Isahluko 26
1
AbaseZifi beza kuSawule eGibeya, bathi: “UDavide akacashi yini entabeni yaseHakhila engaphambi kwehlane na?”
2
USawule wasuka, wehlela ehlane laseZifi enabantu abakhethiweyo bakwa-Israyeli abayizinkulungwane ezintathu ukuba amfune uDavide ehlane.
3
USawule wamisa entabeni yaseHakhila engaphambi kwehlane ngasendleleni. Kepha uDavide wahlala ehlane, wabona ukuthi uSawule uyamlandela ehlane.
4
UDavide wayesethuma izinhloli, wazi ukuthi uSawule ufikile impela.
5
UDavide wasuka, weza endaweni uSawule amise kuyo; uDavide wabona indawo uSawule ahlala kuyo, eno-Abineri indodana kaNeri, induna yempi yakhe; uSawule wayelele ezinqoleni, abantu bemise ngakuye nxazonke.
6
UDavide wayesethatha washo ku-Ahimeleki umHeti naku-Abishayi indodana kaSeruya, umfowabo kaJowabe, ethi: “Ngubani oyakwehla nami ukuya kuSawule ekamu na?” U-Abishayi wathi: “Ngiyakwehla nawe.”
7
ODavide no-Abishayi bafika kubantu ebusuku; bheka, uSawule wayelele ubuthongo ezinqoleni, umkhonto wakhe ugxunyekiwe emhlabathini ngasekhanda lakhe; u-Abineri nabantu bakhe babelele ngakuye nxazonke.
8
U-Abishayi wathi kuDavide: “UNkulunkulu unikele isitha sakho esandleni sakho namuhla; ngalokho mangimgwaze kanye ngomkhonto uze udle umhlabathi, ngingamphindi.”
9
UDavide wathi ku-Abishayi: “Ungambulali, ngokuba ngubani ongelulela isandla sakhe kogcotshiweyo kaJehova, angabi nacala, na?”
10
UDavide wathi: “Kuphila kukaJehova, uJehova uyakumshaya, noma kufika nje usuku lwakhe lokufa, noma ehlela empini, abhubhe.
11
UJehova makenqabe ukuba ngelulele isandla sami kogcotshiweyo kaJehova; ake uthathe umkhonto ongasekhanda lakhe nesigubhu samanzi, sihambe.”
12
UDavide wayesethatha umkhonto nesigubhu samanzi ngasekhanda likaSawule, bahamba, kungaboni muntu, kungazi muntu, kungavuki muntu, ngokuba babelele bonke, lokhu bebehlelwe ngubuthongo obunzima obuvela kuJehova.
13
UDavide wayesewelela phesheya, wema esiqongweni sentaba ekude, isikhala esikhulu siphakathi kwabo.
14
UDavide wabiza abantu no-Abineri indodana kaNeri, ethi: “Awusabeli, Abineri, na?” U-Abineri wayesesabela ethi: “Ungubani wena obiza inkosi na?”
15
UDavide wathi ku-Abineri: “Awusiye umuntu okungekho onjengawe kwa-Israyeli na? Awulindanga ngani inkosi yakho, inkosi? Ngokuba kwafika omunye wabantu ukuyobulala inkosi yakho, inkosi.
16
Akukuhle okwenzileyo. Kuphila kukaJehova, nimelwe ukufa, ngokuba anilindanga inkosi yenu, ogcotshiweyo kaJehova. Manje bhekani ukuthi umkhonto wenkosi uphi nesigubhu samanzi esasingasekhanda lakhe.”
17
USawule walazi izwi likaDavide, wathi: “Yizwi lakho leli, ndodana yami Davide, na?” UDavide wathi: “Yizwi lami, nkosi yami, nkosi.”
18
Wathi: “Inkosi yami iyixoshelani inceku yayo na? Ngokuba ngenzeni na? Ngububi buni obusesandleni sami na?
19
Ngalokho mayizwe inkosi yami, inkosi, amazwi enceku yayo. Uma nguJehova okuncokoloza ngami, makamukele umnikelo, kepha uma kungabantwana babantu, mabaqalekiswe phambi kukaJehova, ngokuba bangixoshile namuhla ukuba ngingazihlanganisi nefa likaJehova, bethi: ‘Hamba ukhonze abanye onkulunkulu.’
20
Ngalokho igazi lami malingaweli emhlabathini ngikude noJehova, ngokuba inkosi yakwa-Israyeli iphumele ukufuna intwakumba eyodwa, njengalokhu kuzingelwa intendele ezintabeni.”
21
USawule wathi: “Ngonile; buya, ndodana yami Davide, ngokuba angisayikukulimaza, lokhu ukuphila kwami bekuyigugu emehlweni akho namuhla; bheka, ngenze okwesiwula, ngidukile kakhulu.”
22
UDavide waphendula wathi: “Bheka, umkhonto, nkosi! Makuwele enye yezinsizwa, iwulande.
23
UJehova uyakuphindisela, kube yilowo nalowo ngokulunga kwakhe nangokuthembeka kwakhe, lokhu uJehova ekunikele esandleni sami namuhla, angavuma ukwelulela isandla sami kogcotshiweyo kaJehova.
24
Futhi bheka, njengalokho ukuphila kwakho kwakukukhulu ngalolo suku emehlweni ami, ukuphila kwami makube kukhulu emehlweni kaJehova, yena angophule ekuhluphekeni konke.”
25
USawule wathi kuDavide: “Mawubusiswe wena ndodana yami Davide; uyakwenza izinto ezinkulu, uphumelele kahle.” Wayesehamba uDavide ngendlela yakhe, uSawule wabuyela endaweni yakhe.