Isandla sikaBawo wethu ngakumaFilisti

AmaFilisti abeka ityeya kaBawo wethu abeyithimbile ecaleni likaDagon, aza kabini afumanisa uthixo wawo ewe ngobuso phantsi emhlabeni, kwathi ngesihlandlo sesibini intloko nezandla ziqhawukile zisembundwini womnyango. Amathumba noloyiko landela ityeya kususela eAshdode kuya eGati nakwa-Ekron, zide zonke izixeko zibongoze ukuba isuswe.

Isahluko 5.

AmaFilisti ayeyithimbile ityeya kaBawo wethu, ayithabatha e-Ebhenezere, ayizisa eAshdode. AmaFilisti ayithabatha ityeya kaBawo wethu, ayingenisa endlwini kaDagon, ayibeka ecaleni likaDagon. Kwathi abantu baseAshdode bavuka kusasa ngengomso, nanko uDagon ewe ngobuso phantsi emhlabeni phambi kwetyeya kaBawo wethu. Bamthabatha uDagon, bambuyisela endaweni yakhe. Kwathi bavuka kusasa ngengomso, nanko uDagon ewe kwakhona ngobuso phantsi emhlabeni phambi kwetyeya kaBawo wethu. Ngeli xesha intloko yakhe nezandla zakhe zombini zaziqhawukile zisembundwini womnyango; kwasala umzimba wakhe kuphela. Ngenxa yoko kude kube namhla ababingeleli bakaDagon nabo bonke abangena endlwini kaDagon eAshdode abanyatheli embundwini kaDagon. Saba nzima isandla sikaBawo wethu phezu kwabantu baseAshdode. Wabatshabalalisa, wababetha ngamathumba—iAshdode nommandla wayo ongqongileyo. Bathi amadoda aseAshdode akubona oku, athi: “Ityeya kaThixo kaSirayeli mayingahlali kuthi; isandla sakhe silukhuni phezu kwethu naphezu kukaDagon uthixo wethu.” Abiza zonke izikhulu zamaFilisti, athi: “Senza ntoni na ngetyeya kaThixo kaSirayeli?” Zaphendula zathi: “Mayisiwe eGati ityeya kaThixo kaSirayeli.” Ayizisa ke ityeya kaThixo kaSirayeli khona.

Emva kokuba beyisile, isandla sikaBawo wethu safika nakuloo mzi, kwabakho ukothuka okukhulu kunene. Wababetha abantu bawo, abancinane nabakhulu, kwaza kwaphuma amathumba kubo. Bayithumela ke ityeya kaBawo wethu e-Ekron. Kodwa yakufika, abantu base-Ekron bakhala besithi: “Bazise kuthi ityeya kaThixo kaSirayeli ukuze basibulale nabantu bethu!”

Bahlanganisa ke zonke izikhulu zamaFilisti, bathi: “Yindulule ityeya kaThixo kaSirayeli; mayibuyele endaweni yayo, ukuze ingasibulali nabantu bethu.” Ukothuka kokufa kwakuwubambile wonke umzi; isandla sikaBawo wethu sasinzima kakhulu khona. Abo bangafanga babethwa ngamathumba, saza isikhalo somzi senyuka saya ezulwini.