1 USAMYELA 4

₁Ilizwi lakaSamyela lanqopha ku-Israyeli woke.

Nje-ke u-Israyeli gade aphumile bona alwe namaFilista. Ama-Israyeli ahloma amatendawo e-Ebheni-Ezeri, amaFilista wona ahloma e-Afeki. ₂AmaFilista akhupha ipi bona isahlelane neyama-Israyeli. Kwathi ipi isabambene kulwiwa, ama-Israyeli ahlulwa. Kwabulawa etatawini lokulwa ama-Israyeli alinganiselwa eenkulungwaneni ezine.

₃Abantu babuyela ekampeni, abaphathi bakwa-Israyeli babuza bathi: “Kubayini uSomnini asiliselele bona sihlulwe maFilista namhlanje na? Nambani siyokuthatha umfaji wesivumelwano sakaSomnini eTjhilo bona ube nathi bewusisindise esandleni sezitha zethu.”

₄Abantu bathumela amadoda eTjhilo. Eza nomfaji kaSomnini uMninimandlawoke ohlala phezu kwamakerubhi. Namadodana amabili ka-Eli, uHofni noFiniyasi, gade alapho hlanu komfaji wesivumelwano sakaZimu. ₅Lokha umfaji wesivumelwano sakaSomnini nawufika ekampeni, woke u-Israyeli warhuwelela khulu bekwadengezela iphasi.

₆AmaFilista ezwa itjhada lomdumo wokurhuwelela abuza athi: “Litjhada lani leli elisekampeni yamaHebheru na?” AmaFilista alemuka bona umfaji kaSomnini ufikile ekampeni yama-Israyeli. ₇AmaFilista esaba, athi: “UZimu ufikile ekampeni! Maye thina bo! Intwenje azange kheyenzeke ngaphambilini. ₈Maye babo! Sizokusindiswa ngubani kuZimu onamandla kangaka na? Nguye uZimu lo owarhadla amaGibhide erhalawumbeni ngamatshwenyeko woke. ₉Qinani! Yibani madoda maFilista! Ngaphandle kwalokho nizakuba makhoboka wamaHebheru njengombana nawo gade amakhoboka wenu. Khombisani ubudoda benu! Yilwani!”

₁₀Alwa-ke amaFilista, ama-Israyeli ahlulwa. Kwaba ngileyo naleyondoda yabalekela etendeni layo. Ukurhadlwa phasi kwama-Israyeli kwaba kukhulu khulu. Aloba amabutho aziinkulungwana ezimatjhumi amathathu. ₁₁Umfaji kaZimu wathunjwa, namadodana amabili ka-Eli, uHofni noFiniyasi, afa.

₁₂Kwaphuma umuntu wakwaBhenjamini etatawini lokulwa wagijima wafika khona mhlokho eTjhilo, izambatho zakhe zitlebhukile, anehlabathi ehloko. ₁₃U-Eli gade ahlezi esitulweni hlanu kwendlela alindile ngombana ihliziywakhe beyitshwenyekile ngomfaji kaZimu. Kuthe lokha umuntu loyo nangena emzini wabika okwenzekileko. Umuzi woke warhahlawula isililo. ₁₄U-Eli wezwa itjhada lesililo wabuza wathi: “Sitjho ukuthini isililokazesi na?” Umuntu loyo warhaba waya ku-Eli, wambikela. ₁₅U-Eli gade asele aneminyaka ematjhumi athobako nabunane, namehlwakhe selaphophele, angasaboni.

₁₆Umuntu loyo wabikela u-Eli wathi: “Mina ngingobuya etatawini lokulwa. Ngibaleke khona namhlanjesi.” U-Eli wabuza wathi: “Ndodanami, kwenzekeni?” ₁₇Umbiki waphendula wathi: “U-Israyeli uhlulwe maFilista wabaleka, nebutho lethu lilobe khulu kwamambala. Amadodanakho womabili, uHofni noFiniyasi, abulewe bekwathunjwa nomfaji kaZimu.”

₁₈Kuthe lokha umuntu loyo nakhuluma ngomfaji kaZimu, u-Eli wagenuka esitulweni agade ahlezi kiso hlanu kwesango lomuzi. Waphuka intamo bewahlongakala ngombana gade asele aluphele begodu azimukile. Ubegade asikhulu sakwa-Israyeli iminyaka ematjhumi amane.

₁₉Umalukazanakhe, umkaFiniyasi, gade asidisi nesikhathi sobana abelethe sesitjhidele. Kuthe lokha nezwa bona umfaji kaZimu uthunjiwe nokuthi usosokanakhe nomyenakhe bahlongakele, wasongana bewabeletha khonapho ngombana wahlulwa ziinhlabi. ₂₀Kuthe lokha nahlongakalako, abafazi abagade bambelethisa bathi: “Ungadani! Sewubelethe umsana!” Yena akhange abaphendule namkha abatjheje. ₂₁Wathiya umsana loyo ibizo laka-Ikhabhodi, asithi: “Iphazimulo isukile ku-Israyeli.” Lokho wakutjho ngebanga lokuthunjwa komfaji kaZimu nokuhlongakala kwakasosokanakhe nomyenakhe. ₂₂Iye, wathi: “Iphazimulo isukile ku-Israyeli ngombana umfaji kaZimu uthunjiwe.”