25 Inkosi yahlala esihlalweni sayo njengakwezinye izikhathi, isihlalo esingasodongeni; uJonathani wema, u-Abineri wahlala ngaseceleni kukaSawule; kepha indawo kaDavide yayiyize.
26 Kodwa uSawule akakhulumanga lutho ngalolo suku, ngokuba wacabanga ukuthi: “Okuthile kumehlele; akahlambulukile, impela akahlambulukile.”
27 Kwathi ngangomuso emva kokwethwasa kwenyanga ngolwesibili indawo kaDavide yayiyize; uSawule wathi kuJonathani indodana yakhe: “Indodana kaJese ayifikanga ngani ekudleni nayizolo nanamuhla na?”
28 UJonathani wamphendula uSawule, wathi: “UDavide wangicela nokungicela ukuba aye eBetlehema,
29 wathi: ‘Ake ungivumele ukuba ngihambe, ngokuba umndeni wakithi unomhlatshelo emzini; umfowethu ungiyalile; manje-ke, uma ngifumene umusa emehlweni akho, mangihambe ngibone abafowethu.’ Ngalokho akafikanga etafuleni lenkosi.”
30 Intukuthelo kaSawule yayisimvuthela uJonathani, wathi kuye: “Wena ndodana yowesifazane owonakeleyo nohlubukileyo, angazi yini ukuthi ukhethile indodana kaJese kube yihlazo lakho nehlazo lobunqunu bukanyoko, na?
31 Ngokuba izinsuku zonke indodana kaJese isekhona emhlabeni awuyikuzinza nombuso wakho. Ngalokho thumela umlethe kimi, ngokuba ungowokufa yena.”