Ukuzalwa KukaSamsoni
(13:1 – 16:31)
1Abakwa-Israyeli babuye benza okubi emehlweni kaSimakade; uSimakade wabanikela esandleni samaFilisti iminyaka engama-40.
2Kwakukhona indoda ethile eZora, yomndeni wakwaDani, igama layo kunguManowa. Umkayo wayeyinyumba, engenabantwana. 3Ingelosi kaSimakade yabonakala kowesifazane, yathi kuye: “Nanxa uyinyumba, ungakaze uzale bantwana, uzakukhulelwa, uzale indodana. 4Qaphela ukuthi ungaliphuzi iwayini nophuzo olunamandla, futhi ungadli lutho olungcolileyo, 5ngoba uzakukhulelwa, uzale indodana: awuyukuliphuca ikhanda layo, ngokuba umfana uzokuba ngumnaziri kaNkulunkulu kwasesibelethweni; nguye oyakuqala ukukhulula u-Israyeli esandleni samaFilisti.”
6Owesifazane wahamba wabikela umyeni wakhe, wathi: “Kufike kimi umuntu kaNkulunkulu, isimo sakhe sifana nesengelosi kaNkulunkulu, esabeka kakhulu. Angimbuzanga ukuthi uvelaphi, futhi akangitshelanga igama lakhe, 7kodwa uthe kimi: ‘Uzakukhulelwa, uzale indodana. Ngakho-ke ungaphuzi wayini nophuzo olunamandla, futhi ungadli lutho olungcolileyo, ngokuba umfana uzokuba ngumnaziri kaNkulunkulu kwasesibelethweni kuze kube sosukwini lokufa kwakhe.’ ”
8UManowa wayesekhuleka kuSimakade, wathi: “Nkosi, ngiyakunxusa, makuthi umuntu kaNkulunkulu obumthumile abuye eze kithi asifundise ukuthi siyakwenzenjani maqondana nomfana ozakuzalwa.”
9UNkulunkulu wamlalela uManowa, ingelosi kaNkulunkulu yabuyela kowesifazane ehleli ensimini, kodwa umyeni wakhe wayengekho lapho. 10Owesifazane wagijima ngokushesha watshela indoda yakhe, wathi: “Umuntu owabonakala kimi ngaleliya langa ubonakele futhi kimi.”
11UManowa wasukuma walandela umkakhe, wafika kulowo muntu, wathi kuye: “Ngabe uyilowo muntu owakhuluma kulo wesifazane, na?”
Wathi: “Yebo, nginguye.”
12Wayesethi uManowa: “Nxa sekwenzekile owakukhulumayo, iyakuba yini indlela yomntwana, uyakwenzani, na?”
13Ingelosi kaSimakade yathi kuManowa: “Owesifazane makakulalele konke engimtshele khona. 14Akayukudla lutho oluvela esithelweni somvini, akayukuphuza wayini noma uphuzo olunamandla, futhi akayukukudla okungcolileyo. Makakugcine konke engimyale ngakho.”
15UManowa wathi engelosini kaSimakade: “Ake usivumele sikulibazise, sikuhlabele izinyane lembuzi.”
16Ingelosi kaSimakade yathi kuManowa: “Uma ungilibazisa, angiyukukudla ukudla kwakho, kodwa uma ufuna ukulungisa umhlatshelo wokushiswa, uyakuwunikela kuSimakade.”
Kwakungoba uManowa wayengazi ukuthi lona uyingelosi kaSimakade.
17UManowa wayesethi engelosini kaSimakade: “Ngubani igama lakho, ukuze sikuhloniphe lapho amazwi akho esefezekile?”
18Kepha ingelosi kaSimakade yathi kuye: “Ulibuzelani igama lami, na? Liyisimangaliso!”
19UManowa wayesethatha izinyane lembuzi nomnikelo wokusanhlamvu, wakunikela kuSimakade phezu kwedwala, kuye owenza izimangaliso. 20Kwathi lapho ilangabi lenyukela ezulwini, lisuka e-althare, ingelosi kaSimakade yenyuka ngalo, uManowa nomkakhe bebukela, base bethi mbo ngobuso emhlabathini.
21Ingelosi kaSimakade ayiphindanga yabonakala futhi kuManowa nomkakhe. UManowa wayeseqonda ukuthi bekuyingelosi kaSimakade.
22UManowa wathi kumkakhe: “Impela sizokufa ngokuba sibone uNkulunkulu.”
23Kepha umkakhe wathi kuye: “Ukuba uSimakade ubeqonde ukusibulala, ubengeke awemukele umnikelo wokushiswa nowokusanhlamvu ophuma ezandleni zethu, noma asikhombise konke lokhu, futhi ubengeke asitshele izinto ezifana nalezi.”
24Owesifazane wazala indodana, wayiqamba igama wathi nguSamsoni. Umfana wakhula, uSimakade wambusisa. 25UMoya kaSimakade waqala ukumsebenzisa ngesikhathi eseMahane Dani, phakathi kweZora ne-Eshithawoli.