1 USamuyeli 31 - iBhayibhili Elingcwele 1978

Ukufa kukaSawuli lamadodana akhe

¹ AmaFilistiya alwa loIsrayeli; abakoIsrayeli behlulwa, abanengi bafela entabeni yaseGilibowa.

² AmaFilistiya axotshana loSawuli lamadodana akhe; abulala uJonathani, loAbinadaba, loMalikishuwa, amadodana kaSawuli.

³ Impi yaba nzima kuSawuli, abatshoki bemitshoko bamfica; bamlimaza kubi.

⁴ USawuli wasesithi kumphathi wezikhali zakhe: Khokha umhedla wakho, ungibulale ngawo, funa laba abangasokanga bafike bangigwaze, badlale ngami. Kodwa umphathi wezikhali zakhe kavumanga, ngoba wesaba kakhulu. Ngakho uSawuli wasethatha owakhe umhedla, waziwisela phezu kwawo.

⁵ Lapho umphathi wezikhali zakhe ebona ukuba uSawuli usefile, laye waziwisela phezu komhedla wakhe, wafa kanye laye.

⁶ Wafake uSawuli, lamadodana akhe amathathu, lomphathi wezikhali zakhe, labo bonke abantu bakhe ngasuku lunye.

⁷ Kwathi lapho abantu bakoIsrayeli ababengaphetsheya kwesigodi lababengaphetsheya kweJordani bebona ukuthi abakoIsrayeli babalekile, lokuthi uSawuli lamadodana akhe sebefile, batshiya imizi yabo, babaleka; amaFilistiya afika, ahlala kiyo.

⁸ Kwathi kusisa lapho amaFilistiya efika ukuphanga ababuleweyo, bafica uSawuli lamadodana akhe befile entabeni iGilibowa.

⁹ Amquma ikhanda, athatha izikhali zakhe, athumela ilizwi elizweni lonke lamaFilistiya ukumemezela lindaba ezithombeni zabo lebantwini.

¹⁰ Abeka izikhali zakhe ethempelini likaAshitorethi unkulunkulukazi. Abethela isidumbu sakhe emdulini waseBeti‐Shani.

¹¹ Kodwa sebekuzwile abaseJabeshi‐Gileyadi lokho amaFilistiya akwenze kuSawuli,

¹² kwasuka wonke amaqhawe, ahamba ubusuku bonke, asethula isidumbu sikaSawuli lezidumbu zamadodana akhe emdulini waseBeti‐Shani, aziletha eJabeshi, azitshisa khona.

¹³ Athatha amathambo abo, awambela ngaphansi kwesihlahla setamarisiki eJabeshi, azila ukudla insuku eziyisikhombisa.