1 Samuel 21
1 UDavide wayeseya eNobhi ku-Ahimelekhi, umphristi. U-Ahimelekhi wamhlangabeza uDavide ethuthumela, wathi kuye: “Kungani uhamba wedwa, ungakhashwa muntu na?”
2 UDavide wathi ku-Ahimelekhi, umphristi: “Inkosi ingithume udaba olubucayi, yangidonsa ngendlebe yathi: ‘Makungabi bikho muntu ozwa ngalolu daba engikuthume lona.’ Izinsizwa zami zingilinde ndawana thizeni.
3 Ngakho-ke yini onayo lapho? Nginike izinkwa eziyisihlanu noma yini nje ekhona.”
4 Umphristi wamphendula uDavide, wathi: “Asikho isinkwa esijwayelekile enginaso, kodwa kukhona isinkwa esingcwele, izinsizwa zingasidla kuphela uma zizigcinile esifazaneni.”
5 UDavide wamphendula umphristi, wathi: “Impela abesifazane abavunyelwe ukuza kithi kulezi zinsuku; izitsha zezinsizwa zazingcwele lapho ngiphuma nazo; noma lolu kuluhambo olungengcwele, izitsha zazo zisengcwele nanamuhla.”
6 Umphristi wayesemnika isinkwa esingcwele, kwazise sasingekho esinye isinkwa lapho, kuphela esoBukhona esasisuswe phambi kukaSimakade ngesikhathi kubekwa esisha esishisayo.
7 Ngalolo lusuku kwakukhona umuntu owayengomunye wezinceku zikaSawule, owayehlaliswe phambi kukaSimakade ukuze afeze okuthile, igama lakhe kunguDowegi wakwa-Edomi, eyinduna yabelusi bakaSawule.
8 UDavide wayesebuza u-Ahimelekhi, ethi: “Akukho mkhonto noma inkemba lapha na? Angifikanga nenkemba yami noma izikhali zami, ngoba udaba lwenkosi luyaphuthuma.”
9 Wayesethi umphristi: “Kukhona inkemba kaGoliyathi, umFilisti, owambulala esigodini i-Ela. Ilapho, isongwe ngendwangu emuva kwengubo yamahlombe. Uma uthanda ukuyithatha, yithathe, ngokuba ayikho enye ngaphandle kwaleyo.” UDavide wathi: “Ayikho efana naleyo, nginike yona.”
10 UDavide wasuka, wabaleka ngalolo lusuku ngenxa yokwesaba uSawule. Waya ku-Akhishi, inkosi yaseGathi.
11 Izinceku zika-Akhishi zathi kuye: “Lo akusiye yini uDavide, inkosi yezwe na? Kanti akusiye yini ababecula ngaye, besina, bethi: “ ‘USawule ubulale izinkulungwane zakhe, kodwa uDavide izinkulungwane zakhe zilishumi,’ na?”
12 UDavide wawagcina lawo mazwi enhliziyweni yakhe, futhi wayesemesaba kakhulu u-Akhishi, inkosi yaseGathi.
13 Ngakho-ke wayiguqula indlela aziphethe ngayo phambi kwabo, wenza sengathi ingqondo yakhe iphambene ngesikhathi ephambi kwabo. Wadweba ezivalweni zamasango, wagxiza amathe, ehla ngesilevu.
14 U-Akhishi wayesethi ezincekwini zakhe: “Bhekani, niyabona ukuthi lo muntu uyahlanya; pho nimletheleni kimi na?
15 Ngiswele izinhlanya yini ukuba ningaletha lo muntu azozenza uhlanya phambi kwami? Angangena yini endlini yami lo onjena?”