USamyela Wokuthoma

5 Lokha amaFilista nakathumba umFaji+ kaZimu weqiniso, asuka nawo e-Ebheni-Ezeri aya nawo e-Atjhidodi. 2 AmaFilista athatha umFaji kaZimu weqiniso awusa ngendlini* kaDagoni begodu awubeka eqadi kwakaDagoni.+ 3 Abantu be-Atjhidodi nabavuka ekuseni ngelanga elilandelako, bafumana uDagoni awele phasi ngobuso phambi komFaji kaJehova.+ Yeke bathatha uDagoni bambuyisela endawenakhe.+ 4 Nabavukako godu ngelanga elilandelako, bafumana uDagoni awele phasi ngobuso phambi komFaji kaJehova. Ihloko kaDagoni nezandla zakhe zombili beziquntiwe, ziwele endaweni yokungena. Bekusele ingcenye yomzimbakhe ongathi yifesi. 5 Kungebangelo bekube kunamhlanjesi, abaphristi bakaDagoni nabo boke abantu abangena ngendlini kaDagoni bangakhambi endaweni yokungena kaDagoni e-Atjhidodi.

6 UJehova wabajezisa kabuhlungu abantu be-Atjhidodi, watjhabalalisa i-Atjhidodi neemfunda zayo ngokubabetha ngamathumba.*+ 7 Abantu be-Atjhidodi nabalemuka bona kwenzekani, bathi: “Ningavumeli umFaji kaZimu ka-Israyeli bona uhlale nathi ngombana usijezise kabuhlungu thina nozimethu uDagoni.” 8 Ngalokho babiza woke amakhosi wamaFilista bawabuza bathi: “Kufuze senzeni ngomFaji kaZimu ka-Israyeli?” Aphendula athi: “UmFaji kaZimu ka-Israyeli awusiwe eGathi.”+ Yeke bathatha umFaji kaZimu ka-Israyeli bawusa lapho.

9 Ngemva kobana bawuse lapho, uJehova wajezisa idorobhelo, bathoma ukubetjhwa livalo. Wabetha abantu bedorobhelo, kusukela komncani bekube komdala, baba namathumba.+ 10 Yeke bathumela umFaji kaZimu weqiniso e-Ekroni,+ kodwana msinyana ngemva kokuthi umFaji kaZimu weqiniso ufike e-Ekroni, abantu balapho balila bathi: “Balethe umFaji kaZimu ka-Israyeli kithi, bafuna ukusibulala thina nabantu bekhethu!”+ 11 Ngalokho babiza woke amakhosi wamaFilista bathi kiwo: “Khambisani umFaji kaZimu ka-Israyeli; awubuyele endawenawo bona thina nabantu bekhethu singabulawa.” Abantu bedorobho loke besele basaba bona bazokufa ngombana uZimu weqiniso bekabajezisa kabuhlungu,+ 12 abantu abangakhenge bahlongakale babetjhwa ngamathumba. Idorobho lalilela isizo begodu isililo salo sakhuphukela ezulwini.