1 Davide atawuzidwa kuti “Onani, Afilisti akuthira nkhondo mzinda wa Keila ndi kulanda zokolola zawo za mʼnkhokwe,” 2 anafunsa Yehova kuti, “Kodi ndipite ndikamenyane nawo Afilistiwa?”

Yehova anamuyankha kuti, “Pita, kamenyane nawo Afilisti ndi kupulumutsa mzinda wa Keila.”

3 Koma anthu amene anali ndi Davide anati, “Ngati tikuchita mantha ku Yuda konkuno, nanji kupita ku Keila kukamenyana ndi ankhondo a Afilisti!”

4 Davide anafunsanso Yehova, ndipo Yehova anamuyankha kuti, “Pita ku Keila pakuti ndapereka Afilisti mʼdzanja lako.” 5 Choncho Davide ndi anthu ake anapita ku Keila kukamenyana ndi Afilisti. Anapha Afilisti ambiri ndi kutenga ziweto zawo. Choncho anapulumutsa anthu a ku Keila. 6 (Pamene Abiatara mwana wa Ahimeleki anathawira kwa Davide anabwera ndi efodi mʼmanja mwake).

7 Sauli atamva kuti Davide wapita ku Keila anati, “Mulungu wamupereka kwa ine, pakuti Davide wadzitsekera yekha mʼndende polowa mu mzinda umene uli ndi zipata ndi zotsekera zake.” 8 Choncho Sauli anasonkhanitsa ankhondo ake nawatuma ku Keila kuti akamuzungulire Davide ndi anthu ake.

9 Davide atadziwa kuti Sauli akufuna kumuchita chiwembu, anawuza Abiatara wansembe uja kuti, “Bwera nayo efodiyo.” 10 Tsono Davide anayankhula ndi Yehova kuti, “Inu Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli, ine mtumiki wanu ndamva ndithu kuti Sauli akufuna kubwera ku Keila ndi kudzawononga mzindawu chifukwa cha ine. 11 Kodi anthu a Keila adzandipereka mʼmanja mwa Sauli? Kodi Sauli abweradi monga ndamvera ine mtumiki wanu? Inu Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli, chonde, ndiwuzeni ine mtumiki wanu.”

Ndipo Yehova anati, “Sauli abweradi.”

12 Davide anafunsanso, “Kodi anthu a ku Keila adzapereka ine ndi anthu angawa kwa Sauli?”

Ndipo Yehova anayankha, “Iwo adzakuperekanidi.”

13 Choncho Davide ndi anthu ake, omwe analipo 600, anachoka ku Keila namayenda mothawathawa. Sauli atamva kuti Davide wathawa ku Keila, sanatumizeko ankhondo ake aja.

14 Davide ankakhala mʼmapanga mʼdziko lamapiri ku chipululu cha Zifi. Sauli ankamufufuza tsiku ndi tsiku, koma Mulungu sanapereke Davide mʼmanja mwake.

15 Davide anaona kuti Sauli akufunafuna kuti amuphe. Nthawiyi nʼkuti Davide ali mʼchipululu cha Zifi ku Horesi. 16 Ndipo Yonatani mwana wa Sauli anapita kwa Davide ku Horesi ndipo anamulimbitsa mtima pomuwuza kuti Yehova ali naye. 17 Iye anamuwuza kuti, “Usaope, abambo anga sadzakupha. Iwe udzakhala mfumu ya Israeli ndipo ine ndidzakhala wachiwiri wako. Ngakhale abambo anga Sauli akudziwa zimenezi.” 18 Awiriwa anachita pangano pamaso pa Yehova. Ndipo Yonatani anabwerera kwawo, koma Davide anakhalabe ku Horesi.

19 Anthu a ku Zifi anapita kwa Sauli ku Gibeya ndipo anamuwuza kuti, “Davide akubisala kwathu, mʼmapanga a ku Horesi, mʼphiri la Hakila, kummwera kwa Yesimoni. 20 Tsopano inu, mubwere nthawi iliyonse imene mukufuna, ndipo ife tidzamupereka kwa mfumu.”

21 Sauli anayankha kuti, “Yehova akudalitseni pakuti mwandichitira chifundo. 22 Pitani mukatsimikizire. Mukaone kumene amakhala ndiponso mupeze munthu amene wamuona. Anthu amandiwuza kuti ndi wochenjera kwambiri. 23 Kafufuzeni ndithu malo onse kumene amabisalako, ndipo mubwerenso kuno mudzandiwuze chenicheni. Pambuyo pake ine ndidzapita nanu. Ngatidi ali mʼderalo ndidzamusaka pakati pa mabanja onse a Yuda.”

24 Kotero iwo ananyamuka ndi kupita ku Zifi, koma Sauli asananyamuke. Nthawi imeneyi Davide ndi anthu ake anali ku chipululu cha Maoni, ku Araba kummwera kwa Yesimoni. 25 Sauli ndi anthu ake anapita kukamufufuza Davide. Koma Davide atamva izi anathawa ndi kukabisala ku thanthwe la chipululu cha Maoni. Sauli atamva kuti Davide anathawira ku Maoni anamutsatira ku chipululu komweko.

26 Sauli amayenda mbali ina ya phirilo, ndipo Davide ndi anthu ake nawonso anali mbali ina ya phirilo. Koma Davide ndi anthu ake anafulumira kumuthawa Sauli pamene Sauliyo ndi anthu ake ali pafupi kuwagwira. 27 Nthawi yomweyo munthu wina wamthenga anabwera kudzamuwuza Sauli kuti, “Bwerani msanga! Afilisti akuthira nkhondo dzikoli.” 28 Choncho Sauli analeka kuthamangitsa Davide ndipo anapita kukamenyana ndi Afilisti. Nʼchifukwa chake malowa amatchedwa Mwala wa Malekano. 29 Ndipo Davide anachoka kumeneko ndi kukakhala ku mapanga a ku Eni Gedi.