USamyela Wokuthoma
4 Yeke ilizwi lakaSamyela lazwakala kiwo woke ama-Israyeli.
Ngemva kwalokho, ama-Israyeli aphuma ayokulwa namaFilista; ahloma ikampawo eduze ne-Ebheni-Ezeri begodu amaFilista bewahlome ikampawo e-Afeki. 2 AmaFilista ajama ngendlela ehlelekileko njengeenqhema zamasotja bona ayokulwa nama-Israyeli kodwana ipi yakhamba kumbi begodu ama-Israyeli ahlulwa maFilista. AmaFilista arhayila amadoda angaba zii-4 000 epini ebeyisemmangweni. 3 Kwathi abantu nababuyela ekampeni, abadala bakwa-Israyeli bathi: “Kubayini uJehova avumele bona sihlulwe maFilista namhlanjesi?*+ Asithatheni umfaji wesivumelwano kaJehova eTjhilo+ bona ube nathi begodu usisindise esandleni samanabethu.” 4 Yeke abantu bathumela amadoda eTjhilo begodu athwala umfaji wesivumelwano kaJehova wamabutho, ohlala esihlalweni sobukhosi ngaphezu kwamakherubhi.*+ Amadodana ka-Eli amabili uHofni noFiniyasi+ nawo bewalapho nomfaji wesivumelwano kaZimu weqiniso.
5 Msinyana umfaji wesivumelwano kaJehova nawufika ekampeni, ama-Israyeli woke arhuwelela bekwasikinyeka iphasi. 6 AmaFilista nakezwa itjhada lokurhuwelela athi: “Kubayini kunetjhada elingaka ekampeni yamaHebheru?” Ekugcineni ezwa bona umFaji kaJehova ulethwe ekampeni. 7 AmaFilista athukwa ngalokho athi: “UZimu uze ekampeni!”+ Yeke athi: “Maye! Ngombana into enje akhenge kheyenzeke kithi ngaphambilini. 8 Maye! Ngubani ozosisindisa esandleni sakaZimu omkhulu lo? Phela lo nguZimu owarhayila abantu beGibhide ngayo yoke imihlobo yamatshwenyeko emmangweni.+ 9 Yibani nesibindi njengamadoda nina maFilista bona ningabi ziinsebenzi zamaHebheru njengombana akhe abaziinsebenzi zethu.+ Yilwani njengamadoda!” 10 Yeke amaFilista alwa begodu ama-Israyeli ahlulwa,+ omunye nomunye wabalekela etendenakhe. Kwarhayilwa abantu abanengi khulu; ngehlangothini lama-Israyeli kwabulawa amasotja akhamba ngeenyawo azii-30 000. 11 Ngaphezu kwalokho, umFaji kaZimu wathunjwa namadodana ka-Eli amabili uHofni noFiniyasi ahlongakala.+
12 Indoda yakwaBhenjamini yagijima isuka epini beyayokufika eTjhilo ngelangelo. Izambatho zayo bezirathukile begodu inethuli ehloko.+ 13 Nayifikako, u-Eli bekahlezi esihlalweni eqadi kwendlela alindile ngombana bekatshwenyeke khulu ngebanga lomFaji kaZimu weqiniso.+ Indoda le yangena edorobheni, yabika iindaba begodu idorobho loke lathoma ukukhihla isililo. 14 U-Eli nakezwa itjhada lesililo wabuza: “Isililwesi sitjho ukuthini?” Indoda le yagijimela ku-Eli yambikela iindaba. 15 (Nje-ke u-Eli bekaneminyaka ema-98 begodu bekangasaboni.)+ 16 Indoda le yathi ku-Eli: “Ngivela epini! Ngibaleke khona namhlanjesi.” Nakezwa lokho u-Eli wabuza wathi: “Kwenzekeni ndodanami?” 17 Umbikiindaba lo wathi: “Ama-Israyeli abalekile phambi kwamaFilista ngombana ahluliwe+ begodu amanengi ahlongakele namadodanakho amabili uHofni noFiniyasi ahlongakele+ begodu nomFaji kaZimu weqiniso uthunjiwe.”+
18 Nakezwa ngomFaji kaZimu weqiniso, u-Eli waketuka esihlalweni sakhe eduze nesango, intamakhe yaphuka begodu wahlongakala ngombana bekaluphele begodu anomzimba. Wahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka ema-40. 19 Umalukazanakhe, umkaFiniyasi bekasidisi begodu amalangakhe atjhidele. Nakezwa umbiko wokuthi umFaji kaZimu weqiniso uthunjiwe nokuthi usosokanakhe nendodakhe bahlongakele, wasongana bewafikelwa mirhelo ngokungakalindeleki wabeletha. 20 Njengombana ahlongakala, abafazi abajame eduze kwakhe bathi: “Ungasabi ngombana ubelethe indodana.” Akhenge abaphendule begodu akhenge abatjheje.* 21 Kodwana wathiya umsana ngokuthi ngu-Ikabhodi,*+ wathi: “Iphazimulo ikhambile kwa-Israyeli iye ekudingisweni,”+ bekakhuluma ngokuthunjwa komFaji kaZimu weqiniso nangalokho okwenzeke kusosokanakhe nendodenakhe.+ 22 Wathi: “Iphazimulo ikhambile kwa-Israyeli iye ekudingisweni ngombana umFaji kaZimu weqiniso uthunjiwe.”+