1 Samuel 15

UJehova uyamala uSawuli njengenkosi

1USamuyeli wathi kuSawuli, “Mina yimi engathunywa nguJehova ukuthi ngikugcobe ukuba yinkosi yabantu bakhe u-Israyeli; ngakho-ke khathesi lalela ilizwi elivela kuJehova. 2Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova uSomandla: ‘Ama-Amaleki ngizawajezisa ngenxa yalokhu akwenzayo ku-Israyeli lapho abacathamela ekuphumeni kwabo eGibhethe.

3Khathesi hamba uyehlasela ama-Amaleki uqede du konke okungokwawo. Ungawayekeli; bulala amadoda labafazi, abantwana lezinsane, izinkomo lezimvu, amakamela kanye labobabhemi.’ ”

4Ngakho uSawuli wabiza abantu wababuthanisa eThelayimi – izinkulungwane ezimbili zebutho lezinyawo kanye lamadoda ayizinkulungwane ezilitshumi avela koJuda.

5USawuli waya edolobheni lase-Amaleki bacathama edongeni. 6Wasesithi kumaKheni, “Sukani, tshiyani ama-Amaleki ukuze ngingaliqothuli kanye lawo; ngoba lina latshengisa umusa kuwo wonke ama-Israyeli ekuphumeni kwawo eGibhithe.” Ngakho amaKheni asuka kuma-Amaleki.

7Lapho-ke uSawuli wahlasela ama-Amaleki ummango wonke kusukela eHavila kusiya eShuri, empumalanga kweGibhithe. 8Wathumba u-Agagi inkosi yama-Amaleki ephila, kodwa bonke abantu bakhe wabaqothula ngokupheleleyo, ngenkemba. 9Kodwa uSawuli lebutho kabambulalanga u-Agagi lezimvu ezinhle lezinkomo, amathole anonileyo lamazinyane – konke okwakukuhle. Lokhu babengafisi ukukuqeda ngokupheleleyo, konke okwakuseyiseka lokungelasizo bakuqeda du.

10Ilizwi likaJehova laselifika kuSamuyeli lisithi, 11“Ngilusizi ngokuthi ngibeke uSawuli waba yinkosi, ngoba usengifulathele njalo kalandelanga imilayo yami.” USamuyeli wakhathazeka, wakhuleka kuJehova bonke lobobusuku.

12USamuyeli wavuka ekuseni kakhulu ukuba ayebonana loSawuli, kodwa watshelwa ukuthi, “USawuli uye eKhameli. Uzibekele ilitshe lesikhumbuzo sakhe khonale wasejika esehlela eGiligali.”

13Kwathi uSamuyeli esemficile, uSawuli wathi, “UJehova kakubusise! Sengikwenzile engikulaywe nguJehova.”

14Kodwa uSamuyeli wathi, “Pho ukukhala kwezimvu ezindlebeni zami lokhu kuyini na? Kuyini ukubhonsa kwezinkomo lokhu engikuzwayo na?”

15USawuli waphendula wathi, “Amabutho azilethe zivela kuma-Amaleki; agcine izimvu ezinhle lezinkomo ukuba azenze umhlatshelo kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, kodwa ezinye sizikhucule.”

16USamuyeli wathi kuSawuli, “Mana! Wothi ngikutshele okutshiwo nguJehova kimi ebusuku obedluleyo.” USawuli waphendula wathi, “Ngitshela.”

17USamuyeli wasesithi, “Lanxa wazibona umncane, kawuzange ube yinhloko yezizwana zako-Israyeli na? UJehova wakugcoba ukuba ube yinkosi ko-Israyeli. 18Njalo wakuthuma emsebenzini, esithi, ‘Hamba uyeqothula abantu labayana ababi, ama-Amaleki, uvuse impi labo uze ubaqede du.’ 19Pho kungani ungalalelanga uJehova? Kungani uphuthume impango wenza okubi phambi kukaJehova na?”

20USawuli wathi, “Kodwa mina ngimlalele uJehova. Ngihambile emsebenzini uJehova anginike wona. Ama-Amaleki ngiwaqede du, ngabuya lo-Agagi inkosi yawo. 21Amabutho athatha izimvu lezinkomo empangweni, ezinhle zalezo ezazahlukaniselwe uNkulunkulu, ukuze zenziwe umhlatshelo kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakho eGiligali.”

22Kodwa uSamuyeli waphendula wathi: “Kambe uJehova uthokozela iminikelo yokutshiswa lemihlatshelo ngokunjengokulalela ilizwi likaJehova na? Ukulalela kungcono kulomhlatshelo, lokukhathalela kungcono kulamahwahwa ezinqama.

23Ngoba ukuhlamuka kufana lesono sokuhlahlula, lobuqholo bufana lobubi bokukhonza izithombe. Ngokuba ilizwi likaJehova ulalile. Usekwalile njengenkosi.”

24USawuli wasesithi kuSamuyeli, “Ngenzile isono. Ngephule umlayo kaJehova leziqondiso zakho. Ngesabe abantu ngavumela okwabo.

25Khathesi-ke ngiyakucela, thethelela isono sami ubuyele emuva lami, ukuze ngikhonze uJehova.”

26Kodwa uSamuyeli wathi kuye, “Angiyikubuyela emuva lawe. Ilizwi likaJehova ulalile, njalo uJehova usekwalile njengombusi wako-Israyeli!”

27Kwathi uSamuyeli ephenduka ukuba asuke, uSawuli wabamba umphetho wesambatho sakhe, sasesidabuka. 28USamuyeli wathi kuye, “UJehova usewudabule kuwe lamhla umbuso wako-Israyeli, njalo usewunike omunye wabomakhelwane bakho – lowo ongcono kulawe. 29Yena oyiNkazimulo ka-Israyeli kaqambi manga kumbe aguqule ingqondo yakhe, ngoba kasumuntu ukuba aguqule ingqondo yakhe.”

30USawuli waphendula wathi, “Ngenzile isono. Kodwa ake ungihloniphe phambi kwabadala babantu bami laphambi kuka-Israyeli; buyela lami, ukuze ngiyekhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho.” 31Ngakho uSamuyeli wabuyela loSawuli wasekhonza uJehova.

32USamuyeli wasesithi, “Ngilethelani u-Agagi inkosi yama-Amaleki.” U-Agagi waya kuye ngokwethemba ecabanga esithi, “Impela intukuthelo yokufa isiphelile.”

33Kodwa uSamuyeli wathi, “Njengoba inkemba yakho yenze abesifazana baswela abantwana, ngokunjalo unyoko kazukuba lo-mntwana phakathi kwabesifazana.” USamuyeli wambulala u-Agagi phambi kukaJehova eGiligali.

34Emva kwalokho uSamuyeli wasuka waya eRama, kodwa uSawuli waya emzini wakhe eGibheya yakoSawuli. 35USamuyeli kwaze kwaba lusuku lokufa kwakhe engazange ayebona uSawuli futhi, lanxa uSamuyeli wamlilela uSawuli. UJehova wakhathazeka ngokuthi wayenze uSawuli waba yinkosi yako-Israyeli.