USAMUWELI I 7

₁Abantu baseKiriyati-Jeharimi bafika, bakhuphula umphongolo kaJehova, bawungenisa endlini ka-Abinadaba entabeni, bamngcwelisa uEleyazare indodana yakhe ukuba agcine umphongolo kaJehova.

₂Kwathi kusukela osukwini umphongolo owahlala ngalo eKiriyati-Jeharimi, kwaba-yisikhathi eside, ngokuba sabayiminyaka engamashumi amabili; yonke indlu yakwaIsrayeli yakhalela uJehova.

₃USamuweli wakhuluma kuyo yonke indlu kaIsrayeli, wathi: Uma nibuyela kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yenu, susani kini onkulunkulu babezizwe noAshitaroti, nibhekise izinhliziyo zenu kuJehova, nimkhonze yena yedwa; uyakunophula esandleni samaFilisti.

₄AbakwaIsrayeli base besusa oBali noAshitaroti, bamkhonza uJehova yedwa.

₅USamuweli wathi: Buthani wonke uIsrayeli eMispa; ngiyakunikhulekela kuJehova.

₆Babuthana eMispa, bakha amanzi, bawathulula phambi kukaJehova, bazila ngalolosuku, bathi khona: Sonile kuJehova. USamuweli wahlulela abantwana bakwaIsrayeli eMispa.

₇AmaFilisti esezwile ukuthi abantwana bakwaIsrayeli babuthene eMispa, amakhosi amaFilisti akhuphuka ukulwa noIsrayeli. Abantwana bakwaIsrayeli bekuzwile lokho bawesaba amaFilisti.

₈Abantwana bakwaIsrayeli bathi kuSamuweli: Ungaphezi ukusikhalela kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu ukuba asisindise esandleni samaFilisti.

₉USamuweli wathatha iwundlu elincelayo, wanikela ngalo libe-ngumnikelo oshiswa wonke kuJehova; uSamuweli wamkhalela uIsrayeli kuJehova; uJehova wamphendula.

₁₀USamuweli esanikela ngomnikelo wokushiswa, amaFilisti asondela ukulwa noIsrayeli; kepha uJehova waduma ngokuduma okukhulu phezu kwamaFilisti ngalolosuku, wawangquzula, abulawa phambi kukaIsrayeli.

₁₁Abantu bakwaIsrayeli baphuma eMispa, bawaxosha amaFilisti, bawabulala, baze bafika ngaphansi eBeti-Kari.

₁₂USamuweli wathatha itshe, walimisa phakathi kweMispa neSheni, waqamba igama lalo ngokuthi iEbeni-Ezeri, ethi: Kuze kube-manje uJehova usisizile.

₁₃Ayesahlulwa amaFilisti, awabe esaphinda ukungena emikhawulweni kaIsrayeli; isandla sikaJehova sasimelene namaFilisti zonke izinsuku zikaSamuweli.

₁₄Imizi amaFilisti ayeyithathile kuIsrayeli yabuyiselwa kuIsrayeli, kusukela e-Ekroni kuze kube-seGati; umkhawulo wayo uIsrayeli wawophula esandleni samaFilisti. Kwaba-khona ukuthula phakathi kukaIsrayeli nama-Amori.

₁₅USamuweli wahlulela uIsrayeli zonke izinsuku zokuhamba kwakhe.

₁₆Wahamba iminyaka ngeminyaka ezungeza, waya eBethele, naseGiligali, naseMispa; wahlulela uIsrayeli kuzo zonke lezozindawo.

₁₇Wayebuyela eRama, ngokuba indlu yakhe yayilapho; wahlulela uIsrayeli khona, wamakhela lapho uJehova ialtare.