1. Kwakukhona umuntu wakwaBenjamini ogama lakhe lalinguKishi indodana ka-Abiyeli kaSerori kaBekhorati ka-Afiya, indodana yowakwaBenjamini, iqhawe elinamandla.
2. Wayenendodana egama layo lalinguSawule, insizwa enhle; kwakungekho muntu omuhle kunaye phakathi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli; kusukela emahlombe akhe kuya phezulu wayemude kunabo bonke abantu.
3. Izimbongolo zikaKishi uyise kaSawule zalahleka. UKishi wathi kuSawule indodana yakhe: “Thatha enye yezinceku, usuke, uye kufuna izimbongolo.”
4. Wadabula izintaba zakwa-Efrayimi, wadabula izwe laseShalisha, kepha abazifumananga; base bedabula izwe laseShahalimi, nalapho zazingekho; wadabula izwe labakwaBenjamini, kepha kabazifumana.
5. Sebefikile ezweni laseSufi, uSawule wathi kuyo inceku yakhe eyayinaye: “Woza sibuye, funa ubaba aziyeke izimbongolo, enqene ngathi.”
6. Yathi kuye: “Bheka, kukhona kulo muzi umuntu kaNkulunkulu, umuntu ohloniphekayo; konke akushoyo kuyakwenzeka impela; masiye khona, mhlawumbe angasitshela indlela esihamba ngayo.”
7. Wayesethi uSawule kuyo inceku yakhe: “Kepha bheka, uma siya khona, siyakulethani kulowo muntu na? Ngokuba isinkwa siphelile ezitsheni zethu; akukho nto esingayiyisa kulowo muntu kaNkulunkulu; sinani, pho, na?”
8. Inceku yabuye yamphendula uSawule, yathi: “Ngiphethe esandleni sami okwesine kweshekeli* lesiliva; lokhu ngiyakumnika khona lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu ukuba asitshele indlela yethu.”
9. Endulo kwa-Israyeli, lapho umuntu ebeyakubuza kuNkulunkulu, washo wathi: “Woza siye kumboni;” ngokuba lo othiwa umprofethi manje wabizwa kuqala ngokuthi umboni.
10. USawule wayesethi kuyo inceku yakhe: “Lihle izwi lakho; woza sihambe.” Base beya emzini lapho lowo muntu kaNkulunkulu wayekhona.
11. Besakhuphuka ummango womuzi bafumana amantombazana eyakukha amanzi; bathi kuwo: “Umboni ukhona na?”
12. Abaphendula athi: “Ukhona; nangu ngaphambi kwakho; shesha kodwa, ngokuba ufikile namuhla emzini, lokhu abantu benomhlatshelo namuhla endaweni ephakemeyo;
13. ekungeneni kwenu emzini niyakumfumana, engakenyukeli endaweni ephakemeyo ukuyokudla; ngokuba abantu abayikudla engakafiki, lokhu nguye obusisa umhlatshelo, andukuba abamenyiweyo badle. Ngalokho-ke, khuphukani manje, ngokuba niyakumfumana ngalesi sikhathi.”
14. Benyukela emzini; besangena emzini, bheka, uSamuweli waphumela kubo ukuyakwenyukela endaweni ephakemeyo.