5 Bheka, uSawule weza elandela izinkabi, evela ensimini; uSawule wathi: “Yini ukuba abantu bakhale na?” Bamtshela amazwi abantu baseJabeshi.
6 UMoya kaNkulunkulu wehlela phezu kukaSawule esezwile lawo mazwi; intukuthelo yakhe yavutha kakhulu.
7 Wathatha izinkabi ezimbili, wazihlahlela, wazithuma emikhawulweni yonke yakwa-Israyeli ngesandla sezithunywa, ethi: “Ongaphumi emva kukaSawule noSamuweli kuyakwenziwa kanjalo kuzo izinkabi zakhe.” Ingebhe ngoJehova yehlela phezu kwabantu, baphuma njengomuntu munye.
8 Wababala eBezeki; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babe yizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amathathu, nabantu bakwaJuda babe yizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu.
9 Bathi kuzo izithunywa ezazifikile: “Niyakusho kanje kubantu baseJabeshi Gileyadi, nithi: ‘Kusasa lapho ilanga libalele niyakukhululwa.’ ” Izithunywa zafika, zabatshela abantu baseJabeshi; bathokoza.
10 Ngalokho abantu baseJabeshi bathi: “Kusasa siyakuphumela kini, nenze kithi konke okuhle emehlweni enu.”
11 Kwathi ngangomuso uSawule waviva abantu ngezigaba ezintathu; bafika phakathi kwekamu* ngomlindo wokusa, babulala abakwa-Amoni, laze lashisa ilanga; kwathi abaseleyo bahlakazeka, akusalanga kubo ababili bendawonye.