2 USamuyeli 23
1 La-ke ngamazwi okucina kaDavida. UDavida indodana kaJese wathi, lomuntu ophakanyiselwe phezulu, ogcotshiweyo kaNkulunkulu kaJakobe, lomhlabeleli omnandi wakoIsrayeli, wathi:
David, the son of Jesse, was a man whom [God caused to] become great. He was appointed to become king by the God whom Jacob [worshiped]. He wrote beautiful songs for the Israeli people. This is the last song that he wrote:
2 UMoya weNkosi wakhuluma ngami, lelizwi lakhe lisolimini lwami.
“The Spirit of Yahweh tells me what to say; the message that I speak [MTY] comes from him.
3 UNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli wathi, iDwala likaIsrayeli lakhuluma kimi lathi: Obusa abantu uzakuba ngolungileyo, ebusa ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu.
God, the one whom we Israeli [people worship], has spoken; the one who protects us Israeli people said to me, ‘Kings who rule people justly have an awesome respect for me, God.
4 Njalo uzakuba njengokukhanya kwekuseni ekuphumeni kwelanga, ikuseni engelamayezi, njengohlaza emhlabathini ngokukhanya emva kwezulu.
They are like the sun that shines at dawn and causes the grass to [sprout/sparkle] after the rain ends.’
5 Lanxa indlu yami ingenjalo kuNkulunkulu, kube kanti wenzile lami isivumelwano esilaphakade, esimiswe kuhle ezintweni zonke, lesigcinekileyo, ngoba lonke usindiso lwami lesiloyiso sikuso, lanxa engasikhulisi.
And truly, that is how God will surely bless my family [RHQ] because he made an agreement with me that will endure forever, an agreement in which he promises that no part of it will ever be changed. He will surely cause me to prosper [RHQ], and he will always help me, and that is all that I desire.
6 Kodwa abakaBheliyali bonke banjengameva alahliweyo, ngoba engelakuthathwa ngesandla;
But [he will get rid of] godless/evil people like [SIM] people throw away thorns that [injure people if they try to] pick them up with their hands.
7 kodwa umuntu owathintayo uzazihlomisa ngensimbi langoluthi lomkhonto, azatshiswa lokutshiswa ngomlilo kuleyondawo.
Someone [who wants to get rid of thornbushes] does not grab them; he uses an iron [shovel] or a spear [to dig them out] and then he burns them completely.
8 La ngamabizo amaqhawe uDavida ayelawo: UJoshebi-Bashebeti umTahekemoni, inhloko yezinduna; nguye uAdino umEzini, ngenxa yabangamakhulu ayisificaminwembili ababulawa ngasikhathi sinye.
These are the names of David’s three greatest warriors. The first was Esh-Baal, [whose other name was Jashobeam], from the Hachmon clan (OR, the son of Hachmon). He was the leader of the three men. One time he fought against 800 enemies and killed them all with his spear.
9 Lemva kwakhe kwakuloEleyazare indodana kaDodo indodana kaAhohi, owamaqhawe amathathu ayeloDavida, ekudeleleni kwabo amaFilisti ayebuthanele khona impi, lapho amadoda akoIsrayeli esenyukile,
The second/next one of the three greatest warriors was Eleazar, who was the son of Dodo from the clan of Ahoh. One day he was with David when they defied/challenged the soldiers of Philistia who had gathered for the battle. The [other] Israeli soldiers retreated,
10 yena wasukuma watshaya amaFilisti saze sadinwa isandla sakhe, lesandla sakhe sanamathela enkembeni. INkosi yasisenza usindiso olukhulu ngalolosuku; abantu basebebuya emva kwakhe ukuzaphanga kuphela.
but Eleazar stood there and fought the soldiers of Philistia until his arm became very tired, with the result that [his hand cramped and] he could not stop gripping his sword. Yahweh won a great victory on that day. And afterwards the [other] Israeli soldiers returned [to where Eleazar was], and stripped off the [armor from the men whom he had] killed.
11 Lemva kwakhe kwakuloShama indodana kaAge umHarari. AmaFilisti ayebuthene aba lixuku, lapho okwakukhona isiqinti sensimu sigcwele amalentili; njalo abantu babaleka ebusweni bamaFilisti,
The third one of the greatest warriors was Shammah, the son of Agee from [the clan/town of] Harar. One time the Philistia soldiers gathered at Lehi [town], where there was a field full of lentils/peas [that they wanted to steal]. The other Israeli soldiers ran away from the Philistia troops,
12 kodwa wajama phakathi kwesiqinti, wasivikela, wawatshaya amaFilisti. INkosi yenza-ke usindiso olukhulu.
but Shammah stood there in the field and did not let the Philistia soldiers [steal the crops], and killed them. Yahweh won a great victory on that day.
13 Abathathu ezinhlokweni ezingamatshumi amathathu basebesehla, bafika kuDavida ebhalwini lweAdulamu ngesikhathi sokuvuna; lexuku lamaFilisti lalimise inkamba esihotsheni seRefayimi.
Altogether there were 30 special warriors among David’s soldiers. Once, when it was almost time to harvest [the crops], three of those 30 men went down to Adullam Cave, where David was [staying]. A group of men from the Philistia army had set up their tents in Rephaim Valley [near Jerusalem].
14 Langalesosikhathi uDavida wayesenqabeni, lebutho lenqaba lamaFilisti laliseBhethelehema ngalesosikhathi.
David [and his soldiers] were in the cave [because it was safe there], and [another] group of Philistia soldiers was occupying Bethlehem.
15 UDavida wasenxwanela, wathi: Hawu, kungathi omunye ubenganginathisa amanzi omthombo weBhethelehema ongasesangweni!
[One day] David very much wanted [some water] to drink, and said “I wish that someone would bring me some water from the well near the gate at Bethlehem!”
16 Lawomaqhawe amathathu asefohla adabula enkambeni yamaFilisti, akha amanzi emthonjeni weBhethelehema owawungasesangweni, awathatha awaletha kuDavida. Kube kanti kathandanga ukuwanatha, kodwa wawathululela iNkosi.
So his three greatest warriors forced their way through the camp of Philistia soldiers and drew some water from the well, and brought it to David. But he would not drink it. Instead, he poured it out [on the ground] as an offering to Yahweh.
17 Wasesithi: Kakube khatshana lami, Nkosi, ukuthi ngenze lokho; kakusigazi yini labantu abahambe lempilo yabo engozini? Ngalokho kathandanga ukuwanatha. Lezizinto azenza lamaqhawe amathathu.
He said, “Yahweh, it would certainly not be right for me to drink this water! That would be like [RHQ] drinking the blood of these men who were willing/ready to die for me!” So he refused to drink it. That was one of the things that those three great warriors did.
18 Njalo uAbishayi, umfowabo kaJowabi indodana kaZeruya, wayeyinhloko yabathathu. Yena wasegiyela abangamakhulu amathathu ngomkhonto wakhe, ababuleweyo, wasesiba lebizo phakathi kwabathathu.
Abishai, Joab’s [younger] brother, was the leader of the 30 [greatest warriors]. [One day] he fought against 300 men and killed them all with his spear. As a result, he also became famous.
19 Kahlonitshwanga kakhulu yini kulabathathu? Ngakho waba yinduna yabo; kodwa kafikanga kwabathathu abokuqala.
He was the most famous of the thirty greatest warriors, and he became their leader/commander, but he was not one of the three greatest warriors.
20 UBhenaya-ke, indodana kaJehoyada, indodana yeqhawe, omkhulu ngezenzo, weKabhiseyeli. Yena watshaya ababili abanjengezilwane bakoMowabi; futhi wehla watshaya isilwane phakathi komgodi mhla weliqhwa elikhithikileyo.
Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, from Kabzeel [town], also did great deeds. He killed two of the best warriors from the Moab people-group. Also, he went down into a pit on a day when snow was falling, and killed a lion there.
21 Yena wasetshaya indoda engumGibhithe, umuntu obukekayo; njalo umGibhithe wayelomkhonto esandleni sakhe; kodwa wehlela kuye elenduku, wawuhluthuna umkhonto esandleni somGibhithe, wambulala ngomkhonto wakhe.
He also killed a huge soldier from Egypt who carried a spear. Benaiah [had only] his club, but he attacked the giant with it. Then he snatched the spear from the man’s hand and killed him with his own spear.
22 Lezizinto wazenza uBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada, waba lebizo phakathi kwamaqhawe amathathu.
Those are [some of] the things that Benaiah did. As a result, he became famous, like the three greatest warriors were.
23 Wayehlonipheka kulabangamatshumi amathathu, kodwa kafikanga kwabathathu. UDavida wasembeka phezu kwabalindi bakhe.
He was more honored than the other members of the group of thirty great warriors, but not as famous as the three greatest warriors. David appointed him to be the commander of his bodyguards.
24 UAsaheli umfowabo kaJowabi wayephakathi kwabangamatshumi amathathu, uElihanani indodana kaDodo weBhethelehema,
[These are the names of the great warriors]: Asahel, the brother of Joab; Elhanan, the son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;
25 uShama umHarodi, uElika umHarodi,
Shammah and Elika, from [the] Harod [clan];
26 uHelezi umPaliti, uIra indodana kaIkheshi umThekhowa,
Helez, from Pelet [city]; Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa [town];
27 uAbiyezeri umAnethothi, uMebunayi umHusha,
Abiezer, from Anathoth [city]; Mebunnai [whose other name was Sibbecai], from Hushah’s [clan];
28 uZalimoni umAhohi, uMaharayi umNetofa,
Zalmon [whose other name was Ilai], from Ahoh’s [clan]; Maharai, from Netophah [town];
29 uHelebi indodana kaBahana umNetofa, uIthayi indodana kaRibayi weGibeya wabantwana bakoBhenjamini,
Heleb, the son of Baanah, also from Netophah [town]; Ittai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah [town] in [the land that belonged to] the tribe of Benjamin;
30 uBhenaya umPirathoni, uHidayi wezifuleni zeGahashi,
Benaiah, from Pirathon [town]; Hiddai, from the valleys near Gaash [Mountain];
31 uAbi-Aliboni umAraba, uAzimavethi umBahurimi,
Abi-Albon, from the clan of Arabah; Azmaveth, from Bahurim [town];
32 uEliyabha umShahaliboni, wamadodana kaJasheni, uJonathani,
Eliahba, from Shaalbon [town]; The sons of Jashen; Jonathan;
33 uShama umHarari, uAhiyamu indodana kaSharari umHarari,
Shammah, from Harar [town/clan]; Ahiam the son of Sharar, from Harar [town/clan];
34 uElifeleti indodana kaAhasibayi indodana yomMahaka, uEliyamu indodana kaAhithofeli umGilo,
Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, from Maacah [town]; Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, from Gilo [town];
35 uHezirayi umKharmeli, uPaharayi umArabi,
Hezro, from Carmel [city]; Paarai, from Arba [city];
36 uIgali indodana kaNathani weZoba, uBani umGadi,
Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah [city]; Bani, from the tribe of Gad;
37 uZeleki umAmoni, uNaharayi umBherothi, umthwali wezikhali zikaJowabi indodana kaZeruya,
Zelek, from the Ammon people-group; Naharai, the man who carried Joab’s weapons, from Beeroth [town];
38 uIra umIthiri, uGarebi umIthiri,
Ira and Gareb, from Jattir [town];
39 uUriya umHethi; bebonke babengamatshumi amathathu lesikhombisa.
Uriah, [Bathsheba’s husband], from the Heth people-group. Altogether, there were 37 famous soldiers, [but some of them had died and their names were not included].
