwa kabangitshelanga.” Kodwa izikhulu zenkosi zazingafuni ukuphakamisa izandla ukuba zigalele abaphristi bakaThixo.
Then the king turned to his bodyguards standing there and ordered them, “Kill these priests of the Lord, because they're on David's side! They knew he was a fugitive and yet they didn't tell me!” But the king's guards refused to attack the priests of the Lord.
18 Ngakho inkosi yalaya uDoyegi yathi, “Phenduka ugalele abaphristi!” UDoyegi umʼEdomi waphenduka wabagongoda. Mhlalokho wabulala abantu abangamakhulu ayisificaminwembili lanhlanu ababegqoka izembatho zemahlombe ezelineni.
So the king ordered Doeg, “You kill the priests!” Doeg the Edomite attacked and killed the priests, killing eighty-five men wearing the priestly ephod.
19 Wabuye wahlasela iNobhi ngenkemba, umuzi wabaphristi, lamadoda ayo kanye labesifazane, abantwana bayo lensane, lenkomo zayo, obabhemi kanye lezimvu.
Then he went to Nob, the town of the priests, and slaughtered its men and women, children and infants, cattle, donkeys, and sheep.
20 Kodwa u-Abhiyathari, indodana ka-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi, waphunyuka wabaleka wayamanyana loDavida.
But one of the sons of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, managed to escape. His name was Abiathar, and he ran away and joined David.
21 Watshela uDavida ukuthi uSawuli wayebulele abaphristi bakaThixo.
He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord.
22 UDavida wasesithi ku-Abhiyathari, “Ngaloluyana usuku, lapho uDoyegi umʼEdomi wayekhona, ngakwazi ukuthi uzamtshela ngempela uSawuli. Ngilecala lokufa kwabendlu kayihlo bonke.
David told Abiathar, “I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that he was going to tell Saul about it. It's my fault that all your family have died.
23 Hlala lami; ungesabi; umuntu ofuna ukukubulala lami futhi ufuna ukungibulala. Uvikelekile nxa ulami.”
But you can stay with me and you don't need to be afraid, because the man who wants to kill you wants to kill me too. I'll take good care of you.”
