USamyela Wokuthoma
6 UmFaji+ kaJehova waba sesifundeni samaFilista iinyanga ezilikhomba. 2 AmaFilista abiza abaphristi nabantu abathukulako,+ ababuza athi: “Senzeni ngomFaji kaJehova? Akhenisitjele ukuthi siwubuyisele njani endawenawo.” 3 Baphendula bathi: “Nange nibuyisela umfaji wesivumelwano kaJehova uZimu ka-Israyeli, ningawubuyiseli ngaphandle komnikelo. Nakanjani kufuze niwubuyisele kuye unomnikelo womlandu.+ Nizokulatjhwa kwaphela ngemva kokwenza lokho, begodu nizokwazi ukuthi kubayini asanijezisa.” 4 Yeke babuza bathi: “Ngonjani umnikelo womlandu ekufuze siwuthumele kuye?” Bathi: “Ngokwesibalo samakhosi wamaFilista,+ thumelani amathumba* wegolide amahlanu namakhondlo wegolide amahlanu ngombana nina namakhosenu nihlunguphazwe ngesibetho esifanako. 5 Kufuze nenze imifanekiso yamathumbenu nemifanekiso yamakhondlwenu+ atjhabalalisa inarha begodu nidumise uZimu ka-Israyeli. Mhlamunye uzokuphungula isijeziso asilethe phezu kwenu nakuzimenu nenarhenenu.+ 6 Kubayini kufuze niqinise iinhliziyo zenu njengombana iGibhide noFaro baqinisa iinhliziyo zabo?+ Kwathi uZimu nakabahlunguphazako,+ kwafuze bakhambise u-Israyeli, wakhamba bunjalo-ke u-Israyeli.+ 7 Nje-ke lungisani ikarana etja neenkomo ezimbili ezimunyisako ezingakhenge khezithwale ijogi. Nibophele iinkomezo ekaraneni, kodwana amakonyanazo nibuyele nawo ekhaya. 8 Thathani umFaji kaJehova niwubeke ekaraneni, nithathe nezinto zegolide ezimnikelo womlandu enimthumela wona nizifake ebhoksini eqadi kwawo.+ Ngemva kwalokho, nilise iinkomo zikhambe ziwubuyisele 9 bese niziqale: Nazingakhuphuka ngendlela etjhinga eBhethe-Tjhemetjhi,+ ziye esifundeni sawo, kutjho bona nguye olethe ubumbi obukhulu kangaka phezu kwethu. Kodwana zangatjhingi lapho, sizokwazi ukuthi bekungasinguye osijezisako, kuvele kwathomana bona sivelelwe ngilokhu.”
10 Abantu benza njalo. Bathatha iinkomo ezimbili ezimunyisako bazibophela ekaraneni begodu bavalela amakonyanazo ekhaya. 11 Babeka umFaji kaJehova ekaraneni, babeka nebhoksi elimumethe amakhondlo wegolide kunye nemifanekiso yamathumbabo. 12 Yeke iinkomezi zanqopha poro eBhethe-Tjhemetjhi.+ Zakhamba ngendlela yinye ekulu, zilila njengombana zikhamba; azange ziphambukele ngesidleni namkha ngesinceleni. Njengombana zikhamba, amakhosi wamaFilista bewakhamba ngemva kwazo bekwaba semkhawulweni weBhethe-Tjhemetjhi. 13 Abantu beBhethe-Tjhemetjhi bebasika isivuno sekoroyi emrhobeni othabaleleko.* Nabathi mehlo suka, babona umFaji begodu bathaba khulu. 14 Ikarana yafika esimini kaJotjhuwa umBhethe-Tjhemetjhi yajama lapho eduze nelitje elikhulu. Yeke bakapa iingodo zekarana begodu banikela iinkomezo+ bona zibe mnikelo otjhiswako kuJehova.
15 AmaLevi+ ehlisa umFaji kaJehova nebhoksi ebelinawo, lelo egade linezinto zegolide. Babeka umFaji nebhoksi phezu kwelitje elikhulu. Ngelangelo abantu beBhethe-Tjhemetjhi+ benzela uJehova iminikelo yokutjhiswa nemihlatjelo.
16 Kwathi amakhosi wamaFilista nawabona lokho, abuyela e-Ekroni ngelangelo. 17 Nje-ke, la mathumba wegolide amaFilista awathumela bona abe mnikelo womlandu kuJehova:+ linye le-Atjhidodi,+ linye leGaza, linye le-Atjhikheloni, linye leGathi,+ linye le-Ekroni.+ 18 Isibalo samakhondlo wegolide besilingana nesibalo sawo woke amadorobho wamaFilista ebewabuswa makhosi amahlanu la, okubandakanya amadorobho avikelekileko nezabelo ezingakabiyelwa.
Ilitje elikhulu ababeka kilo umFaji kaJehova esimini kaJotjhuwa umBhethe-Tjhemetjhi libufakazi bekube kunamhlanjesi. 19 Kodwana uZimu warhayila abantu beBhethe-Tjhemetjhi ngombana bebaqale umFaji kaJehova. Warhayila abazii-50 070* hlangana nabo begodu abantu bathoma ukulila ngombana uJehova warhayila abantu abanengi khulu.+ 20 Yeke abantu beBhethe-Tjhemetjhi babuza bathi: “Ngubani ozokukghona ukujama phambi kwakaJehova, uZimu ocwengileko lo+ begodu uzokuya kubani nakasuka kithi?”+ 21 Ngalokho bathumela umlayezo ebantwini beKhiriyathi-Jeyarimu,+ bathi: “AmaFilista abuyise umFaji kaJehova. Yenehle nizowuthatha nikhuphuke nawo.”+