1Sa 27 | NdeIBE | STEP | Kodwa uDavida wacabanga wathi, “Ngolunye lwalezi izinsuku uSawuli uzangibulala. Into engcono engingayenza yikubalekela elizweni lamaFilisti. Lapho-ke uSawuli uzadela ukungidinga loba kungaphi ko-Israyeli, njalo ngizaphunyuka esandleni sakhe.”

1 Samuel 27

UDavida phakathi kwamaFilisti

1 Kodwa uDavida wacabanga wathi, “Ngolunye lwalezi izinsuku uSawuli uzangibulala. Into engcono engingayenza yikubalekela elizweni lamaFilisti. Lapho-ke uSawuli uzadela ukungidinga loba kungaphi ko-Israyeli, njalo ngizaphunyuka esandleni sakhe.”

2 Ngakho uDavida labantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha basuka laye baya ku-Akhishi indodana kaMawokhi inkosi yaseGathi.

3 UDavida labantu bakhe bahlala eGathi lo-Akhishi. Umuntu ngamunye wayelabendlu yakhe, uDavida elabomkakhe ababili: u-Ahinowami waseJeziyeli lo-Abhigeli waseKhameli, umfelokazi kaNabhali. 4 Kwathi uSawuli esetsheliwe ukuthi uDavida wayebalekele eGathi kasamdinganga futhi.

5 UDavida wasesithi ku-Akhishi, “Uma ngithole umusa emehlweni akho ngabela indawo komunye wemizi yasemaphandleni, ukuze ngiyehlala khona. Inceku yakho ingahlalelani lawe edolobheni lobukhosi na?”

6 Ngakho ngalelolanga u-Akhishi wamnika iZikhilagi, njalo seyaba ngeyamakhosi akoJuda kusukela lapho. 7 UDavida wahlala elizweni lamaFilisti umnyaka lezinyanga ezine.

8 UDavida labantu bakhe basuka bayahlasela amaGeshuri, amaGerizi kanye lama-Amaleki. (Kusukela ezikhathini zasendulo abantu laba babehlale elizweni elalifika eShuri kanye laseGibhithe.)

9 Lapho uDavida ehlasele indawo, wayengatshiyi ndoda kumbe umfazi ephila, kodwa wayethatha izimvu lezinkomo, obabhemi lamakamela, kanye lezigqoko. Wabuyela ku-Akhishi. 10 Lapho u-Akhishi embuza esithi, “Lamhla ubuyehlasela ngaphi na?” uDavida wayesithi, “Besimelane leNegebi yakoJuda,” loba athi, “Besimelane leNegebi yaseJerameyeli,” loba athi, “Besimelane leNegebi yamaKheni.”

11 Katshiyanga ndoda kumbe umfazi ephila ukuba asiwe eGathi ngoba wacabanga wathi, “Bangasiceba bathi, ‘Lokhu yikho okwenziwe nguDavida.’ ” Lokhu yikho ayekwenza sonke isikhathi sokuhlala kwakhe elizweni lamaFilisti.

12 U-Akhishi wayemthemba uDavida njalo wazitshela wathi, “Usezondakala kangaka ebantwini bakibo, ama-Israyeli, usezakuba yinceku yami kuze kube nininini.”