1 USamuyeli 17
1 AmaFilisti asebuthela amabutho awo impi; abuthana eSoko engeyakoJuda, amisa inkamba phakathi kweSoko leAzeka, eEfesi-Damimi.
The Philistines gathered their army [to fight the Israeli army]. They gathered together near Socoh, in the area where the descendants of Judah lived. They set up their tents at Ephes-Dammim, which is between Socoh and Azekah.
2 USawuli lamadoda akoIsrayeli babuthana, bamisa inkamba esigodini seEla, bahlela impi ukumelana lamaFilisti.
Saul gathered the Israeli army near Elah Valley, and they set up their tents. Then they all took their places, ready to fight the Philistines.
3 AmaFilisti asesima entabeni ngapha, loIsrayeli wema entabeni ngale, lesigodi sasiphakathi kwabo.
So the Philistine and Israeli armies faced each other. They were on two hills, with a valley between them.
4 Kwasekuphuma enkambeni yamaFilisti iqhawe; ibizo lalo lalinguGoliyathi weGathi; ubude balo babuyizingalo eziyisithupha lokwelulwa kweminwe.
Then Goliath, from Gath [city], came out from the Philistine camp. He was a champion warrior/soldier. He was (over 9 feet/3 meters) tall.
5 Kwakulekhowa lethusi ekhanda lalo; laligqoke ibhatshi lensimbi elilamaxolo; njalo isisindo sebhatshi lensimbi sasingamashekeli ethusi ayizinkulungwane ezinhlanu.
He wore a helmet made of bronze [to protect his head], and he wore a coat made of metal plates [to protect his body]. The coat weighed (125 pounds/56 kg.).
6 Njalo kwakulemigwamazi yethusi emibaleni yalo, lomkhonto wethusi phakathi laphakathi kwamahlombe alo.
He wore bronze guards/protectors on his legs. He had a long bronze dagger fastened on his back.
7 Loluthi lomkhonto walo lwalunjengogodo lomaluki, lengqamu yomkhonto walo yayingamashekeli ensimbi angamakhulu ayisithupha; lophatha isihlangu esikhulu wayehamba phambi kwalo.
He also had a big spear. It had a cord on it to enable him to throw it better (OR, which was as thick as a weaver’s beam). The tip of the spear was made of iron and weighed (15 pounds/almost 7 kg.). A soldier carrying a huge shield walked in front of him.
8 Lema, lamemeza emaviyweni akoIsrayeli lathi kuwo: Liphumelani ukuzahlela impi? Kangisuye umFilisti yini, lani izinceku zikaSawuli? Zikhetheleni umuntu ehlele kimi.
Goliath stood there and shouted to the Israeli army, “Why are you all lined up for battle? I am the great Philistine [soldier], and I think [RHQ] you are [merely] Saul’s slaves. Choose one man to fight for all of you, and send him down here to me!
9 Uba elakho ukulwa lami angibulale, sizakuba yizigqili zenu; kodwa uba mina ngimehlula ngimbulale, lizakuba yizigqili zethu, lisisebenzele.
If he fights with me and kills me, then my fellow Philistines will all be your slaves. But if I defeat him and kill him, then you Israelis will all be our slaves.
10 UmFilisti wasesithi: Mina ngiyaweyisa amaviyo akoIsrayeli lamuhla; nginikani indoda ukuze silwisane.
I defy/challenge you men of the Israeli army. Send me a man who will fight with me!”
11 Lapho uSawuli loIsrayeli wonke besizwa lamazwi omFilisti, batshaywa luvalo, besaba kakhulu.
When Saul and all the Israeli soldiers heard that, they were extremely terrified [DOU].
12 UDavida wayeyindodana yalowomEfrathi weBhethelehema-Juda, obizo lakhe lalinguJese; wayelamadodana ayisificaminwembili. Njalo lowomuntu wahamba njengomuntu omdala phakathi kwamadoda ensukwini zikaSawuli.
David was the son of Jesse. Jesse was from the clan of Ephrath. He lived in Bethlehem, in the area where the descendants of Judah lived. Jesse had eight sons. When Saul [was king], Jesse had already become a very old man [DOU].
13 Asehamba amadodana amathathu kaJese amadala, amlandela uSawuli empini. Lamabizo amadodana akhe amathathu ayeyile empini ayenguEliyabi izibulo, lowesibili wakhe uAbinadaba, lowesithathu uShama.
Jesse’s three oldest sons, Eliab and Abinadab and Shammah, had gone with Saul to fight [the Philistines].
14 Njalo uDavida nguye owayelicinathunjana; lamathathu amadala alandela uSawuli.
David was Jesse’s youngest son. While his three oldest brothers were with Saul,
15 Kodwa uDavida wahamba wabuyela esuka kuSawuli ukuyakwelusa izimvu zikayise eBhethelehema.
David went back and forth: Sometimes he went to Saul’s camp, and sometimes he stayed in Bethlehem to take care of his father’s sheep.
16 UmFilisti wayesondela-ke ekuseni kakhulu lantambama ezimisa okwensuku ezingamatshumi amane.
For 40 days Goliath came out from the Philistine camp and stood there [taunting the Israeli army/telling the Israelis to choose one man to fight with him]. He did it twice each day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
17 UJese wasesithi kuDavida indodana yakhe: Ake uthathele abafowenu i-efa lamabele akhanzingiweyo, lalezizinkwa ezilitshumi, ugijimele enkambeni kubafowenu.
[One day], Jesse said to David, “Here is a sack of roasted grain and ten loaves of bread. Take these quickly to your [older] brothers.
18 Laleziziqa zetshizi ezilitshumi uziphathele induna yenkulungwane; ubone impilakahle yabafowenu, uthathe isibambiso kibo.
And here are ten large chunks of cheese. Take them to their commander. And see how things are going with your [older] brothers. Then [if they are okay, ] bring back something to show they are all right.”
19 Njalo uSawuli, labo, lawo wonke amadoda akoIsrayeli babesesigodini seEla besilwa lamaFilisti.
His brothers were with Saul and all the other Israeli soldiers, camped alongside Elah Valley, [preparing to] fight the Philistines.
20 UDavida wasevuka ekuseni kakhulu, watshiya izimvu kumlindi, wakuthatha wahamba njengokulaywa kwakhe nguJese. Wafika enqabeni yezinqola lapho ibutho liphuma ngamaviyo, bememezela impi.
So David arranged for another shepherd to take care of the sheep. Early the next morning he took the food and went to the Israeli camp, as Jesse told him to do. He arrived there just as the Israeli soldiers were forming their ranks and going out to the battlefield. As they went, they were shouting a war cry.
21 Njalo uIsrayeli lamaFilisti bahlela iviyo laqondana leviyo.
The Philistine army and the Israeli army stood [on the hillsides], facing each other, ready for the battle.
22 UDavida wasetshiya impahla ezisuka kuye ngaphansi kwesandla somlindi wempahla, wagijimela eviyweni wafika wabuza abafowabo impilakahle.
David gave the food to the man who was taking care of the war equipment. [He told him to take care of the food that he brought], and then he went and greeted his older brothers.
23 Esakhuluma labo, khangela, iqhawe lenyuka, ibizo lalo lalinguGoliyathi, umFilisti weGathi, laphuma emaviyweni amaFilisti, lakhuluma njengokwalawomazwi; loDavida wawezwa.
While he was talking with them, he saw Goliath coming out from among the Philistine soldiers, shouting [to the Israelis], challenging them [to send a man to fight him]. David heard what Goliath was saying.
24 Njalo wonke amadoda akoIsrayeli athi embona lowomuntu ambalekela, esaba kakhulu.
When all the Israeli soldiers saw Goliath, they were terrified and started to ran away.
25 Amadoda akoIsrayeli athi-ke: Limbonile lowana umuntu owenyukileyo yini? Ngoba wenyukele ukweyisa uIsrayeli. Kuzakuthi-ke indoda ezambulala, inkosi izayinothisa ngenotho enkulu, iyinike lendodakazi yayo, lendlu kayise izayenza ikhululeke koIsrayeli.
They were saying to each other, “Look at him coming up toward us! And listen to him as he defies us Israelis! The king says that he will give a big reward to whoever kills this man. He also says that he will give his daughter to that man for him to marry her, and that he will no longer require that man’s family to pay taxes.”
26 UDavida wasekhuluma emadodeni ayemi laye esithi: Kuzakwenziwani endodeni ebulala lumFilisti, isuse ihlazo koIsrayeli? Ngoba ungubani lumFilisti ongasokanga ukuthi aweyise amaviyo kaNkulunkulu ophilayo?
David talked to some of the men who were standing near him. He said, “What will be given to whoever kills this Philistine and frees us Israelis from this shame/disgrace? And who [does] this heathen Philistine [think he] is, defying/ridiculing the army that serves the all-powerful God?”
27 Abantu basebemphendula njengalelolizwi besithi: Kuzakwenziwa njalo endodeni embulalayo.
They told him the same thing that the other men had said, about what the king would do for anyone who killed Goliath.
28 UEliyabi umnewabo omdala wezwa-ke lapho ekhuluma lamadoda; lentukuthelo kaEliyabi yavuthela uDavida, wathi: Wehleleleni lapha? Izimvu leziyana ezinlutshwana uzitshiye lobani egangeni? Mina ngiyakwazi ukuziqhenya kwakho lobubi benhliziyo yakho; ngoba wehlele ukubona impi.
But when David’s oldest brother Eliab heard David talking to the men, he was angry. He said to David, “Why have you come down here? Is someone taking care of those few sheep that you left in the desert? I know you are just a (smart-aleck/brat)! You just want to watch the battle!”
29 Kodwa uDavida wathi: Sengenzeni? Bekungasilizwi nje yini?
David replied, “Have I done something wrong? I was merely asking a question!”
30 Wasemfulathela, waya komunye, wakhuluma laye njengokwalelolizwi; abantu basebebuyisela impendulo kuye njengelizwi lakuqala.
Then he walked over to another man and asked him the same question, but the man gave him the same answer. Each time he asked someone, he received the same answer.
31 Lapho sebewezwile amazwi uDavida awakhulumayo, bawakhuluma phambi kukaSawuli; wasememukela.
Finally, someone told king Saul what David had asked, and Saul sent someone to bring David to him.
32 UDavida wasesithi kuSawuli: Kakungehluleki inhliziyo yomuntu ngenxa yakhe; inceku yakho izahamba iyekulwa lalowomFilisti.
David told king Saul, “No one should (worry/become a coward) because of that Philistine man. I will go and fight with him!”
33 Kodwa uSawuli wathi kuDavida: Ungeke waya kulumFilisti ukulwa laye; ngoba wena ungumfana, yena-ke uyindoda yempi kusukela ebutsheni bakhe.
Saul said to David, “You are only a young man, and he has been a very capable soldier all his life. So you are not able to go and fight with him!”
34 Kodwa uDavida wathi kuSawuli: Inceku yakho yayiselusa izimvu zikayise; lapho kwafika isilwane lebhere, kwathatha imvu emhlanjini,
David replied, “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep [for many years]. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried away a lamb,
35 ngaphuma ngakulandela, ngakutshaya, ngayikhulula emlonyeni wakho; lapho kungivukela, ngakubamba ngendevu, ngakutshaya, ngakubulala.
I went after the lion or the bear and attacked it and rescued the lamb from the wild animal’s mouth. Then I grabbed the animal by its jaw/throat and struck it and killed it.
36 Inceku yakho yabulala kokubili isilwane lebhere; lalo umFilisti ongasokanga uzakuba njengokunye kwakho, lokhu eyise amaviyo kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.
I have killed both lions and bears. And [I will do] the same to this heathen Philistine, because he has defied/ridiculed the army of the all-powerful God!
37 UDavida wathi futhi: INkosi eyangophula kuzipho lwesilwane lakuzipho lwebhere, yona izangophula esandleni salo umFilisti. USawuli wasesithi kuDavida: Hamba, leNkosi kayibe lawe.
Yahweh has rescued me from paws of lions and bears, and he will rescue me from this Philistine!” Then Saul said to David, “All right, go [and fight him], and [I hope/desire] that Yahweh will help you!”
38 USawuli wasegqokisa uDavida izigqoko zakhe, wafaka ikhowa lethusi ekhanda lakhe, wamgqokisa ibhatshi lensimbi.
Then Saul gave to David his own clothes that he always wore in battles, and he gave him a bronze helmet and a coat made of metal plates.
39 UDavida wasebhinca inkemba yakhe phezu kwezigqoko zakhe, walinga ukuhamba, ngoba wayengakuzamanga. UDavida wasesithi kuSawuli: Kangilakho ukuhamba ngilalezizinto ngoba kangizizamanga. UDavida wasezikhumula kuye.
David [put these things on. Then he] fastened his sword over them, and tried to walk. But he could not walk, because he was not accustomed to wearing those things. So David said to Saul, “I cannot fight wearing all these things, because I am not accustomed to [wearing] them!” So he took them off.
40 Wasethatha umqwayi wakhe esandleni sakhe, wazikhethela amatshe amahlanu abutshelezi esifuleni, wawafaka esikhwameni sikamelusi ayelaso, ngitsho emxhakeni, lesavutha sakhe sasisesandleni sakhe, wasesondela kumFilisti.
Then he took his walking/shepherd’s stick, and he picked up five smooth stones from the brook/stream. He put them in the pouch of his shoulder-bag. Then he put his sling in his hand and started walking toward Goliath.
41 UmFilisti wasehamba waya wasondela kuDavida; lomuntu ophethe isihlangu esikhulu wayephambi kwakhe.
Goliath walked toward David, with the soldier who was carrying his shield walking in front of him. When he got near David,
42 Kwathi umFilisti ekhangela ebona uDavida, wameyisa; ngoba wayengumfana njalo ebomvana elobuso obubukekayo.
he looked at David closely. He saw that David had a handsome face and healthy body, but that he was only a young man. So he sneered at David.
43 UmFilisti wasesithi kuDavida: Ngiyinja yini ukuthi wena uze kimi ulezinduku? UmFilisti wasemqalekisa uDavida ngabonkulunkulu bakhe.
He said to David, “Are you coming to me with a stick because [you think that] I am a dog?” Then he called out to his gods to harm David.
44 UmFilisti wasesithi kuDavida: Woza kimi, ngizanika inyoni zamazulu lenyamazana zeganga inyama yakho.
He said to David, “Come here to me, and I will [kill you and] give your dead body to the birds and wild animals to eat!”
45 UDavida wasesithi kumFilisti: Wena uza kimi ulenkemba, lomkhonto, lomdikadika; kodwa mina ngiza kuwe ngebizo leNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu wamaviyo akoIsrayeli omeyisileyo.
David replied, “You are coming to me with a sword and a dagger and a spear. But I am coming to you (in the name/with the authority) of almighty Yahweh. He is the God whom the army of Israel [worships], and he is the God whom you have defied/ridiculed.
46 Lamuhla iNkosi izakuvalela esandleni sami, ngizakutshaya, ngisuse ikhanda lakho kuwe; nginike lamuhla inyoni zamazulu lenyamazana zomhlaba izidumbu zebutho lamaFilisti, ukuze umhlaba wonke wazi ukuthi kukhona uNkulunkulu koIsrayeli.
Today Yahweh will enable me to defeat you. I will strike you down and cut off your head. And [we Israelis will kill] many Philistine [soldiers and] give their bodies to the birds and wild animals to eat. And everyone in the world will [hear about it and] know that we Israeli people worship an [all-powerful] God.
47 Lalelibandla lonke lizakwazi ukuthi iNkosi kayisindisi ngenkemba langomkhonto; ngoba impi ngeyeNkosi, njalo izalinikela esandleni sethu.
And everyone here will know that Yahweh can rescue people without a sword or a spear. Yahweh always wins his battles, and he will enable us to defeat all of you [Philistines].”
48 Kwasekusithi lapho umFilisti esukuma ehamba esondela ukuhlangabeza uDavida, uDavida wasephangisa wagijimela ngaseviyweni ukuhlangana lomFilisti.
As Goliath came closer to attack David, David ran quickly toward him.
49 UDavida wasefaka isandla sakhe esikhwameni, wakhupha khona ilitshe, walijikijela, wamtshaya umFilisti ebunzini lakhe ilitshe laze latshona ebunzini lakhe, wawela emhlabathini ngobuso bakhe.
He put his hand into his shoulder-bag and took out one stone. He [put it in his sling and] hurled it toward Goliath. The stone hit Goliath on the forehead and penetrated his skull, and he fell face down onto the ground.
50 Ngalokho uDavida wamehlula umFilisti ngesavutha langelitshe, wamtshaya umFilisti, wambulala; kodwa kwakungelankemba esandleni sikaDavida.
Then David ran and stood over Goliath. He pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath and killed him with it, and then cut off his head. In that way David defeated the Philistine without having his own sword. He used [only] a sling and a stone! When the other Philistines saw that their great warrior was dead, they ran away.
51 Ngakho uDavida wagijima wema phezu komFilisti, wathatha inkemba yakhe, wayihwatsha esikhwameni sayo, wambulala, waquma ikhanda lakhe ngayo. Lapho amaFilisti ebona ukuthi iqhawe lawo selifile, abaleka.
52 Lamadoda akoIsrayeli lawakoJuda asukuma amemeza, axotshana lamaFilisti uze uyefika esigodini lemasangweni eEkhironi. Labalimeleyo bamaFilisti bawela endleleni yeShaharayimi kuze kube seGathi njalo kuze kube seEkhironi.
The Israeli men shouted and ran after them. They pursued them all the way to Gath and to the gates of Ekron [city]. They struck them as they went, with the result that dead/wounded Philistines were lying on the road all the way from Shaaraim to Gath and Ekron [towns].
53 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebephenduka ekuxotshaneni ngamandla lamaFilisti, baphanga inkamba zawo.
When the Israelis returned from chasing the Philistines, they (plundered/took everything from) the Philistine camp.
54 UDavida wasethatha ikhanda lomFilisti, waliletha eJerusalema; kodwa wabeka izikhali zakhe ethenteni lakhe.
David later took the head of Goliath to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath’s weapons in his own tent.
55 Lapho uSawuli ebona uDavida ephuma ukuyahlangabeza umFilisti, wathi kuAbhineri induna yebutho: Uyindodana kabani lumfana Abhineri? UAbhineri wasesithi: Kuphila komphefumulo wakho, nkosi, kangazi.
As Saul watched David going toward Goliath, he said to Abner, the commanded of his army, “Abner, whose son is that young man?” Abner replied, “(As sure as you are alive/Truly) [IDM], I do not know.”
56 Inkosi yasisithi: Buza wena ukuthi liyindodana kabani lelijaha.
Then the king said, “Find out whose son he is!”
57 Lapho uDavida esephendukile ekubulaleni umFilisti, uAbhineri wamthatha, wamusa phambi kukaSawuli elekhanda lomFilisti esandleni sakhe.
[Later, ] as David returned from killing Goliath, Abner took him to Saul. David was carrying Goliath’s head.
58 USawuli wasesithi kuye: Uyindodana kabani, jaha? UDavida wasesithi: Ngiyindodana yenceku yakho uJese umBhethelehema.
Saul asked him, “Young man, whose son are you?” David replied, “[Sir, perhaps you have forgotten that] I am the son of your servant Jesse, who has served you faithfully, who lives in Bethlehem.”
