Emva kokuba uDavide ebulele uGoliyati, uKumkani uSawule wamenza intloko yomkhosi wakhe. UDavide waphumelela amadabi amaninzi waza waduma. Xa esuka edabini, abafazi babedla ngokuphuma bedanisa baze bacule besithi: ‘USawule ubulele amawaka, waza uDavide wabulala amashumi amawaka!’ USawule waba nomona waza wafuna ukubulala uDavide.

UDavide wayeyincutshe ekudlaleni uhadi. Kwathi ngenye imini, xa wayedlalela uSawule uhadi, uSawule wamgibisela ngomkhonto. UDavide waphepha, waza umkhonto waya kuhlaba edongeni. Emva koko, uSawule wazama amaxesha amaninzi ukubulala uDavide. Ekugqibeleni, uDavide wabaleka waya kuzimela entlango.

USawule waya kumkhangela ehamba nomkhosi wamadoda ayi-3 000. Bangena kumqolomba owawuzimele uDavide namadoda awayekunye naye. Amadoda kaDavide ahlebeza esithi:  ‘Eli lelona thuba lihle lokubulala uSawule.’ UDavide wachwechwa waya kuSawule waza wasika umphetho wesambatho sakhe. USawule akazange ayiqaphele loo nto. Emva koko, uDavide wakhathazeka ngenxa yokuba engamhlonelanga umthanjiswa kaYehova. Akazange awavumele amadoda akhe ukuba ahlasele uSawule. Wade wakhwaza uSawule emxelela ukuba ebenalo ithuba lokumbulala kodwa akambulalanga.

Ngaba uSawule wayeka ukufuna ukubulala uDavide? Hayi. USawule waqhubeka emfuna uDavide. Ngobunye ubusuku uDavide nomtshana wakhe uAbhishayi baya kwindawo awayekuyo uSawule. Nkqu noAbhinere, ijoni likaSawule, wayelele. UAbhishayi wathi: ‘Eli lithuba lethu! Mandimbulale.’ UDavide wathi: ‘Yiyekele kuYehova le nto. Masithathe nje umkhonto nejagi yakhe yamanzi.’

UDavide wenyuka intaba eyayikufutshane nendawo awayekuyo uSawule. Wakhwaza esithi: ‘Abhinere, kutheni ungamkhuselanga ukumkani wakho? Iphi ijagi yamanzi nomkhonto kaSawule?’ USawule weva ukuba lilizwi likaDavide elo waza wathi: ‘Ubunako ukundibulala kodwa awandibulala. Ndiyazi ukuba uza kuba ngukumkani olandelayo wakwaSirayeli.’ USawule wabuyela emzini wakhe. Kodwa asingabo bonke kwintsapho kaSawule ababemthiyile uDavide.