1 Amabutho amaFilistiya aqokelelana eAfeki, waza umkhosi wamaSirayeli waya kumisa ngakumthombo waseYizereli.
2 Zaphuma iikumkani zamaFilisitiya, zihamba namabutho azo angamakhulu-khulu namawaka-waka. Yena uDavide namadoda akhe babelandela ngasemva, behamba kunye nokumkani uAkishe.
3 Zidumzele iinkokheli zamaFilistiya zakubabona, zathi: “La maHebhere afuna ntoni apha?”Kuphendule ukumkani uAkishe kweso sithuba, wathi: “Ngumphakathi kakumkani uSawule lo, uDavide. Selenethuba elide elapha kum, yaye andifumananga sikhwasilima kuye okoko wafikayo apha kum.”
4 Azimhoyanga iinkokheli zamaFilistiya, zaba nomsindo, zathi: “Makahambe lo mfo apha, aye kulaa dolophu wamnika yona. Makangayi kunye nathi emfazweni, hleze asijikele xa lishushu idabi. Leyo ingaba yindlela elula angaxolisa ngayo inkosi yakhe ngokubulala amadoda omkhosi wethu.
5 Kanene, asinguye na lo Davide bakha bombelela ngaye abafazi besithi: ‘USawule ubulele amawaka, kodwa yen' uDavide uwise amawaka ngamawaka alishumi’?”
6 UAkishe ke wabiza uDavide, waza wathi kuye: “Davide, ndiyafunga, ekho nje uNdikhoyo, wena unyanisekile, ndaye bendingathandayo ukuba siye kunye kule mfazwe, kuba andifumananga sikhwasilima kuwe konke okoko wafikayo apha kum. Kambe ke abanye abaphathi àbakholwa bubukho bakho.
7 Phindel' emva ngoxolo ke, mfo wam, ungakhe wenze nto abanokuthi bayigxeke.”
8 Wabuza wathi uDavide: “Ndenzeni, mhlekazi? Wena ubone sikhwasilima sini na kum oko ndafikayo apha? Ngani ndingavunyelwa nje ndihambe nawe, mhlekazi, ndiye kulwa neentshaba zenkosi yam?”
9 “Ngeba nditsho nam, Davide.” NguAkishe ke lowo. “Mna ndikubona unyaniseke ngokungathi usisithunywa sikaThixo. Kodwa ke ezinye iinkokheli zithi asinako ukuya nawe emfazweni.
10 Kufuneka ke ngomso oku, wena namadoda akho, enamshiyayo uSawule neza kum, nivuke ekuseni, ninduluke kusathi qhekre ukusa.”
11 Banduluka ekuseni ke ngengomso ooDavide ukubuyela kwelamaFilistiya. AmaFilistiya wona ajonga phambili eYizereli.