Eyokuqala EkaSamuyeli 16:1-23
16 Ekucineni uJehova wathi kuSamuyeli: “Kuzaze kube nini ulokhu ulilela uSawuli,+ njengoba ngingasafuni ukuthi aqhubeke eyinkosi yabako-Israyeli?+ Gcwalisa uphondo lwakho ngamafutha+ ngikuthume. Hamba kuJese+ waseBhethilehema ngoba sengikhethe inkosi phakathi kwamadodana akhe.”+
2 Kodwa uSamuyeli wathi: “Manje ngizahamba njani? Phela uSawuli angakuzwa lokhu uzangibulala.”+ UJehova wamphendula wathi: “Thatha ithokazi uhambe lalo ufike uthi, ‘Ngizokwenzela uJehova umhlatshelo,’
3 ubusunxusa uJese lapho ozakwenzela khona umhlatshelo, mina ngizakutshela lokho okumele ukwenze. Kumele ugcobe lowo engizakutshengisa yena.”+
4 USamuyeli wenza lokho uJehova ayemtshele khona. Wathi efika eBhethilehema+ abadala bedolobho bamhlangabeza beqhuqha bathi kuye: “Uze ngokuhle yini?”
5 Yena wathi kubo: “Ye ngize ngokuhle. Ngizokwenzela uJehova umhlatshelo, zihlambululeni* beselibuya sinikele umhlatshelo.” Ngemva kwalokho wahlambulula* uJese lamadodana akhe wasebabiza ukuthi babuye endaweni okwakuzakwenzelwa kuyo umhlatshelo.
6 Bathi befika uSamuyeli wabona u-Eliyabi+ wasesithi: “Lo nguye sibili ogcotshiweyo kaJehova.”
7 Kodwa uJehova wathi kuSamuyeli: “Ungakhangeli isimo somzimba wakhe lobude bakhe+ ngoba angimkhethanga. Phela indlela umuntu abona ngayo ayisiyo indlela uNkulunkulu abona ngayo, ngoba umuntu ubona okungaphandle kodwa uJehova ubona okusenhliziyweni.”+
8 UJese wasebiza u-Abhinadabi+ wamletha phambi kukaSamuyeli. Kodwa uSamuyeli wathi: “Lalo uJehova kamkhethanga.”
9 UJese waseletha uShama,+ kodwa uSamuyeli wathi: “Lalo uJehova kamkhethanga.”
10 Ngakho uJese waletha amadodana akhe ayisikhombisa phambi kukaSamuyeli, kodwa uSamuyeli wathi kuJese: “Bonke laba uJehova kabakhethanga.”
11 USamuyeli wacina esithi kuJese: “Yibo bonke abafana bakho yini laba?” UJese waphendula wathi: “Kusele omncane,+ uyekwelusa izimvu.”+ USamuyeli wasesithi kuJese: “Thuma umuntu ayembiza ngoba asisoze sidle engakafiki lapha.”
12 Wathuma umuntu ukuthi ayembiza, wasebuya laye. Wayemuhle,+ ebomvana futhi elamehlo amahle. UJehova wasesithi kuSamuyeli: “Sukuma umgcobe ngoba nguye engimkhethileyo!”+
13 Ngakho uSamuyeli wathatha uphondo lwamafutha+ wamgcoba phambi kwabafowabo. Kusukela ngalelolanga umoya kaJehova waqalisa ukusebenza kuDavida umupha amandla.+ Ngemva kwesikhathi uSamuyeli wasuka waya eRama.+
14 Umoya kaJehova wasuka kuSawuli+ njalo uJehova wamyekela wahlutshwa yimicabango yakhe.+
15 Izinceku zikaSawuli zathi kuye: “Khangela, uNkulunkulu usekuyekela uhlutshwa yimicabango yakho.
16 Ngakho nkosi sicela utshele izinceku zakho eziphambi kwakho ukuthi zikudingele umuntu oyingcitshi yokutshaya ihabhu.*+ Kuzakuthi nxa imicabango yakho isikuhlupha akutshayele ihabhu ukuze uzwe ngcono.”
17 Yikho uSawuli wathi ezincekwini zakhe: “Ngicela lingidingele umuntu oyingcitshi yokutshaya ihabhu limlethe lapha.”
18 Enye inceku yakhe yathi: “Kulendodana kaJese waseBhethilehema engayibonayo, iyakwazi ukutshaya ihabhu, ilesibindi futhi iliqhawe.+ Lijaha elihle,+ elikwaziyo ukukhuluma njalo loJehova ulalo.”+
19 Ngakho uSawuli wathuma izithunywa kuJese wathi: “Ngicela ungithumele indodana yakho uDavida engumelusi wezimvu.”+
20 Yikho uJese wathatha isinkwa lesigubhu sewayini kanye lezinyane lembuzi wakubeka phezu kukababhemi, wasekuthumela lendodana yakhe uDavida kuSawuli.
21 UDavida wafika kuSawuli waqalisa ukumsebenzela.+ USawuli wamthanda kakhulu uDavida njalo wamenza umthwali wezikhali zakhe.
22 Ngakho uSawuli wathumela ilizwi kuJese wathi: “Ngicela ukuthi uDavida aqhubeke engisebenzela ngoba ngimthandile.”
23 Kwakusithi nxa uNkulunkulu engavumela ukuthi uSawuli ahlutshwe yimicabango yakhe, uDavida athathe ihabhu alitshaye, uSawuli abesesizwa ngcono futhi ahlaliseke, lemicabango yakhe iyekele ukumhlupha.+
Amabala angaphansi
^ NgesiHebheru, “zingcweliseni.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “wangcwelisa.”
^ Ihabhu lichacho elilentambo ezifanana lezekatali.
