AbaHlulelii
13 Ama-Israyeli enza okumbi emehlweni kaJehova godu,+ uJehova wawanikela esandleni samaFilista+ iminyaka ema-40.
2 Ngesikhatheso, bekunendoda yeTsora+ yekoro yakwaDani,+ igama layo bekunguManowarhi.+ Umkakhe bekayinyumba, anganabantwana.+ 3 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi ingilozi kaJehova yabonakala emfazini lo, yathi kuye: “Qala, uyinyumba begodu awunabantwana. Kodwana uzokuba sidisi ubelethe indodana.+ 4 Tjheja bona ungaseli iwayini namkha omunye umhlobo wotjwala+ begodu ungadli nanyana yini engakahlwengeki.+ 5 Qala! Uzokuba sidisi ubelethe indodana begodu iinhluthu zayo+ akukafuzi zirhunwe, ngombana umntwana lo uzokuba mNaziri kaZimu kusukela ekubelethweni kwakhe, uzokudosa phambili ekusindiseni u-Israyeli esandleni samaFilista.”+
6 Ngemva kwalokho, umfazi lo wakhamba wayokutjela indodakhe wathi: “Kufike umuntu kaZimu weqiniso kimi, bekafana nengilozi kaZimu weqiniso, ababazeka khulu. Akhenge ngimbuze bona uvelaphi, naye akhenge angitjele igama lakhe.+ 7 Kodwana uthe kimi, ‘Qala! Uzokuba sidisi ubelethe indodana. Ungaseli iwayini namkha omunye umhlobo wotjwala bese ungadli nanyana yini engakahlwengeki ngombana umntwana lo uzokuba mNaziri kaZimu kusukela ekubelethweni kwakhe bekube lilanga ahlongakala ngalo.’”
8 UManowarhi warabhela uJehova wathi: “Ngilibalela Jehova. Ngibawa bona umuntu kaZimu weqiniso oqeda ukumthumela abuye godu, azosifundisa ukuthi kufuze senzeni ngomntwana ozokubelethwa.” 9 Yeke uZimu weqiniso wamlalela uManowarhi begodu ingilozi kaZimu weqiniso yabuya emfazini nakahlezi esimini; indodakhe uManowarhi beyingasinaye. 10 Umfazi wagijima msinya wayokutjela indodakhe wathi: “Qala! Umuntu obekeze kimi mhlokha ubuyile.”+
11 Yeke uManowarhi wasikima wakhamba nomkakhe. Wafika emuntwini loyo wathi kuye: “Nguwe umuntu okhulume nomkami?” Waphendula wathi: “Iye.” 12 UManowarhi wathi: “Awazaliseke amezwakho! Alo, uzokuphila njani umntwana lo begodu uzokuba yini umsebenzakhe?”+ 13 Yeke ingilozi kaJehova yathi kuManowarhi: “Umkakho kufuze enze koke engimtjele khona.+ 14 Kufuze angadli nanyana yini evela emthini wamadiribe, kufuze angaseli iwayini namkha omunye umhlobo wotjwala+ begodu angadli nanyana yini engakahlwengeki.+ Koke engimyale ngakho, akakwenze.”
15 UManowarhi wathi engilozini kaJehova: “Sibawa uhlale, sikulungisele imbuzana.”+ 16 Kodwana ingilozi kaJehova yathi kuManowarhi: “Nangabe ngiyahlala, angeze ngikudle ukudla kwakho; kodwana nangabe ufisa ukwenzela uJehova umnikelo otjhiswako, ungawenza.” UManowarhi bekangazi ukuthi yingilozi kaJehova. 17 UManowarhi wathi engilozini kaJehova: “Ungubani igama lakho+ bona sikudumise lokha ilizwi lakho nalizalisekako?” 18 Nokho ingilozi kaJehova yathi kuye: “Kubayini ungibuza igama lami? Igama lami liyababazeka.”
19 Ngemva kwalokho, uManowarhi wathatha imbuzana nomnikelo weenthoro wanikela ngazo kuJehova edwaleni. UZimu bekenza into erarako uManowarhi nomkakhe babukele. 20 Njengombana ilangabi likhuphuka lisuka e-aldareni litjhinga ezulwini, ingilozi kaJehova yakhuphuka elangabini elivela e-aldareni ngesikhathi uManowarhi nomkakhe babukele. Baguqa bahloma iinhloko phasi khonokho. 21 Ingilozi kaJehova akhenge isabonakala kuManowarhi nomkakhe. Yeke uManowarhi walemuka ukuthi bekuyingilozi kaJehova.+ 22 UManowarhi wathi kumkakhe: “Sizokuhlongakala nakanjani ngombana sibone uZimu.”+ 23 Kodwana umkakhe wathi kuye: “Nangabe uJehova bekafuna ukusibulala, bekangeze amukele umnikelo otjhiswako+ nomnikelo weenthoro ovela esandleni sethu, bekangeze asitjengise zoke izintwezi begodu bekangeze asitjele nayinye yezintwezi.”
24 Ngemva kwesikhathi umfazi wabeletha indodana, wayithiya ngokuthi nguSamsoni;+ njengombana umsana lo akhula, uJehova waragela phambili ambusisa. 25 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ummoya kaJehova wehlela phezu kwakaSamsoni+ eMarhane-Dani,+ hlangana neTsora ne-Etjhitawuli.+