1 Kwathi uSawuli esebuyile ekuxotsheni amaFilistiya watshelwa ukuthi, “UDavida useNkangala yase-Eni-Gedi.” 2 Ngakho uSawuli wathatha abantu abazinkulungwane ezintantu abakhethwa ko-Israyeli waphuma ukuyadinga uDavida labantu bakhe eduze kwamadwala amaGogo.

3 Wafika ezibayeni zezimvu endleleni; kwakulobhalu khonapho, yikho uSawuli wasengena phakathi ukuba aye ngaphandle. UDavida labantu bakhe babekhatshana emuva phakathi kobhalu. 4 Abantu bathi, “Leli yilo ilanga uThixo akhuluma ngalo lapho wathi kuwe, ‘Ngizanikela izitha zakho ezandleni zakho ukuba uziphathe njengokufisa kwakho.’ ” UDavida wanyenya egaqa waquma umphetho wesembatho sikaSawuli.

5 Muva uDavida wakhathazeka ngokuquma umphetho wesembatho sikaSawuli. 6 Wathi ebantwini bakhe, “Uthixo kakwenqabele ukwenza into enje enkosini yami, ogcotshiweyo kaThixo.” 7 Ngala amazwi uDavida wabakhuza abantu bakhe akaze wabavumela ukuthi bahlasele uSawuli. USawuli waphuma ebhalwini wazihambela.

8 Lapho-ke uDavida waphuma ebhalwini wamemeza uSawuli esithi, “nkosi, nkosi yami!” Kwathi lapho uSawuli ekhangela emuva kwakhe, uDavida wakhothama waselala phansi ethe mbo phansi ngobuso. 9 Wathi kuSawuli, “Kungani ulalela nxa abantu besithi, ‘UDavida ujonge ukwenza okubi kuwe’? 10 Lamhla uzibonele ngamehlo akho ukuthi uThixo ukunikele ezandleni zami ebhalwini. Abanye bangikhuthaze ukuthi ngikubulale, kodwa ngikuphephisile, ngithe, ‘Angiyikuphakamisa isandla sami ngimelana lenkosi yami, ngoba ingogcotshiweyo kaThixo.’ 11 Khangela, baba, khangela isiqa sesembatho sakho lesi esisesandleni sami! Ngisiqume emphethweni wesembatho sakho, kodwa kangikubulalanga. Ngakho zwisisa ubone ukuthi kangilacala lokwenza okubi loba ukuhlamuka. Kangonanga lutho kuwe, kodwa wena uyangizingela ufuna ukungibulala. 12 Sengathi uThixo angahlulela phakathi kwami lawe. Njalo sengathi uThixo angaphindisela ububi obenze kimi, kodwa esami isandla kasiyikukuthinta. 13 Njengoba isitsho sendulo sisitsho ukuthi, ‘Kwabenza okubi kuvela izenzo ezimbi,’ ngakho esami isandla kasiyikukuthinta.

14 Inkosi yako-Israyeli iphume ukuyamelana lobani na? Ngubani oxotshana laye? Yinja efileyo na? Yindwebundwebu na? 15 Sengathi uThixo angaba ngumahluleli wethu ahlulele phakathi kwethu. Sengathi angahlola injongo yami ayisekele; sengathi angangikhulula ngokungisindisa esandleni sakho.”

16 Kwathi uDavida eseqedile ukutsho lokhu, uSawuli wabuza wathi, “Lelo yilizwi lakho, Davida ndodana yami na?” Wasekhala kakhulu. 17 Wasesithi, “Wena ulungile kakhulu kulami. Ungiphathe kuhle, kodwa mina ngikuphathe kubi. 18 Usungitshelile khathesi nje okuhle okwenze kimi; uThixo unginikele ezandleni zakho, kodwa kawungibulalanga. 19 Kanje nxa umuntu efica isitha sakhe, uyasiyekela sihambe singenziwanga lutho olubi na? Sengathi uThixo angakunika umvuzo omuhle ngenxa yendlela ongiphathe ngayo lamhla. 20 Ngiyakwazi ukuthi uzakuba yinkosi impela kanye lokuthi umbuso wako-Israyeli uzamiswa ezandleni zakho. 21 Khathesi-ke funga kimi ngo Thixo ukuthi kawuyikubulala inzalo yami loba wesule ibizo lami kwabendlu kababa.”

22 UDavida wafunga kuSawuli. Emva kwalokho uSawuli wabuyela ekhaya, kodwa uDavida labantu bakhe baya enqabeni.