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