1 USamuyeli 29

1 AmaFilistiya aqoqela wonke amabutho awo e-Afekhi, kwathi u-Israyeli wamisa emthonjeni weJezerili.

2 Kwathi ababusi bamaFilistiya befola lamabutho abo angamakhulu lazinkulungwane, uDavida labantu bakhe babefola emuva lo-Akhishi.

3 Umlawuli wamaFilistiya wabuza wathi, “AmaHebheru la-ke?” U-Akhishi waphendula wathi, “Kanti lo kasuDavida yini owayeyisikhulu sikaSawuli inkosi yako-Israyeli na? Usebe lami okudlula umnyaka, njalo kusukela mhla etshiya uSawuli kuze kube khathesi, angikaboni sici kuye.”

4 Kodwa abalawuli bamaFilistiya bamthukuthelela bathi kuye, “Buyisela umuntu lo emuva, ukuze abuyele endaweni owamabela yona. Akumelanga aye empini lathi, hlezi asiphendukele lapho sekulwiwa. Angawuthola ngcono kanjani futhi umusa wenkosi yakhe kulokuthatha amakhanda abantu bakithi na?

5 Kasuyenalo yini uDavida abahlabela ngaye emigidweni yabo besithi: ‘USawuli ubulele izinkulungwane zakhe, kodwa uDavida ubulele amatshumi ezinkulungwane zakhe’?”

6 Ngakho u-Akhishi wabiza uDavida wathi kuye, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ekhona, ubuthembekile, njalo kade ngingathokoza ukuba lawe usebenze lami empini. Kusukela ngelanga owafika ngalo kimi kuze kube khathesi, angibonanga sici kuwe, kodwa ababusi kabakufuni.

7 Ngakho phenduka uhambe ngokuthula; ungenzi lutho oluzacunula ababusi bamaFilistiya.”

8 UDavida wabuza wathi, “Kanti ngenzeni na? Kuyini okubi okubone encekwini yakho kusukela ngelanga engafika ngalo kuwe kuze kube khathesi na? Kungani ngingeze ngayakulwa lezitha zenkosi yami na?”

9 U-Akhishi waphendula wathi, “Ngiyakwazi ukuthi ube uthokozisa emehlweni ami njengengilosi kaNkulunkulu; kodwa-ke abalawuli bamaFilistiya sebethe, ‘Kafanelanga ukuhamba lathi empini.’

10 Ngakho vuka ekuseni, kanye lezinceku zenkosi yakho ezeza lawe, lisuke ekuseni lapho kuqalisa ukukhanya.”

11 Ngakho uDavida labantu bakhe bavuka ekuseni kakhulu ukuba babuyele elizweni lamaFilistiya, kwathi amaFilistiya aya eJezerili.