Eyokuqala KaSamuweli
4 USamuweli waqhubeka ekhuluma nawo wonke u-Israyeli.
U-Israyeli waphuma eyolwa namaFilisti; wamisa amatende ngase-Ebhenezeri, amaFilisti amisa amatende e-Afeki. 2 AmaFilisti ahleleka ukuze alwe no-Israyeli, kodwa impi ayihambanga kahle, amaFilisti amnqoba u-Israyeli, abulala amadoda angaba ngu-4 000 enkundleni yempi. 3 Lapho abantu bebuyela ekamu, amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli athi: “Kungani uJehova evumele amaFilisti ukuba asinqobe* namuhla? + Masithathe umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova eShilo, + ukuze sihambe nawo usisindise esandleni sezitha zethu.” 4 Ngakho abantu bathumela amadoda eShilo afike awuthatha umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova wamabutho, uNkulunkulu ohlezi phezu* kwamakherubi. + Amadodana amabili ka-Eli, uHofini noFinehasi, + nawo ayelapho kanye nomphongolo wesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu weqiniso.
5 Kwathi nje lapho umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova ufika ekamu, wonke ama-Israyeli amemeza kakhulu, kwaze kwazamazama umhlaba. 6 Lapho amaFilisti ezwa umsindo wokumemeza, athi: “Kungani amaHebheru ememeza kangaka ekamu lawo?” Ekugcineni ezwa ukuthi kwakufike uMphongolo kaJehova ekamu. 7 AmaFilisti esaba, ngoba athi: “Kufike uNkulunkulu ekamu!” + Ngakho athi: “Saze sangena enkingeni, ngoba ayikaze yenzeke into enjengale! 8 Saze sangena enkingeni! Ubani ozosisindisa esandleni salo Nkulunkulu omkhulu ngokubabazekayo? Nguye lo Nkulunkulu owashaya abaseGibhithe ebabulala ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene ehlane. + 9 Yimani isibindi nibe ngamadoda, nina maFilisti, ukuze ningabi yizigqila zamaHebheru njengoba nje wona ebe yizigqila zenu. + Yibani ngamadoda nilwe!” 10 Ngakho amaFilisti alwa wahlulwa u-Israyeli, + yilowo nalowo wabaleka waya etendeni lakhe. Kwabulawa abaningi kakhulu; kwafa amasosha angu-30 000 ayimigundatshani kwa-Israyeli. 11 Ngaphezu kwalokho, amaFilisti awuthatha uMphongolo kaNkulunkulu, amadodana amabili ka-Eli, uHofini noFinehasi, abulawa. +
12 Umuntu othile wakwaBhenjamini wagijima esuka enkundleni yempi waze wayofika eShilo ngalolo suku, izingubo zakhe ziklebhukile, enenhlabathi ekhanda. + 13 Lapho lowo muntu efika, u-Eli wayehlezi esihlalweni eceleni kwendlela, elindile, ngoba wayekhathazeke kakhulu ngenxa yoMphongolo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso. + Lowo muntu wangena edolobheni eyobika, kwasuka esikhulu isililo kulo lonke idolobha. 14 Lapho u-Eli ezwa isililo, wathi: “Esani lesi sililo esingaka?” Lowo muntu washesha wayotshela u-Eli okwakwenzekile. 15 (U-Eli wayeneminyaka engu-98 ubudala, engasaboni emehlweni.) + 16 Lowo muntu wathi ku-Eli: “Ngivela empini! Ngibaleke empini khona namuhla.” U-Eli wathi: “Kwenzekeni, ndodana yami?” 17 Ngakho owayelethe umbiko waphendula wathi: “U-Israyeli uwabalekele amaFilisti, kwabulawa abantu abaningi kakhulu; + amadodana akho amabili uHofini noFinehasi nawo afile, + noMphongolo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso uthathiwe.” +
18 Kwathi lapho nje ekhuluma ngoMphongolo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, u-Eli wawa ngesiphundu esuka esihlalweni sakhe eceleni kwesango, waphuka intamo wafa, ngoba wayesemdala futhi enomzimba omkhulu. Wayebe umahluleli kwa-Israyeli iminyaka engu-40. 19 Umalokazana wakhe, umkaFinehasi, wayekhulelwe sekuseduze ukuba abelethe. Lapho ezwa umbiko wokuthi uMphongolo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso uthathiwe nokuthi uyisezala nomyeni wakhe bafile, wavele waqalwa imihelo kungalindelekile, wabeletha. 20 Njengoba ayefa, abesifazane ababemi eceleni kwakhe bathi: “Ungesabi, ngoba ubelethe indodana.” Akaphendulanga futhi akanakanga.* 21 Kodwa waqamba umfana ngokuthi u-Ikhabhodi, *+ ethi: “Inkazimulo isukile kwa-Israyeli yaya ekudingisweni,” + lokhu ekusho ngokuqondene nokuthathwa koMphongolo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso nangokuqondene noyisezala nomyeni wakhe. + 22 Wathi: “Inkazimulo isukile kwa-Israyeli yaya ekudingisweni, ngoba uMphongolo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso uthathiwe.” +