Isahluko 23
1
Lawa angamazwi okugcina kaDavide. “UDavide indodana kaJese uthi, umuntu owaphakanyiselwa phezulu uthi, ogcotshiweyo kaNkulunkulu kaJakobe nomhlabeleli omnandi wakwa-Israyeli usho ukuthi:
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“UMoya kaJehova wakhuluma ngami; izwi lakhe lalisolimini lwami.
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UNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wathi, iDwala lika-Israyeli lakhuluma kimi ukuthi: ‘Obusa abantu ngokulunga, abuse ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu,
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unjengokukhanya kwasekuseni ekuphumeni kwelanga, isasa elingenamafu, lapho kuvela ekukhanyeni uhlaza emhlabathini emva kwemvula.’
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“Ayinjalo indlu yami kuNkulunkulu na? Ngokuba wenzile nami isivumelwano esiphakade; sihleliwe ezintweni zonke, sigcinekile, ngokuba yonke insindiso yami nokwenama kwami akayikukuhlumisa na?
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Kepha onke amashinga ayakuba njengameva alahlwayo, ngokuba angephathwe ngesandla.
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Kodwa umuntu owathintayo wohlonyiswa ngensimbi nangothi lomkhonto, aze ashiswe nokushiswa ngomlilo kuleyo ndawo.”
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Lawa angamagama amaqhawe kaDavide: UJoshebi Bashebeti waseTahekemoni, inhloko yabathathu; nguyena owaphakamisa umkhonto wakhe, walwa nabantu abangamakhulu ayisishiyagalombili abagwazwa ngasikhathi sinye.
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Emva kwakhe kwakungu-Eleyazare indodana kaDodayi indodana yomAhohi, omunye wamaqhawe amathathu ayenoDavide mhla edelela amaFilisti ayebuthene lapho ukulwa, abantu bakwa-Israyeli sebehambile;
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wasuka wabulala amaFilisti saze sakhathala isandla sakhe, isandla sakhe sanamathela enkembeni; uJehova wenza insindiso enkulu ngalolo suku; abantu babuya emva kwakhe ukuba baphange kuphela.
11
Emva kwakhe kwakunguShama indodana ka-Age umHarari. AmaFilisti ayebuthene eLehi, lapho kwakukhona isiqephu sezwe esigcwele imbumba; abantu babaleka ebusweni bamaFilisti.
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Kepha wayemi phakathi nesiqephu, wasivikela, wawabulala amaFilisti; uJehova wenza insindiso enkulu.
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Kwehla abathathu kwaba yizinhloko ezingamashumi amathathu, bafika kuDavide ngesikhathi sokuvuna emhumeni wase-Adulamu; impi yamaFilisti yayimise esiGodini samaRefa.
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UDavide wayesesenqabeni; ikhanda lamaFilisti laliseBetlehema.
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UDavide wanxanela, wathi: “Hawu, sengathi ngingaphuziswa amanzi asemthonjeni waseBetlehema ongasesangweni.”
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Lawo maqhawe amathathu afohla ikamu lamaFilisti, akha amanzi emthonjeni waseBetlehama owawungasesangweni, awathatha, awaletha kuDavide; kepha akavumanga ukuwaphuza, kodwa wawathululela uJehova.
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Wathi: “Makube kude nami, Jehova, ukuba ngenze lokhu; kuyigazi lalabo bantu ababesuka besengozini.” Akavumanga ukuwaphuza. Lezo zinto zenziwa yilawa maqhawe amathathu.
18
U-Abishayi umfowabo kaJowabe indodana kaSeruya wayeyinhloko yabathathu. Waphakamisela abangamakhulu amathathu umkhonto wakhe, wababulala, waba negama phakathi kwalabo abathathu.
19
Wayengengotusekayo phakathi kwamashumi amathathu na? Ngalokho waba yisikhulu sabo, kepha akafinyelelanga nokho kwabathathu bokuqala.
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UBenaya indodana kaJehoyada, indodana yendoda enamandla, owayenze imisebenzi emikhulu, owaseKabiseyeli, wabulala amaqhawe amabili akwaMowabi; futhi wehla, wabulala ingonyama phakathi komgodi ngosuku lweqhwa,
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wabulala nowaseGibithe, umuntu owabukeka emuhle; owaseGibithe wayephethe umkhonto esandleni sakhe, kepha wehlela kuye ephethe induku nje, wawuhlwitha umkhonto esandleni sowaseGibithe, wambulala ngomkhonto wakhe.
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Lezo zinto wazenza uBenaya indodana kaJehoyada, waba negama phakathi kwalawo maqhawe amathathu.
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Wayetuseka kunabangamashumi amathathu, kepha akafinyelelanga kwabathathu bokuqala. UDavide wambeka phezu kwabalindi bakhe.
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Phakathi kwabangamashumi amathathu kwakukhona u-Asaheli umfowabo kaJowabe, no-Elihanani indodana kaDodo waseBetlehema,
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noShama waseHarodi, no-Elika waseHarodi,
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noHelesi wasePaliti, no-Ira indodana ka-Ikheshi waseThekhowa,
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no-Abiyezeri wase-Anathoti, noMebunayi umHushati,
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noSalimoni umAhohi, noMaharayi waseNethofa,
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noHelevi indodana kaBahana waseNethofa, no-Ithayi indodana kaRibayi waseGibeya labantwana bakwaBenjamini,
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noBenaya wasePirathoni, noHidayi wangasemifudlaneni yakwaGahashi,
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no-Abi Aliboni wase-Araba, no-Azimaveti waseBarhumi,
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no-Eliyaba waseShahaliboni, noBene Jasheni, noJonathani,
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noShama waseHarari, no-Ahiyamu indodana kaSharari wase-Arari,
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no-Elifeleti indodana ka-Ahashibayi indodana yomMahakha, no-Eliyamu indodana ka-Ahithofeli waseGilo,
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noHeserayi waseKarmeli, noPhaharayi wase-Arabi,
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no-Igali indodana kaNathani waseSoba, noBani wakwaGadi,
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noSeleki wakwa-Amoni, noNaharayi waseBeroti, izindibi zezikhali zikaJowabe indodana kaSeruya,
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no-Ira waseJetheri, noGarebi waseJetheri,
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no-Uriya umHeti, bengamashumi amathathu nesikhombisa bebonke.