1 AmaFilisti abutha zonke izimpi zawo e-Afeki; abakwa-Israyeli bamisa ngasemthonjeni oseJizreyeli.
2 Amakhosi amaFilisti adlula ngamakhulu nangezinkulungwane; uDavide nabantu bakhe badlula emuva kanye no-Akhishi.
3 Zase zithi izikhulu zamaFilisti: “Ayini lawa maHeberu na?”U-Akhishi wathi kuzo izikhulu zamaFilisti: “Akusiye uDavide inceku kaSawule inkosi yakwa-Israyeli okade enami kulezi zinsuku nakule minyaka na? Angifumananga lutho kuye selokhu ahlubuka weza kimi kuze kube namuhla.”
4 Kepha izikhulu zamaFilisti zamthukuthelela; izikhulu zamaFilisti zathi kuye: “Buyisa lowo muntu ukuba abuyele endaweni yakhe ommise kuyo, angehleli nathi empini, funa abe yisitha sethu empini, ngokuba lona ubeyakuyigculisa ngani inkosi yakhe kungengamakhanda alawo madoda na?”
5 Lona akasiye uDavide ababehlabelela ngaye, besina bethi:“USawule ubulele izinkulungwane zakhe,kepha uDavide izinkulungwane zakhe eziyishumi na?”
6 U-Akhishi wambiza uDavide, wathi kuye: “Kuphila kukaJehova, wena uqotho; ukuphuma kwakho nokungena kwakho nami empini kuhle emehlweni ami, ngokuba angifumananaga bubi kuwe kusukela osukwini lokufika kwakho kimi kuze kube namuhla; nokho emehlweni amakhosi awumuhle.
7 Ngalokho buya, uhambe ngokuthula, ungenzi okubi emehlweni amakhosi amaFilisti.”
8 UDavide wathi ku-Akhishi: “Kepha ngenzeni na? Ufumeneni encekwini yakho, kusukela osukwini engaba phambi kwakho ngalo kuze kube namuhla, ukuba ngingayi ukulwa nezitha zenkosi yami, inkosi, na?”
9 U-Akhishi waphendula, wathi kuDavide: “Ngiyazi ukuthi umuhle emehlweni ami njengengelosi kaNkulunkulu, nokho izikhulu zamaFilisti zishilo ukuthi: ‘Akayikukhuphuka, aye nathi empini.’
10 Ngalokho vuka ekuseni kusasa kanye nezinceku zenkosi yakho ezifike nawe; senivukile ekuseni kusasa, sekukhanya, hambani.”
11 UDavide wavuka ekuseni, yena nabantu bakhe, ukuba bahambe ekuseni, babuyele ezweni lamaFilisti. AmaFilisti enyukela eJizreyeli.