1 USamuyeli 22
1 UDavida wasuka eGathi wabalekela ebhalwini lwase-Adulami. Kwathi abafowabo labendlu kayise sebekuzwile, baya kuye khonale.
David therefore departed from there and escaped to Adullam’s cave. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him.
2 Bonke labo ababelosizi loba ababelemilandu kumbe ababelensolo babuthana kuye, wasesiba ngumkhokheli wabo. Abantu ababelaye babengaba zinkulungwane ezine.
Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them. There were with him about four hundred men.
3 Esuka lapho uDavida waya eMizipha kwelaseMowabi wathi enkosini ye-Mowabi, “Ungabavumela yini ubaba lomama ukuba bazehlala lawe ngize ngazi uNkulunkulu azangenzela khona na?”
David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother come out to you, until I know what God will do for me.”
4 Ngakho wabatshiya enkosini yaseMowabi njalo bahlala layo sonke isikhathi uDavida esenqabeni.
He brought them before the king of Moab; and they lived with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.
5 Kodwa umphrofethi uGadi wathi kuDavida, “Ungahlali enqabeni. Yana elizweni lakoJuda.” Ngakho uDavida wasuka waya ehlathini laseHerethi.
The prophet Gad said to David, “Don’t stay in the stronghold. Depart, and go into the land of Judah.” Then David departed, and came into 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 heard that David was discovered, with the men who were with him. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around 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 his servants who stood around him, “Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds?
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 all of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who discloses to me when my son makes a treaty with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is today?”
9 Kodwa uDoyegi, umʼEdomi, owayemi lezikhulu zikaSawuli wathi, “Mina ngibone indodana kaJese isiya ku-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi eNobhi.
Then Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, answered and said, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
10 U-Ahimeleki umbuzele kuThixo; waphinda wamnika ukudla lenkemba kaGoliyathi umFilistiya.”
He inquired of the LORD for him, gave him food, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11 Lapho-ke inkosi yathumela ilizwi lokubiza umphristi u-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi labo bonke abendlu kayise, ababengabaphristi eNobhi, yikho bonke baya enkosini.
Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob; and they all came to the king.
12 USawuli wasesithi, “Khathesi-ke lalela, ndodana ka-Ahithubi.” Waphendula wathi, “Yebo, nkosi yami.”
Saul said, “Hear now, you son of Ahitub.” He answered, “Here I am, my lord.”
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?”
Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as it is today?”
14 U-Ahimeleki waphendula wathi, “Ngubani kuzozonke izinceku zakho othembeke njengoDavida, umkhwenyana wenkosi, induna yabakulindayo njalo lohlonitshwa kakhulu endlini yakho na?
Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, “Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, captain of your body guard, and honored in your house?
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.”
Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? Be it far from me! Don’t let the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.”
16 Kodwa inkosi yathi, “Ngeqiniso uzakufa, Ahimeleki, wena labo bonke abendlu kayihlo.”
The king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.”
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.
The king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled and didn’t disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king wouldn’t put out their hand to fall on 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.
The king said to Doeg, “Turn and attack the priests!” Doeg the Edomite turned, and he attacked the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five people who wore a linen ephod.
19 Wabuye wahlasela iNobhi ngenkemba, umuzi wabaphristi, lamadoda ayo kanye labesifazane, abantwana bayo lensane, lenkomo zayo, obabhemi kanye lezimvu.
He struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword—both men and women, children and nursing babies, and cattle, donkeys, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
20 Kodwa u-Abhiyathari, indodana ka-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi, waphunyuka wabaleka wayamanyana loDavida.
One of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David.
21 Watshela uDavida ukuthi uSawuli wayebulele abaphristi bakaThixo.
Abiathar told David that Saul had slain the LORD’s priests.
22 UDavida wasesithi ku-Abhiyathari, “Ngaloluyana usuku, lapho uDoyegi umʼEdomi wayekhona, ngakwazi ukuthi uzamtshela ngempela uSawuli. Ngilecala lokufa kwabendlu kayihlo bonke.
David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of all the persons of your father’s house.
23 Hlala lami; ungesabi; umuntu ofuna ukukubulala lami futhi ufuna ukungibulala. Uvikelekile nxa ulami.”
Stay with me. Don’t be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. You will be safe with me.”
