1 Kwakulomuntu wakoBhenjamini, indoda elesithunzi, ibizo layo lalinguKhishi indodana ka-Abhiyeli, indodana kaZerori, indodana kaBhekhorathi, indodana ka-Afiya owakoBhenjamini. 2 Wayelendodana ethiwa nguSawuli, ijaha elilesithunzi kungekho ongalinganiswa lalo phakathi kwama-Israyeli, edlula abantu bonke ngobude kusukela emahlombe kusiya ekhanda.

3 Ngalesisikhathi obabhemi bakaKhishi uyise kaSawuli balahleka, uKhishi wasesithi kuSawuli indodana yakhe, “Thatha enye yezinceku uhambe layo ukuyadinga obabhemi.” 4 Ngakho wadabula elizweni lamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi lasemangweni ozungeze iShalisha, kodwa kababatholanga. Baqhubeka baya esifundeni saseShalimi, kodwa obabhemi babengekho. Wadabula phakathi kwelizwe lakoBhenjamini, kodwa kabawatholanga.

5 Kwathi sebefikile esifundeni saseZufi, uSawuli wathi encekwini eyayilaye, “Woza, kasibuyele, hlezi ubaba ekele ukucabanga ngabobabhemi aqalise ukukhathazeka ngathi.”

6 Kodwa inceku yaphendula yathi, “Khangela, kulumuzi kulomuntu kaNkulunkulu; uyahlonitshwa kakhulu, njalo konke akutshoyo kuyenzakala. Kasiye khona khathesi nje. Mhlawumbe angasitshela ukuthi siqonde ngaphi.”

7 USawuli wasesithi encekwini, “Singaya kuye, sizamnikani umuntu lowo na? Ukudla kakusekho emigodleni yethu. Kasilasipho esingahamba laso emuntwini kaNkulunkulu. Kuyini esilakho na?”

8 Inceku yaphendula njalo yathi, “Khangela, ngilokwesine kweshekeli elesiliva. Ngizakunika umuntu kaNkulunkulu ukuze asitshele ukuthi siqonde ngaphi.” 9 (Ngaphambilini ko-Israyeli, lapho umuntu esiyabuza uNkulunkulu, wayesithi, “Woza, kasiye kumboni,” ngoba umphrofethi wakhathesi wayethiwa ngumboni.)

10 USawuli wasesithi encekwini yakhe, “Kuhle. Woza kasihambe.” Ngakho basuka baya emzini okwakuhlala khona umuntu kaNkulunkulu.

11 Besaqansa uqaqa besiya kulowomuzi bahlangana lamantombazana ayephume ukuyakukha amanzi basebewabuza besithi, “Kulomboni lapha na?”

12 Aphendula athi, “Ukhona. Uphambidlana kwenu. Phangisani khathesi; usanda kufika emzini wethu lamhla, ngoba abantu balomhlatshelo endaweni ephakemeyo. 13 Khonokho nje lingena umuzi, lizamfica engakaqanseli phezulu endaweni ephakemeyo ukuyakudla. Abantu kabayikuqalisa ukudla aze afike, ngoba kumele abusise umhlatshelo; emva kwalokho bazakudla-ke labo abanxusiweyo. Hambani-ke, lizamthola khathesi nje.”

14 Baya kulowomuzi, kwathi lapho bengena kuwo, babona uSamuyeli esiza kubo eqansela endaweni ephakemeyo.

15 Ngosuku uSawuli engakafiki, uThixo wayeveze lokhu kuSamuyeli wathi, 16 “Ngesikhathi esingaba yisonalesi kusasa ngizaletha kuwe umuntu ovela elizweni lakoBhenjamini. Mgcobe ukuba ngumkhokheli wabantu bami u-Israyeli; uzakhulula abantu bami esandleni samaFilistiya. Ngibakhangele abantu bami, ngoba ukukhala kwabo sekufikile kimi.”

17 Kwathi uSamuyeli ebona uSawuli, uThixo wathi kuye, “Lo nguye umuntu engikhulume kuwe ngaye; uzabusa abantu bami.”

18 USawuli wasondela kuSamuyeli wabuza wathi, “Ake ungitshele ukuthi indlu yomboni ingaphi.”

19 USamuyeli waphendula wathi, “Umboni yimi. Hamba phambi kwami uye endaweni ephakemeyo, ngoba lamhla uzakudla lami, ekuseni ngizakuyekela uhambe njalo ngizakutshela konke okusenhliziyweni yakho. 20 Obabhemi abalahlekileyo ensukwini ezintathu ezedluleyo, ungakhathazeki ngabo; sebebonakele. Njalo kungubani izifiso zonke zika-Israyeli ezikhangele kuye nxa kungasuwe lendlu yonke kayihlo na?”

21 USawuli waphendula wathi, “Kodwa mina kangisuye yini wakoBhenjamini, isizwana esincinyane kulazo zonke ko-Israyeli, njalo lendlu yakwethu kayincinyane kulazo zonke izindlu zesizwe sakoBhenjamini na?”

22 USamuyeli wasengenisa uSawuli lenceku yakhe endlini enkulu wabahlalisa phambi kwalabo ababenxusiwe babengaba ngamatshumi amathathu ubunengi babo. 23 USamuyeli wasesithi kumpheki wakhe, “Letha iqatha lenyama engikuphe lona, leliyana engithe uligcine.”

24 Ngakho umpheki wathatha umlenze lalokho okwakuphezu kwawo, wakubeka phambi kukaSawuli. USamuyeli wasesithi, “Nanku okube kugcinelwe wena. Dlana, ngoba kade kubekelwe wena kulelithuba, kusukela ngesikhathi ngisithi, ‘Ngilabemzini abanxusiweyo.’ ” USawuli wadla loSamuyeli ngalolosuku.

25 Sebehlile endaweni ephakemeyo ukuya emzini, uSamuyeli wakhuluma loSawuli bephezu kophahla lwendlu yakhe. 26 Bavuka ngezikhathi zemadabukakusa, uSamuyeli wabiza uSawuli phezu kophahla wathi, “Lunga ngikuqhube ohanjweni lwakho.” USawuli eselungile, yena loSamuyeli baphuma bonke. 27 Ekuhambeni kwabo besehlela emaphethelweni omuzi, uSamuyeli wathi kuSawuli, “Tshela inceku yakho iqhubeke phambi kwethu” lakanye inceku yenza njalo “kodwa wena sala lapha okwesikhatshana ukuze ngikutshele ilizwi elivela kuNkulunkulu.”