Ema-Israyeli aphindze amhlubuka Jehova acala kukhonta labanye bonkulunkulu. Ngesikhatsi ema-Amoni ahlasela ema-Israyeli kute lokwentiwa ngulabonkulunkulu kuze bawasite. Ema-Israyeli ahlupheka sikhatsi lesidze. Ekugcineni atsi kuJehova: ‘Sonile. Sicela umane usisindzise etitseni tetfu.’ Ema-Israyeli atibhidlita letitfombe tawo abuyela akhonta Jehova. Jehova abengafuni kuwabona achubeka ahlupheka.

Lichawe lekutsiwa nguJeftha lakhetfwa kutsi libe ngumholi wemphi ngesikhatsi ema-Israyeli alwa nema-Amoni. Latsi kuJehova: ‘Nangabe utawusisita sincobe, ngetsembisa kutsi nobe ngubani lotawuphuma kucala emnyango wendlu yami angihlangabete nangibuya ngitawunikela ngaye kuwe.’ Jehova wawulalela umthantazo waJeftha futsi wamsita wancoba kulemphi.

Nakafika ekhaya Jeftha, umuntfu wekucala lowamhlangabeta bekuyindvodzakati yakhe, lebekukuphela kwemntfwana labekanaye. Beyijayiva futsi idlala ithamborine. Bekatawenta njani Jeftha? Wakhumbula setsembiso sakhe watsi: ‘Awu ndvodzakati yami! Uyephulile inhlitiyo yami. Ngente setsembiso kuJehova. Kuze ngifeze lesifungo kufanele uyosebentela Jehova ethendeni lekukhontela leliseShilo.’ Kepha lendvodzakati yakhe yatsi kuye: ‘Babe, nangabe wente setsembiso kuJehova, kufanele usifeze. Ngicela kuya etintsabeni tinyanga letimbili ngikanye nemantfombatana labangani bami. Ngitawubese ngiyahamba.’ Indvodzakati yaJeftha yakhonta ngekwetsembeka ethempelini kuphila kwayo konkhe. Njalo ngemnyaka, bangani bayo bebaya kuyoyivakashela eShilo.

Eli umPhristi Lophakeme abenemadvodzana lamabili labekakhonta njengebaphristi ethendeni lekukhontela. Emabito awo bekuboHofni naFinehasi. Bebangawulaleli umtsetfo waJehova futsi bebabaphatsa kabi bantfu. Lapho ema-Israyeli atonikela kuJehova, boHofni naFinehasi bebatitsatsela inyama lencono ibe yabo. Eli weva ngaloko emadvodzana akhe lebekakwenta kepha akentanga lutfo ngako. Jehova abetakuvumela yini loko kutsi kuchubeke?

Nanobe Samuweli bekamncane kunaHofni naFinehasi, akazange asilingise sibonelo sabo lesibi. Jehova wajabula ngaSamuweli. Ngalobunye busuku Samuweli alele, weva livi limbita. Wavuka wagijimela ku-Eli, watsi: ‘Sengikhona!.’ Kepha Eli watsi: “Angikaze ngikubite. Hamba uyolala.” Samuweli wabuyela wayolala. Waphindze waliva lelivi. Ngesikhatsi Samuweli eva lelivi kwesitsatfu, Eli wabona kutsi bekunguJehova lobekabita Samuweli. Eli watjela Samuweli kutsi nangabe aphindze aliva lelivi abotsi: “Khuluma Jehova, ngobe inceku yakho ilalele.”

Samuweli waphindze wayolala. Waphindze waliva lelivi litsi: ‘Samuweli! Samuweli!’ Waphendvula watsi: “Khuluma, ngobe inceku yakho ilalele.” Jehova watsi kuye: ‘Ttjela Eli kutsi ngitawuletsa sehlulelo kuye kanye nasemndenini wakhe. Uyati kutsi emadvodzana akhe enta tintfo letimbi, kodvwa yena akawekhuti.’ Ngakusasa ekuseni, Samuweli wavula iminyango ethendeni lekukhontela njengobe nje abehlale enta. Bekesaba kutjela lomphristi lophakeme loko Jehova abekushito. Ngako Eli wambita futsi wambuta watsi: ‘Ndvodzana yami, yini Jehova lakutjele yona? Ngicela ungitjele konkhe.’ Ngako Samuweli watjela Eli konkhe.

Njengobe Samuweli akhula, Jehova wachubeka waba naye. Eveni lonkhe, ema-Israyeli bekati kutsi Jehova abekhetse Samuweli kutsi abe ngumphrofethi nesikhulu.