Goliati unotanga Baiziraela
1 Ndizo Bafilisitiya bakakubunganyila babhayani babo ngwa, bakakubunganila ku Soko mu Juda. Bakakotokela mu Efesidamimu, pakati kwe Soko ne Azeka. 2 Saulo ne Baiziraela bakakubungana bekotokela mu nkuku we Elaya, bakabumba zwikwata kubhayana ne Bafilisitiya. 3 Bafilisitiya bakabe bali mu limwe duthu, Baiziraela bali mu limwe, bakalonga nkuku pakati kwabo. 4 Ipapo kukabhuda gwelemba mu mishasha ye Bafilisitiya linoyi Goliati, we ku Gati, we bulefu gungabe thambo dzili thatu. 5 Wakabe akaambala hwutshe ye phangula mu nsholo, akaambala tjiambalo tje phangula tjinonga ikwapa tje hamba, kulema kwatjo kwakabe kuli shekele dzili zwiwulu zwishanu (5 000) zwe phangula. 6 Mu makumbo awe wakabe ana zwivikisi zwe phangula ne thumo le phangula pakati kwe mathudzi awe. 7 Lukombo gwe thumo lile gwakabe gulizana ne lutungo, kulema kwe nsholo we thumo lile kwakabe kuli shekele dzili mazana matathatu (600) e phangula. Nsengi we tjiviki tjitje wakabe akantungamila. 8 Wakama kamimilila ku miphatho ye Baiziraela kati, “Apa mabhudilani makazwilulwamisila ngwa kene? Apa anditeli Nfilisitiya imi kene? Imwi amutemuli balanda ba Saulo kene? Muzwishalulile nlume, azhe kundili. 9 Ha angatubula gwa nami ebe endibulaya, towobe balanda benyu, koga andingankulila ambulaya, mowobe balanda bedu mukatishingila.” 10 Nfilisitiya iwoyu kabe eti, “Nasi ndotjotja miphatho ye Iziraela! Mundipe nlume, kuti tibhayane.” 11 Kwakati Saulo ne Baiziraela bose behwa matama e Nfilisitiya iwoyu, bakashweshwana bakatja kwazo.
12 Dafite wakabe ali nkololo wa Jesi we Nfurati we Bhetelehema mu Juda, wakabe ana bakololo bali zhanakadzi (8). Mu misi ya Saulo wakabe atjikwegula abe ne makole manjinji. 13 Bakololo ba Jesi batatu bahwola bakabe batobela Saulo ku ngwa. Awa ndiwo mazina abo, we mbano wakabe eyi Eliabu, etobegwa ndi Abinadabu we butatu eyi Shama. 14 Dafite wakabe ali iye kologwe, bahwola batatu bakatobela Saulo, 15 koga Dafite wakabe egala esiya Saulo enofudza pkhwizi dza tate babe ku Bhetelehema. 16 Kwakabe mazhuba ali makumi manna (40) Nfilisitiya iwoyu ebhuda ema pa lubazhe mangwanana ne madekwana. 17 Jesi kadwa nkololo uwe Dafite kati, “Tolela bakulu babo hwomwana ye nkakhwa we mathunde ne zwiwunga zwili gumi, uzwisengele tjinyolotjo ku mishasha ku bakulu babo. 18 Utolelanye ne tjatjile dzili gumi unopa nlauli wabo we babhayani bali tjiwulu (1 000). Ubabone bakulu babo, ngono ubhuzwe se kwabanomuka kudwa ku bali.”
19 Bakabe bana Saulo, ne balume bose be Iziraela, bali mu nkuku we Ela begwa ne Bafilisitiya. 20 Dafite wakabinduka kutji mangwanana, akasiya pkhwizi ne nlisi, katola mbuba, kayenda sekwa adwiwa ndi Jesi. Wakaswika ku mishasha ewana babhayani beyenda ku bugwilo, bakalonga mima ye ngwa. 21 Baiziraela ne Bafilisitiya bakabe bali mile bakalingisana zwikwata zwakapinilana. 22 Dafite wakasiya ntolo uwe mu maboko e nlindi we thundu, kalabukila ku zwikwata, kanodumilisa bakulu babe. 23 Wakati atjalebeleka nabo, gwelemba le Nfilisitiya we Gati, linodang'wa Goliati, likabhudila patjena kudwa mu zwikwata zwe Bafilisitiya, kabgwilulula matama awe e mazhuba wose. Ngono Dafite akanhwa. 24 Balume bose be Iziraela bose, bakabe beti abebona nlume iwoyo, bakantshetshemba, bakabe ne kutja kukulu kwazo. 25 Baiziraela bakabe beti, “Apa mombona nlume iwoje kene? Tjoselele wazhila kuwolengudza Iziraela. Nlume ungabulaya Nfilisitiya iwoyu, mambo banowonfumisa kusikushoma, bebuya benlobodza nkololokadzi wabo, kakale ne nsha wa tate babe unowobe ne sununguko mu Iziraela.” 26 Dafite wakabhuzwa babhayani baakabe alimile nabo kati, “Apa nlume unowobulaya Nfilisitiya iwoyu ebuya edusa Iziraela shoni unowoshingigwani kene? Iye ndiye ani, Nfilisitiya iwoyu usakathumbigwa, unolengudza babhayani be Ndzimu unotjila kene?” 27 Babhayani bakan'dabila nge hwi ling'ompela beti, “Unowotogwa sekwa kungatogwa nlume wabulaya Goliati.”
28 Nkulu uwe Eliabu kanhwa elebeleka ne babhayani, kan'gwadzila moyo kwazo, kambhuzwa kati, “Wazhilani ngeno, wasiya pkhwizi idzedzije dzisingana naani mu tjilambanyika kene? Ndoziba mazwikudzo awo nenge bukukutu gwe moyo uwo, wazhila iko kuwolingilila ngwa.”
29 Dafite kadabila eti, “Ndathamani sangwenu? Kunlandu kuti ndilebeleke?” 30 Katendebuka kalinga ku mmwe, kalebazwe sekwa aleba kutanga, ngono bathu bakan'dabila sekwa adabigwa kutanga.
31 Tjakalebgwa ndi Dafite tjakahwika, tjikabikigwa Saulo, Saulo kantumila bathu bakan'dana. 32 Dafite kadwa Saulo kati, “Kusitongobe ne unopela moyo ngekwe Nfilisitiya iwoyo, nlanda wenyu unonobhayana naye.”
33 Saulo kashandula Dafite eti, “Aungatubule kunogwa ne Nfilisitiya iwoyu, ngobe iwe utji mbisana ntjetjana, iye tjinga kwaakabe n'gwi kudwa mu buzhuzha gugwe.” 34 Koga Dafite kadwa Saulo kati, “Nlanda wenyu wagala elisa pkhwizi dza tate babe, ngono shumba kene bhera yabe iti ayazha ikatola pkhwizana mukati kwe pkhwizi, 35 ndoilonda, ndibe ndinogwila pkhwizana ndiidusa mu nlomo wayo, ngono ha ingashandukila kundili, ndoizhwabula nge mavele ayo ailoba aibulaya. 36 Nlanda wenyu wakabulaya kose shumba ne bhera, ngono Nfilisitiya iwoyu usakathumbigwa kowonshingikalilabo se tjimwe tjazo, ngobe walengudza babhayani be Ndzimu unotjila.” 37 Dafite kapapha kati, “Yahwe bakanditjidza kudwa mu simba le shumba ne kudwa mu simba le bhira, banonditjidza kudwa mu maboko e Nfilisitiya iwoyu.” Saulo kadwa Dafite kati, “Yendazo, ngono Yahwe babe nawe!” 38 Saulo kambadza Dafite zwiambalo zwizwe, kambadza jasi le ngwa ne hwutshe ye phangula mu nsholo. 39 Dafite wakashomeka bukanu gwa Saulo pezhugwi kwe zwiambalo zwe ngwa, kagwiso yenda ngono kukakona, ngobe asakazwiwolobela. Ndizo Dafite kadwa Saulo kati, “Andingayende ndakaambala zwithu izwezwi, ngobe andizozwiwolobela.” Ngono kazwiambula. 40 Dafite katola lukombo gugwe nge luboko, kashalula mabgwe e hwulungwana ali mashanu mu lukobana, kaalonga mukati kwe hwomwana iye, ye nlisi we pkhwizi, kasedzela pejo ne Nfilisitiya, akabhata tjivirimabgwe tjitje nge luboko.
Dafite unokunda Goliati
41 Nge tjibakana Nfilisitiya kasedzela kuna Dafite, ana nsengi we zwibhayano zwizwe akantungamila. 42 Kukati Nfilisitiya elinga Dafite embona, ali mbisananyana, nshaba mbuya, kanthaedza mesho. 43 Nfilisitiya kadwa Dafite kati, “Apa ndi mbgwa imi, kwaunozha kundili nge zwikunyana?” Ngono Nfilisitiya kalonga Dafite bhiso nge zina le midzimu iye. 44 Kandwa kati, “Zhangeno, nyama iyo ndowoipa manyuni ne zwibandana zwe shango.” 45 Koga Dafite kadwa Nfilisitiya kati, “Unozha kundili wakabhata bukanu ne thumo ne thumonyana, koga imi ndozha ku kuli nge zina la Yahwe Masimbawose, Ndzimu we ngwa dze Iziraela, iwoyu wawa lengudza 46 Nasi Yahwe banowokulonga mu maboko angu, ndowokuloba akuligila pasi akuthubula nsholo. Nasi zwidumbu zwe ngwa ye Bafilisitiya ndowozwipa nyuni ne zwibandana zwe shango, ngono shango yose inowoziba kuti kuna Ndzimu mu Iziraela. 47 Bose ibaba bakakubungana ipapa banoziba kuti Yahwe abatotjidza ne bukanu ne thumo, ngobe ngwa nde ya Yahwe, banothama kuti mose timukunde.” 48 Kwakati Nfilisitiya esedzela kuti anobulaya Dafite, Dafite kalabuka tjinyolotjo kushanganidza. 49 Dafite kalonga luboko mu hwomo iye, kadusa bgwe, kalilonga mu tjivirimabgwe, kaposa kaloba Nfilisitiya pa phazha, bgwe likatinyume mu phazha iye, akawila pasi nge phazha. 50 Tjinyolotjo Dafite kakunda Nfilisitiya nge tjivirimabgwe ne bgwe, asina bukanu mu luboko gugwe, kaloba Nfilisitiya kanligila pasi kambulaya. 51 Dafite kalabuka kanoma pa Nfilisitiya, kashomola bukanu mu khata yago kambulaya, kati asinombulaya kanthubula nsholo nge bukanu.
Kwakati Bafilisitiya bebona kuti gwelemba lafa, bakatizha. 52 Balume be Iziraela ne Juda bakamilika ne mima bakatatana ne Bafilisitiya kunoti ku Gati ne ku mikoba ye Ekironi. Zwitumbu zwe Bafilisitiya zwakabe zwakaandama mu zila ye Shaaraimu kunoti ku Gati ne Ekironi. 53 Baiziraela bakati bedwa kutatana ne Bafilisitiya, bebe betapa thundu yakabe ili mu mishasha yabo. 54 Dafite wakatola nsholo we Nfilisitiya kauyisa ku Jerusalema, koga zwibhayano zwe Nfilisitiya kazwibiga mu nshasha uwe. 55 Kwakati Saulo ebona Dafite ebhuda enoshanganidza Nfilisitiya, kabhuzwa Abineri nlauli we babhayani kati, “Abineri, nzhuzha iwoyu nkololo waani kene?” Abineri kashandula eti, “Ndotuna ne butjilo gwenyu, imwi mambo, anditonziba.” 56 Mambo kandwa kati, “Bhuzwa kuti nzhuzha iwoyu nkololo waani.”
57 Kukati Dafite ebuya kubulaya Nfilisitiya, Abineri kantola kan'yisa kuna Saulo, Dafite wakabe akabhata nsholo we Nfilisitiya nge luboko. 58 Saulo kambhuzwa kati, “Nzhuzha, unkololo waani kene?” Ngono Dafite kashandula eti, “Ndi nkololo we nlanda wenyu Jesi we Bhetelehema.”
Goliath Challenges Israel's Army
1 The Philistines got ready for war and brought their troops together to attack the town of Socoh in Judah. They set up camp at Ephes-Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. 2-3 King Saul and the Israelite army set up camp on a hill overlooking Elah Valley, and they got ready to fight the Philistine army that was on a hill on the other side of the valley.
4 The Philistine army had a hero named Goliath who was from the town of Gath and was about three meters tall. 5-6 He wore a bronze helmet and had bronze armor to protect his chest and legs. The chest armor alone weighed about 57 kilograms. He carried a bronze sword strapped on his back, 7 and his spear was so big that the iron spearhead alone weighed about seven kilograms. A soldier always walked in front of Goliath to carry his shield.
8 Goliath went out and shouted to the army of Israel:
Why are you lining up for battle? I'm the best soldier in our army, and all of you are in Saul's army. Choose your best soldier to come out and fight me! 9 If he can kill me, our people will be your slaves. But if I kill him, your people will be our slaves. 10 Here and now I challenge Israel's whole army! Choose someone to fight me!
11 Saul and his men heard what Goliath said, but they were so frightened of Goliath that they couldn't do a thing.
David Decides To Challenge Goliath
12 David's father Jesse was an old man, who belonged to the Ephrath clan and lived in Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons: 13-14 the oldest was Eliab, the next was Abinadab, and Shammah was the third. The three of them had gone off to fight in Saul's army.
David was Jesse's youngest son. 15 He took care of his father's sheep, and he went back and forth between Bethlehem and Saul's camp.
16 Goliath came out and gave his challenge every morning and every evening for 40 days.
17 One day, Jesse told David, “Hurry and take this sack of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread to your brothers at the army camp. 18 And here are ten large chunks of cheese to take to their commanding officer. Find out how your brothers are doing and bring back something that shows that they're all right. 19 They're with Saul's army, fighting the Philistines in Elah Valley.”
20 David obeyed his father. He got up early the next morning and left someone else in charge of the sheep; then he loaded the supplies and started off. He reached the army camp just as the soldiers were taking their places and shouting the battle cry. 21 The army of Israel and the Philistine army stood there facing each other.
22 David left his things with the man in charge of supplies and ran up to the battle line to ask his brothers if they were well. 23 While David was talking with them, Goliath came out from the line of Philistines and started boasting as usual. David heard him.
24 When the Israelite soldiers saw Goliath, they were scared and ran off. 25 They said to each other, “Look how he keeps coming out to insult us. The king is offering a big reward to the man who kills Goliath. That man will even get to marry the king's daughter, and no one in his family will ever have to pay taxes again.”
26 David asked some soldiers standing nearby, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and stopping him from insulting our people? Who does that worthless Philistine think he is? He's making fun of the army of the living God!”
27 The soldiers told David what the king would give the man who killed Goliath.
28 David's oldest brother Eliab heard him talking with the soldiers. Eliab was angry with him and said, “What are you doing here, anyway? Who's taking care of your little flock of sheep out in the desert? You spoiled brat! You came here just to watch the fighting, didn't you?”
29 “Now what have I done?” David answered. “Can't I even ask a question?” 30 Then he turned and asked another soldier the same thing he had asked the others, and he got the same answer.
31 Some soldiers overheard David talking, so they told Saul what David had said. Saul sent for David, and David came. 32 “Your Majesty,” he said, “this Philistine shouldn't turn us into cowards. I'll go out and fight him myself!”
33 “You don't have a chance against him,” Saul replied. “You're only a boy, and he's been a soldier all his life.”
34 But David told him:
Your Majesty, I take care of my father's sheep. And when one of them is dragged off by a lion or a bear, 35 I go after it and beat the wild animal until it lets the sheep go. If the wild animal turns and attacks me, I grab it by the throat and kill it.
36 Sir, I have killed lions and bears that way, and I can kill this worthless Philistine. He shouldn't have made fun of the army of the living God! 37 The Lord has rescued me from the claws of lions and bears, and he will keep me safe from the hands of this Philistine.
“All right,” Saul answered, “go ahead and fight him. And I hope the Lord will help you.”
38 Saul had his own military clothes and armor put on David, and he gave David a bronze helmet to wear. 39 David strapped on a sword and tried to walk around, but he was not used to wearing those things.
“I can't move with all this stuff on,” David said. “I'm just not used to it.”
David took off the armor 40 and picked up his shepherd's stick. He went out to a stream and picked up five smooth rocks and put them in his leather bag. Then with his sling in his hand, he went straight toward Goliath.
David Kills Goliath
41 Goliath came toward David, walking behind the soldier who was carrying his shield. 42 When Goliath saw that David was just a healthy, good-looking boy, he made fun of him. 43 “Do you think I'm a dog?” Goliath asked. “Is that why you've come after me with a stick?” He cursed David in the name of the Philistine gods 44 and shouted, “Come on! When I'm finished with you, I'll feed you to the birds and wild animals!”
45 David answered:
You've come out to fight me with a sword and a spear and a dagger. But I've come out to fight you in the name of the Lord All-Powerful. He is the God of Israel's army, and you have insulted him too!
46 Today the Lord will help me defeat you. I'll knock you down and cut off your head, and I'll feed the bodies of the other Philistine soldiers to the birds and wild animals. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a real God. 47 Everybody here will see that the Lord doesn't need swords or spears to save his people. The Lord always wins his battles, and he will help us defeat you.
48 When Goliath started forward, David ran toward him. 49 He put a rock in his sling and swung the sling around by its straps. When he let go of one strap, the rock flew out and hit Goliath on the forehead. It cracked his skull, and he fell facedown on the ground. 50 David defeated Goliath with a sling and a rock. He killed him without even using a sword.
51 David ran over and pulled out Goliath's sword. Then he used it to cut off Goliath's head.
When the Philistines saw what had happened to their hero, they started running away. 52 But the soldiers of Israel and Judah let out a battle cry and went after them as far as Gath and Ekron. The bodies of the Philistines were scattered all along the road from Shaaraim to Gath and Ekron.
53 When the Israelite army returned from chasing the Philistines, they took what they wanted from the enemy camp. 54 David took Goliath's head to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath's weapons in his own tent.
David Becomes One of Saul's Officers
55 After King Saul had watched David go out to fight Goliath, Saul turned to the commander of his army and said, “Abner, who is that young man?”
“Your Majesty,” Abner answered, “I swear by your life that I don't know.”
56 “Then find out!” Saul told him.
57 When David came back from fighting Goliath, he was still carrying Goliath's head.
Abner took David to Saul, 58 and Saul asked, “Who are you?”
“I am David the son of Jesse, a loyal Israelite from Bethlehem.”