1 USamuyeli 31 - IBhayibhili Elingcwele LesiNdebele

USawuli Uyazibulala

¹ AmaFilistiya alwa lo-Israyeli; abako-Israyeli babaleka, njalo abanengi bafela eNtabeni yase Gilibhowa.

² AmaFilistiya axotshana kanzima loSawuli kanye lamadodana akhe, abulala amadodana akhe uJonathani, lo-Abhinadabi kanye loMalikhi-Shuwa.

³ Impi yatshisa macele wonke kuSawuli, njalo kwathi abatshoki bemitshoko sebemxhumile, bamlimaza kubi.

⁴ USawuli wathi kumthwali wezikhali zakhe, “Hwatsha inkemba yakho ungigwaze, hlezi abantu laba abangasokanga bafike bangigwaze bangenze ihlazo.” Kodwa umphathi wezikhali zakhe wesaba, akaze akwenza lokho; ngakho uSawuli wathatha inkemba yakhe waziwisela phezu kwayo.

⁵ Kwathi umphathi wezikhali ebona ukuthi uSawuli wayesefile, laye waziwisela phezu kwenkemba yakhe wafa kanye laye.

⁶ Ngakho uSawuli lamadodana akhe amathathu lomphathi wezikhali zakhe kanye labantu bakhe bonke bafa ndawonye ngalo lolosuku.

⁷ Kwathi abako-Israyeli ababesekele isigodi lalabo ababengaphetsheya kweJodani bebona ukuthi ibutho lako-Israyeli lalibalekile lokuthi uSawuli kanye lamadodana akhe basebefile, batshiya imizi yabo babaleka. AmaFilistiya afika ahlala kuyo.

⁸ Ngelanga elalandelayo, amaFilistiya esefikile ukuba akhuthuze abafileyo, afica uSawuli lamadodana akhe amathathu befile eNtabeni yase Gilibhowa.

⁹ Amquma ikhanda lakhe athatha lezikhali zakhe, basebethuma izithunywa kulolonke ilizwe lamaFilistiya ukuthi zimemezele lindaba ethempelini lezithombe zawo lasebantwini bakibo.

¹⁰ Abeka izikhali zakhe ethempelini lama-Ashithorethi. Kwathi isidumbu sakhe asibethela emdulini weBhethi-Shani.

¹¹ Kwathi abantu baseJabheshi Giliyadi sebezwile ngokwakwenziwe ngamaFilistiya kuSawuli,

¹² wonke amaqhawe abo alezibindi ahamba ubusuku bonke esiya eBhethi-Shani. Ethula isidumbu sikaSawuli lezamadodana akhe emdulini weBhethi-Shani aya eJabheshi, lapho azitshisela khona.

¹³ Athatha amathambo abo awembela ngaphansi kwesihlahla somthamarisiki eJabheshi, asezila insuku eziyisikhombisa.