25. Abantu bakwa-Israyeli bathi: “Nimbonile lowo muntu owenyukile na? Ngokuba wenyukile ukuyakweyisa u-Israyeli; kuyakuthi umuntu ombulalayo, inkosi imcebise ngengcebo enkulu, imnike indodakazi yayo, iyenze indlu kayise ibe ngekhululekile kwa-Israyeli.”
26. UDavide wakhuluma kubantu ababemi naye, wathi: “Kuyakwenziwa ntoni kumuntu obulala lowo mFilisti, asuse ihlazo kwa-Israyeli, na? Ngokuba ngubani lowo mFilisti ongasokile ukuba ayeyise impi kaNkulunkulu ophilayo na?”
27. Abantu bamphendula ngalona lelo zwi; bathi-ke: “Kuyakwenziwa kanjalo kumuntu ombulalayo.”
28. U-Eliyabe umfowabo omkhulu wezwa lapho ekhuluma kubantu; intukuthelo ka-Eliyabe yamvuthela uDavide, wathi: “Wehleleni na? Uzishiye kubani leziya zimvu ezingengakanani ehlane na? Mina ngiyakwazi ukuziphakamisa kwakho nobubi benhliziyo yakho, ngokuba wehlile ukuba ubuke impi.”
29. Kepha uDavide wathi: “Ngenzeni na? Bekungumbuzo nje.”
30. Wamfulathela, wabheka komunye, wakhuluma lona lelo zwi; abantu bamphendula njengakuqala.
31. Esezwakele amazwi abewakhulumile uDavide alandwa phambi kukaSawule; wambiza.
32. UDavide wayesethi kuSawule: “Makungaqedwa nhliziyo yamuntu ngalowo; inceku yakho iyakuhamba ilwe nalowo mFilisti.”
33. USawule wathi kuDavide: “Awunamandla okuya kulowo mFilisti, ulwe naye, ngokuba ungumfana nje, yena eyindoda yempi kwasebusheni bakhe.”
34. UDavide wathi kuSawule: “Inceku yakho yayizalusa izimvu zikayise; lapho kwafika ingonyama nebhere* kwathatha imvu emhlambini,
35. ngaphuma ngakulandela, ngakubulala, ngayophula emlonyeni wakho; lapho kwangivukela, ngakubamba ngesilevu, ngakwahlula, ngakubulala.
36. Inceku yakho yahlula ingonyama nebhere,* nalowo mFilisti ongasokile uyakuba njengenye yazo, lokhu eyeyisile impi kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.”
37. UDavide wathi: “UJehova owangophula ozisheni lwengonyama nasozisheni lwebhere* uyakungophula nasesandleni salowo mFilisti.”USawule wathi kuDavide: “Hamba, uJehova uyakuba nawe.”
38. USawule wamembathisa ezakhe izingubo, wamfaka isigqoko sethusi ekhanda, wamgqokisa ibhantshi lensimbi.
39. UDavide wabhinca inkemba yakhe phezu kwezambatho zakhe, wazama ukuhamba, ngokuba wayengakazilingi. UDavide wathi kuSawule: “Anginakuhamba nalezi, angikazilingi.” UDavide wayesezikhumula.
40. Wathatha induku yakhe ngesandla, wazikhethela amatshe ayisihlanu abushelezi emfudlaneni, wawafaka esikhwameni somalusi ayenaso, eyikeni lakhe, indwayimana yakhe isesandleni sakhe; wayesesondela kumFilisti.
41. Weza umFilisti, wafika wasondela kuDavide; umuntu ophethe isihlangu wahamba phambi kwakhe.