1. UDavide wayesesuka khona, wabaleka, waya emhumeni wase-Adulamu; lapho abafowabo nabo bonke abendlu kayise bekuzwa, behlela khona kuye.
2. Kwabuthana kuye bonke abanosizi, nabo bonke abanesikwenetu, nabo bonke abanenhliziyo enomunyu, waba yinduna phezu kwabo; kwakukhona naye kungathi abantu abangamakhulu amane.
3. UDavide wasuka khona, waya eMispa lakwaMowabi, wathi enkosini yakwaMowabi: “Ake beze ubaba nomame, bahlale kini, ngize ngazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyakwenzani kimi.”
4. Wabaletha phambi kwenkosi yakwaMowabi, bahlala kuye zonke izinsuku uDavide esenqabeni.
5. Umprofethi uGadi wathi kuDavide: “Ungahlali enqabeni; hamba uye ezweni lakwaJuda.” Wayesesuka uDavide, wafika ehlathini laseHereti.
6. USawule wezwa ukuthi uDavide uyaziwa nabantu ababe naye; uSawule wayehlezi eGibeya phansi komtamariske* egqumeni ephethe umkhonto esandleni sakhe, zonke izinceku zimi ngakuye.
7. USawule wathi ezincekwini zakhe ezazimi ngakuye: “Yizwani nina bakwaBenjamini; indodana kaJese iyakuninika nonke amasimu nezivini, inenze nonke nibe yizinduna zezinkulungwane nezinduna zamakhulu,
8. ngokuba ningenzele nonke ugobe, akwababikho ongitshelileyo lapho indodana yami yenza isivumelwano nendodana kaJese, akwababikho kini ongidabukelayo nongitshelayo ukuthi indodana yami ingivusele inceku yami ukuba ingiqamekele njenganamuhla.”
9. UDowegi wakwa-Edomi owayemi ngakuzo izinceku zikaSawule waphendula wathi: “Ngabona indodana kaJese iza eNobi ku-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi.