1 Samuel 18

Umhawu KaSawuli NgoDavida

1Emva kokuba uDavida eseqedile ukukhuluma loSawuli, uJonathani waba moya munye loDavida, wamthanda njengoba ezithanda yena ngokwakhe. 2Kusukela ngalolosuku uSawuli wahlala loDavida akaze amvumela ukubuyela endlini kayise. 3Njalo uJonathani wenza isivumelwano loDavida ngoba wayemthanda njengoba ezithanda yena ngokwakhe. 4UJonathani wakhupha isembatho ayesigqokile wasinika uDavida, lebhatshi lakhe, lenkemba yakhe, idandili lakhe kanye lebhanti lakhe.

5Loba kuyini uSawuli amthuma ukuba akwenze, uDavida wakwenza ngokuphumelela uSawuli waze wamnika isikhundla esikhulu ebuthweni. Lokhu kwathokozisa abantu bonke, kanye lezikhulu zikaSawuli.

6Kwathi abantu sebebuyela ekhaya emva kokuba uDavida esebulele umFilistiya, abesifazane baphuma kuyo yonke imizi yako-Israyeli bahlangabeza inkosi uSawuli ngokuhlabela lokugida, ngezingoma zokuthokoza lamagedla kanye lemitshingo. 7Ekugideni kwabo bahlabela besithi:

“USawuli ubulele izinkulungwane zakhe,
kodwa uDavida ubulele amatshumi ezinkulungwane zakhe.”
8USawuli wazonda kakhulu, amazwi la amthukuthelisa. Wacabanga wathi, “Badumisa uDavida ngamatshumi ezinkulungwane, kodwa mina ngezinkulungwane kuphela nje. Kuyini okunye angakuzuza ngaphandle kombuso na?” 9Kusukela ngalelolanga kusiya phambili uSawuli wakhangela uDavida ngelihlo elilomhawu.

10Ngelanga elalandelayo umoya omubi wavela kuNkulunkulu wehlela phezu kukaSawuli ngamandla. Wayephrofetha endlini yakhe, lapho uDavida wayetshaya ichacho njengenjwayelo yakhe. USawuli wayephethe umkhonto ngesandla sakhe, 11wawuphosa esithi, “UDavida ngizambambanisa lomduli.” Kodwa uDavida wavika kwaze kwaba kabili.

12USawuli wayemesaba uDavida ngoba uThixo wayeloDavida kodwa esemdelile uSawuli. 13Ngakho wamsusa uDavida kuye wamenza umlawuli wabantu abayinkulungwane; njalo uDavida wakhokhela amabutho ekuhlaseleni kwawo. 14Kukho konke akwenzayo waphumelela kakhulu, ngoba uThixo wayelaye. 15Kwathi uSawuli ebona ukuphumelela kwakhe, wamesaba. 16Kodwa wonke u-Israyeli loJuda wamthanda uDavida, ngoba wabakhokhela ekuhlaseleni kwabo.

17USawuli wasesithi kuDavida, “Nansi indodakazi yami endala uMerabi; ngizakwendisela yona ukuba ibe ngumkakho; wena ungisebenzele ngesibindi kuphela njalo ulwe izimpi zikaThixo.” Ngoba uSawuli wakhuluma yedwa wathi, “Kangiyikumphakamisela isandla. AmaFilistiya kawenze lokho!”

18Kodwa uDavida wathi kuSawuli, “Ngingubani mina labendlu yakwethu bayini, loba isizwana sikababa ko-Israyeli, ukuba ngibe ngumkhwenyana wenkosi na?” 19Kodwa kwathi isikhathi sesifikile esokuba uMerabi, indodakazi kaSawuli, aphiwe uDavida, waphiwa u-Adiriyeli waseMehola ukuba abe ngumkakhe.

20Ngalesosikhathi uMikhali, indodakazi kaSawuli, wayemthanda uDavida, njalo kwathi uSawuli bemtshela ngakho, wathaba. 21Wacabanga wathi, “Ngizamnika yena ukuba abe ngumjibila kuye lokuze isandla samaFilistiya simelane laye.” Ngakho uSawuli wathi kuDavida, “Khathesi usulethuba lesibili lokuba ngumkhwenyana wami.”

22USawuli walaya inceku zakhe wathi, “Khulumani loDavida ngasese lithi, ‘Khangela, inkosi iyathokoza ngawe, lenceku zayo zonke ziyakuthanda; ngakho woba ngumkhwenyana wayo.’ ”

23Zawatsho amazwi la kuDavida kodwa uDavida wathi, “Licabanga ukuthi kuyinto encane ukuba ngumkhwenyana wenkosi na? Mina ngingumuntukazana njalo ongeladumo.”

24Kwathi izinceku zikaSawuli sezimtshelile okwakutshiwo nguDavida, 25uSawuli waphendula wathi, “Alibokuthi kuDavida, ‘Inkosi kayifuni enye inhlawulo yamalobolo ngaphandle kwamajwabu ezitho zangaphambili zamaFilistiya alikhulu, ukuba iphindisele ezitheni zayo.’ ” Icebo likaSawuli lalingelokuthi uDavida afe ebulawa ngamaFilistiya.

26Kwathi inceku sezimtshelile uDavida izinto lezi, wathokoza ukuba ngumkhwenyana wenkosi. Ngakho kwathi isikhathi esasibekiwe singakedluli, 27uDavida labantu bakhe basuka bayabulala amaFilistiya angamakhulu amabili. Weza lamajwabu emiphambili yawo waqhubela inkosi inani elipheleleyo ukuze abe ngumkhwenyana wenkosi. USawuli wamendisela-ke indodakazi yakhe uMikhali ukuba ngumkakhe.

28Kwathi uSawuli ebona ukuthi uThixo wayeloDavida kanye lokuthi indodakazi yakhe, uMikhali, yayimthanda uDavida, 29uSawuli wabuye wamesaba kakhulu, njalo waba yisitha sakhe impilo yakhe yonke.

30Abalawuli bamaFilistiya baqhubeka besiyakulwa izimpi, njalo izikhathi zonke bephuma, uDavida waba lokuphumelela okwedlula ezinye izikhulu zikaSawuli, lebizo lakhe laba lodumo.