Beginning

Sauli ndi Mfiti ya ku Endori

28 Mʼmasiku amenewo Afilisti anasonkhanitsa ankhondo awo kuti akamenyane ndi Aisraeli. Akisi anawuza Davide kuti, “Udziwe kuti iwe pamodzi ndi anthu ako mudzapita nane ku nkhondo.”

² Davide anayankha kuti, “Tsono inu mudzaona zimene mtumiki wanune ndingachite.”

Akisi anayankha kuti, “Chabwino ine ndidzakuyika iwe kukhala mlonda wanga moyo wako wonse.”

³ Nthawi imeneyi nʼkuti Samueli atamwalira, ndipo Aisraeli onse anamulira namuyika mʼmanda ku mzinda wake wa Rama. Sauli anali atachotsa mʼdzikomo anthu owombeza mawula ndi woyankhula ndi mizimu ya anthu akufa.

⁴ Tsono Afilisti anasonkhana nabwera kudzamanga misasa yawo ku Sunemu. Nayenso Sauli anasonkhanitsa Aisraeli onse ndi kumanga misasa yawo ku Gilibowa. ⁵ Sauli ataona gulu lankhondo la Afilisti anaopa ndipo ananjenjemera kwambiri. ⁶ Choncho Sauli anafunsa nzeru kwa Yehova koma Yehova sanamuyankhe ngakhale kudzera mʼmaloto, kapena mwa Urimu ngakhalenso kudzera mwa aneneri. ⁷ Kenaka Sauli anawuza nduna zake kuti, “Mundipezere mkazi amene amawombeza mawula kuti ndipite ndikafunse kwa iye.”

Nduna zakezo zinamuyankha kuti, “Alipo mkazi woyankhula ndi mizimu ya anthu akufa ku Endori.”

⁸ Kotero Sauli anadzizimbayitsa navala zovala zachilendo. Tsono iye pamodzi ndi anthu awiri anapita nakafika kwa mkazi uja usiku, ndipo anamupempha kuti, “Chonde ndifunsireni nzeru kwa mizimu ya anthu akufa. Koma makamaka munditulutsire mzimu wa amene ndimutchule.”

⁹ Koma mkaziyo anayankha kuti, “Ndithu inu mukudziwa chimene Sauli anachita. Paja iye anachotsa mʼdziko muno anthu onse owombeza ndi woyankhula ndi mizimu ya anthu akufa. Chifukwa chiyani mukutchera moyo wanga msampha kuti ndiphedwe?”

¹⁰ Koma Sauli analonjeza mkaziyo molumbira nati, “Pali Yehova wamoyo, iweyo sudzalangidwa chifukwa cha zimenezi.”

¹¹ Kenaka mkaziyo anafunsa, “Ndikuyitanireni yani?”

Iye anati, “Undiyitanire Samueli.”

¹² Pamene mkaziyo anaona Samueli anakuwa kwambiri, nawuza Sauli kuti, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani inu mwandipusitsa? Inu ndinu Sauli!”

¹³ Mfumuyo inamuwuza kuti, “Usaope. Kodi ukuona chiyani?”

Mkaziyo anayankha kuti, “Ndikuona mzimu ukutuluka pansi.”

¹⁴ Sauli anafunsa, “Kodi mzimuwo ukuoneka motani?”

Mkaziyo anayankha kuti, “Amene akutuluka ndi munthu wokalamba ndipo wavala mkanjo.”

Apo Sauli anadziwa kuti anali Samueli ndipo anawerama nagunditsa nkhope yake pansi.

¹⁵ Samueli anafunsa Sauli kuti, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani wandivutitsa pondiyitana kuti ndibwere kuno?”

Sauli anayankha kuti, “Ine ndavutika kwambiri mʼmaloto. Afilisti akumenyana nane, ndipo Mulungu wandifulatira. Iye sakundiyankhulanso, ngakhale kudzera mwa aneneri kapena maloto. Choncho ndakuyitanani kuti mundiwuze zoti ndichite.”

¹⁶ Samueli anati, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani ukundifunsa ine, pakuti tsopano Yehova wakufulatira ndipo wasanduka mdani wako? ¹⁷ Yehova wakuchita zimene ananeneratu kudzera mwa ine. Yehova wachotsa ufumu mʼmanja mwako ndipo waupereka kwa mnansi wako, kwa Davide. ¹⁸ Yehova wachita zimenezi lero chifukwa sunamvere mawu ake ndipo sunawawonongeretu Aamaleki. ¹⁹ Yehova adzapereka ndithu iweyo pamodzi ndi Aisraeli kwa Afilisti. Ndipo mmawa iweyo ndi ana ako mudzakhala ndi ine kuno. Ndithu Yehova adzapereka gulu lankhondo la Aisraeli kwa Afilisti.”

²⁰ Nthawi yomweyo Sauli anagwa pansi atadzazidwa ndi mantha chifukwa cha mawu a Samueli. Analibenso mphamvu, pakuti sanadye tsiku lonse.

²¹ Mkazi uja tsono anasendera kufupi ndi Sauli, ndipo ataona kuti Sauli akuchita mantha, anamuwuza kuti, “Taonani, mdzakazi wanune ndakumverani. Ndayika moyo wanga pa chiswe ndipo ndamvera zimene munandiwuza. ²² Tsono inunso mumvere mawu a mdzakazi wanune. Mundilole kuti ndikupatseni ka buledi pangʼono kuti mukhale ndi mphamvu zoyendera pa ulendo wanu.”

²³ Iye anakana ndipo anati, “Ayi, ine sindidya.”

Koma nduna zake pamodzi ndi mkaziyo anamuwumiriza, ndipo anawamvera. Choncho anadzuka pansi nakhala pa bedi.

²⁴ Mkaziyo anali ndi mwana wangʼombe wonenepa ndipo anamupha mwachangu. Anatenga ufa nawukanyanga ndipo anaphika buledi wopanda yisiti. ²⁵ Tsono anapereka bulediyo kwa Sauli ndi nduna zake ndipo anadya. Pambuyo pake ananyamuka kupita kwawo usiku womwewo.

Afilisti Akana Davide

29 Afilisti anasonkhanitsa asilikali awo onse ku Afeki, ndipo Israeli anamanga misasa yawo pa chitsime cha Yezireeli. ² Pamene atsogoleri a Afilisti ankatsogolera magulu awo ankhondo a miyandamiyanda, Davide ndi ankhondo ake ankayenda pambuyo pamodzi ndi Akisi. ³ Tsono atsogoleri a Afilisti aja anafunsa kuti, “Kodi Ahebri awa akufuna chiyani?”

Akisi anayankha kuti, “Uyu ndi Davide, mtumiki wa Sauli mfumu ya Israeli. Iye wakhala ndi ine kwa masiku ndithu, kapena titi zaka ndipo kuyambira tsiku limene anachoka kwa Sauli mpaka lero, ine sindinapeze cholakwa mwa iye.”

⁴ Koma atsogoleri a ankhondo a Afilisti anamukwiyira Akisi kwambiri ndipo anati, “Mubweze munthuyu kuti abwerere ku malo amene unamupatsa. Iye asapite nafe ku nkhondo kuopa kuti angadzasanduke mdani wathu. Kodi iyeyu adzadziyanjanitsa bwanji ndi mbuye wake? Iyeyutu adzadziyanjanitsa ndi mbuye wake pakupha anthu ali panowa? ⁵ Paja ameneyu ndi Davide yemwe ankamuvinira namuyimbira kuti,

⁶ Kotero Akisi anayitana Davide ndipo anamuwuza kuti, “Pali Yehova wamoyo, iwe wakhala wodalirika ndipo chikanakhala chinthu chabwino kuti uzimenya nkhondo pamodzi nane popeza chibwerere iwe kuno ine sindinapeze cholakwa chilichonse ndi iwe. Koma atsogoleri enawa ndiwo sakukufuna. ⁷ Tsono bwerera. Upite mu mtendere kuopa kuti ungachite kanthu kena koyipira atsogoleri a Afilistiwa.”

⁸ Davide anafunsa Akisi kuti, “Kodi ndachita chiyani? Kodi mwapeza cholakwa chotani mwa ine mtumiki wanu chiyambire kukutumikirani mpaka lero? Tsono chifukwa chiyani sindingapite kukamenya nkhondo ndi adani a mbuye wanga mfumu?”

⁹ Akisi anayankha kuti, “Ine ndikudziwa kuti ndiwe wangwiro ngati mngelo wa Mulungu. Komabe atsogoleri a ankhondo a Afilisti akuti, ‘Davide asapite nafe ku nkhondo.’ ¹⁰ Tsono udzuke mmamawa, pamodzi ndi ankhondo ako amene unabwera nawo, ndipo unyamuke kukangocha.”

¹¹ Choncho Davide ndi anthu ake anadzuka mmamawa kubwerera ku dziko la Afilisti. Koma Afilistiwo anapita ku Yezireeli.

Davide Amenyana ndi Aamaleki

30 Pa tsiku lachitatu, Davide ndi anthu ake anakafika ku Zikilagi. Tsono anapeza Aamaleki atawononga kale dera la Negevi ndi Zikilagi. Anathira nkhondo mzinda wa Zikilagi ndi kuwutentha ndi moto. ² Anatenga akazi ndi onse amene anali mʼmenemo akuluakulu ndi angʼono omwe kuti akakhale akapolo. Sanaphe aliyense koma anawatenga amoyo napita nawo.

³ Davide ndi anthu ake atafika ku Zikilagi anapeza kuti mzindawo watenthedwa ndi moto ndipo akazi awo, ana awo, amuna ndi akazi atengedwa ukapolo. ⁴ Kotero Davide ndi anthu ake analira mofuwula mpaka analibenso mphamvu zolirira. ⁵ Akazi awiri a Davide, Ahinoamu wa ku Yezireeli ndi Abigayeli mkazi wa Nabala wa ku Karimeli anatengedwanso. ⁶ Davide anavutika kwambiri mu mtima mwake chifukwa anthu amakamba zoti amuponye miyala popeza aliyense anali ndi chisoni pokumbukira ana ake aamuna ndi aakazi. Koma Davide anapeza mphamvu mwa Yehova Mulungu wake.

⁷ Kenaka Davide anawuza wansembe Abiatara, mwana wa Ahimeleki kuti, “Ndipatse efodi ija.” Abiatara anabwera nayo efodiyo. ⁸ Tsono Davide anapempha nzeru kwa Yehova nati, “Kodi ndilitsatire gulu lankhondoli? Kodi ndidzawapambana?”

Yehova anayankha kuti, “Litsatire, iwe udzawapambana ndithu ndipo udzapulumutsa anthu ako.”

⁹ Davide pamodzi ndi anthu ake 600 aja ananyamuka nafika ku mtsinje wa Besori. Kumeneko anasiyako anthu ena. ¹⁰ Davide ndi anthu ake 400 anapitirira kuwalondola Aamaleki aja. Koma anthu ena 200 anatsala popeza anatopa moti sakanatha kuwoloka mtsinje wa Besori uja.

¹¹ Anthu amene anali ndi Davide anapeza Mwigupto mʼmunda wina ndipo anabwera naye kwa Davide. Iwo anamupatsa madzi kuti amwe ndi chakudya kuti adye. ¹² Anamupatsanso chidutswa cha keke yankhuyu ndi makeke awiri a mphesa zowumika kuti adye. Atadya anapezanso mphamvu popeza anakhala masiku atatu wosadya kapena kumwa kanthu kalikonse.

¹³ Davide anafunsa kuti, “Kodi ndiwe yani, ndipo ukuchokera kuti?”

Iye anayankha kuti, “Ine ndine Mwigupto, kapolo wa Mwamaleki. Mbuye wanga anandisiya nditayamba kudwala masiku atatu apitawo. ¹⁴ Ife tinathira nkhondo dera la kummwera kwa mayiko a Akereti, dera la Yuda, ndi dera la kummwera kwa mayiko a Kalebe. Mzinda wa Zikilagi tinawutentha ndi moto.”

¹⁵ Davide anamupempha kuti, “Kodi unganditsogolere kumene kuli gulu lankhondoli?”

Iye anayankha kuti, “Mukandilonjeza molumbira kuti simudzandipha kapena kundipereka kwa mbuye wanga, ine ndikulondolerani kumene kuli gululo.”

¹⁶ Mwigupto uja anaperekeza Davide. Tsono Aamaleki anali atamwazikana ponseponse. Iwo ankadya, kumwa ndi kuvina chifukwa cha zofunkha zambiri zimene anatenga ku dziko la Afilisti ndi ku dziko la Ayuda. ¹⁷ Tsono Davide anawakantha kuyambira madzulo atsikulo mpaka madzulo a tsiku linalo. Palibe anapulumuka kupatula anyamata 400 amene anakwera pa ngamira nʼkuthawa. ¹⁸ Choncho Davide analanditsa zinthu zonse zimene Aamaleki aja anatenga. Anapulumutsanso akazi ake awiri aja. ¹⁹ Palibe chimene chinasowa anthu onse, kuyambira wamngʼono mpaka wamkulu, mnyamata mpaka mtsikana anapulumutsidwa. Davide anapulumutsa chilichonse chimene anafunkha Aamaleki aja. ²⁰ Anapulumutsanso nkhosa ndi ngʼombe zonse. Tsono anthu ankakusa ziwetozo namati, “Izi ndizo zofunkha za Davide.”

²¹ Davide anafika ku malo kumene kunali anthu 200 otopa kwambiri aja amene sanathe kutsagana naye koma anangokhala ku mtsinje wa Besori. Tsono ananyamuka kuti akumane ndi Davide pamodzi ndi anthu amene anali naye. Davide anawayandikira nawalonjera. ²² Tsono anthu ena oyipa mtima achabechabe mwa amene anatsagana ndi Davide aja anati, “Popeza awa sanapite nafe, sitiwapatsako zofunkha zimene tapulumutsazi, kupatula kuti aliyense atenge mkazi wake ndi ana ake azipita.”

²³ Koma Davide anawayankha kuti, “Ayi, abale anga, musachite zimenezi ndi zinthu zimene Yehova watipatsa. Iye watisunga ndi kupereka mʼmanja mwathu gulu la ankhondo limene linabwera kudzalimbana nafe. ²⁴ Ndani angakumvereni zimene mukunenazi? Gawo la munthu amene anapita kukamenya nkhondo likhale lofanana ndi la munthu amene anatsala pano kuyangʼanira katundu wathu. Pasakhale kusiyana kulikonse.” ²⁵ Choncho Davide anakhazikitsa ngati lamulo mʼchitidwe woterewu pakati pa Aisraeli kuyambira tsiku limenelo mpaka lero.

²⁶ Davide atafika ku Zikilagi, anatumiza zina mwa zofunkhazo kwa akuluakulu a Yuda, amene anali abwenzi ake. Anati, “Nayi mphatso yanu yochokera pa zofunkha za adani a Yehova.”

²⁷ Iye anatumiza mphatsozo kwa anthu a ku Beteli, Ramoti-Negavi, Yatiri, ²⁸ Aroeri, Sifimoti, Esitemowa ²⁹ Rakala, mizinda ya fuko la Ayerahimeeli, mizinda ya fuko la Akeni, ³⁰ a ku Horima, Borasani, Ataki, ³¹ Hebroni pamodzi ndi onse a kumalo kumene Davide ndi anthu ake anakhala akuyendayendako.

Imfa ya Sauli ndi Ana Ake

31 Tsono Afilisti anachitanso nkhondo ndi Aisraeli ndipo Aisraeli anathawa Afilistiwo, kotero kuti ambiri anaphedwa pa phiri la Gilibowa. ² Afilisti anapanikiza kwambiri Sauli ndi ana ake, ndipo anapha Yonatani, Abinadabu ndi Maliki-Suwa. ³ Nkhondo inakula kwambiri mozungulira Sauli ndipo pamene anthu amauta anamupeza, anamuvulaza kwambiri.

⁴ Tsono Sauli anawuza mnyamata wake wonyamula zida zake kuti, “Solola lupanga lako undiphe kuopa kuti anthu osachita mdulidwewa angabwere kudzandizunza ine.”

Koma mnyamata wonyamula zida uja anachita mantha kwambiri ndipo sanathe kutero. Choncho Sauli anatenga lupanga lake lomwe nagwerapo. ⁵ Mnyamata wonyamula zida zake uja ataona kuti Sauli wafa, nayenso anadzigwetsera pa lupanga lake nafa naye limodzi. ⁶ Motero Sauli ndi ana ake atatu, wonyamula zida zake pamodzi ndi anthu ake onse anafera limodzi pa tsikulo.

⁷ Pamene Aisraeli amene anali tsidya lina la chigwa ndi amene anali tsidya la chigwa cha Yorodani anaona kuti gulu la ankhondo la Aisraeli lathawa komanso kuti Sauli ndi ana ake aphedwa, nawonso anathawa kusiya mizinda yawo. Ndipo Afilisti anabwera kudzakhalamo.

⁸ Mmawa mwake, Afilisti atabwera kudzatenga zinthu za anthu ophedwa anapeza Sauli ndi ana ake atatu atafa pa phiri la Gilibowa. ⁹ Iwo anadula mutu wake ndi kumuvula zida zake zankhondo. Ndipo anatumiza amithenga mʼdziko lonse la Afilisti kukafalitsa nkhani yabwinoyi kwa mafano awo ndi kwa anthu awo. ¹⁰ Iwo anayika zida zake zankhondo mʼnyumba yopembedzera Asitoreti, ndipo thupi lake analikhomera pa khoma la mzinda wa Beti-Sani.

¹¹ Pamene anthu a ku Yabesi Giliyadi anamva zimene Afilisti anachitira Sauli, ¹² anthu awo onse olimba mtima anayenda usiku wonse kupita ku Beti-Sani. Anakachotsa mtembo wa Sauli ndi mitembo ya ana ake pa khoma la mzinda wa Beti-Sani, ndipo anabwera nayo ku Yabesi kumene anayitentha ndi moto. ¹³ Pambuyo pake anatenga mafupa awo ndi kuwakwirira pansi pa mtengo wabwemba ku Yabesi, ndipo anasala kudya masiku asanu ndi awiri.