Eyokuqala KaSamuweli 11:1-15
11 UNahashe ukumkani wama-Amoni+ wenyuka nomkhosi wakhe, waza wamisa inkampu ukuze alwe neYabheshe+ yaseGiliyadi. Onke ke amadoda aseYabheshe athi kuNahashe: “Yenza isivumelwano nathi ibe siza kukukhonza.”
2 UNahashe umAmoni wathi kuwo: “Ndiza kuyenza loo nto, kodwa kuqala kuza kufuneka nonke ndinikrukre ilihlo lasekunene, ukuze ndimhlazise wonke uSirayeli.”
3 Abadala baseYabheshe bathi kuye: “Sinike iintsuku ezisixhenxe ukuze sithumele abathunywa kuzo zonke iindawo zakwaSirayeli. Siza kuthi ke sakungamfumani umntu oza kusisindisa, sizinikele kuwe.”
4 Ethubeni abathunywa bafika eGibheya+ kuloSawule baza bayithetha yonke le nto abantu besiva, yaye bonke abantu basothula isikhalo.
5 Ngelo xesha uSawule wayesiza eqhuba umhlambi evela endle, waza uSawule wathi: “Batheni aba bantu? Kutheni belila nje?” Bamchazela into ethethwe ngamadoda aseYabheshe.
6 Uthe akuyiva uSawule,+ umoya kaThixo wamnika amandla, waza wanomsindo.
7 Ngoko wathatha iinkunzi zeenkomo ezimbini wazinqunqa waza wazithumela ngabathunywa kuzo zonke iindawo zakwaSirayeli, esithi: “Nabani na ongamlandeliyo uSawule noSamuweli, ziza kunqunqwa ngolu hlobo iinkomo zakhe!” UYehova wabenza abantu boyika kangangokuba baphuma bemanyene.*
8 Emva koko wawabala amadoda eBhezeki, yaye awakwaSirayeli aba yi-300 000, awakwaYuda ayi-30 000.
9 Emva koko bathi kubathunywa ababezile: “Nantsi into emaniyithethe kumadoda aseYabheshe yaseGiliyadi, ‘Ngomso lo usayo xa ilanga lifudumala niza kusindiswa.’” Bemka ke abathunywa baya kumadoda aseYabheshe baza bawachazela. Avuya gqitha loo madoda.
10 Ngoko amadoda aseYabheshe athi kuma-Amoni: “Ngomso siza kuzinikela kuni, yaye nina nimele nenze kuthi loo nto ibonakala ilungile kuni.”+
11 Ngemini elandelayo uSawule wabahlulahlula abantu bangamabutho amathathu, baza baya ngqo phakathi enkampini ekuzeni kokusa,* bawaxabela ama-Amoni+ yada yaqina imini. Awasindayo bawachitha-chitha ngamnye kuwo ezibalekela yedwa.
12 Emva koko abantu bathi kuSamuweli: “Ngoobani aba bebesithi, ‘USawule uza kuba ngukumkani wethu na?’+ Waziseni apha loo madoda siwabulale.”
13 Kodwa uSawule wathi: “Akukho mntu ufanele abulawe ngale mini,+ kuba namhlanje uYehova uye wamsindisa uSirayeli.”
14 Emva koko uSamuweli wathi ebantwini: “Yizani sinyuke siye eGiligali+ ukuze sihlaziye ubukumkani.”+
15 Ngoko bonke abantu baya eGiligali, baza apho bamenza ukumkani uSawule phambi koYehova. Emva koko banikela imibingelelo yobuhlobo apho phambi koYehova,+ yaye uSawule nawo onke amadoda akwaSirayeli babhiyoza apho.+
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Ngokoqobo, “njengandoda-nye.”
^ Ngokoqobo, “ngomlindo wasekuseni,” oko kukuthi, malunga nentsimbi yesibini ukuya kutsho kweyesithandathu ekuseni.