2 Samuel 21

AmaGibhiyoni Ayaphindisela

1Ekubuseni kukaDavida kwaba lendlala iminyaka emithathu ilandelana; ngakho uDavida wabuza uThixo. UThixo wathi, “Kungenxa kaSawuli lendlu yakhe enindwe ngegazi; kungenxa yokuthi yena wabulala amaGibhiyoni.”

2Inkosi yabiza amaGibhiyoni yakhuluma lawo. (AbaseGibhiyoni babengasiyo ngxenye ka-Israyeli kodwa babengabasalayo bama-Amori, abako-Israyeli babefunge ukubayekela, kodwa uSawuli ngenxa yokutshisekela kwakhe u-Israyeli loJuda wafuna ukubaqeda du.) 3UDavida wabuza amaGibhiyoni wathi, “Kuyini engingalenzela khona na? Ngingakwenza njani ukubuyisana ukuze libusise ilifa likaThixo na?”

4AmaGibhiyoni amphendula athi, “Kasilalo ilungelo lokufuna isiliva loba igolide kuSawuli kumbe kwabendlu yakhe, lelungelo lokubulala umuntu ko-Israyeli kasilalo.”

UDavida wabuza wathi, “Pho lifuna ukuthi ngilenzeleni?”

5Bayiphendula inkosi bathi, “Umuntu owasichithayo waceba okubi ngathi saze satshabalala njalo kasaze saba lendawo loba ngaphi ko-Israyeli, 6kasinikwe abenzalo yakhe besilisa abayisikhombisa ukuba babulawe balengiswe phambi kukaThixo eGibhiya kaSawuli, okhethiweyo kaThixo.”

Ngakho inkosi yathi, “Ngizalinika bona.”

7Kodwa uMefibhoshethi indodana kaJonathani, indodana kaSawuli, inkosi yamtshiya ngenxa yesifungo phambi kukaThixo phakathi kukaDavida loJonathani indodana kaSawuli. 8Kodwa inkosi yathatha u-Arimoni loMefibhoshethi amadodana amabili endodakazi ka-Ayiya uRizipha, ayemzale loSawuli, kanye lamadodana amahlanu endodakazi kaSawuli uMerabi, ayewazale lo-Adiriyeli indodana kaBhazilayi waseMehola. 9Yabanikeza kumaGibhiyoni, ababulala abachaya eqaqeni phambi kukaThixo. Bonke beyisikhombisa bafela ndawonye; babulawa ngezinsuku zakuqala zokuvuna, ukuvunwa kwebhali kuqalisa nje.

10URizipha indodakazi ka-Ayiya wathatha isaka wazendlalela lona edwaleni. Kusukela ekuqaliseni kokuvuna izulu laze lana livela emazulwini linetha izidumbu, kavumelanga izinyoni zasemoyeni ukuba zizithinte emini loba izinyamazana zeganga ebusuku. 11Kwathi uDavida esetshelwe ngokwakwenziwe yindodakazi ka-Ayiya uRizipha, umfazi kaSawuli weceleni, 12wahamba wayathatha amathambo kaSawuli lawendodana yakhe uJonathani ebantwini baseJabheshi Giliyadi. (Babewathathe ensitha enkundleni kazulu eBhethi-Shani, lapho amaFilistiya ayewachaye khona emva kokubulala kwawo uSawuli eGilibhowa.) 13UDavida wawathatha khonapho amathambo kaSawuli lawendodana yakhe uJonathani, lamathambo alabo ababebulawe babuye bachaywa abuthwa.

14Amathambo kaSawuli lawendodana yakhe uJonathani bawangcwaba ethuneni likasekaSawuli uKhishi, eZela koBhenjamini, benza konke njengokulaya kwenkosi. Emva kwalokho uNkulunkulu wayiphendula imikhuleko eyenzelwa ilizwe.

Izimpi Kulwisana LamaFilistiya

15Kwaphinda kwaba lempi futhi phakathi kwamaFilistiya lo-Israyeli. UDavida wahamba labantu bakhe ukuyakulwa lamaFilistiya, wasedinwa. 16U-Ishibhi-Bhenobi, omunye wabenzalo kaRafa, isihloko somkhonto wakhe wethusi esasilobunzima obungamashekeli angamakhulu amathathu, njalo ehlome ngenkemba entsha, wathi uzabulala uDavida. 17Kodwa u-Abhishayi indodana kaZeruya wamhlenga uDavida; wamcakazela phansi umFilistiya lowo wambulala. Abantu bakaDavida bafunga kuye bathi, “Kawuyikuhamba lathi futhi empini, ukuze isibane sika-Israyeli singacitshwa.”

18Ngokuqhubeka kwesikhathi kwaba lenye impi futhi lamaFilistiya, eGobi. Ngalesosikhathi uSibhekhayi umHushathi wabulala uSafi, omunye wabosendo kaRafa.

19Kweyinye impi lamaFilistiya njalo eGobi, u-Elihanani indodana kaJayiri umBhethilehema wabulala umfowabo kaGoliyathi umGithi, owayelomkhonto owawuloluthi olunjengogodo lomaluki.

20Kanti njalo kwenye impi eyalwelwa eGathi, kwakulendoda enkulu kakhulu ileminwe eyisithupha esandleni ngasinye lamazwane ayisithupha enyaweni ngalunye, sekubalwa konke ndawonye kungamatshumi amabili lane. Laye wayengowosendo lukaRafa. 21Kwathi echothoza u-Israyeli, uJonathani indodana kaShimeya, umfowabo kaDavida, wambulala.

22Abane laba babengabosendo lukaRafa eGathi, bonke babulawa nguDavida lamabutho akhe.