1 USamuyeli 27
1 Kodwa uDavida wacabanga wathi, “Ngolunye lwalezi insuku uSawuli uzangibulala. Into engcono engingayenza yikubalekela elizweni lamaFilistiya. Lapho-ke uSawuli uzadela ukungidinga loba kungaphi ko-Israyeli, njalo ngizaphunyuka esandleni sakhe.”
UDavida wasesithi enhliziyweni yakhe: Sengizabhubha ngolunye usuku ngesandla sikaSawuli. Kakulalutho olungcono kimi ngaphandle kokuphepha lokuphepha ngiye elizweni lamaFilisti, loSawuli uzadela ngami ukungidinga futhi kuwo wonke umngcele wakoIsrayeli; ngokunjalo ngiphephe esandleni sakhe.
2 Ngakho uDavida labantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha basuka laye baya ku-Akhishi indodana kaMawokhi inkosi yaseGathi.
Wasesukuma uDavida wachapha, yena labantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha ayelabo, waya kuAkishi indodana kaMahoki, inkosi yeGathi.
3 UDavida labantu bakhe bahlala eGathi lo-Akhishi. Umuntu ngamunye wayelabendlu yakhe, uDavida elabomkakhe ababili: u-Ahinowama waseJezerili lo-Abhigeli waseKhameli, umfelokazi kaNabhali.
UDavida wasehlala loAkishi eGathi, yena labantu bakhe, ngulowo lalowo lendlu yakhe; uDavida labomkakhe bobabili, uAhinowama umJizereyelikazi loAbigayili umKharmelikazi umkaNabali.
4 Kwathi uSawuli esetsheliwe ukuthi uDavida wayebalekele eGathi kasamdinganga futhi.
Kwathi kubikwa kuSawuli ukuthi uDavida ubalekele eGathi, kabe esamdinga futhi.
5 UDavida wasesithi ku-Akhishi, “Nxa ngithole umusa emehlweni akho ngabela indawo komunye wemizi yasemaphandleni, ukuze ngiyehlala khona. Inceku yakho ingahlalelani lawe edolobheni lobukhosi na?”
UDavida wasesithi kuAkishi: Uba khathesi ngithole umusa emehlweni akho, kabangiphe indawo komunye wemizi emaphandleni ukuthi ngihlale khona; ngoba inceku yakho izahlalelani lawe emzini wenkosi?
6 Ngakho ngalelolanga u-Akhishi wamnika iZikhilagi, njalo seyaba ngeyamakhosi akoJuda kusukela lapho.
UAkishi wasemnika iZikilagi ngalolosuku. Ngakho iZikilagi ingeyamakhosi akoJuda kuze kube lamuhla.
7 UDavida wahlala elizweni lamaFilistiya umnyaka lezinyanga ezine.
Lenani lensuku uDavida azihlala elizweni lamaFilisti lalingumnyaka lenyanga ezine.
8 UDavida labantu bakhe basuka bayahlasela amaGeshuri, amaGirizi kanye lama-Amaleki. (Kusukela ezikhathini zasendulo abantu laba babehlale elizweni elalifika eShuri kanye laseGibhithe.)
UDavida labantu bakhe basebesenyuka bahlasela amaGeshuri lamaGirizi, lamaAmaleki, ngoba lawo ayengabahlali balelolizwe kwasendulo, lapho usiya eShuri, njalo kuze kube selizweni leGibhithe.
9 Lapho uDavida ehlasele indawo, wayengatshiyi ndoda kumbe umfazi ephila, kodwa wayethatha izimvu lenkomo, obabhemi lamakamela, kanye lezigqoko. Wabuyela ku-Akhishi.
UDavida waselitshaya ilizwe, kazatshiya ophilayo, owesilisa lowesifazana, wathatha izimvu lenkomo labobabhemi lamakamela lezigqoko, wabuyela wafika kuAkishi.
10 Lapho u-Akhishi embuza esithi, “Lamhla ubuyehlasela ngaphi na?” UDavida wayesithi, “Besimelane leNegebi yakoJuda,” loba athi, “Besimelane leNegebi yaseJerameli,” loba athi, “Besimelane leNegebi yama-Kheni.”
Lapho uAkishi esithi: Belihlasela ngaphi lamuhla? UDavida wayesithi: Ngaseningizimu yakoJuda, langaseningizimu yamaJerameli, langaseningizimu yamaKeni.
11 Katshiyanga ndoda kumbe umfazi ephila ukuba asiwe eGathi ngoba wacabanga wathi, “Bangasiceba bathi, ‘Lokhu yikho okwenziwe nguDavida.’” Lokhu yikho ayekwenza sonke isikhathi sokuhlala kwakhe elizweni lamaFilistiya.
UDavida katshiyanga owesilisa kumbe owesifazana ophilayo, ukuletha ilizwi eGathi, esithi: Hlezi bakhulume ngathi, besithi: Wenze njalo uDavida. Wawunjalo-ke umkhuba wakhe zonke izinsuku azihlala elizweni lamaFilisti.
12 U-Akhishi wayemthemba uDavida njalo wazitshela wathi, “Usezondakala kangaka ebantwini bakibo, ama-Israyeli, usezakuba yinceku yami kuze kube nininini.”
UAkishi wasemkholwa uDavida esithi: Uzenze waba levumba kakhulu ebantwini bakibo koIsrayeli. Ngakho uzakuba yinceku yami kuze kube nininini.
