1 AmaZifi aya kuSawuli eGibhiya athi kuye, “UDavida kacatshanga entabeni yaseHakhila, ekhangele eJeshimoni na?”

2 Ngakho uSawuli waya eNkangala yaseZifi, elezinkulungwane ezintathu zabantu bakhe abakhethiweyo bako-Israyeli, ukuyadinga uDavida khona. 3 USawuli wenza isihonqo phansi komgwaqo entabeni yaseHakhila ekhangele eJeshimoni, kodwa uDavida wahlala enkangala. Kwathi ebona ukuthi uSawuli wayesemlandele khonale, 4 wathuma inhloli wasekwazi ukuthi uSawuli wayefikile impela.

5 Ngakho uDavida wasuka waya lapho uSawuli ayemise khona wabona lapho okwakulele khona uSawuli lo-Abhineri indodana kaNeri, umlawuli webutho. USawuli wayelele phakathi kwesihonqo, ibutho lisezihonqweni limhanqile.

6 UDavida wasebuza u-Ahimeleki umHithi lo-Abhishayi indodana kaZeruya, umfowabo kaJowabi, wathi, “Ngubani ozahamba lami phakathi kwesihonqo kuSawuli na?”

U-Abhishayi wathi, “Ngizahamba lawe.”

7 Ngakho uDavida lo-Abhishayi baya ebuthweni ebusuku babona uSawuli elele ubuthongo phakathi kwesihonqo umkhonto wakhe ugwaze phansi eduzane lekhanda lakhe. U-Abhineri lamabutho babelele bemhanqile.

8 U-Abhishayi wasesithi kuDavida, “Lamhla uNkulunkulu unikele isitha sakho ezandleni zakho. Khathesi-ke kahle ngimgwazele phansi kanye nje ngomkhonto wami; kangiyi kugalela kabili.”

9 Kodwa uDavida wathi ku-Abhishayi, “Ungambulali. Ngubani ongabeka isandla kogcotshiweyo kaThixo angabi lecala na?” 10 Wasesithi, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ekhona, uThixo yena ngokwakhe uzamtshaya; mhlawumbe isikhathi sakhe sizafika afe, loba aye empini abhubhe. 11 Kodwa uThixo kanqabele ukuba ngibeke isandla kogcotshiweyo kaThixo. Thatha umkhonto lesigxingi samanzi okuphansi kwekhanda lakhe, sihambe.”

12 Ngakho uDavida wathatha umkhonto lesigxingi samanzi okwakuphansi kwekhanda likaSawuli, basebehamba. Bonke babelele ngoba uThixo wayebehlisele ubuthongo obukhulu.

13 UDavida wachaphela ngakwelinye icele wema phezu kwentatshana khatshana; kwakulebanga elibanzi phakathi kwabo. 14 Wamemeza ibutho lo-Abhineri indodana kaNeri, wathi, “Kanti kawungiphenduli, Abhineri na?”

U-Abhineri waphendula wathi, “Ungubani wena omemeza inkosi na?”

15 UDavida wathi, “Uyindoda, kawusiyo na? Njalo ngubani onjengawe ko-Israyeli na? Kungani ungayilindanga inkosi yakho na? Umuntu othile ufikile ukuba abulale inkosi yakho. 16 Okwenzileyo kakukuhle. Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ephila, wena labantu bakho lifanele ukufa, ngoba kaliyilindanga inkosi yenu, ogcotshiweyo kaThixo. Khangelani emaceleni enu. Ungaphi umkhonto wenkosi lesigxingi samanzi okube kuphansi kwekhanda layo na?”

17 USawuli walazi ilizwi likaDavida, wasesithi, “Yilizwi lakho lelo yini, Davida ndodana yami?”

UDavida waphendula wathi, “Yebo yilo, nkosi, nkosi yami.” 18 Wengeza wathi, “Kanti kungani inkosi yami ixotshana lenceku yayo na? Kuyini engikwenzileyo, njalo licala bani engilalo na? 19 Khathesi-ke nkosi, nkosi yami, lalela amazwi enceku yakho. Nxa uThixo ekuqubule ukuba umelane lami, kamkele umhlatshelo. Kodwa nxa kwenziwe ngabantu, kabathukwe phambi kukaThixo! Khathesi sebengixotshile esabelweni sami elifeni likaThixo njalo bathi, ‘Hamba uyekhonza abanye onkulunkulu.’ 20 Ungenzi igazi lami lichithekele phansi khatshana lobukhona bukaThixo. Inkosi yako-Israyeli iphumile ukuzadinga insikizi njengomuntu ozingela isikhwehle ezintabeni.”

21 Lapho-ke uSawuli wathi, “Ngenze isono. Buya Davida, ndodana yami. Ngenxa yokuthi ukhangele impilo yami njengegugu lamhla, kangiyikuzama futhi ukwenza okubi kuwe. Ngempela ngenze ubuwula njalo ngiphambanise kakhulu.”

22 UDavida waphendula wathi, “Nanku umkhonto wenkosi. Wothi omunye wezinsizwa zakho keze ngapha azewuthatha. 23 UThixo uyamnika umvuzo umuntu wonke ngenxa yokulunga kwakhe lokuthembeka kwakhe. UThixo ukunikele ezandleni zami lamhla, kodwa kade ngingeke ngibeke isandla kogcotshiweyo kaThixo. 24 Ngeqiniso njengoba ngiqakathekise ukuphila kwakho lamhla, sengathi kanjalo-ke uThixo angaqakathekisa ukuphila kwami angisindise kukho konke ukuhlupheka.”

25 Lapho-ke uSawuli wathi kuDavida, “Sengathi ungabusiseka, ndodana yami Davida; uzakwenza izinto ezinkulu njalo unqobe.”

UDavida wasuka wazihambela, uSawuli wasebuyela ekhaya.