1 Inyuma y’ivyo, umwami w’Abamoni Nahashi araduga atera igisagara ca Isirayeli citwa Yabeshi Gileyadi. Abantu b’i Yabeshi baramwinginga bati: "Turagusavye tugiriranire amasezerano, utureke tube abasavyi bawe."

2 Ariko Nahashi umwami w’Abamoni abishura ati: "Ndemera ko tugiriranira amasezerano, ariko mbanza kunogora umuntu wese wo muri mwebwe ijisho ry’i buryo kugira ngo Abisirayeli bose babe ibimaramare."

3 Abakuru b’i Yabeshi baramubwira bati: "Turindire imisi indwi tubanze turungike intumwa mu Bisirayeli bose; nihataboneka n’umwe wo kudutabara, tuzoca tukwishikanira udukoze ico ugomba."

4 Nuko intumwa zija i Gibeya, igisagara Sawuli yabamwo, zibwira abantu ayo majambo y’umwami w’Abamoni; maze bose baca baraturikisha bararira n’ijwi rirenga. 5 Sawuli na we yariko arava mu mirima, ashoreye inka ziwe zirima. Arabaza ati: "Habaye iki? Ni kubera iki abantu bose bariko bararira?" Baca bamusubiriramwo ivyo abo bantu b’i Yabeshi bababwiye.

6 Sawuli yumvise ayo majambo, Mpwemu w’Imana amuzako mu nkomezi nyinshi, aca arashavura cane. 7 Afata inka zirima zibiri, azicagaguramwo ibihimba, abirungikana intumwa mu gihugu cose ca Isirayeli, n’ubutumwa buvuga ngo: "Uku ni ko inka z’umuntu wese atazokurikira Sawuli na Samweli mu ntambara zizohimbagurwa." Nuko ubwoba buvuye k’Uhoraho bufata abantu, baca bakoranira hamwe nk’umuntu umwe. 8 Igihe Sawuli yabegeraniriza hamwe i Bezeki, abagabo b’Abisirayeli bari ibihumbi amajana atatu, abagabo b’i Buyuda na bo bari ibihumbi mirongo itatu.

9 Babwira za ntumwa zari zaje ziva i Yabeshi bati: "Mubwire abantu b’i Yabeshi Gileyadi muti: ‘Ejo mu gihe c’amashoka, muzotabarwa.’ " Za ntumwa ziragenda zimenyesha abantu b’i Yabeshi iyo nkuru, na bo baranezerwa cane. 10 Baca babwira Abamoni bati: "Ejo tuzokwishikana mu maboko yanyu, namwe muze mudukoze ico mugomba cose."

11 Bukeye Sawuli agabura abantu biwe mu mice itatu; maze hakiri mw’ijoro, ariko bugiye guca, bashika giturumbuka aho Abamoni bacumbitse babamarisha inkota igitondo cose kugeza mu gihe c’amashoka. Abacitse kw’icumu barasanzara, kugeza aho ata bantu babiri bashoboye guhunga bari kumwe.

12 Maze abantu baca babwira Samweli bati: "Ni ba nde bavuze ngo: ‘Aho Sawuli arakwiye kutuganza?’ Batuzanire tubice!"

13 Ariko Sawuli aravuga ati: "Nta muntu n’umwe yicwa kuri uno musi, kuko ari umusi Uhoraho yatabaye Abisirayeli."

14 Nuko Samweli abwira abantu ati: "Nimuze tuje i Gilugali dusubire gukomeza ivy’ubwami." 15 Nuko abantu bose baja i Gilugali, bemeza Sawuli ko ari umwami imbere y’Uhoraho. Baca batangira aho nyene imbere y’Uhoraho ibimazi vy’ishimwe, maze Sawuli n’Abisirayeli bose bagira umusi mukuru ukomeye.