Umfaji wesivumelwano ubuyiselwa emuva kwa-Israyeli
1Umfaji kaSomnini wahlala enarheni yamaFilista iinyanga ezilikhomba. 2AmaFilista abiza abaphristi nezangoma athi: “Senzeni ngomfaji kaSomnini lo na? Sitjelani bona singawubuyisela njani ekhabo?”
3Baphendula bathi: “Lokha nanibuyisela umfaji kaZimu wama-Israyeli, ningawubuyiseli udududu; kodwana yenzani ngakho koke okusemandlenenu bona nimthumelele umnikelo werhobhe. Yeke nizakuphola begodu nizakulemuka bonyana kubayini isandla sakhe singakhange sisuke phezu kwenu.”
4AmaFilista abuza athi: “Simthumelele umnikelo werhobhe onjani na?”
Baphendula bathi: “Amathumba amahlanu wegolide nabongozo abahlanu begolide, ngokuya ngesibalo sababusi beemfunda zamaFilista ngombana ukuloba lokhu kwehlele nina nababusi benu. 5Bumbani imifanekiso yamathumba aniphetheko neyabongozo ababhubhisa inarha, ninikele uZimu wakwa-Israyeli idumo. Mhlamunye uzakususa isandla sakhe phezu kwenu, kibozimenu nenarhenenu. 6Kubayini nikhunyalalise iinhliziyo zenu njengamaGibhide noFaro na? Lokha uZimu nabatshwenya khulu akhange bagcine bawatjhidele ama-Israyeli kobana akhambe na? 7Yeke zilungiseleleni ikoloyana etja neenkomo ezimbili ezimunyisako begodu nezingazange khezibotjhelwe. Bophelani iinkomezo ekoloyaneni, amakonyanazo niwatjhiye avalelwe ngesibayeni. 8Thathani umfaji kaSomnini niwukhweze ekoloyaneni. Izinto zegolide enizithumela kuSomnini kobana zibe mnikelwenu werhobhe, zifakeni embadeni nizibeke hlanu komfaji bese niyawugodusa. 9Nitjheje, nange ungakhuphukela emabhodulukweni anqombene neBhethe-Tjhemetjhi, kuzabe kunguSomnini osithumele amanikelelakazi angaka. Kodwana nawungakhuphukeli khona sizakwazi bonyana bekuyingozi nje, kuzenzakalele bekungasiso isandla sakhe.”
10Benza njalo-ke abantu babophela iinkomo ezimbili ekoloyaneni, bavalela namakonyana wazo ngesibayeni. 11Bakhweza umfaji kaSomnini ekoloyaneni nembada ephethe abongozo begolide nomfanekiso wamathumba wabo wegolide. 12Iinkomo zanqomba eBhethe-Tjhemetjhi ngendlela leyo zikhamba zilila. Akhange ziphambukele ngesandleni sokudla namtjhana ngesinceleni. Ababusi beemfunda zamaFilista bazilandela bekwaba semkhawulweni weBhethe-Tjhemetjhi.
13Abantu beBhethe-Tjhemetjhi gade bavuna ikoroyi emrhobeni, bathe nabathi tla amehlo babona umfaji; bawuthabela khulu. 14Ikoloyana yafika emmangweni wakwaJotjhuwa eBhethe-Tjhemetjhi; yajama lapho edwaleni elikhulu. Abantu bakghema iingodo zekoloyana leyo, iinkomo banikela ngazo zabamhlabelo wokutjhiselwa uSomnini. 15AmaLevi ehlisa umfaji kaSomnini kanye nezinto zegolide ebezisekoloyaneni, azibeka phezu kwedwala elikhulu. Mhlokho abantu beBhethe-Tjhemetjhi benzela uSomnini iminikelo yokutjhiswa nemihlabelo. 16Ababusi beemfunda zamaFilista abahlanu babona koke lokhu babuyela e-Ekroni khona mhlokho.
17Amathumba wegolide agade athunyelwe maFilista njengomnikelo werhobhe kuSomnini gade ajamele amadorobho amakhulu wamaFilista: elinye bekungele-Atjhidodi, elinye kungeleGaza, elinye kungele-Atjhikeloni, elinye kungeleGathi, elinye kungele-Ekroni. 18Abongozo begolide gade bathunyelwe iimfunda ezihlanu zamaFilista eziphethwe babusi abahlanu, kusukela emadorobheni azombelezwe ngomthangala kufikela emizaneni yawo yemakhaya nengaphandle komthangala.
Idwala elikhulu elisemmangweni wakwaJotjhuwa weBhethe-Tjhemetjhi ekwabekwa kilo umfaji kaSomnini lisikhumbuzo bekube namhlanje.
19Kodwana uZimu wamadlha phasi abanye babantu beBhethe-Tjhemetjhi abamatjhumi alikhomba ngombana balunguza ngaphakathi komfaji kaSomnini. Isizwe salila ngombana uSomnini wamadlha phasi abanengi baso. 20Abantu beBhethe-Tjhemetjhi babuza bathi: “Ngubani ongajama phambi kwakaSomnini uZimu ocwengileko lo na? Kazi umfaji lo uzakunyukela kosobani nawusuka lapha na?”
21Yeke bathumela iinthunywa ebantwini beKiriyathi-Jeyarimu bathi: “AmaFilista awubuyisile umfaji kaSomnini. Yehlani-ke nizowuthatha niwenyusele kinapho.”
