Umphongolo KaSimakade Ubuyiselwa Kwa-Israyeli
1Umphongolo kaSimakade wahlala ezweni lamaFilisti izinyanga eziyisikhombisa. 2AmaFilisti ababiza abaphristi nababhulayo, athi: “Sizokwenzenjani ngomphongolo kaSimakade na? Siboniseni; sizakuwubuyisela kanjani endaweni yawo na?”
3Bathi: “Uma senizowuphindisela umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ningawuphindiseli ungenalutho. Kodwa ubuyiseleni nomnikelo wecala, khona niyophiliswa; sekuyokwazeka-ke ukuthi kungani isandla sakhe singasuswa kini.”
4Athi: “Uyokuba yini umnikelo wecala esiyakuwubuyisela kanye nawo na?”
Bathi: “Amathumba ayisihlanu egolide namagundane ayisihlanu egolide ngokwenani lamakhosi amaFilisti, ngokuba kuyisifo esisodwa esihlasele bonke, ngisho namakhosi enu. 5Niyokwenza imifanekiso yamathumba enu anihlasele nemifanekiso yamagundane enu ahlasele izwe, nimnike udumo uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, hleze asenze sibe lula isandla sakhe phezu kwenu, phezu konkulunkulu benu, naphezu kwezwe lakini. 6Nizenzeleni lukhuni izinhliziyo zenu, njengoba kwenza abaseGibhithe noFaro, abazenza lukhuni izinhliziyo zabo na? Lapho esebashaye kanzima, ababavumelanga yini ukuba bahambe na?
7“Manje thathani, nenze inqola entsha nezinkomazi ezimbili ezincelisayo okungakaze kuhlale joka kuzo; zibopheleni izinkomazi enqoleni, nibuyisele emuva amankonyane azo, niwabuyisele ekhaya. 8Niyowuthatha umphongolo kaSimakade, niwubeke enqoleni, nifake ebhokisini eliseceleni kwawo impahla yegolide eniyiphindisela kuye, ibe ngumnikelo wecala, izinkomazi nizidedele zihambe. 9Bhekani, uma zenyuka nawo ngendlela esemngceleni waseBhethi Shemeshi, yazini ukuthi nguNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli osehlisele lobo bubi obukhulu. Uma kungenzeki kanjalo, kuyobe sehlelwe yingozi nje.”
10Abantu benza kanjalo, bathatha izinkomazi ezimbili ezincelisayo, bazibophela enqoleni, kwathi amankonyane azo bawavalela ekhaya. 11Babeka umphongolo kaSimakade enqoleni nebhokisi lamagundane egolide nemifanekiso yegolide yamathumba abo. 12Izinkomazi zangena indlela, zabheka ngaseBhethi Shemeshi, zihamba endleleni, zihamba zibhonsa, aziphambukelanga ngakwesokunene noma ngakwesokhohlo. Amakhosi amaFilisti azilandela aze afika emngceleni eBhethi Shemeshi.
13AbaseBhethi Shemeshi babevuna ukolo esigodini, lapho bephakamisa amehlo, babona umphongolo, bathokoza nxa bewubona. 14Inqola yeza ensimini kaJoshuwa waseBhethi Shemeshi, yafike yema lapho. Kwakukhona itshe elikhulu lapho, base beqhekeza izinkuni zenqola benza ngezinkomazi umnikelo wokushiswa kuSimakade. 15AbaLevi bawehlisa umphongolo kaSimakade nebhokisi elaliseceleni kwawo, okwakukulo izinto ezenziwe ngegolide, base bewubeka phezu kwetshe elikhulu. Ngalolo lusuku abantu baseBhethi Shemeshi banikela ngeminikelo yokushiswa, benza nemihlatshelo kuSimakade. 16Amakhosi amahlanu amaFilisti esekubonile lokho, abuyela e-Ekhroni ngalolo lusuku.
17Lawa ngamathumba egolide abuyiswa ngamaFilisti aba ngumnikelo wecala kuSimakade: elinye lalingele-Ashidodi, elinye kungeleGaza, elinye kungele-Ashikeloni, elinye kungeleGathi nele-Ekhroni, 18namagundane egolide ayeyinani lemizi yonke yamaFilisti eyayibuswa ngamakhosi ayisihlanu, imizi eyizinqaba ebiyelwe nemizana engabiyelwe. Itshe elikhulu lapho kwabekwa khona umphongolo kaSimakade, lingubufakazi ensimini kaJoshuwa waseBhethi Shemeshi, kuze kube namuhla.
19Wabulala abantu baseBhethi Shemeshi ngokuba babebuke emphongolweni kaSimakade. Wabulala abangama-70 kubo emadodeni ayeyizi-50 000. Abantu balila ngoba uSimakade wabulala abantu abaningi kakhulu. 20Abantu baseBhethi Shemeshi base bethi: “Ngubani ongama phambi kukaSimakade, uNkulunkulu ongcwele na? Uma umphongolo usuka lapha kithi uyakwenyukela kuphi na?”
21Bathumela izithunywa ezakhamuzini zaseKiriyathi Jeharimi, bathi: “AmaFilisti awubuyisile umphongolo kaSimakade; yehlani, niwuthathe niwukhuphulele kini.”
