< 1 USamuyeli 11 >
1 Kwasekusenyuka uNahashi umAmoni, wamisa inkamba maqondana leJabeshi-Gileyadi; wonke amadoda eJabeshi asesithi kuNahashi: Yenza isivumelwano lathi, sizakusebenzela.
2 Kodwa uNahashi umAmoni wathi kibo: Ngizasenza phezu kwalokhu isivumelwano lani, ukuze ngilikopole wonke amehlo awesokunene njalo ngehlisele uIsrayeli wonke ihlazo.
3 Abadala beJabeshi basebesithi kuye: Siyekele okwensuku eziyisikhombisa ukuze sithume izithunywa kuwo wonke umngcele wakoIsrayeli. Uba-ke kungekho ongasisindisa, sizaphuma size kuwe.
4 Izithunywa zasezifika eGibeya kaSawuli, zalandisa amazwi endlebeni zabantu, labantu bonke baphakamisa ilizwi labo bakhala inyembezi.
5 Khangela-ke, uSawuli weza emva kwezinkabi evela emasimini, uSawuli wathi: Kwenze njani ebantwini ukuthi bakhale? Basebemtshela amazwi amadoda eJabeshi.
6 UMoya kaNkulunkulu wafika ngamandla phezu kukaSawuli lapho esizwa lawomazwi, lolaka lwakhe lwavutha kakhulu.
7 Wasethatha inkabi ezimbili, waziquma zaba yiziqa, wazithumela kuwo wonke umngcele wakoIsrayeli ngesandla sezithunywa esithi: Ongaphumi alandele uSawuli alandele loSamuweli, kuzakwenziwanje enkabini zakhe. Ukwesaba iNkosi kwasekusehlela phezu kwabantu, baphuma njengamuntu munye.
8 Lapho ebabala eBezeki, abantwana bakoIsrayeli babe yizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amathathu, lamadoda akoJuda eyizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amathathu.
9 Basebesithi kuzo izithunywa ezazifikile: Lizawatshela njalo amadoda eJabeshi-Gileyadi lithi: Kusasa lizakuba losindiso nxa ilanga selitshisa. Lapho izithunywa zifika zawatshela amadoda eJabeshi, athokoza.
10 Ngakho amadoda eJabeshi athi: Kusasa sizaphumela kini, lenze kithi njengakho konke okulungileyo emehlweni enu.
11 Kwasekusithi kusisa, uSawuli wamisa abantu ngezigaba ezintathu; bafika phakathi kwenkamba ngomlindo wekuseni; bamtshaya uAmoni lwaze lwatshisa usuku; kwasekusithi abaseleyo bahlakazeka, kwaze kwathi kakusalanga kibo ababili bendawonye.
12 Abantu basebesithi kuSamuweli: Ngubani othe: USawuli uzabusa yini phezu kwethu? Baletheni labobantu ukuze sibabulale.
13 Kodwa uSawuli wathi: Kakuyikubulawa muntu ngalolusuku, ngoba lamuhla iNkosi yenze inkululeko koIsrayeli.
14 USamuweli wasesithi ebantwini: Wozani siye eGiligali, sivuselele umbuso khona.
15 Bonke abantu basebesiya eGiligali, bambeka khona uSawuli waba yinkosi phambi kweNkosi eGiligali. Bahlaba khona imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula phambi kweNkosi, lalapho uSawuli lawo wonke amadoda akoIsrayeli bathokoza kakhulukazi.
