1 Samuweli
4 Izwi likaSamuweli laqhubeka lifika ku-Israyeli wonke.
Khona-ke u-Israyeli waphuma eyohlangabezana namaFilisti empini; wakanisa eceleni kwase-Ebhenezeri,+ amaFilisti wona akanisa e-Afeki.+ 2 AmaFilisti ahleleka+ ukuze ahlangabezane no-Israyeli, impi yahamba kabi, kangangokuthi u-Israyeli wahlulwa phambi kwamaFilisti,+ abulala amadoda angaba yizinkulungwane ezine ohlwini lwempi olwalwakhe umkhumbi ohlangene enkundleni. 3 Lapho abantu befika ekamu amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli athi: “Kungani uJehova esehlulile namuhla phambi kwamaFilisti?+ Masizithathele umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova+ eShilo, ube phakathi kwethu futhi usisindise entendeni yesandla sezitha zethu.” 4 Ngakho abantu bathumela eShilo bawuthwala lapho umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova wamabutho, ohlezi phezu kwamakherubi.+ Amadodana amabili ka-Eli ayelapho kanye nomphongolo wesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu weqiniso, okungukuthi, uHofini noFinehasi.+
5 Kwathi lapho nje umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova ufika ekamu, wonke ama-Israyeli aqhumuka amemeza kakhulu,+ kwaze kwanyakaza umhlaba. 6 AmaFilisti nawo awuzwa umsindo wokumemeza ayesethi: “Usho ukuthini lo msindo wokumemeza okukhulu+ ekamu lamaHebheru?” Ekugcineni azi ukuthi kwakufike umphongolo kaJehova ekamu. 7 AmaFilisti esaba, ngoba, athi: “Kufike uNkulunkulu ekamu!”+ Ngakho athi: “Maye kithi, ngoba ayikaze yenzeke into enjengale ngaphambili! 8 Maye kithi! Ubani ozosisindisa esandleni salo Nkulunkulu omkhulu ngokubabazekayo? Lo yilo Nkulunkulu owashaya iGibhithe ngazo zonke izinhlobo zokuceka ehlane.+ 9 Ziboniseni ninesibindi nibe ngamadoda, nina maFilisti, ukuze ningawakhonzi amaHebheru njengoba nje wona eye anikhonza;+ kumelwe nibe ngamadoda nilwe!” 10 Ngakho amaFilisti alwa wahlulwa u-Israyeli,+ wabaleka kwaba yilowo nalowo waya etendeni lakhe;+ ukuceka kwaba kukhulu kakhulu,+ kangangokuthi kwa-Israyeli kwawa amadoda ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu ayimigundatshani.+ 11 Umphongolo kaNkulunkulu wathunjwa,+ amadodana amabili ka-Eli, uHofini noFinehasi, afa.+
12 Umuntu othile wakwaBhenjamini wagijima esuka ohlwini lwempi waze wafika eShilo ngalolo suku izingubo zakhe ziklebhukile+ futhi enenhlabathi ekhanda.+ 13 Lapho efika, nango u-Eli ehlezi esihlalweni eceleni kwendlela, ebhekile, ngoba inhliziyo yakhe yayithuthumela ngenxa yomphongolo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso.+ Lowo muntu wangena eyobika emzini, umuzi wonke waqala ukukhamuluka. 14 U-Eli wawuzwa umsindo wokukhamuluka. Ngakho wathi: “Usho ukuthini lo msindo walesi siyaluyalu?”+ Lowo muntu washesha ukuba angene ambikele u-Eli. 15 (U-Eli wayeneminyaka engamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesishiyagalombili ubudala, futhi amehlo akhe ayengasanyakazi kangangokuthi wayengasaboni.)+ 16 Lowo muntu wathi ku-Eli: “Ngingovela ohlwini lwempi, futhi mina—ngibaleke ohlwini lwempi namuhla.” Khona-ke wathi: “Kwenzekeni, ndodana yami?” 17 Ngakho owayelethe izindaba waphendula wathi: “U-Israyeli uwabalekele amaFilisti, futhi kube khona ukuhlulwa okukhulu phakathi kwabantu;+ namadodana akho amabili afile—uHofini noFinehasi+—nomphongolo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso imbala uthunjiwe.”+
18 Kwathi lapho nje ekhuluma ngomphongolo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, wawa esihlalweni ngesiphundu eceleni kwesango, intamo yakhe yaphuka wafa, ngoba lo muntu wayesemdala esinda; wayahlulele u-Israyeli iminyaka engamashumi amane. 19 Umalokazana wakhe, umkaFinehasi, wayekhulelwe sekuseduze ukuba abelethe, wawuzwa lo mbiko wokuthi umphongolo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso uthunjiwe nokuthi uyisezala nomyeni wakhe bafile. Wakhothama waqala ukubeletha, ngoba imihelo yamfikela kungalindelekile.+ 20 Ngesikhathi esezokufa, abesifazane ababemi ngakuye bathi: “Ungesabi, ngoba ubelethe indodana.”+ Akaphendulanga futhi akayibekanga inhliziyo yakhe kukho. 21 Kodwa waqamba umfana ngokuthi u-Ikhabhodi,+ ethi: “Inkazimulo isukile kwa-Israyeli yaya ekudingisweni,”+ lokhu ekusho ngokuqondene nokuthunjwa komphongolo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso nangokuqondene noyisezala nomyeni wakhe.+ 22 Ngakho wathi: “Inkazimulo isukile kwa-Israyeli yaya ekudingisweni,+ ngoba umphongolo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso uthunjiwe.”+