Eyokuqala KaSamuweli 16:1-23
16 Ekugqibeleni uYehova wathi kuSamuweli: “Uza kukhathazeka kude kube nini ngenxa kaSawule,+ ekubeni ndingasafuni ukuba abe ngukumkani wamaSirayeli?+ Gcwalisa uphondo lwakho ngeoli+ uze uhambe. Ndiza kukuthumela kuYese+ waseBhetelehem, kuba ndizikhethele ukumkani koonyana bakhe.”+
2 Kodwa uSamuweli wathi: “Ndingaya njani? Xa uSawule eyiva loo nto uza kundibulala.”+ UYehova wathi: “Hamba nethokazi lenkomo uze uthi, ‘Ndize kubingelela kuYehova.’
3 Memela uYese kwindawo oza kubingelela kuyo. Ndiza kukuxelela into omele uyenze. Umele undithambisele lowo ndiza kukutyumbela yena.”+
4 USamuweli wayenza into awayeyithunywe nguYehova. Xa efika eBhetelehem+ abadala besixeko bangcangcazela xa bedibana naye. Bathi: “Ngaba uze ngoxolo?”
5 USamuweli wathi: “Ndize ngoxolo. Ndize kubingelela kuYehova. Zenzeni nibe ngcwele, niye nam kwindawo endiza kubingelela kuyo.” Emva koko wamenza ngcwele uYese noonyana bakhe, waza wababizela embingelelweni.
6 Xa babengena kwindawo ababeza kubingelela kuyo, uSamuweli wabona uEliyabhi,+ wathetha yedwa esithi: “Lo umi phambi kukaYehova ngumthanjiswa wakhe nyhani.”
7 Kodwa uYehova wathi kuSamuweli: “Sukujonga inkangeleko yakhe nobude bakhe,+ kuba andikhethanga yena. Indlela abona ngayo umntu asiyondlela abona ngayo uThixo. Umntu ubona nje okubonakalayo emehlweni, kodwa uYehova ubona okusentliziyweni.”+
8 Emva koko uYese wabiza uAbhinadabhi+ waza wamdlulisa phambi koSamuweli, kodwa uSamuweli wathi: “UYehova akamkhethanga nalo.”
9 UYese walandelisa ngoShamaha,+ kodwa uSamuweli wathi: “UYehova akamkhethanga nalo.”
10 UYese wadlulisa abasixhenxe koonyana bakhe phambi koSamuweli, kodwa uSamuweli wathi kuye: “Akukho namnye kwaba okhethiweyo nguYehova.”
11 Ekugqibeleni wathi uSamuweli kuYese: “Baphelele apha oonyana bakho?” Wathi yena: “Ongekaziswa ngoyena mncinci.+ Usendle, walusa iigusha.”+ Wathi ke uSamuweli kuYese: “Yitsho ayokubizwa, kuba asizukutya de afike.”
12 Ngoko wathi makayobizwa waza wamzisa kuSamuweli. Wayengumfana obubomvurha, enamehlo amahle yaye eyinzwana.+ UYehova wathi: “Phakama, mthambise, kuba nguye lo!”+
13 USamuweli wathatha uphondo lweoli+ waza wamthambisa phambi kwabantakwabo. Umoya kaYehova waqalisa ukusebenza kuDavide ukususela loo mini.+ Emva koko uSamuweli waphakama, wahamba waya eRama.+
14 Ngoku umoya kaYehova wawumkile kuSawule,+ yaye uYehova wamyeka wangcungcuthekiswa ngumoya ombi.+
15 Izicaka zikaSawule zathi kuye: “Uyazibonela nawe ukuba uThixo ukuyeke wangcungcuthekiswa ngumoya ombi.
16 Siyacela ke, inkosi yethu mayiyalele izicaka zayo ukuba zikhangele indoda elichule ekudlaleni uhadi.+ Nanini na uThixo ekuyeke wafikelwa ngumoya ombi, yona iza kukudlalela uhadi, kutsho kuthi qabu.”
17 Ngoko uSawule wathi kwizicaka zakhe: “Ndicela nindifunele indoda eludlala kakuhle uhadi, niyizise apha.”
18 Esinye isicaka sathi: “Jonga! Ndiyibonile indlela unyana kaYese waseBhetelehem anobuchule ngayo ekudlaleni uhadi, yaye ulikroti.+ Uliciko, yinzwana+ yaye uYehova unaye.”+
19 USawule wathumela abathunywa kuYese wathi: “Ndithumelele uDavide unyana wakho, owalusa umhlambi.”+
20 Ngoko uYese wakhwelisa edonkini isonka, ibhotile yofele enewayini, netakane lebhokhwe. Zonke ezo zinto wazithumela kuSawule, wathumela noDavide unyana wakhe.
21 Ngaloo ndlela uDavide waya kuSawule, waba sisicaka sakhe.+ USawule wamthanda egazini uDavide, waba ngumphathi wezixhobo zakhe.
22 USawule wathumela umyalezo kuYese esithi: “Ndicela uDavide abe sisicaka sam, kuba ndiyamthanda.”
23 Nanini na uThixo eyeke uSawule wafikelwa ngumoya ombi, uDavide wayethatha uhadi aludlale. Kwakutsho kuthi qabu kuSawule, nomoya ombi umke kuye.+
