Ityeya kaBawo wethu Ibuyela Ekhaya kwaSirayeli

Ababingeleli bacebisa ukuba ityeya ibuyiselwe ekhaya inamathumba egolide namagundwane egolide, isenqwelweni etsalwa ziimazi zeenkomo ezimbini ekuvalelwe amathole azo. Iinkomo zahamba zisingisa ngqo eBhete-shemeshe, zikhonya. Abavuni bavuya, zaza zafa amashumi asixhenxe ngenxa yokukroba ngaphakathi, waza umzi wabuza ukuba ngubani onokuma phambi koBawo wethu.

Isahluko 6.

Ityeya kaBawo wethu yahlala ezweni lamaFilisti iinyanga ezisixhenxe. AmaFilisti abiza ababingeleli namatola, athi: “Siya kuyenza ntoni na ityeya kaNdikhoyo? Sixeleleni ukuba singayibuyisela njani na endaweni yayo.”

Bathi: “Ukuba niyibuyisa ityeya kaThixo wamaSirayeli, musani ukuyibuyisela ilambatha, kodwa nize nimbuyisele idini letyala. Nophiliswa ke, nazi ukuba kungani na isandla sakhe singasukanga kuni.”

Athi: “Lelithini na idini letyala esiya kulibuyisela kuye?” Baphendula bathi: “Ngamathumba egolide amahlanu namagundwane egolide amahlanu, ngokwenani lezikhulu zamaFilisti, ngokuba sibe sinye isibetho esanibethayo nonke nezikhulu zenu.

Yenzani imifanekiso yamathumba enu neyamagundwane onakalisa ilizwe; nimnike uzuko uThixo wamaSirayeli. Mhlawumbi uya kusiphakamisa isandla sakhe kuni, nakoothixo benu, nasezweni lenu. Niyenzelani lukhuni intliziyo yenu, njengokuba benza amaYiputa noFaro? Akuthanga na, emva kokuba ebaphethe kalukhuni, ekugqibeleni abandulule abantu bahamba indlela yabo?”

“Ngoko ke thabathani inqwelo entsha neemazi zeenkomo ezimbini ezisengwayo, ekungabekwanga dyokhwe kuzo. Bophani ezo nkomo enqwelweni, kodwa amathole azo niwasuse kuzo, niwavalele. Thabathani ityeya kaNdikhoyo, niyibeke enqwelweni, nize ningqiphele ebhokisini ecaleni layo iimpahla zegolide enizibuyiselayo kuye njengedini letyala. Nize niyindulule ke. Nikhangele: ukuba yenyuka ngendlela eya ezweni layo, ise eBhete-shemeshe, nguye osizisele le ntlekele inkulu. Ukuba akunjalo, siya kwazi ukuba isandla sakhe asisibethanga—ibilithamsanqa nje.”

Enjenjalo ke loo madoda: athabatha iimazi zeenkomo ezimbini ezisengwayo, azibophela enqwelweni, ke amathole azo awavalela ekhaya. Abeka ityeya kaBawo wethu nebhokisi ephethe amagundwane egolide nemifanekiso yamathumba awo phezu kwenqwelo. Iinkomo zahamba zasinga ngqo eBhete-shemeshe, zihleli endleleni enye, zibhonga, zingathi gu bucala zaye ekunene nasekhohlo. Izikhulu zamaFilisti zazilandela zada zesa emdeni waseBhete-shemeshe. Abantu baseBhete-shemeshe, ababevuna ingqolowa esihlanjeni, baphakamisa amehlo, bayibona ityeya, bavuya bakuyibona. Inqwelo yafika entsimini kaYoshuwa eBhete-shemeshe, yema ecaleni lelitye elikhulu. Bayicanda iinkuni zenqwelo, bazenza iinkomo zaba lidini elinyukayo kuBawo wethu. AbaLevi bayithula ityeya kaBawo wethu nebhokisi ebisecaleni layo ephethe iimpahla zegolide, bazibeka phezu kwelitye elikhulu. Ngaloo mini abantu baseBhete-shemeshe benza amadini anyukayo nemibingelelo kuBawo wethu. Izikhulu zozihlanu zamaFilisti zayibona yonke le nto, zabuyela e-Ekron kwangaloo mini. Nanga amathumba egolide amaFilisti abewabuyisele kuBawo wethu njengedini letyala: linye ngalinye leAshdode, neGaza, neAshkelon, neGati, ne-Ekron. Amagundwane egolide ayelingana nenani lemizi yonke yamaFilisti yezikhulu zozihlanu—imizi enqatyisiweyo nemizana evulekileyo ngokufanayo. Ilitye elikhulu, apho babeka khona ityeya kaBawo wethu, limi lilingqina unanamhla entsimini kaYoshuwa waseBhete-shemeshe. Kodwa uBawo wethu wawabulala amanye amadoda aseBhete-shemeshe ngenxa yokukhangela ngaphakathi etyeyeni yomnqophiso, wabulala kuwo amashumi asixhenxe. Baba sisijwili abantu ngokuba ebebabethe ngesibetho esikhulu kangaka. Amadoda aseBhete-shemeshe athi: “Ngubani na onokuma phambi koBawo wethu, lo Thixo ungcwele? Iya kunyuka iye kubani na ityeya ukusuka kuthi?”

Athuma izigidimi kubantu baseKiriyati-yeharim, esithi: “AmaFilisti ayibuyisile ityeya kaBawo wethu. Yihlani nize ninyuse niyise kuni.”