1 USamuyeli 23

1 Kwathi uDavida esetsheliwe ukuthi, “Khangela, amaFilistiya ahlasela iKheyila njalo aphanga leziza,”

And they told David, saying: 'Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors.'

2 wabuza uThixo, esithi, “Ngingahamba ukuyahlasela amaFilistiya la na?” Uthixo wamphendula wathi, “Hamba uyehlasela amaFilistiya uhlenge iKheyila.”

Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying: 'Shall I go and smite these Philistines?' And the LORD said unto David: 'Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.'

3 Kodwa abantu bakaDavida bathi kuye, “Lapha koJuda thina siyesaba. Pho kuzakuba kukhulu kangakanani nxa sizakuyamelana lamabutho amaFilistiya eKheyila!”

And David's men said unto him: 'Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?'

4 UDavida waphinda wambuza futhi uThixo, njalo uThixo wamphendula wathi, “Hamba eKheyila, ngoba amaFilistiya ngizawanikela ezandleni zakho.”

Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said: 'Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand.'

5 Ngakho uDavida labantu bakhe baya eKheyila, walwa lamaFilistiya wathumba izifuyo zawo. Wabulala amaFilistiya amanengi kakhulu wahlenga abantu baseKheyila.

And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and slew them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 (U-Abhiyathari indodana ka-Ahimeleki wayeze lesembatho semahlombe ekubalekeleni kwakhe kuDavida eKheyila.)

And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

7 USawuli watshelwa ukuthi uDavida wayeseye eKheyila, ngakho wathi, “UNkulunkulu usemnikele kimi, ngoba uDavida usezifake entolongweni ngokungena edolobheni elilamasango lemigoqo.”

And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said: 'God hath delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.'

8 USawuli wamemeza amabutho akhe wonke empini ukuba aye eKheyila ukuyavimbezela uDavida labantu bakhe.

And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

9 Kwathi uDavida esizwa ukuthi uSawuli wayeceba okubi ngaye, wathi ku-Abhiyathari umphristi, “Letha isembatho samahlombe.”

And David knew that Saul devised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest: 'Bring hither the ephod.'

10 UDavida wasesithi, “Awu Thixo, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, inceku yakho isizwile impela ukuthi uSawuli uceba ukuza eKheyila achithe idolobho ngenxa yami.

Then said David: 'O LORD, the God of Israel, Thy servant hath surely heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

11 Abantu baseKheyila banganginikela kuye na? USawuli uzakuza na njengalokhu inceku yakho ekuzwileyo? Awu Thixo Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, itshele inceku yakho.” UThixo wathi, “Uzakuza.”

Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as Thy servant hath heard?' O LORD, the God of Israel, I beseech Thee, tell Thy servant.' And the LORD said: 'He will come down.'

12 UDavida wabuza njalo wathi, “Abantu baseKheyila bazanginikela labantu bami kuSawuli na?” UThixo wathi, “Bazakunikela.”

Then said David: 'Will the men of Keilah deliver up me and my men into the hand of Saul?' And the LORD said: 'They will deliver thee up.'

13 Ngakho uDavida labantu bakhe, ababengaba ngamakhulu ayisithupha ubunengi babo, basuka eKheyila baqhubeka behamba besuka kwenye indawo baye kwenye. USawuli esezwile ukuthi uDavida wayesebalekile eKheyila kasayanga khona.

Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbore to go forth.

14 UDavida wahlala ezinqabeni zasenkangala lasezintabeni zeNkangala yaseZifi. Nsuku zonke uSawuli wamdinga, kodwa uNkulunkulu kamnikelanga uDavida ezandleni zakhe.

And David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.

15 Kwathi uDavida eseHoreshi eNkangala yaseZifi, wezwa ukuthi uSawuli wayephumele ukuyambulala.

And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life; and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood.

16 Njalo indodana kaSawuli uJonathani waya kuDavida eHoreshi wamsiza ukuba athole amandla kuNkulunkulu.

And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

17 Wathi kuye, “Ungesabi. Ubaba uSawuli kasoze abeke isandla phezu kwakho. Wena uzakuba yinkosi yako-Israyeli, njalo mina ngizakuba ngumsekeli wakho. Lobaba uSawuli uyakwazi lokhu.”

And he said unto him: 'Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.'

18 Bobabili benza isivumelwano phambi kukaThixo. Emva kwalokho uJonathani waya ekhaya, kodwa uDavida wasala eHoreshi.

And they two made a covenant before the LORD; and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

19 Abantu baseZifi baya kuSawuli eGibhiya bathi kuye, “Kanti uDavida kacatshanga phakathi kwethu ezinqabeni eHoreshi, entabeni yaseHakhila, eningizimu kweJeshimoni na?

Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying: 'Doth not David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

20 Ngakho-ke woza Nkosi nxa kukuthokozisa ukwenzanjalo, thina sizakuba yithi esizamnikela enkosini.”

Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king's hand.'

21 USawuli waphendula wathi, “Uthixo alibusise ngokungikhathalela kwenu.

And Saul said: 'Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have had compassion on me.

22 Hambani liyekwenza amanye amalungiselelo. Dingani ukwazi lapho uDavida ajayele ukuya khona lokuthi ngubani owambonayo khonapho. Bangitshela ukuthi uliqili kakhulu.

Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there; for it is told me that he dealeth very subtly.

23 Funani ukwazi ngazozonke izindawo zokucatsha azisebenzisayo beselibuya kimi lilolwazi oluqinisekileyo. Emva kwalokho ngizahamba lani; nxa ekhona esigabeni, ngizamdinga phakathi kwezizwana zonke zakoJuda.”

See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hideth himself, and come ye back to me with the certainty, and I will go with you; and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.'

24 Ngakho-ke basuka baya eZifi besandulela uSawuli. Ngalesosikhathi uDavida labantu bakhe babeseNkangala yaseMawoni, e-Arabha eningizimu kweJeshimoni.

And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul; but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of Jeshimon.

25 USawuli labantu bakhe baqalisa ukudinga, njalo kwathi uDavida esetsheliwe ngakho wehlela edwaleni wahlala eNkangala yaseMawoni. Kwathi uSawuli esekuzwile lokhu, waya eNkangala yaseMawoni elandela uDavida.

And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they told David; wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

26 USawuli wayehamba ngakwelinye icele lentaba, uDavida labantu bakhe bengakwelinye icele bephangisa ukuba babalekele uSawuli. Kwathi uSawuli lamabutho akhe sebezamfica uDavida labantu bakhe ukuba babathumbe,

And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain; and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.

27 kwafika isithunywa kuSawuli, sisithi, “Woza ngokuphangisa! AmaFilistiya ahlasela ilizwe.”

But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying: 'Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land.'

28 Lapho-ke uSawuli wayekela ukulandela uDavida wasesiyakulwa lamaFilistiya. Yikho-nje indawo le beyibiza ngokuthi Sela Hamalekhothi.

So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines; therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.

29 UDavida wahamba esuka lapho wayahlala ezinqabeni zase-Eni-Gedi.

And David went up from thence, and dwelt in the strongholds of En-gedi.