ABahluleli
13 Abako-Israyeli baqalisa futhi ukwenza okubi phambi kukaJehova,*+ uJehova wasebanikela ezandleni zamaFilisti+ okweminyaka engu-40.
2 Ngalesosikhathi kwakulendoda yaseZora+ okwakuthiwa nguManowa+ eyayingeyesizwana sakoDani.+ Umkayo wayengelamntwana ngoba wayeyinyumba.+ 3 Ngelinye ilanga ingilosi kaJehova yabonakala kowesifazana lo yathi kuye: “Lanxa uyinyumba uzazithwala ubelethe indodana.+ 4 Ngakho nanzelela unganathi iwayini kumbe utshwala+ njalo ungadli loba yini engcolileyo,+ 5 ngoba uzazithwala ubelethe indodana. Akumelanga iphucwe ikhanda+ ngoba izakuba ngumNaziri* kaNkulunkulu kusukela izalwa* njalo yiyo ezakhokhela ekusindiseni abantu bako-Israyeli esandleni samaFilisti.”+
6 Owesifazana lo wasuka wayabikela umkakhe wathi: “Kulomuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso ofike kimi. Ubefanana lengilosi kaNkulunkulu weqiniso futhi ubemangalisa. Angimbuzanga ukuthi uvela ngaphi, laye kangitshelanga ibizo lakhe.+ 7 Kodwa uthe kimi, ‘Uzazithwala ubelethe indodana. Ngakho unganathi iwayini kumbe utshwala futhi ungadli loba yini engcolileyo ngoba umntwana lo uzakuba ngumNaziri* kaNkulunkulu kusukela ezalwa* kuze kube lilanga azakufa ngalo.’”
8 UManowa wancenga uJehova wathi: “Bengilesicelo Jehova. Ngicela inceku yakho osanda kuyithuma iphenduke izosifundisa ukuthi umntwana ozazalwa simkhulise njani.” 9 UNkulunkulu weqiniso wamlalela uManowa. Ingilosi kaNkulunkulu weqiniso yasiphenduka yathola umkaManowa ezihlalele emasimini. UManowa yena wayengekho. 10 UmkaManowa wasuka masinyane wayatshela umkakhe wathi: “Indoda leyana eyabonakala kimi mhlalokhuyana isiphendukile futhi.”+
11 UManowa wasuka wahamba lomkakhe. Wafika endodeni leyo wathi kuyo: “Nguwe yini owakhuluma lomkami?” Yamphendula yathi: “Ye yimi.” 12 UManowa wasesithi: “Kwangathi amazwi akho angagcwaliseka! Manje umntwana ozazalwa uzaphila njani futhi uzakwenza msebenzi bani?”+ 13 Ingilosi kaJehova yamphendula yathi: “Umkakho kumele alandele konke engamtshela khona.+ 14 Akumelanga adle amagilebisi lakho konke okwenziwe ngawo kumbe anathe iwayini loba utshwala+ njalo akumelanga adle loba yini engcolileyo.+ Kumele alandele konke engamtshela khona.”
15 UManowa wasesithi engilosini kaJehova: “Sicela uhlale sikuhlabele izinyane lembuzi.”+ 16 Kodwa ingilosi kaJehova yathi kuye: “Lanxa ngingaze ngihlale kangisoze ngidle ukudla kwenu. Kodwa nxa lifuna ukunikela kuJehova umnikelo wokutshiswa lingawunikela.” UManowa wayengakwazi ukuthi kwakuyingilosi kaJehova. 17 UManowa wasesithi engilosini kaJehova: “Ibizo lakho ungubani?+ Sifuna ukukubonga nxa amazwi akho esegcwalisekile.” 18 Kodwa ingilosi kaJehova yamphendula yathi: “Kungani ubuza ibizo lami lona limangalisa kangaka?”
19 UManowa wathatha izinyane lembuzi lamabele wanikela ngakho kuJehova phezu kwedwala. UNkulunkulu wenza isimanga uManowa lomkakhe bekhangele. 20 Umlilo wathi ulokhu ubhebha e-alithareni ingilosi kaJehova yangena phakathi kwelangabi yaqansa yaya phezulu. UManowa lomkakhe bathe bekubona lokhu baguqa bathi mbo phansi ngobuso. 21 Ingilosi kaJehova ayiphindanga yabonakala kuManowa lomkakhe. UManowa wananzelela ukuthi bekuyingilosi kaJehova,+ 22 wasesithi kumkakhe: “Sizakufa sibili ngoba sibone uNkulunkulu.”+ 23 Kodwa umkakhe wamphendula wathi: “Ngabe uJehova ubefuna ukusibulala ubengasoze awamukele umnikelo wethu wokutshiswa+ lomnikelo wethu wamabele. Ubengasoze asitshengise izinto zonke lezi futhi ubengasoze asitshele konke lokhu.”
24 Ngemva kwesikhathi owesifazana lo wazala indodana wayibiza ngokuthi nguSamsoni.+ Umfana lo wakhula njalo uJehova waqhubeka embusisa. 25 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi umoya kaJehova waqalisa ukusebenza kuye+ eseMahane-dani,+ phakathi kweZora le-Eshithawoli.+