Bible Reading Plan – Day 79

₁₉Waya ekhula uSamweli, uNdikhoyo enaye, zaza nezinto ezathethwa nguSamweli zazalisekiswa. ₂₀AmaSirayeli, ukususela eDan kuye eBheshebha, aqonda ukuba uSamweli *wayengumshumayeli onyanisekileyo kaNdikhoyo. ₂₁UNdikhoyo ke wathi rhoqo ukuvela eShilo, apho wazityhila khona ngezwi lakhe kuSamweli.

₁Ilizwi likaSamweli lafikelela kumaSirayeli onke.

Aphuma amaSirayeli, ahlangabezana namaFilistiya ukuya kulwa nawo. AmaSirayeli amisa e-Ebhenezere; wona amaFilistiya amisa eAfeki. ₂AmaFilistiya akha uluhlu ukukhawulela amaSirayeli, kwahlanganwa, zanqoza, aswantsuliswa amaSirayeli ngamaFilistiya, kwawa amawaka amane amaSirayeli kwelo dabi. ₃Ukufika kwawo ekampini amajoni asindileyo edabini akhuza amadoda amakhulu, athi: “Ngani ukuba namhlanje *uNdikhoyo asiyekele siswantsuliswe ngamaFilistiya? Masiye kuphuthuma ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo eShilo, ibe lapha phakathi kwethu, khon' ukuze isisindise esandleni seentshaba zethu.”

₄Kwathunywa izigidimi eShilo ukuba ziye kuphuthuma ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo onamandla onke, yena ongqongwe *zizithunywa ezimaphiko. Kweza noonyana bakaEli uHofeni noPineyasi, bekhapha ityesi yomnqophiso.

₅Atsho ngentlokomakazi enkulu amaSirayeli ukufika kwetyesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo ekampini, watsho wanyikima umhlaba! ₆Athi akuyiva loo ntswahla amaFilistiya, athi: “Yeyantoni na le ntsholo ingaka ekampini yamaSirayeli?” Athe akuva ukuba kufike ityesi kaNdikhoyo ekampini yamaSirayeli, ₇ankwantya kukoyika amaFilistiya, esithi: “Kufike uThixo ekampini yamaSirayeli! Yehaa! Ayizange ibekho into enjengale ngaphambili! ₈Sifile thina! Yaz'ba sosinda kanjani na esandleni salo Thixo unamandla? Asinguye na owabatshabalalisela entlango ngezibetho amaJiputa? ₉Yomelelani, maFilistiya! Yibani ngamadoda, hleze nathi sibe zizicaka zamaSirayeli kanye njengoko nawo ayezizicaka zethu! Kuf' ayayo, madoda!”

₁₀Alwa ke amaFilistiya, awaswantsulisa amaSirayeli, aya kutshona ngezindlu zawo. Kwajub' ugodo kwelo dabi, kwawa amashumi amathathu amawaka amajoni akwaSirayeli. ₁₁Yathinjwa ngamaFilistiya ityesi yomnqophiso kaThixo, oonyana bakaEli uHofeni noPineyasi basala apho itshoba lilel' umbethe.

₁₂Kwabakho mfo uthile wakwaBhenjamin owaxhina ukusuka edabini, waya kugaleleka eShilo kwangaloo mini. Izambatho zakhe zazikrazukile, intloko izele luthuli. ₁₃Ukufika kwaloo mfo uEli wayehleli ecaleni kwendlela, ejonge enkalweni, exhalele ityesi yomnqophiso. Loo ndoda yaziphalaza esixekweni ezo ndaba zimbi, kothuka wonke umntu, yaba sisikhalo sodwa. ₁₄Akusiva eso sijwili uEli wabuza wathi: “Yintoni unobangela wale ngxolo?” Loo ndoda yakhawuleza yaya kuEli. ( ₁₅Wayeselemashumi alithoba nesibhozo ubudala uEli, selephants' ukuba yimpumputhela yexhego.)

₁₆Yamxelela loo ndoda uEli, yathi: “Ndibhungce edabini kwanamhlanje, ndaxhina okoko ukuza apha.”

“Kwenzekeni, mfo wam?” kubuza uEli.

₁₇Wathi loo mfo ubhunce edabini ukuphendula: “AmaSirayeli aswantsulisiwe ngamaFilistiya, yaye kufe amaSirayeli amaninzi, noonyana bakho uHofeni noPineyasi baphakathi kwaloo madoda awileyo. Ndithi kuthinjwe nkqu netyesi kaThixo leyo.”

₁₈Uthe akuva kukhankanywa netyesi yomnqophiso uEli, waphequka kweso sihlalo sakhe ngasesangweni, wophuka ilungu lentamo, wafa. Kaloku wayeselaluphele, ekwanesiqu. Wayeyinkokheli kwaSirayeli iminyaka engamashumi amane.

₁₉Ngelo xesha umolokazana kaEli, umka-Pineyasi, wayekhulelwe, seleza kukhululeka. Wathi ke akuziva iindaba zokuthinjwa kwetyesi yomnqophiso kaThixo, nokuba uyisezala kunye nomyeni wakhe abasekho, wasuka waguqa, wazala. Zamongamela iintlungu zokubeleka. ₂₀Kwathi xa aqhawukayo, abafazi ababembelekisa bathi kuye: “Qina, mfazi; uzele inkwenkwe.”

Yena wasuka akaphendula, akabahoya nokubahoya oku. ₂₁Wathi igama laloo mntwana nguIkabhodi, esithi: “Udumo lumkile kwaSirayeli,” kuba ityesi kaThixo ibithinjiwe, uyisezala nomyeni wakhe nabo babeswelekile. ₂₂Wathi: “Udumo lumkile kwaSirayeli, kuba ityesi kaThixo ithinjiwe.”

₁Ayithatha amaFilistiya ityesi kaThixo e-Ebhenezere, ayisa eAshdode. ₂Apho afika ayingenisa endlwini yothixo wawo uDagoni, ayimisa ecaleni kwakhe. ₃Ngentsasa elandelayo amaFilistiya afika, tyhini uDagoni uthe qungqululu emhlabeni, ewe ngobuso ngaphambi kwetyesi *kaNdikhoyo! Babuya bammisa kwasendaweni yakhe uDagoni. ₄Kwakhona ngentsasa elandelayo bafike tyhini kwakhona nanko uDagoni equngquluze ngaphambi kwetyesi kaNdikhoyo! Ngoku wayeqhawuke intloko nezandla, zingasemgubasini wendlu leyo, yena uDagoni esele esisibhukubhuku nje. ( ₅Unanamhla oku ababingeleli bakaDagoni, nabani na ongena endlwini kaDagoni eseAshdode, uyawutsiba umgubasi ngenxa yale ntlekele.)

₆UNdikhoyo wabaphatha gadalala abantu baseAshdode neziphaluka zayo. Wabathobela izibetho, wabathuthumbisa ngamathumba. ₇Athi amadoda alapho akuqonda le meko: “Le tyesi yoThixo wamaSirayeli mayisuke apha phakathi kwethu. Naku esimise kakubi kunye noDagoni uthixo wethu.” ₈Kwabizwa intlanganiso yeenkosi zamaFilistiya, kwabuzwa kuzo kwathiwa: “Nithi mayithiweni na le tyesi yoThixo wamaSirayeli?”

Zaphendula zathi: “Mayisiwe eGati ityesi yoThixo wamaSirayeli.” Yasiwa apho ke.

₉Nalapho uNdikhoyo wabamisa kakubi abantu, batsho bazizantanta, wabathuthumbisa ngamathumba, omncinci nomdala ngokufanayo. ₁₀Yadluliselwa e-Ekron ityesi yomnqophiso kaThixo.

Yathi isafikanje abantu balapho bakhalaza besithi: “Baze kusibulalisa ngalaa tyesi yoThixo wamaSirayeli thina nabantu bethu!” ₁₁Abantu balapho babiza iinkosi zamaFilistiya, babhekisa kuzo bathi: “Sincedeni; yisuseni apha kuthi le tyesi yoThixo wamaSirayeli. Mayibuyele kowayo, hleze isibulale thina nabantu bethu.” Kaloku bonke abantu besixeko babenkwantyisiwe kukufa, kuba uThixo wayebamise kakubi. ₁₂Abantu abangafanga babethuthunjiswa ngamathumba, senyuka isikhalo sesixeko, sada savakala nasezulwini.

₁Yaba ziinyanga ezisixhenxe ityesi yomnqophiso *kaNdikhoyo ikwelamaFilistiya. ₂Andula ke amaFilistiya ukubiza ababingeleli noosiyazi balapho, bathi kubo: “Masiyithini na ityesi kaNdikhoyo? Kufuneka sithini na ukuyigodusa?”

₃Baphendula ababingeleli noosiyazi bathi: “Kaloku xa niyigodusa ityesi yoThixo wamaSirayeli, kufuneka ikhatshwe ngento yokungxengxezela ityala, ingahambi ingaphethe nto. Xa nenjenjalo niya kuphila, nitsho niyiqonde nembangi yokuba athi rhoqo ukunohlwaya uThixo kaSirayeli.”

₄Abuza amaFilistiya athi: “Ingakhatshwa ngantoni na yokungxengxezela ityala?”

Bathi ukuphendula ababingeleli: “Kaloku kufuneka niyikhaphe ngamathumba amahlanu awenziwe ngegolide, kunye neempuku ezintlanu ezenziwe ngegolide; inye kwezo nto imele inkosi yamaFilistiya nganye. Kaloku nonke nabethwa ngobhubhani ngokufanayo kunye neenkosi zenu zontlanu. ₅Ze niyenze ke, bethu, le mifuziselo yamathumba enu nezi mpuku zenu zibhubhisa ilizwe, nimzukise uThixo wamaSirayeli. Mhlawumbi ke angatsho apheze ukunibetha nina kunye *noothixo benu nelizwe lenu. ₆Yini ukuba niqaqadeke, nixele amaJiputa nokumkani wawo? Kaloku uThixo wawaphatha gadalala amaJiputa, aza awayeka amaSirayeli agoduka.

₇“Ngoko ke yenzani inqwelo entsha, nize neemazi ezimbini ezinamankonyane ezingayaziyo idyokhwe. Zibopheni, wona amankonyane niwafake esibaya. ₈Ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo ze niyilayishe kuloo nqwelo, nize ecaleni layo nibeke ibhokisi enalaa mifuziselo yenziwe ngegolide, leyo ningxengxeza ngayo kuye. Nize ke iimazi niziyeke zizihambele. ₉Ze nijonge ke. Xa inqwelo ithe yasinga kowayo ngaseBhete-shemeshe, soqonda ngaloo nto ukuba kuthe kanti nguThixo kaSirayeli lo usithumele le ntlekele. Kodwa ke ukuba ayiyanga ngakhona siya kwazi ukuba asinguye obesithuthumbisa, yinto nje efane yehla.”

₁₀AmaFilistiya enze njengoko ayeyalelwe. Abopha iimazi zambini, awavalela esibaya amankonyane. ₁₁Ayilayisha ityesi yomnqophiso enqweleni, ayilayisha naloo bhokisi iphethe imifuziselo yeempuku namathumba eyenziwe ngegolide. ₁₂Zenjenjeya ukusinga ngaseBhete-shemeshe ezo mazi, zithe ngqo endleleni, zihamba zinxakama njalo, zingatyekeli ngasekhohlo nasekunene. Zona iinkosi zamaFilistiya zazilandela zada zaya kuma ngomda waseBhete-shemeshe.

₁₃Ukuthi gqi kwayo ityesi yomnqophiso abantu baseBhete-shemeshe babesentlanjeni, bevuna ingqolowa. Yeka ke imincili yabo bakuyibona ityesi yomnqophiso! ₁₄Loo nqwelo yaya kuma malunga nelitye elikhulu entsimini yomfo ekwakusithiwa nguYoshuwa waseBhete-shemeshe. Bayinqunqa yaziinkuni loo nqwelo, baxhela nezo mazi, benzela ngazo uNdikhoyo idini elitshiswayo. ₁₅AbaLevi bayithula ityesi yomnqophiso kunye naloo bhokisi yayinemifuziselo eyenziwe ngegolide, bazibeka phezu kwelo litye likhulu. Abemi baseBhete-shemeshe benzela uNdikhoyo iminikelo kunye namadini atshiswayo. ₁₆Emva kokuba zibukele iinkosi zamaFilistiya zabuyela e-Ekron kwangaloo mini.

₁₇AmaFilistiya ayethumele imifuziselo yamathumba emihlanu enziwe ngegolide, engxengxeza ngayo kuNdikhoyo. Umfuziselo ngamnye wawumele isixeko. Ezo zixeko yayiyiAshdode, iGaza, iAshkelon, iGati, kunye ne-Ekron. ₁₈Bathumela kwanemifuziselo yeempuku ezenziwe ngegolide. Impuku nganye yayimele isixeko ngasinye sezo nkosi zintlanu zamaFilistiya, nditsho izixeko ezibiyelweyo kunye neziphaluka zazo. Elo litye lalisentsimini kaYoshuwa waseBhete-shemeshe lisemi apho unanamhla oku, libubungqina bento eyehla apho.

₁₉UNdikhoyo wababetha abemi baseBhete-shemeshe, kwafa abangamashumi asixhenxe, kuba kaloku basuka bayijonga ityesi yomnqophiso. Kwazilwa ngabemi balapho, kuba uNdikhoyo ebhubhise abantu abaninzi kangaka.

₂₀Abemi baseBhete-shemeshe bathi: “Kambe ke ngubani onako ukuma phambi *koNdikhoyo, lo Thixo wahluke kangaka? Singayithumela phi ityesi yakhe ukusuka apha?” ₂₁Bathumela izigidimi eKiriyati-yarim ukuba ziye kuthi kubemi balapho: “Ayibuyisile amaFilistiya ityesi yomnqophiso. Yizani niyiphuthume.”

₁Abemi baseKiriyati-yarim baya kuyiphuthuma ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo, bayisa emzini ka-Abhinadabhi owawusendulini. Bamisela uElazare, unyana waloo mfo, ukuba ibe nguye ogcina ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo.

₂Yahlala ithuba elide ityesi yomnqophiso *kaNdikhoyo eKiriyati-yarim. Yaba ngamashumi amabini eminyaka ilapho. Ngelo xesha onke amaSirayeli ayezibika kuNdikhoyo ukuba awancede. ₃Ngoko ke uSamweli wathi kwindlu yonke kaSirayeli: “Ukuba ngenene nibuyele kuNdikhoyo ngentliziyo epheleleyo, kufuneka nahlukane *noothixo basemzini bonke, nilahle nemifanekiso yothixokazi uAshtaroti. Kufuneka nizimisele nizinikele kuNdikhoyo ngokupheleleyo, nikhonze yena yedwa. Yena ke wonihlangula esandleni samaFilistiya.” ₄AmaSirayeli ke ayilahla imifanekiso kaBhali noAshtaroti, akhonza uNdikhoyo yedwa qwaba.

₅Emva koko uSamweli wathi: “Onke amaSirayeli makahlangane eMizpa. Mna ke ndiya kunithandazela kuNdikhoyo.” ₆Kwayiwa ke eMizpa kuloo mbizo, kwakhiwa amanzi, aza aphalazwa, kusenziwa umnikelo kuNdikhoyo. Kwakuzilwe imini yonke, abantu besithi: “Sinetyala kuNdikhoyo.” (NguSamweli owaba yinkokheli yamaSirayeli eMizpa.)

₇Athi akuva amaFilistiya ukuba nâko amaSirayeli eqokelelene eMizpa, aphuma ekhokelwa ziinkosi zawo ukuya kuhlasela amaSirayeli. Zaya kufika kumaSirayeli ezo ndaba, atsho awoyika amaFilistiya, ₈athi kuSamweli: “Uze ungayeki ukusitarhuzela kuNdikhoyo uThixo wethu, khon' ukuze asihlangule kumaFilistiya.” ₉USamweli wathatha itakane, wenzela uNdikhoyo ngalo idini elitshiswayo lilonke. Wacelela amaSirayeli uncedo kuNdikhoyo, weviwa nguNdikhoyo umthandazo wakhe.

₁₀Kanye xa uSamweli wayesenza elo dini, asondela amaFilistiya, elungiselela ukuhlasela amaSirayeli. Kuthe kanye ngoko kwavakala ukuzongoma kukaNdikhoyo, kusiza ngakumaFilistiya, atsho adideka, awabaleka amaSirayeli. ₁₁Asuka indulumbane amaSirayeli, ephuma eMizpa, awaleqa kujub' ugodo ukuya ngaseBhete-kare.

₁₂Emva koko uthathe ilitye lalinye uSamweli, walimisa phakathi kweMispa neShen, wathi igama laloo ndawo yiEbhenezere, esithi: “Kude kwakalokunje uNdikhoyo esinceda.” ₁₃Kwaba njalo ke ukoyiswa kwamaFilistiya, ayeka ukuhlasela ummandla kaSirayeli. Ngalo lonke ixesha esaphila uSamweli isandla sikaNdikhoyo sasiwachasile amaFilistiya. ₁₄Azibuyisela kwaSirayeli zonke izixeko ezaziphakathi kwe-Ekron neGati, ezo ayezithimbile amaFilistiya. Waba ke wonke ummandla kaSirayeli uyakhululeka kumaFilistiya. Kwabakho uxolo, nditsho naphakathi kwamaSirayeli nama-Amori.

₁₅USamweli waba yinkokheli yamaSirayeli bonke ubomi bakhe. ₁₆Minyaka le wayedla ngokwenza umjikelo, aye eBhetele, eGiligali, naseMizpa, afike apho alamle iimbambano zabantu. ₁₇Ukusuka apho wayegoduka aye eRama, apho wayefika alamle nakhona. Apho eRama kulapho wakha iqonga lokwenzela uNdikhoyo amadini.