2 USamuyeli 23
1 La ngamazwi okucina kaDavida: “Umbono kaDavida indodana kaJese, umbono womuntu owaphakanyiswa ngoPhezukonke, umuntu owagcotshwa nguNkulunkulu kaJakhobe, umhlabeleli wezingoma ka-Israyeli:
These are the last words of David. Now David, the son of Jesse, the man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the preeminent psalmist of Israel said:
2 Umoya kaThixo wakhuluma ngami, ilizwi lakhe lalisolimini lwami.
“The Spirit of the Lord has spoken through me, and his word was spoken through my tongue.
3 UNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wakhuluma, iDwala lika-Israyeli lathi kimi: ‘Lapho umuntu ebusa abantu ngokulunga, lapho ebusa ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu,
The God of Israel spoke to me, the Strong One of Israel spoke, the Ruler of men, the Just Ruler, in the fear of God,
4 unjengokukhanya kwekuseni ekuphumeni kwelanga ekuseni okungelamayezi, njengokukhanya emva kokuna kwezulu okumilisa utshani emhlabathini.’
like the first light of the morning as the sun is rising, when a morning without clouds glows red, and like plants springing forth from the earth after a rainfall.
5 Indlu yami kayifanelanga kuNkulunkulu na? Kanje kenzanga lami isivumelwano esingapheliyo esalungiswayo saqiniswa izigaba zonke na? Kambe kazukuphumelelisa ukusindiswa kwami angiphe konke engikufisayo na?
But my house is not so great with God that he should undertake an eternal covenant with me, firm and fortified in all things. For he is the entirety of my salvation and the entirety of my will. And there is nothing of this which will not spring forth.
6 Kodwa abantu ababi bonke bazaphoselwa eceleni njengameva, angabuthwayo ngesandla.
But all prevaricators shall be plucked out like thorns, yet they are not taken away by hands.
7 Loba ngubani othinta ameva usebenzisa insimbi loba uluthi lomkhonto; ayatshiswa ngomlilo khonapho akhona.”
And if anyone wishes to touch them, he must be armed with iron and a wooden lance. And they shall be set ablaze and burned to nothing.”
8 La ngamabizo amaqhawe kaDavida: UJoshebi-Bhasishebethi umThakemoni wayeyinduna yabaThathu, waphakamisela abantu abangamakhulu ayisificaminwembili umkhonto wakhe, ababulalayo ekuhlaseleni kunye.
These are the names of the valiant of David. Sitting in the chair was the wisest leader among the three; he was like a very tender little worm in a tree, who killed eight hundred men in one attack.
9 Yena elandelwa ngu-Eliyazari indodana kaDodo umʼAhohi. Njengomunye wamaqhawe amathathu, wayeloDavida lapho bechothoza amaFilistiya ayebuthanele impi ePhasi Damimi. Lapho-ke abantu bako-Israyeli bahlehlela emuva,
After him, there was Eleazar, the son of his paternal uncle, an Ahohite, who was among the three valiant men who were with David when they chastised the Philistines, and they were gathered together in battle there.
10 kodwa yena wajama wawacakazela phansi amaFilistiya isandla sakhe saze sadinwa sanamathela enkembeni. Ngalelolanga uThixo waletha ukunqoba okukhulu. Amabutho abuyela ku-Eleyazari ukuyahlubula abafileyo kuphela nje.
And when the men of Israel had gone up, he himself stood fast and struck down the Philistines, until his hand grew weak and stiff with the sword. And the Lord wrought a great salvation on that day. And the people who had fled returned to take up the spoils of the slain.
11 Phansi kwakhe kwakuloShama indodana ka-Ageye umHarari. Kwathi amaFilistiya eseqoqene endaweni eyayilezindumba ezinengi, amabutho ako-Israyeli awabalekela.
And after him, there was Shammah, the son of Agee, from Hara. And the Philistines gathered together at an outpost. For a field full of lentils was in that place. And when the people had fled from the face of the Philistines,
12 Kodwa uShama wajama phakathi kwensimu. Wayivikela wawacakazela phansi amaFilistiya, uThixo waletha ukunqoba okukhulu.
he stood fast in the middle of the field, and it was protected by him. And he struck down the Philistines. And the Lord wrought a great salvation.
13 Ngesikhathi sokuvuna, abathathu ezinduneni ezingamatshumi amathathu baya kuDavida ebhalwini lwase-Adulami, lapho ibutho lamaFilistiya lalimise eSigodini saseRefayi.
And moreover, before this, the three who were leaders among the thirty descended and went to David at harvest time, in the cave of Adullam. But the camp of the Philistines was positioned in the Valley of the giants.
14 Ngalesosikhathi uDavida wayesenqabeni, iviyo lamabutho amaFilistiya laliseBhethilehema.
And David was in a stronghold. Moreover, there was a garrison of the Philistines at that time in Bethlehem.
15 UDavida womela amanzi wasesithi, “Oh, sengathi kungaba lomuntu ongangikhela amanzi okunatha emthonjeni oseduze lesango laseBhethilehema!”
Then David desired, and he said, “If only someone would give me a drink of the water from the cistern, which is in Bethlehem beside the gate!”
16 Ngakho amaqhawe amathathu adabula phakathi kwamaviyo amaFilistiya, akha amanzi emthonjeni eduze lesango laseBhethilehema ahamba lawo kuDavida. Kodwa wala ukuwanatha, esikhundleni salokho wawathela phambi kukaThixo.
Therefore, the three valiant men burst into the encampment of the Philistines, and they drew water from the cistern of Bethlehem, which was beside the gate. And they brought it to David. Yet he was not willing to drink; instead, he poured it out to the Lord,
17 Wathi, “Akungenzeki, Oh Thixo, ukuba ngenze lokhu. Akusigazi labantu abahambe befake ukuphila kwabo engozini na?” UDavida kawanathanga. Lezi zaziyizenzo zobuqhawe zalawomabutho womathathu.
saying: “May the Lord be gracious to me, so that I may not do this. Should I drink the blood of these men who have set out to the peril of their own lives?” Therefore, he was not willing to drink. These things were accomplished by these three robust men.
18 U-Abhishayi umfowabo kaJowabi indodana kaZeruya wayeyinduna yabaThathu labo. Waphakamisela umkhonto wakhe phezu kwabangamakhulu amathathu, ababulalayo, ngakho waba lodumo njengabaThathu.
Also Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was first among the three. It was he who lifted up his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed. And he was renowned among the three,
19 Kahlonitshwanga kakhulu kulabaThathu na? Waba ngumlawuli wabo, loba engazange abe phakathi kwabo.
and he was the noblest of the three, and he was their leader. But at first he did not attain to the three.
20 UBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada wayeliqhawe elilesibindi laseKhabhizeli, elenza izenzo zobuqhawe obukhulu. Wabulala amaqhawe amaMowabi amabili ayezintshantshu ekulweni. Wake wangena emgodini wabulala isilwane mhla kulongqwaqwane.
And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, a very strong man of great deeds, was from Kabzeel. He slew the two lions of Moab, and he descended and slew a lion in the middle of a den, in the days of snow.
21 Njalo wabulala umGibhithe owayemkhulu kakhulu. Lanxa umGibhithe lowo wayephethe umkhonto, uBhenaya wamhlasela ngenduku. Wawuhluthuna umkhonto esandleni somGibhithe wambulala ngomkhonto wakhe.
He also killed an Egyptian who had a spear in his hand, a man worthy to behold. And yet he had gone down to him with only a staff. And he forced the spear from the hand of the Egyptian, and he killed him with his own spear.
22 Lezi zaziyizenzo zobuqhawe zikaBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada; laye futhi wayedume njengamaqhawe amathathu.
Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, accomplished these things.
23 Wayehlonitshwa kakhulu ukwedlula bonke abangamaTshumi Amathathu, kodwa wayengabalwa kanye labaThathu. UDavida wambeka ukuba abe ngumphathi wabalindi bakhe.
And he was renowned among the three robust men, who were the most noble among the thirty. Yet truly, he did not attain to the three, until David made him his secret advisor.
24 Phakathi kwabangamatshumi amathathu labo kwakuyilaba: U-Asaheli umfowabo kaJowabi, u-Elihanani indodana kaDodo waseBhethilehema,
Among the thirty were: Asahel, the brother of Joab, Elhanan, the son of his paternal uncle, from Bethlehem,
25 uShama umHarodi, u-Elika umHarodi,
Shammah from Harod, Elika from Harod,
26 uHelezi umPhalithi, u-Ira indodana ka-Ikheshi waseThekhowa,
Helez from Palti, Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa,
27 u-Abhiyezeri wase-Anathothi, uSibhekhayi umHushathi,
Abiezer from Anathoth, Mebunnai from Hushah,
28 uZalimoni umʼAhohi, uMaharayi umNethofa,
Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29 uHeledi indodana kaBhana umNethofa, u-Ithayi indodana kaRibhayi owaseGibhiya koBhenjamini,
Heleb, the son of Baanah, also himself a Netophathite, Ittai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah, of the sons of Benjamin,
30 uBhenaya umPhirathoni, uHidayi wasezindongeni zaseGashi,
Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the Torrent Gaash,
31 u-Abhi-Alibhoni umʼAribhathi, u-Azimavethi umBharihumi,
Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth from Beromi,
32 u-Eliyaba umShalibhoni, amadodana kaJasheni, uJonathani
Eliahba from Shaalbon; the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33 indodana kaShama umHarari, u-Ahiyamu indodana kaSharari umHarari,
Shammah from Orori, Ahiam, the son of Sharar, the Hararite,
34 u-Elifelethi indodana ka-Ahasibhayi umʼMahakhathi, u-Eliyami indodana ka-Ahithofeli umGiloni,
Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, the son of Maacath, Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, the Gilonite,
35 uHeziro umKhameli, uPharayi umʼAribhi,
Hezrai from Carmel, Paarai from Arbi,
36 u-Igali indodana kaNathani waseZobha, indodana kaHagiri,
Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah, Bani from Gad,
37 uZelekhi umʼAmoni, uNaharayi umBherothi, owayethwala izikhali zikaJowabi, indodana kaZeruya,
Zelek from Ammon, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor bearer of Joab, the son of Zeruiah,
38 u-Ira umʼIthira, uGarebhi umʼIthiri
Ira the Ithrite, Gareb also an Ithrite,
39 kanye lo-Uriya umHithi. Bebonke babengamatshumi amathathu lesikhombisa.
Uriah the Hittite: altogether thirty seven
