1. AmaFilisti abutha izimpi zawo ukuba alwe; abuthana eSoko lakwaJuda, amisa phakathi kweSoko ne-Azeka e-Efesi Damimi.
2. USawule nabantu bakwa-Israyeli babuthana, bamisa esigodini sase-Ela, bahlela impi ukuhlangabezana namaFilisti.
3. AmaFilisti ayemi entabeni ngalapha, u-Israyeli wayemi entabeni ngalapha; kwakukhona isigodi phakathi kwabo.
4. Kwaphuma iqhawe elikhulu ekamu* lamaFilisti, igama lalo linguGoliyati waseGati, obude bakhe buyizingalo eziyisithupha nesandla.
5. Wayenesigqoko sethusi ekhanda, egqoke ibhantshi lensimbi; isisindo sebhantshi sasingamashekeli* ayizinkulungwane eziyisihlanu ethusi.
6. Wayenezivikelo zethusi emilenzeni, nengcula yethusi phakathi kwamahlombe.
7. Uthi lomkhonto wakhe lwalunjengogongolo lomaluki; isihloko somkhonto sasingamashekeli* angamakhulu ayisithupha ensimbi; ophethe isihlangu wahamba phambi kwakhe.
8. Wema, wamemeza ezinhleni zakwa-Israyeli, wathi kuzo: “Niphumelani ukuhlela impi na? Angisiye umFilisti, nina niyizinceku zikaSawule, na? Zikhetheleni umuntu, ehle eze kimi.
9. Uma enamandla okulwa nami, angibulale, siyakuba yizigqila zenu; kepha uma ngimahlula, ngimbulale, niyakuba yizigqila zethu, nisikhonze.”
10. UmFilisti wathi: “Ngiyazeyisa namuhla izinhla zakwa-Israyeli; nginikeni umuntu, silwe naye.”
11. Lapho uSawule naye wonke u-Israyeli bezwa lawo mazwi omFilisti, bashaywa luvalo, besaba kakhulu.