Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, ema-Israyeli aphindze ahlubuka kuJehova acala kukhonta labanye bonkulunkulu. Kwaphela iminyaka lesikhombisa emaMidiyani eba imfuyo yema-Israyeli kanye nalebebakulimile. Ema-Israyeli bekabhaca etintsabeni nasemigedzeni nakabalekela emaMidiyani. Ancenga Jehova kutsi awasindzise. Ngako Jehova watfumela ingilosi kulelinye lijaha lebekutsiswa nguGideyoni. Lengilosi yatsi: ‘Jehova ukhetse wena kutsi ube lichawe lelinemandla.’ Gideyoni wayibuta watsi: ‘Ngingawasindzisa njani ema-Israyeli? Angisilutfo.’

Bekatawuciniseka ngani Gideyoni kutsi Jehova bekakhetse yena? Wabeka sikhumba seboya bemvu emhlabatsini wase utsi kuJehova: ‘Ekuseni, nangabe ematolo atawumatsisa loboya kuphela kodvwa libala lonkhe libe lomile, ngitawubese ngiyati kutsi utawusindzisa ema-Israyeli usebentisa mine.’ Ngakusasa ekuseni, lesikhumba seboya besimanti kodvwa umhlabatsi womile. Ngelilanga lelilandzelako, Gideyoni wacela kutsi ekuseni lesikhumba kufanele some bese umhlabatsi wona uba manti. Nakwenteka loko, Gideyoni wabese uyakholwa kutsi Jehova bekakhetse yena. Wahamba nemasotja akhe kuze bayolwa nebaMidiyani.

Jehova watsi kuGideyoni: ‘Ema-Israyeli atawuncoba kulemphi. Nobe kunjalo. banyenti kakhulu bantfu labanawe, futsi loku kungahle kukwente ucabange kutsi nincobe lemphi ngemandla enu. Tjela nobe ngubani lowesabako kutsi abuyele ekhaya.’ Ngako emasotja langu-22 000 ajika wasala nalangu-10 000. Jehova wabese utsi: ‘Basebanyenti labantfu. Bayise emantini futsi ubatjele kutsi bawanatse. Tsatsa kuphela emadvodza lanatsa emanti abe agadze sitsa.’ Ngulangu 300 kuphela emadvodza lanatsa lamanti agadzile. Jehova wetsembisa kutsi lamadvodza lambalwa ngiwo lebekawuncoba lemphi yemaMididyani lebeyinemasotja langu-135 000.

Ngalobo busuku, Jehova watsi kuGideyoni: ‘Vuka uhlasele bakaMidiyani!’ Gideyoni wanika emasotja akhe timphondvo nemajeke lebekanetibani ngekhatsi. Wawatjela watsi: “Bukani mine, bese nenta njengobe ngenta.” Gideyoni washaya luphondvo lwakhe, waphihlita nalelijeke lakhe, aphetse nesibani sakhe, wamemeta watsi: “Inkemba yaJehova neyaGideyoni!” Onkhe nalamadvodza langu-300 lebekahamba nawo enta lokufanako. EmaMidiyani etfuka abalekela etindzaweni letehlukahlukene. Kuleso siphitsiphitsi, emaMidiyani acala kubulalana odvwana. Nalapho futsi, Jehova wachubeka awasita ema-Israyeli kutsi ancobe titsa tawo.

Lomunye um-Israyeli lebekutsiwa ngu-Elkhana bekanebafati lababili, boHana naPhenina, kepha bekunguHana labemtsandza kakhulu. Phenina bekavamise kuhlupha Hana ngobe bekete bantfwana kantsi yena bekanalabanyenti. Njalo ngemnyaka Elkhana abetsatsa umndeni wakhe bayokhonta ethempelini eShilo. Ngalelinye lilanga basethempelini, wabona kutsi Hana umfati wakhe lamtsandzako abedzabukile. Watsi: ‘Hana, ungakhali. Ngikhona mine. Ngiyakutsandza.’

Ngemva kwesikhatsi, Hana wahamba wayotithandazela ayedvwa. Abengakhoni kutibamba, akhala njengobe ancenga Jehova kutsi amsite. Wamtsembisa watsi: ‘Jehova, nawungangibusisa ngemntfwana longumfana, ngitamnikela kuwe futsi akukhonte onkhe emalanga ekuphila kwakhe.’

Umphristi Lophakeme Eli wanaka tindzebe temlomo waHana lebetihamba, wacabanga kutsi udzakiwe. Hana waphendvula watsi: ‘Cha nkhosi yami, angikadzakwa. Ngicindzetelekile, futsi ngitfululela inhlitiyo yami kuJehova.’ Eli wabona kutsi bekacabanga lokungasiko, watsi kuye: ‘Shengatsi Nkulunkulu angakunika loko lokucele kuye.’ Hana wativa asancono wase uyahamba. Ungakapheli nemnyaka, waba nendvodzana wayetsa watsi nguSamuweli. Ucabanga kutsi Hana wajabula kangakanani?

Hana akazange asikhohlwe setsembiso lasenta kuJehova. Ngekushesha nje ngemuva kwekuyekelisa Samuweli kumunya, Hana wamyisa ethempelini kuze ayokhonta khona. Watsi ku-Eli: ‘Lena ngulendvodzana lengayicela kuJehova. Ngitayinikela kuJehova onkhe emalanga ekuphila kwayo.’ Elkhana naHana bebavakashela Samuweli njalo ngemnyaka futsi bebamphatsela lijazi lelisha lelingenamkhono. Jehova wangetela Hana emadvodzana lamatsatfu nemadvodzakati lamabili.